Is TA worth exhorbitant one way flights???

[Lisou]

Bonjour,

 

I am booked on the Mariner TA in Oct. For health reasons, I will need to book my flights last minute. We are coming from Canada, therefore, the trek from Houston back to our home only saves us a few hours in flight (but several in jet lag:p).

 

My question is reviewing the costs of flights...the one way flights are much more expensive (more than double) than if we were to do a regular cruise in Europe and returning home from the same port.

 

My dilemma: I was so looking fwd to the extra sea days to relax and enjoy the ship AND less jet lag on the return. BUT...is it really worth paying the extra exhorbitant flight costs:confused:???

 

For the seasoned TA cruisers, do you have any tips to contour the flight costs??? OR do the pros of TA cruising outweigh the cons of the extra flight fees???

 

Thank you for your advice and insights!

[Lynnees]

You can buy a return ticket with the other end as far out as possible. You may or may not use it at the time but you may find you want to change the date down the road and use it for something else.

[39august]

Try calling RCI Choice Air. Usually they can offer less expensive flights when departing and returning from different airports.

[Lynnees]

I didn't ask - but where are you in Ontario? You can always get an open jaw from Buffalo.

[dzcruisers]

Try

www.rccl.com/choiceair

Our one way flights have not gone over $525. versus the airlines wanting 2300. to 2700. for the same flights.

[itsajoke]

Definitely check Royal Caribbeans air - sometimes their prices can't be beat. Or find a TA that uses an Air Consolidator that may have better prices than the airlines.

[Lisou]

Wow, thank you for your great insights. I will check with RCI Choice Air before I make a final decision.

 

The issue is that I have chronic cancer so cannot get travel insurance. I am currently undergoing treatment for a recurrence but I am planning this trip for when I am in remission (or cured:p;))! When I am in remission, I go crazy on the travelling to take advantage of the time I have!

 

BTW -- we are in Northern Ontario so we need to have one or two flights from our small airport to Toronto and then fly out of Toronto. The problem with our home location is that in order to have a "decent" flight cost from Toronto to Europe, we need to fly Air Canada and its carriers all the way from our home airport to our final destination. We go to Europe often, and I`ve tried pricing it with cheaper flights from Toronto to Europe and AC from home to Toronto and it was crazy! I will check with Choice Air.

 

Merci!

[S&Jboat]

What is a TA please?

[wg6530]

What is a TA please?

 

In this context, TA= transatlantic.

[pcur]

Wow, thank you for your great insights. I will check with RCI Choice Air before I make a final decision.

 

The issue is that I have chronic cancer so cannot get travel insurance. I am currently undergoing treatment for a recurrence but I am planning this trip for when I am in remission (or cured:p;))! When I am in remission, I go crazy on the travelling to take advantage of the time I have!

 

BTW -- we are in Northern Ontario so we need to have one or two flights from our small airport to Toronto and then fly out of Toronto. The problem with our home location is that in order to have a "decent" flight cost from Toronto to Europe, we need to fly Air Canada and its carriers all the way from our home airport to our final destination. We go to Europe often, and I`ve tried pricing it with cheaper flights from Toronto to Europe and AC from home to Toronto and it was crazy! I will check with Choice Air.

 

Merci!

 

Good for you, and good luck to you, too!! :D

 

I suggest you try what we are doing this year, and quite a few people do this. Book another TA for Spring 2012, and split the airfare between the two trips.

 

We are on an eastbound TA in May, and on a westbound one this Fall. Our airfare on British Airways, including paying for our seats in advance to get better locations is $875 each roundtrip from Rome to LAX. That is $875 total for each trip for two people. The cruise is the cheap part!

 

Be sure to keep an eye on your cruise price, because when you book way in advance you have a much better chance of getting the lower price, or getting a price drop before final payment date.

[Lynnees]

Good for you, and good luck to you, too!! :D

 

I suggest you try what we are doing this year, and quite a few people do this. Book another TA for Spring 2012, and split the airfare between the two trips.

 

We are on an eastbound TA in May, and on a westbound one this Fall. Our airfare on British Airways, including paying for our seats in advance to get better locations is $875 each roundtrip from Rome to LAX. That is $875 total for each trip for two people. The cruise is the cheap part!

 

Be sure to keep an eye on your cruise price, because when you book way in advance you have a much better chance of getting the lower price, or getting a price drop before final payment date.

 

 

Her problem is being in Northern Ontario. No choices AC is a bandit.

[greydog]

Check Europe to major hubs and compare buying domestic connections separately. We found Amsterdam to NYC airports at around $600 one way on Icelandic or Aer Lingus. If trying to book all the way to end destination, fare when way up. Good Luck

[pcur]

I'm seeing some reasonable roundtrip prices Rome-Toronto. This is on mobissimo.com. I always use them to check airfares before I go look at the individual airlines. They are showing Lufthansa, British Airways, and Air Canada.

 

Just a suggestion.

[Lisou]

Merci!

 

Pcur, I like your suggestion of splitting the between a westbound and an eastbound TA. I will look into that one!

 

Like Lynnees pointed out...because AC and its carriers have monopoly in my area...it is difficult because I get a better deal all the way if I book from home to final destination ALL on AC. I tried many times to price it but the domestic part ends up being more if I book them seperately. They give a deal if I book the entire trip with them. If I lived close to Toronto...I agree that there are many options that WOULD be cheaper!

 

Also, I cannot book too much ahead of time due to my health issues. I need to wait til pretty last minute to make sure I am well enough to make the one month trip. I also, am not eligible for travel insurance because of my health issues so will not receive any cancellation insuarance.

 

Thank you so much for your advice!

[Beth C]

TA one way fares to/from Europe are insanely high for Canada but it pays to spend some time trying out different airports (in your case any airport that you could get an AC flight to Northern ON from)

 

I booked my father 2 wks ago for the Nav TA ending in Rome but getting back to Halifax from there was insane (AC's "seat sale" was $5900 for 2) so I started searching every major airport starting back at Fort Lauderdale (knowing you can usually get a flight for about $140) and worked my way up the eastern seaboard of the US. Just by pure fluke I put Montreal into my search and up pops a DIRECT Air Transat 1 way flight for.... drumroll please... $274!! Flight from MTL to HFX was about $200... Yes it took alot of time to search around to find that sweet spot but in the long run it saved about $5000... Actually they wouldn't be going if I didn't find the flight deal that's for sure!!

[will773]

Wow, thank you for your great insights. I will check with RCI Choice Air before I make a final decision.

 

The issue is that I have chronic cancer so cannot get travel insurance. I am currently undergoing treatment for a recurrence but I am planning this trip for when I am in remission (or cured:p;))! When I am in remission, I go crazy on the travelling to take advantage of the time I have!

 

BTW -- we are in Northern Ontario so we need to have one or two flights from our small airport to Toronto and then fly out of Toronto. The problem with our home location is that in order to have a "decent" flight cost from Toronto to Europe, we need to fly Air Canada and its carriers all the way from our home airport to our final destination. We go to Europe often, and I`ve tried pricing it with cheaper flights from Toronto to Europe and AC from home to Toronto and it was crazy! I will check with Choice Air.

 

Merci!

 

It's great that you get to take full advantage of travel when you are feeling well! Hope you have some great cruises! :)

[PINEVIEW01]

Check Europe to major hubs and compare buying domestic connections separately. We found Amsterdam to NYC airports at around $600 one way on Icelandic or Aer Lingus. If trying to book all the way to end destination, fare when way up. Good Luck

When I did my TA's, I used the search engine sidestep.com for one way flights. Both times I found one way from Aer Lingus from a major hub, NYC for me for less than $600 also. I booked the flight from home to NYC seperate.

 

I almost canceled the first TA when I was finding one-way and open jaw flights at close to $2000.

[VillaHappy]

TA one way fares to/from Europe are insanely high for Canada but it pays to spend some time trying out different airports (in your case any airport that you could get an AC flight to Northern ON from)

 

I booked my father 2 wks ago for the Nav TA ending in Rome but getting back to Halifax from there was insane (AC's "seat sale" was $5900 for 2) so I started searching every major airport starting back at Fort Lauderdale (knowing you can usually get a flight for about $140) and worked my way up the eastern seaboard of the US. Just by pure fluke I put Montreal into my search and up pops a DIRECT Air Transat 1 way flight for.... drumroll please... $274!! Flight from MTL to HFX was about $200... Yes it took alot of time to search around to find that sweet spot but in the long run it saved about $5000... Actually they wouldn't be going if I didn't find the flight deal that's for sure!!

 

That is a SWEET deal! Good job! :D

[wrp96]

Consider flying Icelandair or Air Lingus from the US (I think Icelandair my fly from Toronto too) as they have decent one-way transatlantic airfares. Then you only need tickets between the US and Canada. This may bring down the costs of airfare.

[S&Jboat]

Thanks, I kept thinking Travel Agent and that just doesn't fit here.

[stewpapa]

Wow, thank you for your great insights. I will check with RCI Choice Air before I make a final decision.

 

The issue is that I have chronic cancer so cannot get travel insurance. I am currently undergoing treatment for a recurrence but I am planning this trip for when I am in remission (or cured:p;))! When I am in remission, I go crazy on the travelling to take advantage of the time I have!

 

Merci!

 

Lisou

Blessings and Prayers sent toward you today.

May you have many wonderful times ahead.

 

Everyone else. Thanks for the great ideas. We hope for a TA in a year or two and didn't know how to get around the huge one way air fares. Now we do. Thanks.

[East Bay Skiers]

I have never been to Ireland (hope to go in the near future) so I am not familiar with the airports there and was wondering if you have to change airports in Dublin to reach your final destination (like in some European cities). If your final destination is Spain, either Madrid or Barcelona, how easy, or not, is it to get from one terminal to the other?

 

Thanks so much!:)

 

OP, My prayers are with you. I hope you have a wonderful cruise and many more to follow!

[Tucker in Texas]

If you can find a good round trip priced ticket then get it. Feed in a "return" date as far out as you can--pick a date, any date.

 

Then,a couple of weeks prior to the "return," call and cancel with some "emergency" story. Tell them you are not in a position right then to schedule the return as things are still influx. The return ticket should be good for a year with a change fee.

 

Tucker in Texas

[CRUSINGFAMILY]

Our experience has been to Fly from Toronto to London Gatwick with Air Transat, or Thompson and then fly Easyjet, or Ryan air to Rome, it is much cheaper. We paid 350 to london and 75 from london to Barcelona a couple of years ago. They usually have availability at the last minute too.

 

Just my two cents worth.

 

Brian J

[Lynnees]

If you can find a good round trip priced ticket then get it. Feed in a "return" date as far out as you can--pick a date, any date.

 

Then,a couple of weeks prior to the "return," call and cancel with some "emergency" story. Tell them you are not in a position right then to schedule the return as things are still influx. The return ticket should be good for a year with a change fee.

 

Tucker in Texas

 

Not that easy when flying for Canada on a Canadian carrier. They are not that co-operative, especially AC.