Is this Possible?

[akruz]

We are having trouble getting our air fares expenses down in price from Canada to FLL so we are looking to Miami.

Someone who is doing a western caribbean cruise from Port Everglades and is from the prairie province is flying down to MIami and staying at a hotel in Miami who will not only pick him up from Miami intl airport but take him to Port Everglades from the Miami hotel. I cannot believe this I cannot see this for free. Is this possible? I assumed rental car, etc.

 

Anyone with info on this matter would be grealy appreciated.

[toberman]

It doesn't sound reasonable that it's a free shuttle from MIA to FLL, but it may be built into the room price. There are shuttle services avbl from MIA to FLL for a fee. Get the name of the hotel from your friend and check with them.

Where in Canada are you flying from? If you're close enough to the US it can save some money by driving to a US airport and flying from there.

[akruz]

We are flying from Saskatchewan to Ft lauderdale if possible. However, we are thinking it would be cheaper to Miami.

What are alternative ways to get from Miami Intl airport to a Ft. Lauderdale hotel for the overnight. (Hopefully free shuttle from Hotel in Lauderdale to the cruise port in Lauderdale).

 

I need baby steps on this question. I hope you will be patient enough or give me threads I can scoop in on.

 

Thanks very much for any assistance on this matter as I am already wishing I did not book w/o looking at airfare. A real newbie!!!!!!!!!!!

[Johanna7]

We are flying from Saskatchewan to Ft lauderdale if possible. However, we are thinking it would be cheaper to Miami.

What are alternative ways to get from Miami Intl airport to a Ft. Lauderdale hotel for the overnight. (Hopefully free shuttle from Hotel in Lauderdale to the cruise port in Lauderdale).

 

I need baby steps on this question. I hope you will be patient enough or give me threads I can scoop in on.

 

Thanks very much for any assistance on this matter as I am already wishing I did not book w/o looking at airfare. A real newbie!!!!!!!!!!!

 

We often fly WestJet and have been to Miami as well but we did not notice that Miami was any cheaper. A taxi from Miami to the Ft Lauderdale port can run as high as $100. Better to check and see what WestJet and Air Canada have, to Ft. Lauderdale. Hotels in Fort Lauderdale are cheaper than in Miami. We have found that.

[akruz]

Thank you Johanna 7, so far I cannot find any fare from Stoon cheaper to FLL or Mi. I hate to pay more for airfare than a 14 day cruise. Hope west jet goes on sale. sometimes on Wednesdays.

Again thanks for replying.

[toberman]

Thank you Johanna 7, so far I cannot find any fare from Stoon cheaper to FLL or Mi. I hate to pay more for airfare than a 14 day cruise. Hope west jet goes on sale. sometimes on Wednesdays.

Again thanks for replying.

 

Unfortunately.. you may be scrw..ed leaving from the 'Scoon'. However, what are your dates to leave and come back??

[Tinkerbellcgy]

Have you checked out Choice Air for your Celebrity Cruise? It may very well prove to be the cheapest way to go.

 

I booked my air from Calgary to Fort Lauderdale through Choice Air and it was quite a bit cheaper than Expedia.

 

I also booked my hotel on Hotwire and I got the 4* Hyatt Pier 66 in FLL for CDN $129.00 for one night pre-cruise.

 

Let me know if I can assist you with any of this. :)

 

Edited to Add: I just did a Choice Air web site check for you and they don't have any flights from S'toon but they do from Regina to FLL. I also wonder if it might be worth your while to get to Edmonchuk and fly down from there?

 

It might be worth your while to give Choice Air a telephone call (1-800-533-7803) and see what they might be able to do for you.

 

Liz

[Tinkerbellcgy]

Edited to add to my message above: I was finally able to get S'toon flights on Choice Air. The cost is approximately $1,100.00 to $1,200.00 per person. I don't know what Expedia would be but I do know that airfare is not cheap anymore especially if an arrival to or a departure from Canada is on the itinerary. You are also booking just over 60 days out so that will add to the higher cost as well.

 

Also, I do believe flying into FLL is going to be cheaper than flying into MIA and then getting to FLL.

 

Don't worry too much about getting a hotel in FLL with a shuttle. Cabs in FLL are cheap, cheap, cheap and probably will costs you less than what hotels add on to their charges for shuttles. JMHO

[toberman]

Edited to add to my message above: I was finally able to get S'toon flights on Choice Air. The cost is approximately $1,100.00 to $1,200.00 per person. I don't know what Expedia would be but I do know that airfare is not cheap anymore especially if an arrival to or a departure from Canada is on the itinerary. You are also booking just over 60 days out so that will add to the higher cost as well.

 

 

That's the cost of the cruise!! Has to be something better???

[akruz]

We sure got ourselves in a pickle...... we did not budget for airfares that would be higher than our cruise. We want to leave April 6 and if need be April 5th and returning April 21st. Afraid to leave this linger and hope for a sale from West Jet or Delta or AirCanada. Drive might be our only choice from Saskatoon to Calgary or Edmonton to cut down costs. (8 hr drive).:eek::mad::o

[BlueHerons]

We sure got ourselves in a pickle...... we did not budget for airfares that would be higher than our cruise. We want to leave April 6 and if need be April 5th and returning April 21st. Afraid to leave this linger and hope for a sale from West Jet or Delta or AirCanada. Drive might be our only choice from Saskatoon to Calgary or Edmonton to cut down costs. (8 hr drive).:eek::mad::o

 

Your dates are peak week in peak season. They are over Easter Break.

 

Can you take the train or train/air combination?

 

Flights are probably only going to go up because you are getting so close to 60 days out.

[tomko2]

Do you have any flexibility in your dates? If so, then check the Canadian version of Travelocity as there are some much better rates showing if you could leave a date earlier and come back a day or two earlier, e.g. Delta thru Minn. to Fort Lauderdale for under $600. pp.

 

Worth checking out.

Kathy:)

[akruz]

Tomko2, our cruise leaves April 7 and returns April 21st. I can see a day or two prior and day after but the expenses keep adding up.

Thanks for the replies to all.

[Tinkerbellcgy]

Dar, I believe WestJet has seat sales every Thursday afternoon and I think it is online sales. I seem to have read that the timing of these sales is between 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. Calgary time (sorry, I can't remember if there is an hour time difference between S'toon and Calgary).

 

I understand your shock at the prices of airfare. When I was researching prior to booking my cruise, I was stunned to see just how high the airfares are nowadays from the days gone by. We, who live in the bald prairies, seldom get the cheap airfare deals that those in southern Ontario and Quebec do. So, yes, our airfare is often times close to or the same as the cost of the passage on the cruise ship. That's the price we pay for living in this beautiful part of Canada.

 

Seeing as we are on the same cruise, if you can make your way to Calgary on April 5th, I would be happy to provide you with accommodation at my home in an effort to save you some money. I fly out early in the morning (7:00'ish am) on April 6th on American via Dallas Fort Worth and return on April 21st on AA at about 3:05 pm so if you could get those flights we could travel together. I would also be happy to provide you with accommodation on the evening of April 21st so that you could start out for home refreshed the next morning.

 

If any of this is something, that you might want to pursue, please let me know and we can discuss it by private e-mail. I know this cruise is something special for you and you are really looking forward to it and if I can help to make it a little less stressful for you and your hubby, I am happy to assist in any way that I can.

[tomko2]

Dar, I believe WestJet has seat sales every Thursday afternoon and I think it is online sales. I seem to have read that the timing of these sales is between 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. Calgary time (sorry, I can't remember if there is an hour time difference between S'toon and Calgary).

 

I understand your shock at the prices of airfare. When I was researching prior to booking my cruise, I was stunned to see just how high the airfares are nowadays from the days gone by. We, who live in the bald prairies, seldom get the cheap airfare deals that those in southern Ontario and Quebec do. So, yes, our airfare is often times close to or the same as the cost of the passage on the cruise ship. That's the price we pay for living in this beautiful part of Canada.

 

Seeing as we are on the same cruise, if you can make your way to Calgary on April 5th, I would be happy to provide you with accommodation at my home in an effort to save you some money. I fly out early in the morning (7:00'ish am) on April 6th on American via Dallas Fort Worth and return on April 21st on AA at about 3:05 pm so if you could get those flights we could travel together. I would also be happy to provide you with accommodation on the evening of April 21st so that you could start out for home redfreshed the next morning.

 

If any of this is something, that you might want to pursue, please let me know and we can discuss it by private e-mail. I know this cruise is something special for you and you are really looking forward to it and if I can help to make it a little less stressful for you and your hubby, I am happy to assist in any way that I can.

 

Tink, you are really someone special, what a generous offer.:)

Best wishes for a wonderful cruise.

Kathy

[akruz]

Tinkerbell, I am crying as I am emailing this. I did not know what to do? Yes, I am quite sure I would love to take up that offer. You realize that there is four of us. 2 couples early sixties. You might not want to put up the four of us. We would travel car. I will keep my eye open on THursday west jet sale and look for other offers. Thanks. How do we contact each other by pmail?

 

Darlene

[Tinkerbellcgy]

Tinkerbell, I am crying as I am emailing this. I did not know what to do? Yes, I am quite sure I would love to take up that offer. You realize that there is four of us. 2 couples early sixties. You might not want to put up the four of us. We would travel car. I will keep my eye open on THursday west jet sale and look for other offers. Thanks. How do we contact each other by pmail?

 

Darlene

Darlene,

 

I'm in a bit of a hurry at the moment - on my way to the dentist to have a molar pulled but should be back in a few hours.

 

I wasn't aware there were 2 couples travelling in your party but perhaps we can work things out to accommodate twice the people. :D

 

In any event, I have several throw-away e-mail addresses and one of them you could contact me through would be:

 

tinkyyc@yahoo.ca

 

Gotta run. Catch up with you later, 'gator.

 

Liz

[RMLincoln]

Came in late here and maybe the OP has a solution, but i just wanted to chime in that there are shuttle vans (shared) between Miami and FLL that cost about $15pp each way. Might not be cost effective for 4 over rental car(?). Try QLS - Quality Limo Service. Have used them with good results. There are also some private cars for hire, maybe also through QLS as well as others that may be more cost effective or convenient for 4 traveling together.

 

We are flying into FLL a day early and saved $270, more than enough to cover the cost of our hotel (only a 3 star place but it works for us). Keep at it and keep your options open and your spirits up - it'll happen. :) m--

[Yin&Yang]

We are travelling from Edmonton to MIA for our Allure cruise in May out of Port Everglades. In searching for airfares, MIA was significantly cheaper than flying in to FLL. I signed up for fare alerts on Yapta (can I mention this?) and we were fortunate enough to scoop up a fare for $533, taxes included, on United back in October. That fare only lasted for one day and the next day those exact same flights were back up over $700 before taxes. Another in our group travelling from Calgary was lucky to find a fare to FLL for $400-something last month. Not sure which airline though. As there are four of us travelling together from YEG, we booked a private shuttle to transport us from MIA to our hotel in FLL. Still cheaper than flying into FLL.

 

Do you have flexibility on departure/return dates? We typically fly out a couple of days pre-cruise, stay an extra day post-cruise and fares were cheaper on those dates than on the weekend. I still monitor fares and currently airfares on Air Canada and Westjet are ridonkulously high. A previous poster suggested checking Westjet Blue Tag specials on Thursdays and that may be your best bet right now if you don't want to sign up for fare alerts.

 

Good luck, and happy cruising! :)

[akruz]

Thanks Yin and Yang, you are so right you find a fare and poof it is gone in a flash. Have to check daily. The fares from Stoon have been brutal and the blue tag sale did not work. But sure heck tried. You are so lucky you have a city with more air options and have time to keep an alert. My days are numbered. However, Like I said on the other thread this served me a valuable lesson for future cruises and air travel.

thanks for everyone's replies.

[Colorado Kat]

Individual airlines have spots where you can sign up for airfare alerts, to notify you when fares go below a certain point. I know time is limited, but try that.