Flights with HAL?

[irishjim]

Hi,

My wife and I want to fly to Sydney Oz in Feb 2014 for a Trans Pac crossing, 43 days on the MS Oosterdam,it has been on our bucket list for a while, is is it better to make my own flights or use HAL?We will fly from

Toronto and home from Vancoover.Would there be a lot of Plane changes?

Thanke you all for any help. Jim:D:D:D.

[rkacruiser]

When I have had an itinerary such as yours in the past, I found that HAL was able to get me better fares than I was able to do on my own.

 

My most recent itinerary to New Zealand provided for only two plane changes: one in Atlanta and one in Los Angeles. Return from Vancouver, one plane change in Minneapolis.

[world~citizen]

You might try the cruise air boards for more info. A lot of pros there.

[jtl513]

For a one-way flight HAL can usually give you a better price than you find on your own, and since you're a 3* Mariner (or better) you can use an "air deviation" to pick your own flights - within reason.

 

I've never used HAL for an "open jaw" flight such as you're planning, and don't know how they'd do on that. Ask a TA for a price quote.

[KirkNC]

I am very surprised by the answers, we have never used HAL for air, always done it on our own.

[rkacruiser]

I am very surprised by the answers, we have never used HAL for air, always done it on our own.

 

For my Auckland-Sydney-Vancouver cruise on the Volendam in March-May of 2012, pricing the air on my own, the air would have cost almost as much as the cruise itself.

 

In 2007, on flights to Rome to embark the Amsterdam, the air fare quoted by HAL showed a significant savings had I booked it on my own.

 

For upcoming flights to Amsterdam to embark the Eurodam, I have found the same kind of significant savings. (The itinerary will end in New York.)

 

And, as a previous poster mentioned, by using air deviation, I have always been able to get the precise flights I requested through HAL.

[whogo]

Holland America with free air deviation was the best arrangement for our Transatlantic from Rome. Best air price on our own from Chicago to Rome and from Fort Lauderdale to Chicago was $1400 with bad arrival times and poor connections. HAL air was $900 with good routing. Do your own price and routing comparisons and make your choice.

[sapete]

You might try the cruise air boards for more info. A lot of pros there.

 

I agree here. Take a look at sone of the "cruise air" threads you might get a different idea. Tickets purchased through a cruise line can have some severe restrictions on them which could leave you wanting if there is a problem with flights the day of travel.

[LobstersLass]

Hi,

My wife and I want to fly to Sydney Oz in Feb 2014 for a Trans Pac crossing, 43 days on the MS Oosterdam,it has been on our bucket list for a while, is is it better to make my own flights or use HAL?We will fly from

Toronto and home from Vancoover.Would there be a lot of Plane changes?

Thanke you all for any help. Jim:D:D:D.

 

I use www.kayak.com to find flights.

I put in 20th Feb 2014 as the search date for a one way flight.

Qantas will get you to Sydney for just under CAD$1400.

Flight leaves Toronto at 18:25.

The bad news is you have to change at LAX

The nice news is you get into Sydney at 09.30

 

Play around with dates and times and you should find some good options.

The return flight prices won't be available until about 355 days until the flight takes place.

[Typhoon1]

Book your own air. HAL would give you the most undesirable flights available.

[jtl513]

... which could leave you wanting if there is a problem with flights the day of travel.

We now only use cruise air if the first night is an overnight in port, or the next port is close by, and there is a significant savings.

 

Book your own air. HAL would give you the most undesirable flights available.

Not if you use a "deviation" either free for being a 3* (or more) Mariner, or by paying for it. We only had one bad routing experience, before I learned about deviations.

 

Plus sometimes the HAL choices aren't bad, even without a deviation. We met a couple on a Med cruise who had the same flights that we chose, and paid a deviation to get.

 

One big advantage of HAL air is that if you miss the sailing, HAL picks up the tab for getting you caught up to the ship.