Flights Sydney -Rome

[chester32]

Have been looking at doing a Mediterranean cruise which are pretty well priced ,but its the airfare that's the killer almost double the cost of the cruise

Just wondering is there anyone who has done this before with flights cheaper than the one I was quoted {$5560.00) for 2 people in cattle class just seems a bit over the top to me

Thanks

[bazzaw]

Have been looking at doing a Mediterranean cruise which are pretty well priced ,but its the airfare that's the killer almost double the cost of the cruise

Just wondering is there anyone who has done this before with flights cheaper than the one I was quoted {$5560.00) for 2 people in cattle class just seems a bit over the top to me

Thanks

 

That sounds expensive to me as well -- what are your dates??

 

Barry

[chester32]

The cruise we are looking at is not till march 2015 still a while off I know

We are leaving and returning from Sydney and the price I was quoted was from a TA with a best price guarantee

Thanks

[cee cee1]

Hi! We are going Emirates next month. Sydney - London, land tour, then cruise ex Rome, then flights Rome - Sydney with stopovers in Dubai on the way over and back. Total for flights Sydney- London, Rome- Sydney is $4063.00 if that helps you any?

kind regards and happy cruising!

Colleen.

[bazzaw]

Firstly - NOBODY really knows what airfares will be that far off - Mar 2015.

 

BUT -- I believe that is a "shoulder season" -- after the Christmas High season and before the Northern Hemisphere summer high season

 

I would expect airfares to Europe in March to be similar to that in October -- and right now you can book October 2013 return tickets from around $1700 - $2000 return.

 

Of course, when booking a cruise in advance , you need to book an airfare also in advance. -- and I wouldn't do that. Right now, I am thinking of a Mediterranean cruise in March/April next year. I will be waiting until around January/February before I become serious about making bookings. There are plenty of good itineraries in the Med -- so, unless it is a very specific itinerary you are interested in, I would be waiting until about 2 months before a cruise (coinciding with final payment) to book a cruise - and much the same thing applies to the airfares - in March there will be plenty of airline availability to Rome.

 

Just my thoughts -- I might be wrong :)

 

Barry

[2newaddicts]

At the moment there are sale prices for Sydney to Rome return for around $1700pp. That is a good price. If you keep watching for sales you should get a price below $2000 per person that covers the dates you need, but sales usually only cover around 6-9 months out.

[NSWP]

In October 2011 we flew to Rome from Sydney to embark Ruby Princess, Med and T/A. After fishing around for decent fares, we picked Thai Airlines. It was a great flight on a near empty Airbus A340 from Syd to Bangkok, seat back tv, great service. However on reaching Bangkok, had to transfer onto a packed out Thai Boeing 747, real old version and no seat back tvs, a boring flight into Rome, that really put me off Thai.

 

For a March 2015 flight as the OP wants, I would not be looking at any fare until April 2014, as that is when the flights/prices are out and bookable. To me around $2000 pp would be the target.

[bazzaw]

In October 2011 we flew to Rome from Sydney to embark Ruby Princess, Med and T/A. After fishing around for decent fares, we picked Thai Airlines. It was a great flight on a near empty Airbus A340 from Syd to Bangkok, seat back tv, great service. However on reaching Bangkok, had to transfer onto a packed out Thai Boeing 747, real old version and no seat back tvs, a boring flight into Rome, that really put me off Thai.

 

For a March 2015 flight as the OP wants, I would not be looking at any fare until April 2014, as that is when the flights/prices are out and bookable. To me around $2000 pp would be the target.

 

Les -- How did you get down to the port for Rome??

 

Barry

[Jacs]

^ Barry we got a private car transfer, probably the best option IMO. The port is about 30-40 minute drive out of Rome. You can catch a train from Rome Termini to Civitavechia as well, but you need to be able to manage your bags on and off the train and walk about 600m with them to the port entrance, where a shuttle bus will take you to the ship. We did this coming home and it was doable but a pain. Car dropped us right at the ship.

[NSWP]

Les -- How did you get down to the port for Rome??

 

Barry

 

G'day Barry, we used http://www.zelitlimousine.com They were terrific, picked us up from Airport in a black Merc, into Rome and then picked us up from Rome to Civit, right alongside ship as they have authority to enter port. Very reliable and English speaking driver. They will give you a quote on their site, I just checked Rome Airport FCO to Port, x 2 pax 115 Euros total.

[bazzaw]

+1 for the car transfer.

 

In years past when we were younger and poorer - we used to do all kinds of things (like catch the Tube into London from Heathrow with luggage after a 24 hour flight :eek:). Actually, we weren't all that poor :) -- we just had an obsession like many others to try to save a dollar here and a dollar there -- but those days are OVER!!:p

 

Last year (mainly because we had a "package"), for the first time ever, we got picked up at the airport by a man in a new Mercedes Benz who quickly and quietly chauffeured us to our hotel in London - and the next day another nice man chauffeured us down to Southampton. This also happened on the way home - in reverse. I asked my wife "How long has this been going on???" She said "Forever".

 

So that is the way we will travel from now on -- the cost is only peanuts anyway compared to what else you spend on an overseas holiday.

 

Barry

[Aussieflyer]

I agree with all of the above - firstly I would wait to book airfares and would do it myself not part of a package with the cruise line/TA (a friend has just had a long saga with included air with a TA that advertised one airline then booked another, much cheaper and less direct one!). I am sure you will be able to pick up flights cheaper and as others have pointed out, the flights are not bookable yet anyway.

Secondly, the use of private transfers is something we nearly always do now. We had a pick up at the airport in Rome, transfer to the hotel, then transfer to Civitavecchia and reverse at the end of the cruise. From memory we used Rome Cabs who also have a private transfer branch. As Bazzaw points out in the overall scheme of things this cost is minimal.

[NSWP]

+1 for the car transfer.

 

In years past when we were younger and poorer - we used to do all kinds of things (like catch the Tube into London from Heathrow with luggage after a 24 hour flight :eek:). Actually, we weren't all that poor :) -- we just had an obsession like many others to try to save a dollar here and a dollar there -- but those days are OVER!!:p

 

Last year (mainly because we had a "package"), for the first time ever, we got picked up at the airport by a man in a new Mercedes Benz who quickly and quietly chauffeured us to our hotel in London - and the next day another nice man chauffeured us down to Southampton. This also happened on the way home - in reverse. I asked my wife "How long has this been going on???" She said "Forever".

 

So that is the way we will travel from now on -- the cost is only peanuts anyway compared to what else you spend on an overseas holiday.

 

Barry

Exactly Barry, way to go. Made round to go round and you cannot take it with you!

Good luck to you old son.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

If you are not constrained by a certain time to travel , keep your eye out for a cruise/fly package deal . We had friends who did a Carnival cruise in the Med , sure it was a special and they had to cruise on the dates specified , but they got return air to Rome, transfers , and B2B cruises, one to the Western Med and the other to the Eastern Med .

 

Just make sure with any cruise/fly deal , that you fly direct to the sailaway port and not via the other side of the world , taking a couple of days....

it does happen:eek:

 

 

[rugbypopsie]

I wouldn't be booking flights anytime soon...those prices are ridiculous! If the agent is the "best price guarantee" mob think again. they only match to a dollar if that..I have found them to be pretty useless. You have plenty of time on your hands sales will happen. If you want to save some money take the cheao option to Singapore or Bangkok have a stopover and pick up a connection from there. You can get a business class flight to Singapore with one of the budget airlines like Scoot or air Asia for less than $500.

 

I also found staying in a B & B in Rome better than a hotel...they arranged Merecedes van transfers for us very reasonable. We were in a nice quiet area within walking distance of the Vatican.

 

Sue

[The_Big_M]

The cruise we are looking at is not till march 2015 still a while off I know

We are leaving and returning from Sydney and the price I was quoted was from a TA with a best price guarantee

Thanks

 

Does that mean they will guarantee the best price in the future? Or just the time of booking?

 

As said above, it's too early to book so that price has been padded to ensure it will cover the cost. However, the price will be lower later, so best to book separately later, unless that's what they're offering you now, to give you the cheaper price later when it comes up.

[bazzaw]

If you are not constrained by a certain time to travel , keep your eye out for a cruise/fly package deal .

 

 

Be careful about this!!! One would think that a "package" implies that the cost of the "package" will be less than the sum of the individual components -- as we found out, it ain't necessarily so!!! :) Also the flights included in a package may not be what you want - eg our package to the UK last year initially included flights with Emirates on a B777 - OH no, I said after realising this and quickly had it changed to Singapore Airlines with much friendlier flight timing and more comfortable aircraft.

 

Barry

[rugbypopsie]

Another problem you have to cough up in full for the flights immediately, despite them getting your money months and months early!

 

Sue

[chester32]

Thanks for the reply's

Did a dummy booking for march 2014 and they came back with a quote of $4400.00 bit better but still pricey

The original quote from the TA was just flights and not a package with the cruise

But I will take your advise and wait till a few months out to book the flights

Just really like the look of this Med cruise and just trying see if it is doable

Thanks again

[The_Big_M]

Yes, if it's just for flights, no point booking now.

 

Better deals later.

[bazzaw]

Just really like the look of this Med cruise and just trying see if it is doable

 

Which cruise are you looking at??

 

Barry

[chester32]

Which cruise are you looking at??

 

Barry

Its a 11 night western med on Norwegian jade 28/3/2015

Had a look for one with RCI but nothing there yet and I don't think they are there that time of year but I will have a look when we are on voyager next year

Thanks

[bazzaw]

Its a 11 night western med on Norwegian jade 28/3/2015

Had a look for one with RCI but nothing there yet and I don't think they are there that time of year but I will have a look when we are on voyager next year

Thanks

''

 

Have a look at Holland America - they do quite a lot in the Med, even in winter -- much more than RCI.

 

HA won't be as cheap as Norwegian -- but you can sometimes get quite reasonably priced longer cruises on them , longer than 15 days. They have some smaller ships too -- smaller = better for the Med !! (IMO)

 

Barry

[joejoe 59]

Be careful about this!!! One would think that a "package" implies that the cost of the "package" will be less than the sum of the individual components -- as we found out, it ain't necessarily so!!! :) Also the flights included in a package may not be what you want - eg our package to the UK last year initially included flights with Emirates on a B777 - OH no, I said after realising this and quickly had it changed to Singapore Airlines with much friendlier flight timing and more comfortable aircraft.

 

Barry

I always thought that Emirates would have been the better airline, dont know why, maybe because they are more expensive. In your opinon when would be the best time to look at flights for a May 2013 Med. cruise, oh havnt booked cruise either but looking at May :) At the moment when i look for then they are over $5000 for 2 of us:eek:

[joejoe 59]

Forgot to say any info on best time for best price on flights from anyone would be much appreciated :D