Holland America Air - good connections?

[ROBERTEVANOVER]

What kind of luck have you 'guys' had with booking air to Europe through HAL?

 

I usually fly out of Miami and the connections into Barcelona and out of Venice are not the best.

[CruiserBruce]

Some reading on the topic of "consolidator air fares" on the Cruise Air board, here:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=128

 

would be very helpful. Things like tight connections and bad routing are common problems on cruise line air fares.

[Jean1946]

After our fiasco in booking our own flights last year from Atlanta to Copenhagen we decided to let HAL do our flights. We had a 50 min window to get to the airport in Amsterdam and barely made it to the plane. They were just about to close the doors. We are doing a T/A from FLL to Venice and needed return air. Got a great price and a 2 hr layover in Paris. Peace of mind makes a big difference. If you don't go a day early and you're on a HAL flight (as will most of the other passengers) they will make sure you get to the ship.

[Krazy Kruizers]

HAL, like other cruise lines, get the cheapest flights that they can find. It may be several connections -- tight schedule.

No matter where we fly to -- we book our own flights. Even when we flew to Europe.

[2ptu/000]

I always see what a flight will cost me if I book it myself. I also note which particular flight I want. Then I call HAL air and see what they can do. They have always saved me a lot when I am doing a TA and only need one way air.

 

If there are no nonstop flights from your closest airport, look for a nonstop flight from a larger airport in your area. If you are from Miami, maybe that airport would be Atlanta. Consider flight to that airport on Southwest or whatever airline is cheap in your area the day before and staying at an airport hotel. I know this cost but better to not have to change planes in Europe. Heathrow and Frankford are such huge airports. Just tell HAL air that your home airport is Atlanta.

[2ptu/000]

Sorry, I sent that before I was done. This used to be called an air deviation and HAL would charge for this but I don't think they do anymore. The charge was minimal considering you get the flights you want.

[jtl513]

When we did a one-way from FLL to BCN this May we got a much better fare from HAL air than I could find on my own, and we had just a single plane change, in Atlanta.

 

That was using a "deviation" (free for us as 3*), but as 2ptu/000 alluded to, with the new "Flight Ease" program they don't do deviations any more: http://www.hollandamerica.com/pageByName/Simple.action?requestPage=FlightEase

...

[MR NW GUY]

Some good info here! I have never bothered to check HAL's Air pricing, but will for my upcoming trip. Can they book First Class too?

[mor mor]

We got an excellent price letting HA book one way Barcelona San Diego business class last Spring.

[Irish Eyes Are Sailing]

My problem with booking air thru HAL, any other cruise line, or tour company is they ALWAYS offer you connecting flights, even though there is a non-stop flight available. And almost 100% of the time, they book you with a 45 minute connection time, which just doesn't cut it for me. I don't run through airports for anyone or any reason anymore. First of all, I can't run (I am getting too old for that)! My days of running thru the airport like OJ Simpson did in his Hertz commercials, jumping hurdles and running with breakneck speed, dodging people and bags is over. Second of all, with all the uncertainty of the timeliness of flights (many almost always take off late), you are not guaranteed of making your connection. For that reason, I book my own air, and I fly in the day before any cruise or tour. I find that cruise and tour companies are competitive on price, but they don't offer what I want....ie: a direct flight or if I must connect, enough time between flights so that I stand a chance of making the connection on time. I refuse to book a connection with less than 90 minutes between flights, period. Too many bad experiences........

This is just my opinion, others may feel differently.

[travelnap]

I usually only use HAL's air when I am traveling to and from Europe as they are a good value. A couple of years ago I did a TA that left from Rome. The first flight they had for me had only a 30 minute connection time in Munich so I had my travel agent give them a call and Hal switched it to a better flight. I fly out of Minneapolis so the new flight was through Dulles direct to Rome, with a 90 minute layover in Washington, DC. Hal did not charge for the change. Price wise they were between $600 and $700 cheaper than I could get the two flights myself. It does pay to check the HAL air if you are flying internationally. But watch the flights they first give you as you may need to change them if they have tight connection times.

[Jean1946]

I think we got a great fare one way-Venice to Atlanta, something like $536.00. That was a much better price than we found on our own, plus we would have a flight Venice to Amsterdam with 90 between flights. We will change planes in Paris, but then it's straight to Atlanta.

[jtl513]

My problem with booking air thru HAL, any other cruise line, or tour company is they ALWAYS offer you connecting flights, even though there is a non-stop flight available.

Check into HAL Flight-Ease that I mentioned in post #7. Pretty sure you can pick your own flights, just as you could with an "air deviation" before the program started.

[Irish Eyes Are Sailing]

Check into HAL Flight-Ease that I mentioned in post #7. Pretty sure you can pick your own flights, just as you could with an "air deviation" before the program started.

 

That is an idea, I will keep that in mind......thanks.

 

As to some of the others responding: I have no issue with the price. You all are right, sometimes when you book thru the cruise or tour line their prices are better than you can do on your own, and almost always they are competitive, sometimes matching what you can buy out there individually. My issue has always been getting what I want......and if there is a way to make that happen with special arrangements, that is wonderful! I am to the point now that I will pay extra for direct flights if they are available, it is just so much less of a hassle. Getting there is not half the fun anymore I am afraid.......

[KirkNC]

Interesting comments on one way flights. We have never used HAL but after reading this thread I would give them a call for any one way trips.

[iancal]

We have only used cruise air once on all the different cruise lines that we have tried.

 

In variably we have been able to make our own arrangements for less cost and typically better connections on an airline of our choice.

 

Only once have we booked with the cruise line and saved a little money-MIA-Liberia, Costa Rica on New Years Day past.

 

We would consider cruise air on a one way to/from Europe. I think that the routing very much depends on you departure airport, your destination, and the airline(s) that the cruise line has a contract with.

 

One thing is for sure, you will more than likely end up with a consolidator class of ticket.....bottom of the list if there are any delays or cancellations.

[ROBERTEVANOVER]

Thanks everyone for your replies!

[2ptu/000]

We have only used cruise air once on all the different cruise lines that we have tried.

 

In variably we have been able to make our own arrangements for less cost and typically better connections on an airline of our choice.

 

Only once have we booked with the cruise line and saved a little money-MIA-Liberia, Costa Rica on New Years Day past.

 

We would consider cruise air on a one way to/from Europe. I think that the routing very much depends on you departure airport, your destination, and the airline(s) that the cruise line has a contract with.

 

One thing is for sure, you will more than likely end up with a consolidator class of ticket.....bottom of the list if there are any delays or cancellations.

 

Regular ticket just like anyone else. If you check airlines website, you can see your assigned seats.

[CruiserBruce]

Regular ticket just like anyone else. If you check airlines website, you can see your assigned seats.

 

If you are saying a consolidator ticket is like any other ticket, that is a very tough argument, as some reading on the Cruise Air board linked in post #2 would reveal. Most consolidator tickets are severely restricted, and, as iancal correctly stated, frequently the lowest priority for "fixing" when problems arise.

[iancal]

Consolidator tickets show up on the airline website like any other. You can typically select your seats.

 

The issue is that airline tickets are all coded and prioritized based on the applicable fare code that matches the ticket. Some are refundable, some are not, some with a charge. On each flight, in economy for example, there may be passengers holding tickets with 5 or 6 different fare codes.

 

When there is a disruption, travellers are rescheduled in priority, and by code. Some codes will only permit you to fly on that particular airline, ie ticket is NOT transferable to another airline.

 

So when the airline starts re-allocating seats after a disruption, they do so starting with first class/business, then economy based upon those code fare priorities. IF you happen to be on a consolidator fare code, typically the cheapest seats sold and the lowest fare code, you will be at the bottom of the list to get a seat on another flight.

 

A customer with a full fare economy fare code ticket may get re-scheduled on the next flight regardless of airline. The person with a consolidator fare code ticket may have to wait until the next day when the backlog is cleared to get a seat on that specific airline.

[Typhoon1]

The worst.

 

Just like the other cruise lines, they are looking to put their pax on the cheapest flights with the worst connections and departure times.

[jtl513]

The worst.

 

Just like the other cruise lines, they are looking to put their pax on the cheapest flights with the worst connections and departure times.

It may have been a consolidator ticket, but I chose and got the flights and seats I wanted.

[LuckyLoon]

We used HAL air on our return flight last year from Venice to Boston on Lufthansa, great airline. I used my free deviation to get better flight and connections. We are using them next spring, again Lufthansa, this time it's Barcelona to Boston for only $507 each. Couldn't find anything better by far.

 

Plus HAL air now has flights to more than just major hubs. We've got a flight on USAirways Bangor to FLL. The price was slightly less than the airline charges. Guess the benefit here is that is covered by their insurance.

 

In the past I've always arranged my own flights. I still look up the flights and work with my TA to get the times and connections I want.