Cruise booked air vs. doing your own

[eaksk1195]

We are sailing on the Constellation this fall......what are the downfalls of booking your own air versus having Celebrity do it for you? They can't get us out of EWR until late afternoon, they say no flights are available earlier(sure it is just the seat options they have available in their booking class).....but I can find several options on my own. Wouldn't we be alright just to get Transfers from them......or should we just take a cab on our own too?

[Leela]

You can definitely buy transfers through Celebrity even if you don't book your air through them. However, in my experience, it's faster and easier and in some cases cheaper to take a taxi than to wait around for the big Celebrity bus. This is especially true in Ft. Lauderdale if you are flying into FLL and cruising out of Port Everglades. I would think it's similar for EWR and "Port Liberty" since the cruise ship terminal is very close to the airport.

 

I've only booked air with a cruiseline once. I prefer to do it on my own because I have greater control over the flights I get, and I've saved anywhere between $50 per person to 50% per person on the airfare by booking my own. Yes, they will warn you with horror stories that if you don't book with through the cruise line and something happens with your flight or baggage they won't be responsible, but it's a risk I'm willing to take to be able to pay (for instance) $329 for my coast-to-coast airfare rather than nearly $700!!!!!

 

I often travel with my mom, who flies in from New Hampshire, while I am flying in from California. I book my own flights to ensure that we arrive and depart within an hour of each other so that neither of us is sitting around for too long waiting for the other. We've never had a problem with this at all.

 

I guess it all depends on what you are comfortable with. For going in and out of Newark and Port Liberty, I'd have no problem with booking the airfare on my own. In fact, you just reminded me that I need to start checking out tickets so mom & I can meet the cruise we've booked on Zenith to Bermuda next spring.

[eaksk1195]

Leela, thanks. This is only our second cruise so we are real neophytes! I didn't know if getting a cab from Cape Liberty back to EWR when we leave would be a problem? Hard to know those things without a bunch of experience. We are in a suite so we should be able to disembark early if all of the literature is right!

[OPSoccermom]

Unless you have frequent flyer miles to use, you'd probably be better off going with Celebrity's air if flying to San Juan. We're in the process of booking and can't get anywhere close to the fare that they're quoting by booking separately.IMO, I'd pay for the air deviation ($35 to $59 pp), and choose your flights, but book thru the cruise line.

[SanDiegoHeather]

Eaksk,

 

My husband and I took the Constellation last December 4th for the Southern Caribbean Itinerary (from San Juan). In fact, just today I just cancelled a cruise we were supposed to take on Princess for December 4th and booked us on the Constellation for December 3rd. We LOVED the cruise last year.

 

So, I went to purchase flights. Last year, we paid about $600 pp from San Diego because we paid loyalty fees of about $150 (commissions to a local TA that my husband felt loyal towards). I just booked tonight for $525 each through Continental Airlines, which has the best SCHEDULE for me. That is more than the $410 pp I found through major discounters, but I wanted something that didn't have a connection anywhere where it was cold (snow/fog delays) and I wanted convenient times (and no 4 hour layovers).

 

Last year, we were fog delayed through Dallas for the night when we came back from San Juan, so anything is possible, but I have been "stranded" before (where you can't get a flight for 2 days) so I never risk it.

 

While I have only booked air through Celebrity once (because they included the air fare), as I understand it, they cover your losses if you are delayed if the flight if late or cancelled. They also cover a minimum amount is your baggage doesn't arrive. I think this insurance is definately worthwhile.

 

However, I always book my own. I figure that I can handle an emergney such as my plane being cancelled or not receiving luggage (LOL). It sounds stupid becuase I have been "stranded" once, had to stay over at a hotel for a morning flight three times, and missed flights where I had to wait about 6-8 hours more times than toes and fingers - and I only fly about 4-5 times per year.

 

My thinking is that as long as you are on a major carrier and not connecting through a city where it snows AND you arrive 1 day early, you are OK. This would cover all emergencies above except the crazy stranded one (Christmas in San Francisco on Southwest Airlines in 1998?)

 

Let's get the costs since I have been there before and just booked flights:

 

As I recall, a cab from the airport to the cruise terminal was $25-30. (If they leave from the same pier, which is different then the other cruise lines).

 

A hotel in San Juan will easily cost you US $200 per night. This is based on 10-11% resort fee and the same amount for tax. The best deal I found was the Marriott for $166 + 11% + 10% pre-paid (no cancellation allowed). Remember, you should arrive 1 day earlier if you are flying unless you are leaving from a major hub where there are several flights (Miami would I probably qualify).

 

Lastly, when we went last year, we couldn't get onboard until 3PM., It was a mob scene until then. Things just work slower in Puerto Rico. Anyway, if you book with the cruise line, they put you "up" in a day room (which mean crappy hotel for the day - but it is better than mob scene).

 

Anyway, I book my own because I want only certain times (I don't like waking up early and I hate long layovers) and I sometimes want to spend an extra day in the port city. I also used to find that they charged way to much to go from San Diego - I never checked Austin figures I just went on my own anyway.

 

Lastly, we were booked on RCI's Explorer of the Seas September 15, 2001 (without insurance). We obviously didn't make the cruise since there was no way for us to get a flight from San Diego to Miami and we couldn't drive in time. However. Continental Airlines rescheduled us for the next week as did Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines without any change in fare (standard balcony).

 

I expected to be out the $$$ I had paid for two cabins (my mother-in-law was traveling with us in her own room), since I didn't purchase travel insurance.

 

I also one time had a true emergency with travel insurance (Travelguard) and it was not covered - so anything is game.

 

The bottom line is that it is a risk. Minimize your risk by doing things smartly - lots of flights in case one gets cancelled, one day early (two days for overseas), bring critical items in carryons, etc.

 

(With all of the worry - sometimes the cruise flight is the best choice that I never choose).

 

Good night,

Heather

[AFT_LOVER]

so far I have found that 25K miles PP for RT domestic works for us since we book cruises 14 months in advance so 11 months in advance for the ai, which is the deal with DL SM. Never had a problem.........

 

When we have to board the ship at an int'l port, we let "X" book it since their O/W flights are termed RT so we do not TSA problems with the terrorist O/W flight extra security checks, etc. Our TIX have never been coded with the alert, but once when I booked it myself. It was HELL!

 

"X" also sends me an email with my flight info 9 months before the cruise so I can get EEAS.

[Seabee]

I'd recommend you do your own air...that way you can fly in to LGA or EWR. I'd also recommend taking taxi or Super Shuttle from airport. We made the mistake of booking transfers thru X last year on our New England cruise out of NY...they charged us $60 and put us on the Super shuttle right next to a couple who walked up to the Ground Transportation desk and booked the SS for $30.

 

On Debarkation you might want ot consider X transfer. Getting a taxi at Port of NY was not easy but it may be better at Liberty.

[stanjj111]

It its best to book your own air/hotel/transfer. Make sure that you arrive early (1 day in advance) to enjoy the city that you are leaving from. Book return air starting at 1PM so that you do not have any issues with transfers to the airport. I prefer to go on my own rather that wait in line while the cruise line fills up a bus.

[greeneg]

We actually got a better deal for this January by using Custom Air via Captains Club than by trying to book directly ourselves. I was able to book the flights that I wanted ( non-stop KCLT-KSJU) at a savings of about $300.00 over what I tried to book directly with USAir on their website. USAir said that there no seats available for the flights that I wanted.

 

I would suggest looking at it both ways before you make a decision.

[Seabee]

sorry for the confusion. I thought you were flying into EWR.

[eaksk1195]

We are flying into EWR. Thanks everyone for your input. We are going to do our own air and transfers too I think. We are looking forward to the cruise to NE and Canada. Our only other cruise was Alaska and that was hard to beat!

Thanks again.

[Richard Stein]

I do my own airfare when cruising from US ports. I usually save enough to go a day early and leave a day late. Two nights in a motel are a good way to start and end a cruise.