AmaWaterways

[Michelle19]

Has anyone ever taken advantage of the Cruise/land AND air package? Is it worth looking into? Or should we just get our own flights? Thanks!

Edited May 25, 2014 by Michelle19

[agelessgram]

Always book our own air - better times for flights and less hassle if you have to use their insurance on flights to get home if there is a problem. AMA requires a deposit of $400 pp for Europe cruises.

[jojocmcla]

We booked our own flights. The ones with AMA...or, probably any of the cruise lines... is that they may book a flight that leaves @ 4 a.m., which means you have to be at the airport around 2 a.m. Then, they usually have long lay-overs. Our travel agent got us great flights. We didn't even have time between flights to get something to eat. As soon as we got off one flight and made it to the next gate, they were getting ready to board. Personally, I liked that. I don't like sitting idly around airports for hours on end.

[pinotlover]

Those cheap air offers come with a price. One pays for what he gets. I book my own air.

 

A friend left Omaha, on Viking tickets, recently at 7:00 a.m. to Chicago. They sat in ORD from 8:30 a.m. until after 7:00 p.m. to catch their connecting flight to Munich. Up at 4:00 in the morning. The pay off for the wait and cheap tickets: they had center seats in the center section in the back of a full plane for the flight over the pond. Then there was the 2 hour bus ride!

 

Ask them how cheap those seats were!:eek:

 

If you're 20 something, it may sound like a hell of a deal. If you're 60 something, you can't walk for the first couple days after arrival.

[charmed1959]

My parents recently took them. AMA put them on a LAX to Munich, Munich to Budapest. They did have a long layover in Munich, about 5 or 6 hours, that then got them to the ship just in time for the welcome drink. They didn't have time to shower before their first night dinner at the captain's table. But other then that, my parents were pretty happy with the flights.

[Donray]

Used them twice and very happy with the flights. Plus a lot cheaper then I could get good flights.

 

Used Viking air to China and the flights were excellent and half the price I could get for good times and flights.

 

Never had to have only middle seats like some people like to spread myths.

[CPT Trips]

Those cheap air offers come with a price. One pays for what he gets. I book my own air.

 

A friend left Omaha, on Viking tickets, recently at 7:00 a.m. to Chicago. They sat in ORD from 8:30 a.m. until after 7:00 p.m. to catch their connecting flight to Munich. Up at 4:00 in the morning. The pay off for the wait and cheap tickets: they had center seats in the center section in the back of a full plane for the flight over the pond. Then there was the 2 hour bus ride!

 

Ask them how cheap those seats were!:eek:

 

If you're 20 something, it may sound like a hell of a deal. If you're 60 something, you can't walk for the first couple days after arrival.

 

Might the poor seating have been because they waited until they got to the airport to get seat assignments?

Edited May 28, 2014 by CPT Trips

[sand74]

Do your homework....

See what prices/travel time/layovers are for flights from cruise company as well as what you can get on your own.

If you get the package of air, land and cruise from cruise company, you can probably get insurance from cruise company for everything.I know you can with AmA.....

If you find that the prices and flights times are better than what the cruise company can get you , you will have to purchase flight insurance separately......if trip insurance is something you concern yourself with....

our last cruise, folks had to wake up in the middle of the night to get catch their flights at the end of the cruise.....I don't know whether or not those flights were booked with the cruise company, but that is not something that would suit me. I do know that for our next trip, the flights that the cruise company could get for us were more expensive than what we got on our own and there were more stops with longer lay overs....for Business Class.....

Edited May 29, 2014 by sand74

[jojocmcla]

Our travel agent booked our flights into Prague and out of Budapest and our 3 night hotel stay @ Budapest Intercontinental for the same price that I was looking at for just the flights themselves. Our flight out of Budapest didn't leave until 10:30 a.m.

We are members of USAA and usually get their trip insurance, which is pretty good. I think it was about $220 for the two of us. It came in handy earlier this year when my husband's flight home from a ski trip was cancelled.

[caviargal]

Do your homework....

See what prices/travel time/layovers are for flights from cruise company as well as what you can get on your own.

If you get the package of air, land and cruise from cruise company, you can probably get insurance from cruise company for everything.I know you can with AmA.....

If you find that the prices and flights times are better than what the cruise company can get you , you will have to purchase flight insurance separately......if trip insurance is something you concern yourself with....

..

 

I agree and always look at all options.

 

The deposit for flights with AMA is 300pp and not 400pp and I often find better prices with them than the same flights on my own as they have contracts with certain airlines.

 

I can request specific airlines and routes and they will offer them and then I can compare pricing. Booking with AMA means that your travel insurance covers end to end for no additional cost and that airport transfers are included. And if I choose cruise line air, then I book my seats either with AMA or the airline.

 

Do your research and make the best decision for you. Or use a TA who knows what they are doing and they will do it for you.

[amd1234]

On our first cruise was with AMA and booked air through AMA would not do this again..the layover was over five hrs in Amsterdam and early arrival and departure times. Never again.. I want to be in control of my flights and the price was still expensive. At the time it was our first cruise and we thought it would be easier... NAUGHT!