Cruise Air In Panic

ChristyGodfrey · July 14, 2014

OK I have to admitted I am almost in a panic because I read the cruise air section. Can someone please tell me they have arrived on time to go on cruise using choice air. We could not afford air fare booking through airlines (upper $3000-$6000) per person) vs choice air for total of $1200. That is going from Kansas City to Barcelona one way. Maybe I don't know how to book airline tickets or something. We don't fly except once every few years and usually state side on southwest. We are flying out on a Wed for a Sun departure. PLEASE PLEASE let me hear some postive stories!!

Christy

FLACRUISER99 · July 14, 2014

No matter who you use to book your air go in at least 1 preferably 2 days early.

Clarea · July 14, 2014

We've done Choice Air from STL to BCN a couple of times. Both times on Delta. Turned out OK for us. Left 3 days before the cruise.

Edited July 14, 2014 by clarea

newcruiser1573 · July 14, 2014

I flew to Barcelona the day of my cruise using choice air. Choice air is not the airline. I flew Delta using them and still received my points. It was a great experience and saved us a few hundred. My flight got in on time before 9:00 and we did the pre-cruise excursion ( we were very tired). Good luck!

ChristyGodfrey · July 14, 2014

Thanks guys for quick response :). Our cruise leaves Oct. 26 in Barcelona and we leave KCI on Oct 22 in the evening. Our flights are on American airlines. I will just have to stop peeking over there in the cruise air section.

Christy

FLACRUISER99 · July 14, 2014

For future reference check what you want to book on this site http://matrix.itasoftware.com/ you should find fares equal or lower than choice air.

sjb317 · July 14, 2014

We've booked our air through Choice Air many, many times without a problem. Are you on the Liberty TA out of Barcelona in October? We are doing it again this year and using Choice Air so maybe you are on our cruise?

If so, have you joined the Roll Call?

Sherri:)

pspercy · July 14, 2014

Usually true, however one-way international flights are a different beast as OP found out and ChoiceAir is a good source of reasonable fares for that case.

LA_CA_GAL · July 14, 2014

You have over 4 days for the flight to arrive.:confused:

You will get there on time.

grandgeezer · July 14, 2014

I checked this out to see how it would compare to Choice Air. The flight I'm booked on, to go to Barcelona, from Phoenix is over $2000 p.p. more than I paid. Didn't pan out for my flight.

Yorkvillain · July 14, 2014

Ha. I was scratching my head over that one too. OP, you have nothing to worry about.

emdia43 · July 14, 2014

I looked at prices but it says you cannot book on this site.....:confused:

Artemis · July 14, 2014

ChristyGodfrey, you've made terrific arrangements both timewise and pricewise. Best wishes on a wonderful cruise! :)

FLCruiser99, OP is paying $600 pp--as is par for the course, Aer Lingus comes in cheapest on a quick ITA check, but at $800+ pp! Even if AL's fare dropped under $600 before the final Choice Air commitment deadline, the price savings would have to be significant to justify the multi-stop itinerary and potential loss of utile FF points (United and JetBlue are the only US partners, and you don't get credit for the Ireland-Euro port flight). As pspercy said, it's rare for a decent commercial one-way transat to beat what the cruise lines can offer via their leveraged buying power.

TravelerThom · July 14, 2014

I'm always willing to try new things. I looked at matrix Washington to Barcelona one way for 17 Oct and the price was $100 higher on matrix and the flight times were not nearly as good. Admittedly that is only a sample of one.

ChristyGodfrey · July 14, 2014

Sherri,

Yep we are booked on the same TA. I am so excited, it will be here before we know it. This is our first TA and flying overseas so I am a little nervous.

Christy

ECCruise · July 14, 2014

You have no reason to worry.

We've done CruiseAir many times (we traditionally do 2 TAs a year) so almost all were one-way to or from Europe, same as you. The savings can be considerable (we are flying MIA-BRU in November for around $525 each...current fare, same airline, is $2600 each). Don't dawdle, though, the prices can jump around a good bit (we'd seen $300 pp variances on the itinerary above).

dadroy · July 14, 2014

ChoiceAir is great, UNLESS you have a problem with a flight. Read the Sticky at the top of the the cruise air forum http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=128

Lets say a flight on United is canceled. With a United ticket, booked through United, they may put you on a Delta flight to get you to your destination. With a ChoiceAir ticket you would have to wait for the next flight on United. That could be a problem if they only have one flight every other day, you would be stuck.

dplusd · July 14, 2014

Used Choice Air twice for one-way Dallas to Barcelona and saved significant money compared to what I could book on my own for one-way tickets. Both times we arrived on time. We planned to arrive three days pre-cruise to enjoy the city. I would not plan to fly in the day of departure regardless of how I booked the flights.

nelblu · July 14, 2014

I've used Choice air to get to Barcelona. We got advised to check-in on line and print the boarding pass. I'm surprised at the price difference as ours was basically the same as the airlines. Call the airline and confirm your booking # as you could also check -in using the airline kiosks at the airport.

Priusprof · July 14, 2014

Just used Choice Air to book a 1 way from Heathrow back to Tampa and it saved us about $400 per ticket. This is the first time that it has worked for us.

dep · July 14, 2014

We did the Cruisair in Alaska flew in three days early. Stayed at the same hotel the tour started at. It was perfect no problem. I would fly into Barcelona at least two days early.

Edited July 14, 2014 by dep

Tucker in Texas · July 14, 2014

We've used Choice Air several times. No problems and got ff miles credited. There is no customs/immigration check Barcelona so if you disembark yourself as quickly as you can and "run" to the cab line to be among the first, you won't have a problem. Their cab lines are very organized with "Disney" like boarding lanes so you don't run into people elbowing their way in front of you. Cruise line will give you stories of 2 hour waits for a cab some times. Sincw we stay overnight, we have probably gotten off the ship at the busiest time (like when they make you get off and crew is getting off too), we've waited at most 25 minutes.

Personnel are at the front to help loading and, as fast as a cab is loaded, they are off. Cabbie will put the pedal to the metal to get you to the airport so he can get back in line for a later fare. If you can find some other people to share a ride and contract for private transport ahead of time, you can skip waiting in the regular line. We had one meet us at 7:30 and was at the airport by 9:00 or a little before.

We always fly in at least a day early or leave a day after our cruise returns if going westbound.

OT. We always stay at the Hotel Continental in Barcelona on Las Ramblas. While not 5-star, it is clean and convenient. Free food and drink, free computer. Rates run around 100 euros for cheapest room. It looks as if cheapest room is "inside" but we've always had light from some source. Rooms are small (and you must like hot pink and florals) but bathrooms are good size with a tub. Bring a wash rag.

Other good things are you can take the auto bus to/from the airport which is only 6 euros each vs. 50 or so euros for a taxi. The stop is one block from the hotel. Only two previous stops so it doesn't take that much longer. Equipped like a shuttle bus at the airport but do keep an eye on your luggage. The HO HO bus leaves from the plaza a block from the hotel. There is a large department store a couple of blocks from the Plaza that has a great supermarket in the basement. Locals shop there so prices can't be too bad. Good to pick up things like wine so you don't have to pack it from home.

Cab fare to port is around 17 euros (car load) with tip and baggage surcharge. Just be sure to cross Las Ramblas to catch it so you are headed the right direction. If you are energetic, you can walk the length of Las Ramblas to the Columbus statue and get a free port bus.

There is a sister hotel a few blocks away called Palacete which is nicer but more expensive and not as convenient in my estimation. You can use the amenities at that hotel (food/drink/computer/nicer lounge) if you stay at the Continental.

A lot of cruisers stay at the Continental so you can visit over refreshments and hear about their cruise or their plans for the cruise. You can even pick up another couple to share that 17 euro cab to port sometimes.

Tucker in Texas

Tucker in Texas · July 14, 2014

We've used Choice Air several times. No problems and got ff miles credited. There is no customs/immigration check Barcelona so if you disembark yourself as quickly as you can and "run" to the cab line to be among the first, you won't have a problem. Their cab lines are very organized with "Disney" like boarding lanes so you don't run into people elbowing their way in front of you. Cruise line will give you stories of 2 hour waits for a cab some times. Sincw we stay overnight, we have probably gotten off the ship at the busiest time (like when they make you get off and crew is getting off too), we've waited at most 25 minutes.

Personnel are at the front to help loading and, as fast as a cab is loaded, they are off. Cabbie will put the pedal to the metal to get you to the airport so he can get back in line for a later fare. If you can find some other people to share a ride and contract for private transport ahead of time, you can skip waiting in the regular line. We had one meet us at 7:30 and was at the airport by 9:00 or a little before the one time we flew out directly after disembarkation in Barcelona.

One other time we flew in the day of the cruise, we arrived very early. We had bought transfers and they gave us a tour of Barcelona to kill time prior to getting to the port to board.

OT. We always stay at the Hotel Continental in Barcelona on Las Ramblas. While not 5-star, it is clean and convenient. Free food and drink (including wine and beer), free computer. Rates run around 100 euros for cheapest room. It looks as if cheapest room is "inside" but we've always had light from some source. Rooms are small (and you must like hot pink and florals) but bathrooms are good size with a tub. Bring a wash rag.

Other good things are you can take the auto bus to/from the airport which is only 6 euros each vs. 50 or so euros for a taxi. The stop is one block from the hotel. Only two previous stops so it doesn't take that much longer. Equipped like a shuttle bus at the airport but do keep an eye on your luggage. The HO HO bus leaves from the plaza a block from the hotel. There is a large department store a couple of blocks from the Plaza that has a great supermarket in the basement. Locals shop there so prices can't be too bad. Good to pick up things like wine so you don't have to pack it from home.

Cab fare to port is around 17 euros (car load) with tip and baggage surcharge. Just be sure to cross Las Ramblas to catch it so you are headed the right direction. If you are energetic, you can walk the length of Las Ramblas to the Columbus statue and get a free port bus.

There is a sister hotel a few blocks away called Palacete which is nicer but more expensive and not as convenient in my estimation. You can use the amenities at that hotel (food/drink/computer/nicer lounge) if you stay at the Continental.

A lot of cruisers stay at the Continental so you can visit over refreshments and hear about their cruise if they have just gotten off or their plans for the cruise if waiting to embark. You can even pick up another couple to share that 17 euro cab to port sometimes.

Tucker in Texas

Twibes · July 14, 2014

Christy,

We're on the same cruise as you in October and we also used ChoiceAir! We leave the 25th but arrive the morning of the cruise as well. We're confident all will be well and we only paid $479pp from Pittsburgh!

Valiamo · July 14, 2014

Choice Air is not an "airline" it is just a booking agent for the cruise line. You will find that you will get seats on the regular airlines that the Choice Air has booked seat availability with and at a contracted price. You will be flying, United, Air Canada, Cathay Pacific, Southwest, etc,

Keep in mind that you are buying "ECONOMY" Coach/No frills seats and that you will probably have limited/or no seat selection (same as purchasing the cheapest tickets from any airline). If you want all the frills, you are going to have to pay $$$$.

Most of the problems with travel is not with Choice Air (itself), but with the Airlines that have made changes to their itineraries and the customers have not been notified promptly. Most flights are booked way in advance, and things happen and the flights change.

The best thing about Choice Air, is that you are assured of getting onto the ship, if your flight is delayed. If they cannot make the sailing they will make arrangements to get to the next port.

Flying out on Wednesday for a Sunday departure, is plenty of time, relax, enjoy your cruise!

Cruise Air In Panic

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