Package Air/Sail Question

[Oceangoer2]

:confused: We're flying out of London Ontario on the newly created X package. Just received our Edocs and see we fly into Miami and bussed to Ft Lauderdale. Anyone done this and is it a pain? Probably need 3 buses for a full plane and I can imagine a little confusion getting suitcases, etc transferred. Maybe it's better to take a taxi or would that be quite expensive?

Edited January 29, 2015 by oceangoer2

[cruisestitch]

Yes, it would be quite expensive to take your own taxi between MIA and Port Everglades.

[biker1972]

There are several shuttle companies that you could use to get from MIA to FLL at reasonable costs. However the bus system that X uses works nicely. You retrieve your luggage. find the rep and go from there. Luggage shows up outside your cabin. As for a flight with just X passengers, won't happen. There might be several flights arriving at about the same time with transfer passengers so you might have to wait for those arrivals, but it is generally not long. Depending on traffic, the transfer might take all of an hour.

[canusa1]

:confused: We're flying out of London Ontario on the newly created X package. Just received our Edocs and see we fly into Miami and bussed to Ft Lauderdale. Anyone done this and is it a pain? Probably need 3 buses for a full plane and I can imagine a little confusion getting suitcases, etc transferred. Maybe it's better to take a taxi or would that be quite expensive?

 

 

We did the same package last April from Hamilton Ont. This year we fly out next week. Once you clear customs you take your suitcases out to were the buses are( just a short distance) the bus diver will load your suitcases and unload them once you arrive at port. All in all it is very stress free. You are going to be more than pleased with your cruise.

 

 

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[Oceangoer2]

We did the same package last April from Hamilton Ont. This year we fly out next week. Once you clear customs you take your suitcases out to were the buses are( just a short distance) the bus diver will load your suitcases and unload them once you arrive at port. All in all it is very stress free. You are going to be more than pleased with your cruise.

 

 

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A poster just said the flight won't be all X passengers. We were told this is a dedicated flight with Canadian North to accommodate these packages. Did you find you had to wait for others not connected with this tour or are these the flights from other Cdn cities on the same type of package? Also, were there several buses? Always took care of our own travel plans including taxi from airport, so this is new to me. Hope it works or we'll go back to something we're more comfortable with (and DH is in control...LOL).

Edited January 29, 2015 by oceangoer2

[CathyCruises]

My question about those packages is what happens if the flight gets delayed for any reason? Will they hold the ship for you? Seems like there are a lot of factors that make flying in the day of a bit risky, just wondering what kind of assurances they give the pax.

[upwarduk]

We did the X transfer from Miami to Fort Lauderdale in March 2013.

It took 45 minutes.

We were met at the airport by an X rep and directed to our bus. I think there were various, depending which hotel we stayed at; as we had booked Air with Celebrity, we were entitled to hotel and transfers.

Edited January 29, 2015 by upwarduk

[canusa1]

A poster just said the flight won't be all X passengers. We were told this is a dedicated flight with Canadian North to accommodate these packages. Did you find you had to wait for others not connected with this tour or are these the flights from other Cdn cities on the same type of package? Also, were there several buses? Always took care of our own travel plans including taxi from airport, so this is new to me. Hope it works or we'll go back to something we're more comfortable with (and DH is in control...LOL).

 

 

The flight from Hamilton the passages were all going on the cruise. I would think that the same will be true in London. Some people from the East coast have posted that they did not think that there flights were direct. I don't know if they are or not. But here and London all will be going on the cruise.

Last year we had people from London on our flight. The program went so well that Celebrity increased the cities from just Hamilton and Ottawa to 6 cities in total. On our cruise they had more than one bus. And I am sure they will this time.

They will serve breakfast to Florida and depending on time of return lunch or dinner. The service on flight is excellent.

I don't know if you have sailed with Celebrity before but I am sure you will be more than pleased. This is our 7th cruise with them and our 6 ship. Loved everyone of them Service and food is very good.

We have people from London on our roll call and they arevery excited about our upcoming cruise. If you have any questions please ask and I will give you our experiences. Carol

 

 

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[canusa1]

My question about those packages is what happens if the flight gets delayed for any reason? Will they hold the ship for you? Seems like there are a lot of factors that make flying in the day of a bit risky, just wondering what kind of assurances they give the pax.

 

 

We have been on a cruise that they held departure by more than an hour. It seems that they had a flight delay at LAX and they were all going on the cruise,

It will be up to Celebrity to get people there. It is a package that offers flights and cruise..

Our flight time is 8:00 we will arrive in Miami at 11:00 the ship departs At 4:30 gives lots of time for some change if needed.

 

 

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[CathyCruises]

Thanks for the info. I guess I am more wondering about a catastrophic failure, like happened this week in the northeast with all flights shut down for 24 hours or more.

 

If one was going on an TA, for instance, I'd want to be 100% sure I'd be on the ship ;)

Edited January 29, 2015 by CathyCruises

[canusa1]

Thanks for the info. I guess I am more wondering about a catastrophic failure, like happened this week in the northeast with all flights shut down for 24 hours or more.

 

If one was going on an TA, for instance, I'd want to be 100% sure I'd be on the ship ;)

 

 

On our flight last year they said that they came to Hamilton the day before our flight. The one thing that reassures me is that the carrier is Canadian North based in Alberta. If any airline can fly on a snowy day it should be them. Lol

In my perfect world you are right it would be nice if we could fly in a few days before the cruise.

As far as a TA yes one would want to go a few days before.

We have done it many different ways on our cruises. If we had booked just the cruise with Celebrity we would go a few days before the cruise. But we live 5 min from the airport so easy to do it this way.

 

 

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[thon]

While the head office for Canadian North is in Calgary, its main operations base is much further north in Yelllowknife - so even more reason for people to feel more confident that the airline can fly in adverse weather conditions.

 

We are taking a similar Celebrity package out of Ottawa on Reflection but for us we only have to worry about going from the Miami airport to the Miami port. But I'm not worried - although this is our very first cruise I am quite confident that in this day and age Celebrity will have no difficulty in getting our planeload of passengers from the airport to the ship.

[CathyCruises]

While the head office for Canadian North is in Calgary, its main operations base is much further north in Yelllowknife - so even more reason for people to feel more confident that the airline can fly in adverse weather conditions.

 

We are taking a similar Celebrity package out of Ottawa on Reflection but for us we only have to worry about going from the Miami airport to the Miami port. But I'm not worried - although this is our very first cruise I am quite confident that in this day and age Celebrity will have no difficulty in getting our planeload of passengers from the airport to the ship.

 

No question about that. I'm more concerned about the airplane getting to Florida to begin with. Just because the pilots are experienced flying in bad weather doesn't necessarily mean they'd be allowed to depart, or to arrive if there were, say, a hurricane in Florida, God forbid! You never know about mechanical difficulties with airplanes or planes that get delayed at a previous stop and can't make it to the departure point on time. I'm sure everyone has experienced unexpected flight delays and I'm just wondering what guarantee the cruise line gives you that if your flight is unavoidably delayed for any reason how they can guarantee that they will get you on the ship. I guess the question is, do they GUARANTEE that they will get you on the ship in time for sailaway?

 

This last week's experience in the Northeast is a perfect example. All the Northeast airports were closed for a period of over 24 hours. If that had been your flight to pick up your cruise that was canceled or delayed for more than a day, what would've happened on the other end? Would the ship have sat in port and waited for you?

[ByThePond]

To the non-Canadians responding to this thread. The OP is referring to special package deals offered through Celebrity for flights (via a charter airline - not commercial) and cruise from/to select Canadian cities.

[CathyCruises]

To the non-Canadians responding to this thread. The OP is referring to special package deals offered through Celebrity for flights (via a charter airline - not commercial) and cruise from/to select Canadian cities.

 

Yes, I know. We have Canadian friends who are considering this package and they are wondering about the odds of missing the ship by flying in on departure day.

[We're The Groupnors]

Yes, I know. We have Canadian friends who are considering this package and they are wondering about the odds of missing the ship by flying in on departure day.

 

I can't speak for all Canadian cities, but I can say that in my lifetime (almost 50 years) the Toronto airport has only shut down twice for short periods. We even flew Air Canada back to Toronto the day after the ice storm hit in 2013. The flight was delayed, but we still got home in reasonable time.

[canusa1]

Yes, I know. We have Canadian friends who are considering this package and they are wondering about the odds of missing the ship by flying in on departure day.

 

 

We had 11 flights go out of Hamilton this past winter and we had a lot of snow.

11 flights went out and 11 flights came back all on time.

This year we will have 22 flights go out and 22 come back.

We have other airlines that fly into our airport that could step up if needed.

We could for some far off reason be transported to Toronto or Buffalo.

Or if for some reason we could not get out they would fly us to the next port of call.

Just the same as they would if it had been Choice Air.

This is what I was told by our TA

There are many people who fly to the port on departure day. I am not one of them as I like to go 2 days before the cruise. BUT because the flight is only 5 min from our home and we do not have to find airlines that have the times that we want nor do we have to find hotels or transfers for the cruise THAT is why we and hundreds of other people took the deal.

 

 

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[CathyCruises]

I appreciate the convenience and all the reasons for booking the package, believe me. I am still wondering what would happen if the plane with passengers bound for a TA, whose 'next port' is in Europe, was unavoidably detained. Has no one ever had this concern before?

 

I was thinking about the recent closures. I wonder how many people were booked on flights from the eleven airports that were shut down who were trying to make a cruise on time. . .

[thon]

Everything everyone above has said about delays due to weather, mechanical problems, etc. is all something to be aware of. I guess I am the kind of person that "tries" not to worry too much about things that I have NO control over.

 

Here's hoping that everyone's flights experience no delays!!

[butterbread]

We are on a London package and have put faith in Celebrity for getting us here/there/everywhere.

 

Interested in hearing others experiences with doing this charter previously though! Did you and your flight-mates meet up on the trip etc? I have heard good things about Canada North but have never flown them yet.