Experience with flight booked by Carnival

[suezducruz]

Searched this topic but couldn't easily find anything....

 

Please provide feedback if you have used Carnival to book your flights. Trying to arrange travel for our upcoming Feb 2016 cruise and while the carnival flight price is the best, I'm not sure if it is worth any hassle that may be associated with it! I understand that the only thing you are guaranteed is departing/arriving airport....not airline or time schedule.

 

Any info is much appreciated!

[SkyMaster]

My wife has used Carnival Air for two different Med Cruises, and found that the flights booked, and prices were very competitive, and offered no problems. Yes, we'll probably use 'em again on the next Med Cruise. :cool: Both times, we shopped around, but wound up booking with Carnival.

 

"SKY"

[uncleg]

I called Carnival about the same thing yesterday, the price was competitive and with the guarantee, that if for some reason the flight is delayed and you miss the ship, they will fly you to next port and put you up in hotel until ship arrives.

 

Only problem was I would not be able to use airport closest to me.

Edited July 8, 2015 by uncleg

[suezducruz]

I called Carnival about the same thing yesterday, the price was competitive and with the guarantee, that if for some reason the flight is delayed and you miss the ship, they will fly you to next port and put you up in hotel until ship arrives.

 

Only problem was I would not be able to use airport closest to me.

 

Do you have to add vacation protection as well? Or is the flight guaranteed just because they booked it?

[beachbum53]

It depends a lot on when you want to arrive at the departure city. Typically, if you have the cruise line book your flight, it will be for the day of departure, and may not be a direct flight. Too stressful for us. The last time we had the cruise line arrange our flight, our plane was delayed because of mechanical issues. By the time we finally got to Miami, the ship had already left. We had to fly to the first port of call to meet up with the ship. Ever since then, we've made our own flight arrangements. If we fly out the day of, we book a direct flight, as early as possible. However, it's a lot better to fly out the day before. I'm not sure if you can request your flight to be the day before if you have the cruise line do it for you. Just something to consider.

[suezducruz]

It depends a lot on when you want to arrive at the departure city. Typically, if you have the cruise line book your flight, it will be for the day of departure, and may not be a direct flight. Too stressful for us. The last time we had the cruise line arrange our flight, our plane was delayed because of mechanical issues. By the time we finally got to Miami, the ship had already left. We had to fly to the first port of call to meet up with the ship. Ever since then, we've made our own flight arrangements. If we fly out the day of, we book a direct flight, as early as possible. However, it's a lot better to fly out the day before. I'm not sure if you can request your flight to be the day before if you have the cruise line do it for you. Just something to consider.

 

The things you talk about are the down side I have heard about...also the potential for long airport layovers. It's such a hard decision...the cruise air price is nearly half of booking on my own! So wish I didn't have to travel during peak times!

[kdinkus1]

We used to book our flights thru Carnival also but since they do it 'the day of', we no longer use them. We much prefer to fly in a day or two before time so that there isn't a problem should something prevent us from taking off on time. (Like today with the UNITED shutdown...) I have been a witness myself to cancelled flights, to delayed (and then more delay) flights, as well as those who miss a day or two of their cruise to be flown to the next port. It's worth the extra cost to NOT RISK missing our cruise... And we always buy insurance!!

[oceanmom62]

We did this for the first time 4/5/2015. Our plane was due to land at Miami at 1:23 for a 4PM cruise. We actually landed about 15 minutes early. Being Easter Carnival had better flights and prices than I could get on my own. We did carry-on only and bought insurance. We also did the Carnival transfer. We checked in at the airport and then waited for the transfer. Next time I would take a cab. The transfer is a bus and they wait until it is full before leaving. We were the last on board. Problems can happen so if you can't handle that then book flights yourself for the day before. You can no longer choose to fly in the day before for a deviation fee unless there are issues with the airport selection. People will tell you to only fly in the day before. Not everyone can do that- money or time reasons. Do what is best for you.

[TruckerDave]

Click on the "cruise air" section of this message board. There are lots and lots of threads about this type of thing. but be warned, some of the folks might not tell you what you want to hear, while very knowledgeable they can be blunt in their replies. Many folks go there and get their shorts in a knot thinking they are being "rude" or "mean" but they are just telling you the way it is.

[suezducruz]

Click on the "cruise air" section of this message board. There are lots and lots of threads about this type of thing. but be warned, some of the folks might not tell you what you want to hear, while very knowledgeable they can be blunt in their replies. Many folks go there and get their shorts in a knot thinking they are being "rude" or "mean" but they are just telling you the way it is.

 

thanks!

[BillNY]

We used Carnival air for our Med cruise a few years ago. They booked us on flights that caused us to arrive at the pier an hour after scheduled departure. This was without delays....this is how it was scheduled. They had the ship wait for us (and about 20 other people who were on our same flight).

We were relative newbies at the time and didn't realize there was a 2 hour bus ride from the airport to the cruise port, nor did we realize we coukd have asked for a deviation.

Needless to say, when it comes to Carnival now, we will book our own flights.

[AtlantaCruiser72]

Carnival does not allow any deviations of any kind on their air. Also if the air they book requires an overnight stay in the port city (either before or after the cruise) the hotel cost is the guests responsibility. They also do not guarantee that all guests on the same reservation will get the same flights/routing.

 

I would never book flights for myself through Carnival due to all of these issues. Keep watching prices and hopefully you can find more reasonable prices booking yourself in the next few months. February is a long way off and the airlines will not start offering winter fare sales until Sept or Oct at the earliest.

Edited July 9, 2015 by AtlantaCruiser72

[CdrescherRBL152]

Used Carnival air for our first cruise. Biggest problem you may run into is being from East of the Mississippi if you are cruising out of Fla. they will only fly you down the day of the cruise. With US weather caused delays in N.C. where we had our layover. Which caused us to arrive in Miami at 3pm Boarded the ship just in time to run to our cabin grab our life jackets and go to the muster drill. We made the decision then and there never again. We book on our own. Go down a day or two early much more relaxed trip. For us at least is worth it even if we do end up paying a little more for the flights. But so far with a little early planning and shopping the airline web sights have always gotten a better price then thru Carnival.

[SeeBurd]

Searched this topic but couldn't easily find anything....

 

Please provide feedback if you have used Carnival to book your flights. Trying to arrange travel for our upcoming Feb 2016 cruise and while the carnival flight price is the best, I'm not sure if it is worth any hassle that may be associated with it! I understand that the only thing you are guaranteed is departing/arriving airport....not airline or time schedule.

 

Any info is much appreciated!

 

Years ago, we let them do our air, but as we became more experienced, and the assigned air by them became in incident times as well as connecting flights, we now book our own, unless we are doing a specialty cruise, such as a one way.

[SeeBurd]

I called Carnival about the same thing yesterday, the price was competitive and with the guarantee, that if for some reason the flight is delayed and you miss the ship, they will fly you to next port and put you up in hotel until ship arrives.

 

Only problem was I would not be able to use airport closest to me.

 

Actually, they may hold a ship up knowing you're coming should a delay occur, but I'm not so sure about flying and putting you up without insurance.

[Budget Queen]

Searched this topic but couldn't easily find anything....

 

Please provide feedback if you have used Carnival to book your flights. Trying to arrange travel for our upcoming Feb 2016 cruise and while the carnival flight price is the best, I'm not sure if it is worth any hassle that may be associated with it! I understand that the only thing you are guaranteed is departing/arriving airport....not airline or time schedule.

 

Any info is much appreciated!

 

I going to be one of those "blunt" posters, mentioned above. :)

 

This is a BIG mistake, flying from NY, in the winter. Just the last 2 years, the weather has reeked havoc on flights. DAYS of delays with canceled flights. I have a lot of experiences flying due to nonrev travel. There are so many wrong assumptions made- with the rescheduling being a major. Cruise air, would be one of the last fares to be accommodated. Many seem to think, empty planes are just waiting, far from true. Flights run fairly full as it is. You have ONE cancellation with 100 people. It could take days getting out of SYR.

 

With "cruiseair", you must be accepting of NOT making your cruise. So if that is the case, then may be the right option for you.

[Gizmo88]

For most of the cruises I took CCL booked the flights, but now books flight on my own to get more favourable times. It was always the day of departure. Pretty much smooth getting to the departure port, although always had to connect to another flight.

 

If you are unable to get to the home port due to delayed flight or cancelled from an act of mother nature or mechanical failure or other reasons that are not in your control, call CCL's travel hotline (number is somewhere on the site) to explain the situation. In the call, do it with an airline ticketing agent. If decided to fly in to the first port of call (flight will most likely be covered by cruise line), CCL will put you in a hotel (usually decent and near the cruise terminal at Port of call) and meals (from the port of call if you miss home port) can be reimbursed as OBC with receipt. This happened to me for one cruise where act of mother nature caused me to miss the connecting flight.

 

Also if you are going to have be at the first port of call due to this, keep your taxi receipts, the can also be reimbursed as OBC.

 

I do not know if it is still done, buy you can pay extra to get a specific airline. So for airlines, it could be any one that flights to the departure port.

 

Some extra things to note, when you meet the ship at the port of call, you sill need to show your cruise docs to port security and CCL security to get through and let them know you have arrived. Your Sail and Sign cards will be available once you check-in at the guest services desk on the ship. You will be most likely escorted by the ship's Hotel director when you meet the ship.

 

You do not need vacation protection since it was booked by them. Just make sure you give the CCL travel hotline to explain what is happening.

 

You can have the cruise line book your flights, it is risky for you especially in winter. I recommend flying in a day or two ahead.

Edited July 10, 2015 by Gizmo88