Cruise air program?

[RTLS]

Hi there,

 

we are considering a cruise with Norwegian and trying to determine whether they offer aa program similar to Choice Air offered by Celebrity and Royal Caribbean. Or do they have the more traditional type of air program where you call and they book flights for you without much input from the passenger.

 

I'd love to hear from NCL regulars.

 

Thanks

[hun]

I'd be interested in NCLers' experiences as well. We had great luck with our RCCl Choice Air last fall (saved $400 each). Our next cruise is NCL and even our PCC advised against using NCL air.

[beerman2]

I'd be interested in NCLers' experiences as well. We had great luck with our RCCl Choice Air last fall (saved $400 each). Our next cruise is NCL and even our PCC advised against using NCL air.

 

Glad you were able to save $$$, with that being said I would rather control my flights. Was this an international flight?

[hun]

Yes, international, BDL to BCN, we picked flights and seats - same flights we would have had if we had booked direct via American Airlines. [emoji322] (but RCCL)

Edited March 21, 2016 by hun

[NMLady]

Hi there,

 

we are considering a cruise with Norwegian and trying to determine whether they offer aa program similar to Choice Air offered by Celebrity and Royal Caribbean. Or do they have the more traditional type of air program where you call and they book flights for you without much input from the passenger.

 

I'd love to hear from NCL regulars.

 

Thanks

 

We have used NCL's air program twice when it was significantly cheaper than any of the discount sites. It is definitely the kind where they book the flights for you, with little input from you other than departure airport. You'll arrive day of cruise. If you want something different you pay a Deviation Fee and sometimes a fare difference.

[mnventure]

I had NCL book our airfare on our first cruise...and won't again. We got to argue the day before the cruise (they booked a hotel room for us too). But we didn't have any say in the the flights...and the price we paid, let's just say I could have booked it significantly cheaper. We flew from the Midwest to New Orleans. Other destinations may have better luck?

[RTLS]

Thanks everyone for your comments.

 

We won't be booking NCL Air!

[Barb Nahoumi]

I had them book air for me twice. The first time was between Boston and L.A. The second was between Boston and Honolulu,with pre & post cruise hotels.

 

The L.A. flight was same day. Stupid, I know, but work constraints prevented me from leaving earlier. I asked NCL for a non-stop, and they arranged it. Transfers from the airport to the pier were included. Luckily we arrived on time and all was well.

 

NCL arranged my return flight non stop as well. I was pleased with their bookings of my Hawaiian flights and pre/post cruise hotels.

[hun]

I had them book air for me twice. The first time was between Boston and L.A. The second was between Boston and Honolulu,with pre & post cruise hotels.

 

The L.A. flight was same day. Stupid, I know, but work constraints prevented me from leaving earlier. I asked NCL for a non-stop, and they arranged it. Transfers from the airport to the pier were included. Luckily we arrived on time and all was well.

 

NCL arranged my return flight non stop as well. I was pleased with their bookings of my Hawaiian flights and pre/post cruise hotels.

 

 

Do you recall how the cost compared to booking on your own? Wondering, we still have about a year until our cruise! [emoji5]

[LEtue]

I just found this thread and I am so disappointed to read that NCL doesn't have a program like Princess - reserve and pay at final payment and you pick your flights.

 

NCL needs to step it up!

[Linda the Book Lover]

We looked into NCl Air and the price our TA quoted was high. I called NCL and said I had several questions and I understood that I would have to book through my non-NCL TA. The person I spoke with was very nice and did answer my questions. We would have to get to San Francisco Airport (2 hours and 15 min one-way) to fly out as this is our closest gateway NCL airport. We would have to pay an extra fee because we are flying into Barcelona a few days earlier which also meant there would not be a shuttle. She did talk a little about a shuttle but I don't remember what she said. We booked on our own and got good pricing maybe not great like last minute flight bargains but I was happy with what we paid.

[LEtue]

Really too bad that they don't offer the same options as other airlines that use the airline booking system and allow you to see the flights and pick from a list. The price was hundreds less that booking direct with the airlines for flights into Rome and returning from Barcelona......$631 RT from Tampa for this October (but we had to cancel :( )

[SandyAtSea]

For $50 you can get NCL's Premier Air. This is if you want to specify a particular airline or arrival time. About four years ago I had NCL book me on a flight from LAX to Copenhagen for a westbound TA. It was supposed to arrive at CPH at 11:30 am and the ship was leaving at 4. Too close for comfort in my opinion for an international flight. I called NCL and they re-booked me the day before. If I remember right, I had to wait until I got the flight they booked for me and then call them and pay the $50 to change the flight but the flight didn't cost any more. The NCL website says they still have the program.