Is this a good price - pls help

[hollon]

Houston to Anchorage for 636.00, for a may cruise. Leaving out of IAH to ANC and leaving to come home from Vancouver. The plane is NOT full of course, I'm thinking its a good price, but it's so far off I really didn't want to buy now b/c kids going to college

[CruiserBruce]

I doubt you will find it much cheaper. ..might have a few bucks cheaper when the seats were first available.

 

Try booking one seat at a time to see if you get a lower fare.

[hollon]

I doubt you will find it much cheaper. ..might have a few bucks cheaper when the seats were first available.

 

Try booking one seat at a time to see if you get a lower fare.

 

True, my daughter was going to paris for a study abroad and all I could do was think about her and her EXPENSIVE ticket :eek:

 

I also started this on the Princess site and they thought this was a good price, with kids in college I don't want to book now, but hate for it to go up, but the plane is not full, hummmm

[VennDiagram]

How much lower do you think it might go? Is it likely you will save $100 or $500 or ??? :) I'm very price conscious, but if I can buy peace-of-mind for $100, I will do it. That means if I think the best price I might see is $100 less, I don't wait. I just book it. I will be more comfortable knowing that my flights are in place, than I would be knowing I saved $100. And trust me, I am very thrifty for most aspects of my travel.

[CruiserBruce]

True, my daughter was going to paris for a study abroad and all I could do was think about her and her EXPENSIVE ticket :eek:

 

I also started this on the Princess site and they thought this was a good price, with kids in college I don't want to book now, but hate for it to go up, but the plane is not full, hummmm

 

Actually, the most appropriate place would be the Cruise Air board, as it is exclusively about flying. But I gave you a summary of the common answers.

 

Did you check out a solo fare?

 

The seating chart is not accurate at all in relation to number of seats actually sold. The cruise lines could have a significant number of seats booked, but seats are not assigned. In that case, the fares will start rising...as the supply is low. I would definitely suspect this, as the number of flights to Alaska is not huge.

Edited August 7, 2016 by CruiserBruce

[Nhsaltshaker]

How much lower do you think it might go? Is it likely you will save $100 or $500 or ??? :) I'm very price conscious, but if I can buy peace-of-mind for $100, I will do it. That means if I think the best price I might see is $100 less, I don't wait. I just book it. I will be more comfortable knowing that my flights are in place, than I would be knowing I saved $100. And trust me, I am very thrifty for most aspects of my travel.

 

I'm with you.

[hollon]

Actually, the most appropriate place would be the Cruise Air board, as it is exclusively about flying. But I gave you a summary of the common answers.

 

Did you check out a solo fare?

 

The seating chart is not accurate at all in relation to number of seats actually sold. The cruise lines could have a significant number of seats booked, but seats are not assigned. In that case, the fares will start rising...as the supply is low. I would definitely suspect this, as the number of flights to Alaska is not huge.

 

I checked on "other booking sites" and it didn't make a difference if I put one or three in, it was the same - Princess website didn't seem that much cheaper, I've looked around so much earlier today and days before and can't remember what the price was, I think really about the same .

[hollon]

Actually, the most appropriate place would be the Cruise Air board, as it is exclusively about flying. But I gave you a summary of the common answers.

 

Did you check out a solo fare?

 

The seating chart is not accurate at all in relation to number of seats actually sold. The cruise lines could have a significant number of seats booked, but seats are not assigned. In that case, the fares will start rising...as the supply is low. I would definitely suspect this, as the number of flights to Alaska is not huge.

 

Sorry, what is Cruise Air Board, are you talking about the Princess Air on their website? Sorry, for all the questions

[Mitch2016]

We are cruising on NCL out of Vancouver Monday June 5-12. Want to get to Vancouver kind of earlier in the day. I have been tracking several flight options on Google Flights for departure from both Des Moines (45 minute drive) and Minneapolis (3.5 hour drive, hotel cost night before, drive home after taking redeye and no sleep) and honestly, they were about the same $1400-$1800 for the both of us. Got a price change alert yesterday and it was a flight out of Des Moines that was selling for $1093 for both of us on United. We leave DSM 9:00 a.m (can get ride to airport so saves on 2 week long term parking lot fee) and gets into Vancouver early afternoon. Coming home, we'll catch a 12:20 am flight that leaves Anchorage and gets us back to DSM around 1:00 in afternoon for someone to pick us up. Both flights had only 1 layover with great connection times......no need to sprint through airports! Today that same flight jumped back up to $1618 for 2. Score!

 

So that gives us 2+ full days to do things in Vancouver. We're spending 5 days on a DIY land trip after our cruise so leaving that time of night gives us a full day to do things and we don't have to pay hotel night in Anchorage prior to leaving.

 

Pays to really track several options through Google Flights and then book directly through the airline! I think $636 is a great price considering the distance. I locked in at $546 from Iowa.

[CruiserBruce]

Sorry, what is Cruise Air Board, are you talking about the Princess Air on their website? Sorry, for all the questions

 

Your thread from the Princess board has been moved to the Cruise Air board. It is part of Cruise Critic. Another specialty board for flying questions, just the Alaska board, or the Princess board.

[Budget Queen]

Just a real possibility with booking flights so "early". EXPECT flight changes, can happen multiple times. So those initial- "great schedules" can do a deep 6 easily. Keep track of this YOURSELF. Don't boo hoo, about not being "notified". IF the reschedule doesn't work for you, then before you call, see what else is available- that may be a better fit- then call and see if changes are available for you.

 

But- expect - those schedules to change, especially booking now, for next year.

[Coral]

Pays to really track several options through Google Flights and then book directly through the airline! I think $636 is a great price considering the distance. I locked in at $546 from Iowa.

 

I used to live in Des Moines. When I lived there, Des Moines had some of the highest airfares out there. It was awful. There were supposedly going to have federal investigations on why it was so high. I am back living in LNK. I think the fare you got is amazing! Especially from Des Moines.

[Mitch2016]

I used to live in Des Moines. When I lived there, Des Moines had some of the highest airfares out there. It was awful. There were supposedly going to have federal investigations on why it was so high. I am back living in LNK. I think the fare you got is amazing! Especially from Des Moines.

 

Thanks Coral! I was pretty tickled about it....especially when 24 hours later it jumped back up to $1600. Hoping there won't be any schedule changes like Budget Queen stated. I check the flight every day and see more and more seats getting filled.....hope that's a good sign. :)

[Coral]

Thanks Coral! I was pretty tickled about it....especially when 24 hours later it jumped back up to $1600. Hoping there won't be any schedule changes like Budget Queen stated. I check the flight every day and see more and more seats getting filled.....hope that's a good sign. :)

 

Just do what BQ says - watch it every 2 weeks or so. If you see any changes and they put you on a flight that doesn't work, call them and tell them what flight would work.

 

I have done the LNK to Denver to YVR route many times. If you are going through Denver, it is great routing.

Edited August 10, 2016 by Coral

[Tricia724]

Budget Queen is right about flight changes. Most of the flights I've booked in the last two years....whether early or closer to departure....have had time changes and several of them have been problematic.

 

The most annoying change was on our flight home from our Alaska cruise next month. In January I had booked flights on American out of Vancouver at a price approx. $150/pp less than the other airlines were offering. In June American canceled our Vancouver mid-afternoon flight, and to my dismay (and disgust) I found the alternate flight options miserable. So regrettably, I had to cancel American and book flights through United. Oh yes, and the new flights cost $150/pp extra.:mad:

 

So even when you get convenient flights, they can change. And even when you get a good price, it's not always a done deal. Oh yes, and just because the plane has lots of empty seats, that doesn't mean the price will come down. It may mean the flight will be canceled or consolidated with another flight.

 

Just go with your best option, and cross your fingers.