Question about free airfare in booking package

[Luv Cruising Land or Sea]

On 2/25/2019 at 8:52 AM, Crazy4Camping said:

Avoid Newark as well if you don't have a long layover.  Ours was an hour but between the plane landing late (airport trying to accommodate too many airlines so we circled for a half hour waiting to land) and the shuttle taking forever to get us from one end to the other, we missed our connecting flight.  Had to take a much later flight to a different airport and rent a car to drive an hour back home.  Money out of our pocket and no sleep before work the next day.  Not fun!!

Good reason to have trip insurance - if you did you should check into reimbursement for the car rental!

[Seacreature101]

Still not sure about the transfers.  We sail on Epic out of San Juan in March.  Have discounted airfare ($98 pp) from Atlanta to San Juan.  Removed transfers originally but was thinking about adding them back.  I have also read they are disorganized and taxi cheaper.  Taxi is my original plan, but was thinking this way be sure to board ship on time if do transfers.  Anyone else have comments on NCL transfers from San Juan?  Thank you!

[Luv Cruising Land or Sea]

On 3/31/2019 at 1:01 PM, Seacreature101 said:

Still not sure about the transfers.  We sail on Epic out of San Juan in March.  Have discounted airfare ($98 pp) from Atlanta to San Juan.  Removed transfers originally but was thinking about adding them back.  I have also read they are disorganized and taxi cheaper.  Taxi is my original plan, but was thinking this way be sure to board ship on time if do transfers.  Anyone else have comments on NCL transfers from San Juan?  Thank you!

The transfer process was extremely disorganized and took almost an hour after we collected luggage.  Taxi or "van shuttle" average about $10-12 per person - and would have gotten us there faster and cheaper!

Edited April 5, 2019 by cinbol

[Seacreature101]

14 minutes ago, cinbol said:

The transfer process was extremely disorganized and took almost an hour after we collected luggage.  Taxi or "van shuttle" average about $10-12 per person - and would have gotten us there faster and cheaper!

Thanks for the info.  Did the NCL bus drop you close to entrance or same as shuttles, etc.

[Luv Cruising Land or Sea]

26 minutes ago, Seacreature101 said:

Thanks for the info.  Did the NCL bus drop you close to entrance or same as shuttles, etc.

Same entrance as everyone else, but we did not see our luggage again until it was delivered to our room so that's one "plus".  We did however keep a carryon with us, not knowing when the luggage would come up.  Our flight arrived at 1:30 and we were on the ship just after 3:00 pm so we were able to go straight to our cabin and change for the pool!

[Seacreature101]

4 minutes ago, cinbol said:

Same entrance as everyone else, but we did not see our luggage again until it was delivered to our room so that's one "plus".  We did however keep a carryon with us, not knowing when the luggage would come up.  Our flight arrived at 1:30 and we were on the ship just after 3:00 pm so we were able to go straight to our cabin and change for the pool!

 

Thanks again for your good info.  Will stick with taxi.  🙂

[lhsail]

Looking at the TA on the Epic this fall. The add on airfare if we fly in and out of Dallas is a steal. Our son lives in Dallas so we sometimes fly out of there anyway. However, being seven months out, who knows what we’ll decide about going to Europe early, staying in San Juan, etc.  Are there any repercussions if we decide later to make our own air arrangements?  I realize we’re probably paying for the reduced air in our cruise rate, but frankly the pricing is very favorable as it is. Appreciate any insight. 

[IRMO12HD]

I'm nervous about things that seem to be too good to be true -- we're in the process of booking a cruise on Bliss in April 2020 (Panama Canal NYC - Seattle), and the rate for the free air seems impossible: $49.50 per person for a flight from Seattle to NYC the day before the cruise departs.  Is such a thing possible?  Of course, I guess it may end up being a redeye -- probably will -- but still, I'd appreciate thoughts or input from anyone who has used the Free Air . . .

 

[IRMO12HD]

I'm nervous about things that seem to be too good to be true -- we're in the process of booking a cruise on Bliss in April 2020 (Panama Canal NYC - Seattle), and the rate for the free air seems impossible: $49.50 per person for a flight from Seattle to NYC the day before the cruise departs.  Is such a thing possible?  Of course, I guess it may end up being a redeye -- probably will -- but still, I'd appreciate thoughts or input from anyone who has used the Free Air . . .

 

[IRMO12HD]

I'm nervous about things that seem to be too good to be true -- we're in the process of booking a cruise on Bliss in April 2020 (Panama Canal NYC - Seattle), and the rate for the free air seems impossible: $49.50 per person for a flight from Seattle to NYC the day before the cruise departs.  Is such a thing possible?  Of course, I guess it may end up being a redeye -- probably will -- but still, I'd appreciate thoughts or input from anyone who has used the Free Air . . .

 

[moosegrin]

Hello IRMO12HD,  In January my wife and I had free airfare with NCL for a Panama Canal cruise.    Of course , it's not FREE.   It's just a way to offer a discount, without showing a discounted rack rate.   But I'm confident that NCL can get better rates than you and I.     In our case,  the carrier was American Airlines, who I fly with most of the time anyway ( ORD Chicago is our home airport).    I called NCL once we got within 30 days of cruise and was given the flight reservation numbers ( they were going to get around to telling us, at some point, but I advise you to call when you get close to departure dates).  

 

Anyway,  we logged into AA.com website , checked in. and chose our seats (together) and it was actually no problem.  

 

You are right, the flights will be at times advantageous to the cruise line.   Not was not extreme in our case.    Flight from ORD to LAX was non stop (probably the lowest cost) and the flight from LGA to ORD was non stop.   Our outbound flight departed at 7am (they want to get you to the port same day, early )  and the return flight to ORD did not depart until 3PM ( they don't want to have to prioritize you for expedited time off ship). 

 

the only problem we had was with the transfers.   LaGuardia was a nightmare, NCL transfer agent knowingly dropped 15 passengers at the wrong airport terminal and then copped an attitude, with threats to the passengers when called out on the wrong terminal.    So,   the NCL transfer was worse than worthless.  It was a major pain, and some folks were in jeopardy of missing their flights.    I wish I had taken a taxi.   Steve 

[IRMO12HD]

Any ideas on the latest date you can request a "deviation?"  I'm nervous about being stuck on a night owl, ending up at LaGuardia in the early morning of our cruise departure.  I'd rather request a deviation to arrive a day early, but some of the comments have indicated that NCL might require a hotel stay in a hotel of "their" choice . . .

 

[don't-use-real-name]

1 hour ago, IRMO12HD said:

Any ideas on the latest date you can request a "deviation?"  I'm nervous about being stuck on a night owl, ending up at LaGuardia in the early morning of our cruise departure.  I'd rather request a deviation to arrive a day early, but some of the comments have indicated that NCL might require a hotel stay in a hotel of "their" choice . . .

 

Unless the hotel is part of the package - where you stay and how much you pay for it is up to you.

Discuss the deviation with NCL and or the airline (some airlines may have a change fee for reservations). 

[Lizabu]

8 hours ago, IRMO12HD said:

Any ideas on the latest date you can request a "deviation?"  I'm nervous about being stuck on a night owl, ending up at LaGuardia in the early morning of our cruise departure.  I'd rather request a deviation to arrive a day early, but some of the comments have indicated that NCL might require a hotel stay in a hotel of "their" choice . . .

 

You should probably try to arrange the deviation before your flight is assigned. If you wait until they assigned the flight there are probably going to be fees for changing your flights. If it’s possible to change it at all.

 

the reason you are seeing different information about whether you need to use their hotel or not is because this policy just changed in March. Pre March you needed to stay in the hotel NCL selected. So anyone who cruised before March might believe this is still the case. The current policy as far as I am aware is there is a fee to deviate if you want to select your own hotel. Deviation can be up to 2 days prior and/or 2 days after. If you go with the hotel NCL selects there is no fee to deviate. For the most up to date information you should call NCL because the hotel part of this policy seems to be new even since March. Unless of course that’s what it was in March and it just took a month or so for NCL agents to be aware of the new policy and be able to communicate it. When I booked my deviation in March I wanted to book my own hotel and the policy was so brand new the agent had to put me on hold and ask her supervisor.