Airline Reservations

[Retchiefcruiser]

Still hoping the April 3 Horizon is sailing. But unsure as to when to book the flights. What are people doing about airline reservations when we are not sure we are sailing.

 

Just asking.

[MeganGC1983]

This is a good question. Wish I had an answer for you. That’s one of the things Carnival should address when they finally start releasing return to sailing details. 

[Tiger0613]

Several airlines in the US have gotten rid of change fees on most flights.  You just pay the difference in fare.  American Airlines gives a travel voucher if the new fare is lower than the old one.  I don't know how long you have to use it.

[Jasalth]

So when all this started, it generally took me forever to deal with the airline from a canceled cruise. Funny thing, is we were going to still go to the area, but the airline canceled eventually so decided on a refund from them. It took me 6 months to finally get all of the $ back....

 

Another cruise we booked, I did air through Carnival. Final payment for the air was not due until the final payment of the cruise. When THAT cruise got canceled, I was easily able to roll it all into a 2023 cruise (longer cruise, cost more so no extra). Now I also wasn't in their 60 day before cruise window when it was canceled, so that might change things also. 

 

After my fiasco with the first air, unless for some reason Carnival's air is significantly higher (in my case it was actually about $150pp cheaper), and by significantly higher I mean like double the price, I will probably end up booking through them just for the ease of it in this time having all of my $ in one place. To the point where instead of renting a car to drive the 4 hours to our hopefully next cruises port, and then flying back home from Tampa at the end, I will probably end up booking it as a flight to Baltimore and a flight back from Tampa, even though I expect it will cost me more, I won't  have to deal with the cruise line, the air line, the hotel, the transfers, ect. My time spent on hold is more valuable to me IMO than saving a few hundred $$'s. Though in total to get everything taken care of with both my planned out canceled cruises, I probably spent a good 20 hours on the phone/holding... and still waiting on some refunds TBH. 

 

But I would give the F2F department a call and see what they say about if they cancel the cruise, do they waive that "up to $200pp change fee" or if that only really applies if you would be sailing, on a flight to the port and want to change those flights around. 

 

 

[waterbug123]

We fly often enough that we know we will us whatever airline credits we get if we have to cancel a flight.  So in a nutshell, we are booking and not worrying about it. 

As for long hold times, you may be able to use a call back feature, so the airline calls you back instead of waiting on hold.  Or put your phone on speaker and go about your business until they pick up.

[Zach1213]

15 minutes ago, waterbug123 said:

We fly often enough that we know we will us whatever airline credits we get if we have to cancel a flight.  So in a nutshell, we are booking and not worrying about it. 

As for long hold times, you may be able to use a call back feature, so the airline calls you back instead of waiting on hold.  Or put your phone on speaker and go about your business until they pick up.

 

I'm lucky enough for this too. I still travel regularly for work and have been since April (essential work means essential travel), so worst case scenario if I cancel a personal trip, I use the funds for work and get reimbursed by them. 

[FlyerTalker]

17 minutes ago, waterbug123 said:

Or put your phone on speaker and go about your business until they pick up.

 

THE absolute most under-utilized feature on a phone.  People say "I was on hold of 30 minutes".  Did they bother to do 30 minutes worth of something else while waiting?  Or just stared at a wall?

 

[Bo1953]

3 hours ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

THE absolute most under-utilized feature on a phone.  People say "I was on hold of 30 minutes".  Did they bother to do 30 minutes worth of something else while waiting?  Or just stared at a wall?

 

Yep - great thought...

 

bon voyage

[Hlitner]

Most of the airlines now have a call back option that we have found quite nice.  Instead of sitting on hold the system automatically calls you back and that has worked fine for us every time.  

 

As to booking air for possible domestic cruises, we do not see much reason to stampede to make air reservations.  Schedules are often changed, cruises get cancelled, and the demand for air is not very high.  If it is a matter of a cruise out of a Fl port we would not book our air until much closer to the cruise date.   With International air we think it does make a lot of sense to reserve flights via cruise air options with most cruise lines since those reservations do not generally require payment prior to final payment and they can easily be cancelled without penalty or having to deal with vouchers.  As to that April cruise I would also be concerned that the ABC islands will not open up to cruises by early April.  I would expect most islands to delay opening to any cruise until they get assurances that everyone on the cruise has been vaccinated.  April might be a bit early for this to fall into place.

 

Hank