Flights by Celebrity - Booking Flights outside of what shows up online

[foggyphils]

Anyone have success booking flights by phone that don't show up in the Flights by Celebrity search. online?
I have specific flights I'm wanting to book and would like to go through Celebrity in case the cruise is canceled, but would prefer an option not listed.

Won't have time to call until after work so I thought I'd check here first. 🙂

[HLN500]

I was able to do that years ago.

[FlyerTalker]

Best to check pricing.  Interesting, I found that the flights being offered online to SXM for a Millenium cruise are significantly higher (and worse routings) than what you would be able to purchase direct from AA.  For example, even though AA has flights to SXM from PHL, none of the Celebrity offerings make use of that routing.

[txflood33]

I have been able to ask for specific flight numbers and had success. I have no idea if they were visible or hidden from anyone, but they should be able to search flight numbers. All the info I had matched hers once she pulled it up. 

 

Hope this helps

[foggyphils]

49 minutes ago, FlyerTalker said:

Best to check pricing.  Interesting, I found that the flights being offered online to SXM for a Millenium cruise are significantly higher (and worse routings) than what you would be able to purchase direct from AA.  For example, even though AA has flights to SXM from PHL, none of the Celebrity offerings make use of that routing.

Interesting. I'm traveling from Dallas, possible Houston. But the Celebrity prices are anywhere from $250 cheaper to $10 cheaper for most of the flights from DFW that leave the same day. They have a really good non-stop both ways but the same day arrival makes me nervous! 

[RickT]

I always check ITA Matrix before calling.  Celebrity has always been able to book the itinerary I want even if it doesn’t show up on their website.

[foggyphils]

Well, I called and the agent would not book the flight I wanted. Her reasoning seemed off in that she said they only show refundable fares. She gave me the option of 2 flights on the Friday before the cruise. Really, any of the AA flights I'm looking at can be refundable, it just costs extra. Seems like $50 per ticket is the norm. 

[foggyphils]

Thinking about this more. If all they book is refundable fares, then it seems it would not be beneficial to book with them within the 90 day window (which is what I'm looking at for a June St. Martin cruise) unless there is a major cost savings over booking on my own. Flights by Celebrity has a $200 change fee if we need to change or  cancel flights for any other reason than if they cancel the cruise. If I book the refundable fare direct with the airline, I can cancel with no fees for any reason. Am I missing something in this thought process? 

[NavyCruiser]

How far ahead, ie 9 - 12 months, can we start booking flights?

Edited April 24, 2021 by NavyCruiser

[FlyerTalker]

Most all tickets sold by airlines to tourists are "non-refundable" tickets.  Which means you can't cancel them and get your money back.  However, airlines have made a number of changes to the fare rules for these tickets.  The main upshot is that they have either eliminated or reduced the "change fees".

 

This means that if you decide to cancel a ticket, or make a change, you do not have to pay a fee in order to obtain a credit for future flights.  Note - a credit, not a refund.  Big difference.  These credits can then be applied to different flights, either on the same or different routing.

 

The fully refundable (meaning cash back to you) tickets are generally the full-fare coach or first tickets in fare buckets Y and F.

 

Unfortunately, the whole language of refundable, non-refundable and the like gets conflated in many conversations.  And the words do have specific meanings as terms of art.  So be sure you are comparing apples to apples.

[foggyphils]

 

11 hours ago, FlyerTalker said:

his means that if you decide to cancel a ticket, or make a change, you do not have to pay a fee in order to obtain a credit for future flights.  Note - a credit, not a refund.  Big difference.  These credits can then be applied to different flights, either on the same or different routing.

 

This is where I'm seeing the tickets go from non-refundable (but still have the ability to change)$514 to the fully refundable $564 option (The non-refundable/non-change option was $442.) Pretty much every flight I have searched offers this $50 upgrade. DFW-SXM 

[FlyerTalker]

Reading up, it seems that AA is offering this in select markets.

 

Personally, I almost always buy air from the airline directly.  Fewer moving parts to go wrong.  Now I know a lot of folks like to buy through the cruiseline since that usually delays payment for air until later.  In my view, that's a Peter pays Paul situation - you just postpone the payment.  Now I will admit that I rarely change a cruise booking once made, so I don't worry about changes in my schedule.