Booking airfare through NCL - no or go?

[aimee0715]

I'm surprised that people had to pay an extra fee to come in a day early.  I booked my cruise a couple weeks ago by calling NCL.  The agent asked me if I wanted to fly in the day of or up to two days early.  Initially, I said day of but before I hung up, I changed my mind and opted for the day before.  He said that I would be eligible for a $25 credit per person on my bill for flying in early and it removed the $50 per person for transfers.  I have not ever used a cruise line for my flights so I'm in the dark about how this works.  Sounds like they just book the flights and let us know when they are?  Is there anything that I need to be doing?  

[cybergremlin]

had a nightmare recently with flight through NCL, flight was cancelled months prior and we didn't find out till we got to the airport, had to organise own flights and still waiting for compensation for the extra cost to us.

from now on i'll be organising my own flights as the customer service I got was none existent 

[dbrown84]

does anyone know if there is a fee to using the airfare promo?  When I do a mock booking and choose the airfare promo, it quotes me $200 for the flight, but the total cruise price goes up by $275

[oteixeira]

5 minutes ago, dbrown84 said:

does anyone know if there is a fee to using the airfare promo?  When I do a mock booking and choose the airfare promo, it quotes me $200 for the flight, but the total cruise price goes up by $275

You are paying for transfers to and from the airport as well. Basically they include a shuttle bus.

[dbrown84]

12 minutes ago, oteixeira said:

You are paying for transfers to and from the airport as well. Basically they include a shuttle bus.

thanks

[jkrislc]

It makes sense for NCL to incentive that you come in early as it likely reduces the cost of the airfare for them.  Supposedly you can come in up to two days early or stay up to two days after the cruise with the free airfare promo, but we were able to come in three days early. We really wanted to come in four days early, but that wasn't an option. This is over New Year's Eve, so I don't know if that's why we could come in an extra day early or not.

Edited November 5, 2021 by jkrislc

[Sailing12Away]

5 hours ago, dbrown84 said:

thanks

You can call them and ask for the transfers to be removed. Depending on where you're coming into, you can sometimes find a much cheaper option on your own. But there's something to be said for the no fuss no muss not having to think about it convenience factor of letting them do it for you.

 

1 hour ago, jkrislc said:

It makes sense for NCL to incentive that you come in early as it likely reduces the cost of the airfare for them.  Supposedly you can come in up to two days early or stay up to two days after the cruise with the free airfare promo, but we were able to come in three days early. We really wanted to come in four days early, but that wasn't an option. This is over New Year's Eve, so I don't know if that's why we could come in an extra day early or not.

Depends on where you're flying into. For domestic flights they would only ever let me do 1-2 days, but when I was supposed to go to New Zealand last year (Covid cancelled) they were allowing 3 pre/post.

[mjcatlvr]

On 11/2/2021 at 10:44 AM, Lucky Dude 2101 said:

Greetings all!  Currently looking at booking a cruise for early 2022 and NCL has a special going on where the 2nd passenger flies free.  Being a little controlling on my own travel itinerary 😁, I'm a little leery on the process and how NCL typically books it's passengers on airlines, hotels, etc. Certainly if issues arise, it's on NCL I would imagine.

I understand I may be able to pay an additional fee and arrive in the port city the day before sailing?  How do the hotels work since NCL will handle transfers to/from the airport?  Are there any choices available to me as the passenger, of course for a fee, when it comes to airfare, hotel and transfers?

 

Anyone have experience with this? Am I being overly concerned?  Appreciate any and all feedback - thank you in advance!

Only once did we try the "Book Air through NCL" and it was a mistake for us. We ended up with an evening departure out of Miami and had to sit all day and wait while several flights to our city left without us. When I am finished with vacation, I want to get home ASAP! We make sure now that we are one of the first folks off the ship so that we can scoot to MIA and catch a morning flight out. We had no say in the flights that were booked by NCL.

[ChiefMateJRK]

I once let NCL book my flights.  It was just like when that angry secretary booked my flights back at Megacorp.  Expect to have a miserable time.  There was an impossible connection on the way (literally had us running through the terminal) and the return flight left at something like 8 o'clock at night (it was daylight when we finally got back home).  Never again....

[dbrown84]

has anyone ever let NCL book flights when doing a B2B?  If yes, did they charge you on just the first leg of the B2B, but set the return flight for the end of the 2nd leg?

[julig22]

1 hour ago, dbrown84 said:

has anyone ever let NCL book flights when doing a B2B?  If yes, did they charge you on just the first leg of the B2B, but set the return flight for the end of the 2nd leg?

Yes.  Charged half for each leg.  A word of caution however.  They changed my itinerary so I couldn't do the b2b and they wouldn't reinstate the airfare on the remaining cruise because that promo wasn't current at the time. So it might be best to book the airfare, then cancel the parts you don't need when it comes to final payment.

[Hmmcminn]

On 11/3/2021 at 8:20 PM, aimee0715 said:

I'm surprised that people had to pay an extra fee to come in a day early.  I booked my cruise a couple weeks ago by calling NCL.  The agent asked me if I wanted to fly in the day of or up to two days early.  Initially, I said day of but before I hung up, I changed my mind and opted for the day before.  He said that I would be eligible for a $25 credit per person on my bill for flying in early and it removed the $50 per person for transfers.  I have not ever used a cruise line for my flights so I'm in the dark about how this works.  Sounds like they just book the flights and let us know when they are?  Is there anything that I need to be doing?  

This is what happened to me as well.  I got a credit, not a charge for coming in a day early.  Our hotel has an airport transfer so we’ll take that the day we arrive and then take it back to the airport on cruise day to catch the ncl shuttle.  
 

We’re too far out to have our flight info yet, but we’re hoping for the best.  Flights to Orlando we could book on our own were outrageous for this week - it could have cost us about the same as the cruise - so we couldn’t pass up the BOGO deal. 

 

 

 

 

[beav2]

On 11/2/2021 at 9:58 AM, MeHeartCruising said:

In case you haven't already, read and understand the terms and conditions of the offer here:

 

Promotional Terms & Conditions | Norwegian Cruise Line (ncl.com)

 

NCL doesn't give you much flexibility to pick anything other than your desired dates of travel (per the conditions in the promotion) and your starting airport.  They pick the flight times and any connections.  You may get a very early morning flight or a late flight on your travel days.  You do not get to pick your airline or your seats.  Once NCL books your tickets and notifies you, you can then contact the airline and PERHAPS change seats, upgrade, etc. if that airline permits such things.  If they don't, then you are stuck with what NCL purchased for you.  

 

It is a nice offer when you're open to being fully flexible in what NCL might set you up with.  However, if you're going to be miserable if you are stuck in middle seats for a return flight from Miami that doesn't leave until 6pm and have to make a connection somewhere rather than a direct flight, then you might consider just booking on your own.  That's just an example, of course.  

 

Roll the dice or not.  Many people take advantage of the offer and have been very happy.  Some have a different opinion.

We just got our air fair from NCL that was the promotional air. Well we leave at 5:15 am the day before and coming home we don't leave till 9:35pm. Not very happy. To sit at the airport that long is crazy. They will not change things. I will NEVER do that again

[julig22]

14 minutes ago, beav2 said:

We just got our air fair from NCL that was the promotional air. Well we leave at 5:15 am the day before and coming home we don't leave till 9:35pm. Not very happy. To sit at the airport that long is crazy. They will not change things. I will NEVER do that again

For my last cruise, I left at 5:30am the day before - it was a much better arrangement than I was able to find on my own- but then again, I was flying from the west coast to Rome and there aren't a lot of choices.  Same issue coming home - I actually wanted a later flight but the only way to make that happen would have added another 12 hours to my return trip.  Their guidelines are a maximum of 2 layovers (no overnights) - so it all depends on your gateways and what is available.  Sometimes a later flight actually gets you home faster than an earlier flight with long layovers.

Have you looked at a post-cruise excursion so you don't have to sit at the airport?

[Gistfamily]

Flying out of Baltimore Jan 18 to Tampa. Does anyone know if NCL uses a favorite airline or is it just pot luck? Chris

[Sailing12Away]

On 11/13/2021 at 12:30 PM, Gistfamily said:

Flying out of Baltimore Jan 18 to Tampa. Does anyone know if NCL uses a favorite airline or is it just pot luck? Chris

I've always been put on American Airlines or their partners when I've used them, but I think there are a few they work with.

[julig22]

On 11/13/2021 at 9:30 AM, Gistfamily said:

Flying out of Baltimore Jan 18 to Tampa. Does anyone know if NCL uses a favorite airline or is it just pot luck? Chris

Pot luck - Delta, United, American, AirCanada.  Never been booked on SW.

A lot also depends on your location - I'm on the west coast.

[Pebbs48]

On 11/13/2021 at 12:30 PM, Gistfamily said:

Flying out of Baltimore Jan 18 to Tampa. Does anyone know if NCL uses a favorite airline or is it just pot luck? Chris

I think we’re scheduled on JetBlue based on NCL website pending confirmation email any day now.

[jemz1949]

I wanted to take advantage of the air deviation by flying in a day early.  I contacted my TA and NCL advised that you must do so 75 days prior to sailing.  I'm at 61 so they would not do it.  Anyone have any knowledge regarding this requirement?

 

[Pebbs48]

28 minutes ago, jemz1949 said:

I wanted to take advantage of the air deviation by flying in a day early.  I contacted my TA and NCL advised that you must do so 75 days prior to sailing.  I'm at 61 so they would not do it.  Anyone have any knowledge regarding this requirement?

 

https://www.ncl.com/air-service-standards
Second section Date Deviation Program

Edited November 14, 2021 by Pebbs48

[julig22]

1 hour ago, jemz1949 said:

I wanted to take advantage of the air deviation by flying in a day early.  I contacted my TA and NCL advised that you must do so 75 days prior to sailing.  I'm at 61 so they would not do it.  Anyone have any knowledge regarding this requirement?

 

You can cancel 1 leg and book your own flight - that's about your only option.  They are pretty strict with their rules.  But you'd have to do it today (day 61) to avoid  penalties.

[Gistfamily]

Thank you I guess I’ll just have to wait until my info shows up. Chris 

[AZYAYA]

We are doing a 10 day out of Rome in May 2022.  We were able to get 3 nights pre cruise and 2 nights post cruise for our deviation.  My PCC also book our hotel and all the transfers.  Airport to hotel, hotel to port (Civi), port to hotel and hotel to airport.  We are flying from Phoenix to Rome.  Looking at flights on my own it was over $2500 for economy.  I will take any issues in stride the best I can.  That type of savings was to big to pass up.  That's several shore excursion during our cruise.  I love my PCC and he is very responsive to questions.  I am full of questions.  LOL!

 

[BirdTravels]

We have never been "unhappy" with the BOGO air made by NCL (done multiple times). Are they the exact flights we would have booked on our own? No. But the $$$ saving is dramatic. 

[farjar]

How does the BOGO air work if the departure port and the debarkation port are different? The cruise we are looking at leaves San Pedro and finishes in Colon, Panama.  Our closest airport is San Diego.  When I do a mock booking and use San Diego airport it gives me a cost of $299 airfare and $150 ground ($75 pp)  Is the airfare to fly both of us from Colon to San Diego? Is the ground transportation fee for the pier in Colon to the Colon airport? I'm confused because NCL asks for "the departure airport" but Colon is not listed.  San Diego is listed but it is our "return" airport.  Any info would be appreciated.