Flights question. Help needed

[CielG22]

So, I'm a first time cruiser, booked on Epic next August with a friend (also a first timer). I was chatting to a family member who has been on a number of cruises and was talking about how the flights side of things was stressing me out as I needed to wait until August to get accurate prices and book. Family member said that no, flights are going to be booked by NCL and it's included in the fare. I tried to argue that it wasn't as there was nothing about airfare on the FAS (or mentioned by the PCC) promo I had booked . I got told that they were right and I was wrong because "I've been on loads of cruises and airfare is always included."

Following the conversation, I went and looked back at the reservation confirmation and there's nothing about flights. I've been stressing out about it all day and it's stopping me sleeping now. Can someone put my mind at rest that flights aren't included in the fare if there's nothing mentioned about them. It doesn't say anywhere whether it's flights included or cruise only. And then adding to my confusion is the small print which mentions both kinds (yet still no idea which I have as it isn't mentioned). I don't mind phoning NCL to ask the daft question, but I've phoned a few times with daft questions already and have a feeling that one more and I'll be persona non grata. Even if someone could give me an idea of where to look on my booking to know, it would be helpful.

[bortman23]

Your flights are not included in the price. UNLESS there was a flight promotion: buy one flight through NCL and the second passenger flies free etc.

 

If you did that, you would know because it would be clearly shown on your information, and you would have needed to provide the departure airport when you booked.

 

 

[CielG22]

8 hours ago, bortman23 said:

Your flights are not included in the price. UNLESS there was a flight promotion: buy one flight through NCL and the second passenger flies free etc.

 

If you did that, you would know because it would be clearly shown on your information, and you would have needed to provide the departure airport when you booked.

 

 

 

Thank you. I'm very fussy about airlines and my worst fear was, if the flights were through NCL, ending up with a combination flight and not knowing which airline until almost on top of the cruise. I like having control of which airline I fly with and the time of my flights. I think my family member always uses a TA that includes flights with the price so the idea of booking a cruise sans flights is an alien concept to them.

[hallux]

10 hours ago, CielG22 said:

"I've been on loads of cruises and airfare is always included."

If your friend uses a TA and the TA knows what your friend wants in regards to flights then this may be the case, but generally flights are NOT included in a cruise fare unless you ask for them to be included. 

 

Looking back at when I used the FAS promo for airfare in 2019 there was a specific line on the invoice that called out the fee for the air (it was free or reduced airfare for guests 1 & 2 at the time).  If it's not called out as a line item on your invoice from NCL (the TA if you used one DID send a copy of the NCL invoice, right?) and the TA didn't give you separate air booking confirmations then you have not yet bought airfare.  If the cruise is in August 2023 then flights won't be available to book yet.

[CielG22]

3 minutes ago, hallux said:

If your friend uses a TA and the TA knows what your friend wants in regards to flights then this may be the case, but generally flights are NOT included in a cruise fare unless you ask for them to be included. 

 

Looking back at when I used the FAS promo for airfare in 2019 there was a specific line on the invoice that called out the fee for the air (it was free or reduced airfare for guests 1 & 2 at the time).  If it's not called out as a line item on your invoice from NCL (the TA if you used one DID send a copy of the NCL invoice, right?) and the TA didn't give you separate air booking confirmations then you have not yet bought airfare.  If the cruise is in August 2023 then flights won't be available to book yet.

 

I booked direct with NCL. Needing a wheelchair accessible room makes me wary of using third parties. Booking direct means that, if I don't end up with a wheelchair accessible room it's on me. No flights mentioned. The rest of the FAS is on there. It's just the fine print that further confused me following the conversation with the family member. Until that conversation, I was sure on the flights being my responsibility. Shows how much someone being convinced they are right due to their own experience can make you question things.

I have an idea which TA they use as they advertise all cruises they sell as inclusive of flights.

[roger001]

Although getting to the cruise port the day before the cruise has always been a good idea, with today's airline mess that is now especially a must do idea.  Fly in the day before.  

[CielG22]

3 minutes ago, roger001 said:

Although getting to the cruise port the day before the cruise has always been a good idea, with today's airline mess that is now especially a must do idea.  Fly in the day before.  

 

I was planning day before as the majority of flights either arrive in Barcelona after the ship would have left or it would be cutting it massively close to get to the port on time. It's a similar problem getting back, so booking a flight back for the following day. 

[bigrednole]

First, stop stressing about it. If you don't think NCL Air is part of your booking, call NCL or your TA to ask. If it is part of your package, then you will get flight information around 45 days out. Some get it at 52 days while others get it at 35 days. Nothing worse than stressing about it. A quick call solves it all.

[CielG22]

1 hour ago, bigrednole said:

First, stop stressing about it. If you don't think NCL Air is part of your booking, call NCL or your TA to ask. If it is part of your package, then you will get flight information around 45 days out. Some get it at 52 days while others get it at 35 days. Nothing worse than stressing about it. A quick call solves it all.

 

Spoke with NCl. It was as I'd thought that there are no flights in the package I booked. I'll still stress about flights as that's something I do on any holiday that involves flights. My main one at the moment is because my home airport is absolute chaos and whether it will still be the same next August (I know it won't, but it stops me dwelling on prices).

[julig22]

3 hours ago, CielG22 said:

 

Spoke with NCl. It was as I'd thought that there are no flights in the package I booked. I'll still stress about flights as that's something I do on any holiday that involves flights. My main one at the moment is because my home airport is absolute chaos and whether it will still be the same next August (I know it won't, but it stops me dwelling on prices).

Here's a thought, although things might work differently in the UK so this might not work for you.

In the US, I can book my cruise using the BOGO airfare promo.  If things change before I make the final payment, I can just cancel the airfare.  But my price is locked in if airfare prices go up.

[CielG22]

17 hours ago, julig22 said:

Here's a thought, although things might work differently in the UK so this might not work for you.

In the US, I can book my cruise using the BOGO airfare promo.  If things change before I make the final payment, I can just cancel the airfare.  But my price is locked in if airfare prices go up.

 

I could be wrong (and I'm sure more experienced UK cruisers will correct me if I am), but the only cruises on the NCL site with flights included prices are 2022 departures. However, it's always good to know for future cruises, as I'd guess it's likely the same.

[Sue Do-Over]

Remember that letting NCL book your flights is just that - giving them permission to book you on any flight combination that gets you to the port on time.

NCL doesn't offer a selection of flight times or airlines that YOU prefer, but books what is least expensive (and least risky as far as on-time).  Once booked, you are free to upgrade seats or change flights directly with that airline, but will have to pay any difference/use points/use your airline status to do so.

 

On the flip side, United Airlines has been advertising that they (the airline) will book your NCL cruise, acting as your travel agency... this MIGHT get you more flight preference, but puts them in the middle of some communications/decisions regarding the cruise booking, like any other travel agency.  

 

It's an interesting strategy for both partners.

[hallux]

1 minute ago, Sue Do-Over said:

or change flights directly with that airline

Not always the case...

[julig22]

5 hours ago, CielG22 said:

 

I could be wrong (and I'm sure more experienced UK cruisers will correct me if I am), but the only cruises on the NCL site with flights included prices are 2022 departures. However, it's always good to know for future cruises, as I'd guess it's likely the same.

You are/were correct but recheck, they seem to have opened it up for 2023 and beyond. I did have a January 2023 cruise booked with airfare, but I was checking prices on my cruises booked for 2023 and 2024 over the weekend and the airfare option for both had been added (US site) so you might look again.  And the prices went down enough that my new total with airfare and transfers is less than the original bookings.

[CielG22]

The UK version of the site is still saying only selected 2022 cruises for flights offer. When it comes to flights, getting from Manchester, UK to Barcelona is easy enough that I don't need flights booking for me.

 

[Crazy planning mom]

Ok, so if flights aren't included in your package, you can book your flights yourself.

So, don't stress.  There are apps you can use such Hopper which advise the best time to book your flight.  You put in your dates and airports and you can set up alerts as when to buy.

[CielG22]

1 hour ago, Crazy planning mom said:

Ok, so if flights aren't included in your package, you can book your flights yourself.

So, don't stress.  There are apps you can use such Hopper which advise the best time to book your flight.  You put in your dates and airports and you can set up alerts as when to buy.

 

I use Skyscanner to get an idea of which airlines fly to Barcelona from Manchester on which days and a rough idea of prices. Then I go to each airline's website to find their special assistance pages. That's the stressful bit as, it's not always where you expect it to be. Once I've found out the ins and outs of their wheelchair users policy I start looking at how that translates to the real world. Some are better than others, but it's still a stressful situation to put an essential item into the care of others and hope that it comes out the other end in one piece.

I have a budget and the two main airlines that I have in mind both consistently price within that budget. There's a third I have in mind that varies as to whether it's in budget or not, but when I'm booking it will come down to which of them is in budget, and if the 2 main ones are, I'll probably end up going with loyalty over direct flights.