Airfare perk questions

[Maplemoose]

I recently noticed that my home airport (Halifax) has been added to the airfare perk list on NCL so I am wondering if it is worthwhile.  My questions for anyone who has used it:  Do they always book you the day before the cruise, the day of the cruise or is there some choice involved?  Do they give you a direct flight if available or do they like to book the less expensive stopover flights?  How late can you change your mind? If you tick off airfare can you change it after you have passed the payment deadline but before they have booked you? 

[dolfan1980]

I haven't done it for many of the answers to the questions you have in your post.  They book you day of unless you request a deviation which has to be done a certain time in advance (want to say 75 days but that might be wrong).  They also charge you for the local transportation if you book air through NCL.  They also have full control of flights and seem to not care about putting you on red eyes, long stopovers, long waits after the cruise to depart, etc.  In order to deviate I think you have to call them before the deadline to deviate and there may also be a fee for that.

[truckswain]

I have sailed NCL and used their included Air.  When booking the cruise I do it direct with NCL over the phone.  I ask them to remove the transportation (I will never use a cruise shuttle, did it once, and never again) and ask for the deviation as we always fly in a least one day before.  Interestingly, when you get a deviation, there is a deviation credit given ( It is a small credit, but I thought it would be more to deviate.)  Both times we sailed NCL and used the included air the flights were at reasonable times and direct (we fly from Pearson).

 

Our last NCL cruise was to Bermuda and we followed behind a hurricane travelling up the east coast to NY.  Our arrival into port was delayed by several hours and NCL looked after rebooking flights back to Toronto. 

 

 

[LHT28]

2 hours ago, truckswain said:

I have sailed NCL and used their included Air.  When booking the cruise I do it direct with NCL over the phone.  I ask them to remove the transportation (I will never use a cruise shuttle, did it once, and never again) and ask for the deviation as we always fly in a least one day before.  Interestingly, when you get a deviation, there is a deviation credit given ( It is a small credit, but I thought it would be more to deviate.) 

 

That is interesting they give you a credit to deviate  on their sister line  we have to pay  to deviate if using their air

[Keata]

I have used the NCL air twice and am very happy with the results and savings.  I am heading on a transatlantic cruise in November.  They have booked me on Air Canada Ottawa- Toronto -Lisbon; a flight I would have chosen if I was booking myself!  Return is through Air Canada as well.  I paid $718CDN all in for these flights.  Had I booked it myself it would have been well over $3K. 

 

When hubby and I cruised to Bermuda in July, they put us on great Air Canada flights to and from LGA. These flights were less that $150CDN per person.  As I have Elite 50K status with Air Canada I get the FF perks and do get Aeroplan credit for the flights. 

 

On Cruise Critic you will read many stories of folks not being happy - perhaps alot of these recently are more to do with the airlies during Covid VS NCL not doing a good job with air.

 

The air deviation credit of $25 per direction is a nice benefit (and completely unexpected) and you do not need to use their transfers just because you booked air through them.

[LHT28]

2 hours ago, Keata said:

I have used the NCL air twice and am very happy with the results and savings.  I am heading on a transatlantic cruise in November.  They have booked me on Air Canada Ottawa- Toronto -Lisbon; a flight I would have chosen if I was booking myself!  Return is through Air Canada as well.  I paid $718CDN all in for these flights.  Had I booked it myself it would have been well over $3K. 

 

 

That is a good  deal

We have to  pay $175  PP for the deviation on their sister company Oceania

[dolfan1980]

6 hours ago, LHT28 said:

That is a good  deal

We have to  pay $175  PP for the deviation on their sister company Oceania

Which makes little sense as you'd think the further away from a departure / arrival of the ship the less strain there would be on available seats.  I am surprised that they allow cancellation of their ground transportation though as I suspect they make a good profit there.