Airfare price for a 2025 cruise-will it change?

[latebuyer]

Looking at booking a 2025 cruise now to take advantage of a canadian amex promo stacked with cruisefirst. I’d like to know if the quoted airfare price would stay the same even though the flight date is so far away?
 

I just read a great 2022 thread on norwegian airfare but if you have any recent experiences with airfare please feel free to share. As a solo i get 50% off airfare and that is a good deal, on the other hand the direct flight from vancouver to miami looks awfully convenient.

[julig22]

The published air price is what they guestimate it will be.  Although not common, a price change can happen but the airfare on your quote is what you will pay, regardless of any changes NCL might make down the road - UNLESS you reprice your fare, in which case you will pay the price at that time.

 

Airfare for a 2024 cruise that I booked in 2021 has gone up about 30% - but the price of the cruise has gone down so it's a wash for now.  But once I reprice, I expect that my airfare will increase. 

[rodndonna]

6 hours ago, latebuyer said:

Looking at booking a 2025 cruise now to take advantage of a canadian amex promo stacked with cruisefirst. I’d like to know if the quoted airfare price would stay the same even though the flight date is so far away?
 

I just read a great 2022 thread on norwegian airfare but if you have any recent experiences with airfare please feel free to share. As a solo i get 50% off airfare and that is a good deal, on the other hand the direct flight from vancouver to miami looks awfully convenient.

 

This is my limited experience with NCL airfare -

 

We booked Sept 2022 for a Jan 2024 cruise from San Juan. The flight portion is now looking super-cheap - $900 Canadian for both of us from Toronto. Our cruise fare is now up from our booking rate of about $4K to $5K Canadian. I'm "thinking" we really scored on the flight segment (and cruise) booking that early with flights included.... but I guess we won't know until we actually get our flights assigned.

 

We have been looking at 2025 and not seeing what I "think" to be as greatly discounted airfare, but who knows what flights will cost in 2025. Not looking good though...

 

My "guess" is the airfare is a way NCL can provide financial incentives without discounting cabin prices, so there can be really god deals. Back coming out of Covid (when ships were begging for bookings) the flight segments with NCL from Toronto were stupid cheap .. it was crazy.

[latebuyer]

Thanks both.  When do you know the airfare arrangements? Do you know before final payment?

[julig22]

12 minutes ago, latebuyer said:

Thanks both.  When do you know the airfare arrangements? Do you know before final payment?

Currently flight info is supposed to come out around 60 days so no, you won't know before final payment. So you can put it on your reservation now, decide yay or nay when you are ready to make your payment. Just do your research and understand the terms. Lots of posts on the subject of the airfare -mostly negative - but remember that people tend to post their negative experiences more frequently than the positive ones.  I've used their airfare numerous times without issues related to the fact that NCL booked my flights.  Cancellations, delays are on the airlines, not NCL.

[latebuyer]

Thanks. The price its quoting me is 422.00 for vancouver to miami. If i booked my own it would be 500.00 or more than that amount.

[latebuyer]

So, to be clear, the airfare can go up, but i’d know before final payment?

[rodndonna]

20 minutes ago, latebuyer said:

So, to be clear, the airfare can go up, but i’d know before final payment?

 

If you book your cruise fare and included NCL air, your airfare (like your cruisefare) is locked at that rate unless you choose to refare it but you can reprice up to final payment.  So if the cruise fare drops, you want check what the newer airfare would be, as it might erase any savings and leave you with a higher overall cost.

[latebuyer]

Thanks for clarifying. I am concerned as the airfare seems low so thats good its locked in.

[latebuyer]

One more question. If the flight is cancelled and you can’t make it to your cruise, is the cruise price refunded. (Last year at one time there was cancellation of flights due to snow.)

[latebuyer]

I’m still interested in the answer to my question but i think a flight from vancouver to florida is a no go as i read they may put people on the west coast on a red eye to east coast and i don’t want that. 

[latebuyer]

Just to add, i thought princess has some sort of guarantee, not sure about ncl.

[julig22]

2 hours ago, latebuyer said:

One more question. If the flight is cancelled and you can’t make it to your cruise, is the cruise price refunded. (Last year at one time there was cancellation of flights due to snow.)

NCL doesn't refund, regardless of whether you booked your flight through them or on your own.  Any refunds are through your travel insurance, depending on your coverage.

 

2 hours ago, latebuyer said:

I’m still interested in the answer to my question but i think a flight from vancouver to florida is a no go as i read they may put people on the west coast on a red eye to east coast and i don’t want that. 

Yes, a red eye is pretty common - sometimes that's the best option, given the availability of flights that would work with the ship's arrival time.  And be aware that flights from YVR-Miami are somewhat limited so you need to factor that into your equation.

[rodndonna]

8 hours ago, latebuyer said:

Just to add, i thought princess has some sort of guarantee, not sure about ncl.

 

There are never "guarantees" but, they will make attempt to get you on another flight to get to your cruise, or, the next port if feasible and you can't make the embarkation.

 

In theory, you are better off than being on your own if a storm impacts your flight.

 

The only thing I wonder (as a Canuck who flies during winter) is if weather is "anticipated" to impact your flights, will they open rebooking options similar to the way Air Canada does. If you are not familiar on AC, there is always a "daily outlook" section where if it thinks a storm (or something) will impact your flight, they open a window for you to rebook it earlier or later with no penalty. Very useful in winter flying.

 

We're flying with NCL air in January Toronto to San Juan - so might be testing it! 

 

At least with Miami, they probably open options to get you to either Miami or Fort Lauderdale if things go bad so that would be more options.

[latebuyer]

Thanks both, i think i am inclined to book a caribbean cruise march or april to avoid weather problems. Also, inclined to book the air canada Vancouver to miami direct flight although ncl is a really good deal so will have to think about it.

[latebuyer]

I am thinking that if i requested to arrive a day before i wouldn’t be as likely to get a red eye. There is no guarantee though and i imagine it is likely as cheaper.

[UKstages]

think again… you could very well get a redeye… just one that arrives a day earlier.

 

as far as price is concerned, NCL is booking consolidator fares in bulk on unused inventory… there is likely little to no difference in price in the remaindered inventory they are offered by various airlines.

[julig22]

1 hour ago, latebuyer said:

Also, inclined to book the air canada Vancouver to miami direct flight although ncl is a really good deal so will have to think about it.

Good luck with that - as far as I know, Air Canada is currently the only airline that has a non-stop flight and it's only offered a couple of days a week.  And arrives too late. 

1 hour ago, latebuyer said:

I am thinking that if i requested to arrive a day before i wouldn’t be as likely to get a red eye. There is no guarantee though and i imagine it is likely as cheaper.

Nope. For starters, what NCL pays isn't what you'd pay.  So what might be cheaper for you isn't necessarily what's cheaper for NCL.  And IMHO they are more likely to get you to your destination early in the day if at all possible.  

[latebuyer]

I would go a day earlier on a saturday when the direct flight runs so unconcerned. For some reason the stop overs to miami and fort lauderdale look pretty bad. Anyways off topic here now. I think i’ll only consider ncl for a west coast flight like los angeles and not a east coast flight

[CruiserJ03]

On 7/8/2023 at 9:08 AM, rodndonna said:

 

If you book your cruise fare and included NCL air, your airfare (like your cruisefare) is locked at that rate unless you choose to refare it but you can reprice up to final payment.  So if the cruise fare drops, you want check what the newer airfare would be, as it might erase any savings and leave you with a higher overall cost.

 

On 7/8/2023 at 9:10 AM, latebuyer said:

Thanks for clarifying. I am concerned as the airfare seems low so thats good its locked in.

Quick comment- your airfare cost is fixed based on the original estimate. Sounds like you got a good deal. If your cruise price drops you can just rebook the cruise portion (up to final payment) and leave the airfare alone. At least that has been my experience several times.

[julig22]

10 hours ago, CruiserJ03 said:

 

Quick comment- your airfare cost is fixed based on the original estimate. Sounds like you got a good deal. If your cruise price drops you can just rebook the cruise portion (up to final payment) and leave the airfare alone. At least that has been my experience several times.

In the past that was true but when I recently asked my PCC she said it would change.  I'm probably going to test that theory soon as my cruise price has gone down more than the airfare increase and there is a good chance that I won't be using the airfare anyway.

Also be aware that if you used CruiseNext certificates on a double/triple promo and don't qualify (don't have a balcony for example) the additional certificates will be returned to your account.