Cunard Flights

[david63]

I don't normally do fly cruises but have seen one that appeals in 2025. The flight would be Manchester to Rome return. I don't know if it makes any difference but the flights are the current £99 offer.

 

My questions are:

1. Which airline does Cunard use for these flights (yes I know things can change between now and 2025)?

2. Are the flights scheduled or charter?

3. Any approximate idea of flight times?

4. When I look at transfers there are two options that appear to be the same.but neither has any details, "Airport To Port Transfer" - one says "Included" and the other says "Additional £100". What is the difference?

[PORT ROYAL]

2 hours ago, david63 said:

I don't normally do fly cruises but have seen one that appeals in 2025. The flight would be Manchester to Rome return. I don't know if it makes any difference but the flights are the current £99 offer.

 

My questions are:

1. Which airline does Cunard use for these flights (yes I know things can change between now and 2025)?

2. Are the flights scheduled or charter?

3. Any approximate idea of flight times?

4. When I look at transfers there are two options that appear to be the same.but neither has any details, "Airport To Port Transfer" - one says "Included" and the other says "Additional £100". What is the difference?

1. Probably a Charter or Ryanair type set up.
    Luggage weight/number restrictions apply to carrier

2. Either

3. Just under 3 hours

4. Included if taking Cunard price offer.  Not included if booking own flight.

 

Forget this potential mayhem, fly scheduled from Heathrow.  
One can book scheduled airline of one’s choice and flight time via Cunard, also upgrade for additional luggage and select seats.  
 

Forget Cunard transfers as they are by large coach, which waits arrivals for other flights to fill the coach before departing (time wasted standing around doing nothing).  Book luxury private timed transfers with RomeCabs, price is about £140, not much more than a two person Cunard communal coach tour.

If staying overnight pre-flight, then use Airportr to collect and check in all one’s luggage from the hotel.  Then one goes directly from hotel to Security.  No searching for luggage trolley, plus missing out on those wonderful check in luggage queues and the shuffle stop routine.

 

Additional 

Pay for the flight immediately, as this will get one the locator reference early, so one can then select seats when the flight opens months in advance, not having to wait until balance has been paid.  Better seats go early.

 

 

 

Edited October 7, 2023 by PORT ROYAL
Typo & Additional

[david63]

Thanks

17 minutes ago, PORT ROYAL said:

3. Just under 3 hours

I was really more interested with take off/landing times - especially if a charter flight.

 

18 minutes ago, PORT ROYAL said:

fly scheduled from Heathrow

Not really a viable option as I am only 40 minutes from Manchester Airport and it appears the only scheduled flights are Ryanair - unless I want to spend 12+ hours flying (and waiting) all over the place.

 

22 minutes ago, PORT ROYAL said:

Book luxury private timed transfers with RomeCabs, price is about £140, not much more than a two person Cunard communal coach tour.

Will possibly look into that.

[PORT ROYAL]

16 minutes ago, david63 said:

Thanks

I was really more interested with take off/landing times - especially if a charter flight.

 

Not really a viable option as I am only 40 minutes from Manchester Airport and it appears the only scheduled flights are Ryanair - unless I want to spend 12+ hours flying (and waiting) all over the place.

 

Will possibly look into that.

Think with the timings, the Cunard coaches will arrive at port  between 13.00 and 15.00 hours, with (say) a 3 hour drive, coaches will depart from 10.00.  Consider 2 hours for off plane, luggage and customs, then the arrival time will be from 08.00 (local time), being 07.00 UK time.  Three hour flight gives potential takeoff times of between 04.00 and 06.00.  For arrival at Manchester allow 2/3 hours for checkin and going through security.

 

Best to fly scheduled out the day previous, stay overnight and RomeCabs.  A more genteel journey and less aggravation.

Edited October 7, 2023 by PORT ROYAL
Typo

[Host Hattie]

16 minutes ago, PORT ROYAL said:

Think with the timings, the Cunard coaches will arrive at port  between 13.00 and 15.00 hours, with (say) a 3 hour drive, coaches will depart from 10.00.  Consider 2 hours for off plane, luggage and customs, then the arrival time will be from 08.00 (local time), being 07.00 UK time.  Three hour flight gives potential takeoff times of between 04.00 and 06.00.  For arrival at Manchester allow 2/3 hours for checkin and going through security.

 

Best to fly scheduled out the day previous, stay overnight and RomeCabs.  A more genteel journey and less aggravation.

Have you actually done this journey? The OP was asking for first hand experience not wild guesses !

I've only done the flight from Heathrow to Rome, it's been a while but we certainly didn't fly at 4am. I'll see if I can find my posts.

[PORT ROYAL]

15 minutes ago, Host Hattie said:

Have you actually done this journey? The OP was asking for first hand experience not wild guesses !

I've only done the flight from Heathrow to Rome, it's been a while but we certainly didn't fly at 4am. I'll see if I can find my posts.

Never flown from Manchester.  Only went Chartered once, never again.

Agree, the time lines, were based on potentials to give a rough guide.

The Rome potentials are based on what we had to endure from arrival Rome.  The standing around awaiting arrival of pax on another flight was over 45 minutes.  The Courier just did not understand the frustration.

Edited October 7, 2023 by PORT ROYAL
Adding

[Host Hattie]

I found my review, we were on a scheduled British Airways flight leaving Heathrow at 7.05am.  This was in 2016, I'm sure in 2013 we were on a BA charter from Heathrow to Rome but I can't find the times for that. It was fine.

Hopefully someone who has actually flown from Manchester will be along with some useful information soon.

[D&N]

Firstly, I've no experience of doing what you specify.

Jet2 appear to offer direct flights as well, 4 per week in winter and 6 per week in summer.

With Jet2 or Ryanair you'd need to make sure you book the luggage and seating that you need.

Jet2 fly to Fiumicino whereas Ryanair fly to Ciampino. The former is the newer/bigger airport and closer to Civitavecchia. Ciampino is fractionally closer to Rome but connections aren't as well developed.

We are going to Rome next May. We're booked direct from Nice. Friends are joining us from Scotland. They are booked on Lufthansa with a connection at Munich, but as it's a full service airline their luggage will be booked straight through. I believe the equivalent from Manchester arrives in Rome at 12:05. I can report on their experience after they've made the trips.

[watsonbeau]

Cunard will charter if enough travelling from that airport  - we went on one of their flights from Manchester to Athens, then flew back with them from Venice back to Manchester after the Victoria cruise. The outbound flight was with Titan, can’t remember the return but might have been same. The time outbound was around 8:30 am and mid afternoon 2pm ish for the return. Coaches etc all good with luggage and so on. For £99 I’d say a bargain. If you’re booking your own flight then just bear in mind what difficulties might happen if the air line cancels at short notice or the flight is delayed. Definitely book for a day or so before ship sails and stay in overnight hotel. We had a trip booked to Europe earlier this year and had booked scheduled flight with KLM who cancelled the flight a few weeks before and caused us a huge problem in finding an alternative. Long haul is a different kettle of fish of course, but for short haul for 3-4 hr flight I would use Cunard flights  and let them take the stress.

Edited October 8, 2023 by watsonbeau

[Victoria2]

The only caveat I'd add to  watsonbeau's excellent post is you can book your own flights and have them bundled with a hotel into a Cunard package. This is what we do long haul and then if there is an issue  with any part of the package, it's Cunard's problem to sort, not yours.

You can dictate the airline, date and class of travel. Transfers are usually included too, but as said in #9, for a short flight, I would go with the offered Cunard flight.

[watsonbeau]

Good advice from Victoria2 - we did QE last year from Southampton via Panama to San Francisco- got the TA to book us flights home and packaged it - Cunard did fly to Manchester but we wanted to go SFO via AMS to Humberside with KLM as although it meant an indirect flight, it was easier to get home from there (20 mins) as opposed to landing jet lagged at Manchester on the Platinum Jubilee bank holiday and then a hotel night with a long journey home on likely a non existent TransPennine train or very expensive taxi. 

[Victoria2]

11 hours ago, Victoria2 said:

The only caveat I'd add to  watsonbeau's excellent post is you can book your own flights and have them bundled with a hotel into a Cunard package. This is what we do long haul and then if there is an issue  with any part of the package, it's Cunard's problem to sort, not yours.

You can dictate the airline, date and class of travel. Transfers are usually included too, but as said in #9, for a short flight, I would go with the offered Cunard flight.

I will add to this, and this is from a UK perspective,  I'm not sure why we had a hotel bundled into the package [[maybe package rules?] but as we book a certain hotel chain if possible, we take the cheapest hotel offered, then book our own. We then take the pre booked hotel limo airport to hotel but cab, hotel to cruise ship docks.

[david63]

The decision has been made. We fly out the day before, overnight at the airport hotel and then to the ship the next day.

 

I really do prefer to be in control of as much as possible

[PORT ROYAL]

1 hour ago, david63 said:

The decision has been made. We fly out the day before, overnight at the airport hotel and then to the ship the next day.

 

I really do prefer to be in control of as much as possible

Fly to one’s schedule, Hotel, a few drinks, Dinner, sleep, Breakfast, RomeCabs, arrive at ship relaxed.  Sounds like an excellent genteel plan.

[Victoria2]

2 hours ago, david63 said:

The decision has been made. We fly out the day before, overnight at the airport hotel and then to the ship the next day.

 

I really do prefer to be in control of as much as possible

Good idea but for future reference, to be in complete control, although it's often more expensive, choose your own flights but have them packaged with the cruise so if the cruise is cancelled, the whole package is cancelled. Similarly,  if a strike grounds your flight, it's up to Cunard to get you to the ship.

 

 

[PORT ROYAL]

3 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

Good idea but for future reference, to be in complete control, although it's often more expensive, choose your own flights but have them packaged with the cruise so if the cruise is cancelled, the whole package is cancelled. Similarly,  if a strike grounds your flight, it's up to Cunard to get you to the ship.

 

 

Great additional support for peace of mind.
Cunard have always automatically “Package” our Flights and Cruise when booked directly with them, issuing an ABTA Certificate with booking confirmation and invoice.

[Victoria2]

25 minutes ago, PORT ROYAL said:

Great additional support for peace of mind.
Cunard have always automatically “Package” our Flights and Cruise when booked directly with them, issuing an ABTA Certificate with booking confirmation and invoice.

In this age of travel uncertainty/ship dry docked/ airline strikes, it makes sense to pick your own flights but have them on the same booking as the cruise so if one part goes whatsit up, it's not your problem.

Edited October 9, 2023 by Victoria2

[david63]

2 hours ago, Victoria2 said:

Good idea but for future reference, to be in complete control, although it's often more expensive, choose your own flights but have them packaged with the cruise so if the cruise is cancelled, the whole package is cancelled. Similarly,  if a strike grounds your flight, it's up to Cunard to get you to the ship.

 

 

I have arranged enough travel around the world to ensure that there is sufficient contingency built in to the arrangements - but thanks anyway.

[Victoria2]

32 minutes ago, david63 said:

I have arranged enough travel around the world to ensure that there is sufficient contingency built in to the arrangements - but thanks anyway.

Excellent. Well travelled obviously but apparently you don't normally do fly cruises so you asked and you got replies

edit

and well meaning advice

Edited October 9, 2023 by Victoria2

[ex-koelner]

Could somebody enlighten me on that "package" arrangement please. I have booked a TA NYC to Hamburg for next year directly through Cunard website. I have also booked a flight to NYC arriving there a few days before the ship's departure. That's a seperate booking directly with KLM. Why should Cunard bundle this flight with their cruise and take responsibility for something they are not at all involved in? What would they do if - for what reasons ever - KLM is not able to fly me from Germany to NYC for 4 days so that I will miss the ship? Or does it mean that I should have asked Cunard to book the flight that I have chosen for me? I'm really a bit confused about it.

[Host Hattie]

The OP is based in the UK where there is additional consumer protection for package holidays. 

You would need to know the rules in your home country.

[PORT ROYAL]

5 minutes ago, Host Hattie said:

The OP is based in the UK where there is additional consumer protection for package holidays. 

You would need to know the rules in your home country.

Also there is Section 75 of Consumer Credit Act for purchases made by Credit Card with a value of over £100 with an upper limit of 30K

[exlondoner]

But the thing about package holidays is that it is, at least theoretically, not your problem: it is up to the provider to sort out difficulties.

[Pushpit]

2 hours ago, ex-koelner said:

 What would they do if - for what reasons ever - KLM is not able to fly me from Germany to NYC for 4 days so that I will miss the ship? Or does it mean that I should have asked Cunard to book the flight that I have chosen for me? I'm really a bit confused about it.

UK, EU and EEA countries all go back to one particular EU Directive implemented in 2018, which gave protection to Packaged Tours. This directive (2015/2302) continues to apply in the UK since it was incorporated into UK law as part of the Withdrawal Agreement. This was a toughening of one of the oldest pieces of EU consumer legislation from 1990-92 covering package holiday. 

 

In terms of your question, the package concept means quite a number of things that you don't get if buying separately, and is a rare piece of legislation where "enjoyment" is protected. If you buy from KLM separately and they go bust or there's a strike, KLM merely need to get you to the USA at some point, and have no responsibility for your happiness or whether you make the Cunard vessel. If you buy from Cunard including flight then you get things like protection against flights not operating, or "significant changes". You can of course buy insurance that may cover some or all of this. But here's an example: let's say both KLM and Cunard's appointed airline both have to bring flights forward for some reason. Maybe you simply can't leave earlier due to work. For KLM (and if the change is more than 5 hours and more than 2 weeks notice is given) can just refund your airfare and you are on your own. No other compensation. In the case of Cunard, you could in theory get a full refund of everything since that is a "significant change" protected by the Directive.

 

Package tours in Europe go back to the days of Thomas Cook in 1841 trying to beat the scourge of alcohol and promote temperance. He came up with an "all in" package for convenience, with an "all in" price. Over time travel agents have had to adapt to changing markets, but to facilitate travel agents, Cunard, airlines, insurers, car hire companies, hotels, "experience companies" such as Disney all offer special package prices so long as they end up in a package tour. Some find it convenient, some want the protection, others prefer to have the flexibility to do their own thing. 

[rmsEtruria]

Many thanks, @Host Hattie (#21) and @Pushpit (#24), for throwing light on the package deal mystery I’ve lately read so much about; it puzzled me just as it did @ex-koelner (#20). In short, for those over here it’s not an option. (Not a problem; I am used to making all our travel arrangements directly with airlines, hotels, etc., and where we live, I doubt I could find a travel agent who really knows how to deal with Cunard.)