Transfer: Book thru Cruise Line?

[Red Tees]

Hello 🙂 This is the first time I'm taking a plane to get to a ship (same day). Is it smarter to book transfers through (in my case) NCL or go it alone? I'm wondering if there are any benefits booking through NCL such as priority boarding through the embarkation/disembarkation process. Seems to be almost double the price going through NCL than direclty booking through a shuttle company at Port Canaveral. TIA.

[1025cruise]

I always book third party.

[CruiserBruce]

You will almost always do better booking on your own.

[Flatbush Flyer]

3 hours ago, Red Tees said:

Hello 🙂 This is the first time I'm taking a plane to get to a ship (same day). Is it smarter to book transfers through (in my case) NCL or go it alone? I'm wondering if there are any benefits booking through NCL such as priority boarding through the embarkation/disembarkation process. Seems to be almost double the price going through NCL than direclty booking through a shuttle company at Port Canaveral. TIA.

Most importantly, do not fly in on day of departure. Flight cancellation or delay, missed connection and rebooks on next flight out unavailable, misplaced/lost checked bags all can find the ship leaving without you.

And, NO, the ship is under no obligation to wait for you if you buy your air through the cruise line. Read your Ticket Contract and T&Cs. NCL Holding (and other cruise line consortia) is not liable for performance issues related to their contracted services.

 

That said, always book air on your own. It’s not just a price issue. When you book anyway other than directly with an airline, you must go through the ticket issuer (e.g., cruise line, TA, et al.) to make any changes. And while you’re trying to do that, DIYers will be contacting the airline direct (phone or airport rep) to grab those last available seats on the next plane out.

 

So, learn to master the air routing web search engine ITA Matrix and DIY.

[crystalspin]

5 hours ago, Red Tees said:

Hello 🙂 This is the first time I'm taking a plane to get to a ship (same day). Is it smarter to book transfers through (in my case) NCL or go it alone? I'm wondering if there are any benefits booking through NCL such as priority boarding through the embarkation/disembarkation process. 

We flew on the same day as sailing three times. Two (Vancouver and Fort Lauderdale) transfered by taxi, all was fine. The third was LAX to Santiago Chile with LONG transfer to Valparaiso (where cruises ported then) and our transfer was arranged with HAL. The flight was delayed about 5 hours! We barely caught the last HAL bus. I vowed that was the last time to fly in on the same day (BUT, I was glad it was a HAL transfer for what that's worth).

 

Even if I had not made that vow, post-COVID I would never fly in on the same day. Flights are such a crapshoot. If the cruise is so cheap you don't mind missing the ship, that's your choice. If you canNOT miss work, at least take a redeye where you might be moved (if there were a seat) to a later plane. In Florida I would use taxi/Uber/van-share, OR stay over in a hotel with a shuttle!

[Red Tees]

Thanks for all of the tips and suggestions. I take it that booking airport transfers through NCL is just more expensive and offers no additional benefits. 🙂