Air Travel

[cmerun]

I'm new to River Cruising

Do most travelers book air independently or through the cruise line?

[Roz]

Don't know where you would find that information. Have you asked your travel agent?

[gnome12]

2 hours ago, cmerun said:

I'm new to River Cruising

Do most travelers book air independently or through the cruise line?

I used the cruise line for my first 2 river cruises (both in Europe, and both not adding on any additional days). In both cases, I was flying in on day of embarkation. For my other 2, both in south east Asia, I made my own arrangements and added on time at the beginning of the cruise. (On the Irawaddy, I added on the cruise lines post-cruise extension, but made my own air arrangements.)

Now I have much more difficulty with jet lag, so I will never again fly in on day of departure.

[Host Jazzbeau]

Sorry for the confusion in my earlier post (removed) – read too quickly.

 

I agree with @gnome12 and had exactly the same experience.  We used AMA's air for our first river cruise (also booked a post-cruise land extension with them) and flew in day of cruise.  Since then we have experienced delayed flights, lost luggage, and increasing jet lag issues (as we age) so we always fly in at least one day, usually two, before the cruise – and we book independently because we want to select our seats while the selection is still good.

 

This puts us in control of the air flights, but that means if things go wrong we are also on the hook to make changes.  Thankfully we book the cruise with a travel agent who can go to bat for us.  [A friend of ours was just on an ocean cruise that was delayed by heavy seas in its return to the final port so she would miss her flight back to the US.  She had used the same travel agent we do, and even though they hadn't booked the air for her they did step in and rebook the flight to the next day and find her a hotel for the night.  Her insurance will cover the air change and hotel costs.  So that's why I feel confident booking by own air!]

 

And – just to head off any issues before they arise – I'm sorry but Cruise Critic rules prohibit giving (or hinting at) travel agent names...

[Rebel54]

I prefer to book my own flights but I also tend to come in well in advance of my cruise in order to get over jet lag and explore the starting city.  I am also a control freak so I prefer to do things myself. 

[CielBleu]

From what I've seen and heard, my guess is that it's close to 50/50.  We book our own.  After one bad experience, in case of problems I trust myself more than I trust anyone else.  Also, we like to fly business class, and if not business, then premium select or premium economy.  I feel like I usually find better rates than most of the cruise lines.  As others said, it's good to go a few days early.  This year we will arrive three days before the cruise and stay around a week afterward.

[CDNPolar]

We do both depending on the deal of the airfare from the Cruise line.  Our last river cruise the air was free so it was a no brainer.

 

We always price both options.  We sail mostly Viking and we also like to go in a day early.  From a Viking perspective, if we are going in a day early and want some control over our flights we have to pay for their Air Plus, and a Deviation Fee.  This ends up being $250 per person.  Then if we are in a day early we also have to pay for our transfer from the airport to a hotel and then from the hotel to the ship.  That can be $100 total.  This brings the total extra to $600 bucks.

 

Unless the air is free through the cruise line, often adding the extra cost of $600.00 makes booking air on our own cheaper.

 

Again - we do both.  There are advantages and disadvantages.

[Daisi]

We book with our line, but I also use a TA. I’m fussy on what airline I travel with, and also the route, so before it comes time to ticket, my TA and I have already selected the flights. Avalon has been great at booking them, at a better rate than we find. If I don’t extend pre or post, they provide transfers, but that’s not a problem. Once they ticket, I can select our seats and upgrade them if needed, all I have to do is go to airlines site, paying directly to them. We had our seats booked before our final payment last cruise, it felt weird paying for the seats before we paid for the flights. 😀

 

We fly next May, but I have already been looking at what is available.

Edited March 22 by Daisi

[sharkster77]

We sailed with Viking in 2019 and will sail with them again next month.  In both cases we were not able to book airfare ourselves for as cheaply as Viking could.  Couple this with airport transfers, and it was a no brainer both times.  By pairing for Air Plus we were able to suggest flights and Viking found them amenable.

[JordanF]

Yep--it depends!   For us, it depends mainly of price and also how much say we have in the flights.  Like most of the previous posters, I like to have control over flights.  Gate 1 will let you book pretty much any airfare through them, at the same price as the airline, and will include the transfers if you do.  So since it does not cost us money, we get total control as to which flights, and then included transfers--we will use them.  On the other hand, we often ocean cruise out of Florida, and almost always just book our own flights (always arriving at least a day ahead as well).  Another example, my sister is going on a Viking river cruise this November and it includes free airfare.  Needless to say, she is booking that flight through Viking.

[cbr663]

We are sailing in June and we booked our air separately.  Avalon offered air but its flights weren't the greatest.  We selected the flights that we wanted and our TA reached out to Avalon to see if they would price the same flights.  They did and at that time were the most expensive.  No sense paying more for the exact same flights.

[Nippy Sweetie]

We always book through Viking. That way they're responsible if anything goes wrong. We've been impressed by how they manage problems (eg around COVID) and look after us well. That kept us loyal to them.

[CDNPolar]

24 minutes ago, Nippy Sweetie said:

We always book through Viking. That way they're responsible if anything goes wrong. We've been impressed by how they manage problems (eg around COVID) and look after us well. That kept us loyal to them.

 

Yes, and no.  My brother was on a partial Panama Canal cruise with Viking a few months back.

 

He and 46 others on the same plane missed boarding before the ships departure.  The flight originally set to land in Panama at 3:30pm ended up landing at 3:30am the nest day.  The ship left port at 3:00am - as scheduled.

 

Air was booked through Viking.

 

End of story, they missed the canal altogether, and boarded the ship when it emerged back from the canal.  Viking did nothing for them.  No credit, nothing.  Viking said they had to take this up with the airline.

 

I have seen instances where Viking have helped delayed passengers, but I was shocked at this situation.

Edited March 24 by CDNPolar

[JordanF]

Like a lot of people on this site, I always plan for some sort of flight problem.  So for ocean cruises, we always arrive at least a day early since it is sometimes difficult to catch up to the ship.  While we typically build in some site seeing before boarding a river cruise, the reality is that if you miss a river cruise departure, you can likely take a taxi to the next stop.  Not great, but less severe.

 

Of course, flights mostly go on time, or close enough.  Just often enough to encourage complacency and then--wham!  We were delayed 36 hours getting to Copenhagen for a Baltic cruise once--fortunately, we had planned 3 days in Copenhagen, so it worked out.  But it sticks with you.

[Nippy Sweetie]

@CDNPolar surely Viking made up the loss with your brother?

After being put off the ship as testing positive for COVID (despite no symptoms), we were taxied from Lyons to Paris and accommodated full board at a hotel for five nights then flown home. Obviously, this was not exactly fun. The day after we got home I was contacted by Viking and offered a cash sum or a cruise voucher. We took the voucher and had a wonderful 12 day cruise plus OBC - FOC.

We're sticking with Viking!

 

[Roz]

I've found I get the best "deals" booking thru the cruise line when the cruise involves 2 different cities, such as embarking in Amsterdam and debarking in Basel.  

[CDNPolar]

16 hours ago, Nippy Sweetie said:

@CDNPolar surely Viking made up the loss with your brother?

After being put off the ship as testing positive for COVID (despite no symptoms), we were taxied from Lyons to Paris and accommodated full board at a hotel for five nights then flown home. Obviously, this was not exactly fun. The day after we got home I was contacted by Viking and offered a cash sum or a cruise voucher. We took the voucher and had a wonderful 12 day cruise plus OBC - FOC.

We're sticking with Viking!

 

 

No.  Viking neither offered or gave them anything.  Nothing.  Nada.

 

I was a bit surprised at this because the air was booked through Viking Air.

 

Viking had a welcome party for the 46 that missed the start of the cruise and the partial crossing of the canal on the night they did board.

 

Guest Services gave them a letter telling them that someone from Guest Services would be in touch with them once they returned home.  This however carried no promise of any actual credit or action, other than they would get in touch.

 

When Viking did contact them, it was determined that my brother and travel companions had travel interruption insurance.  Viking asked them to file with the trip interruption insurance as their compensation.  Viking gave them nothing.  Not even a small credit/voucher.

 

We saw Viking do a LOT during the beginning and the ending of the pandemic for many people.  We were lucky that we were not ones that got Covid and taken off a ship, but we saw and heard many positive experience stories on what Viking did for these folks.

 

I guess that this is Viking taking a stand and saying that this was the airlines fault, and even though we have a contract with them, we are not taking responsibility for their delay.

 

I used to think that with VIKING specifically, if I booked the air through them I would be looked after.  Now I don't have that opinion.  We now go in at least one day early and budget that hotel, diversion fee if through Viking, and transit to the ship cost as part of the trip.