Celebrity/Europe air experiences?

[SpringBreakMom]

We will be on the Millenium in June from Venice to Barcelona. Currently our air travel is through Celebrity. I haven't been able to find a much better deal myself, but we still have time. My concern is that we don't find out flight schedule until it is too late to change. My concern is that depending on airline and flights they choose, we could potentially be flying for 24 hours. Pre and post stays are so expensive I hesitate to add another day onto what is already a very long trip (for us at least). I am hesitant to book myself due to fears of missed connections and lost luggage. While I know Celebrity is not technically responsible, it would be easier if they were assisting.

 

Does Celebrity have an airline they tend to use? Could anyone who has booked thier flights to Europe via Celebrity share thier experiences?

 

Thanks!

[JORAY]

We have used Celebrity Custom Air.which you can do if you are a Captain Club Member.

 

I just pick the flights I wanted request the air by Airline & flight numbers and request they tell me about any extra charges for picking these flights.

 

Some times there was no changes in fare and we had one time there was a $200 fare increase, but we had the flights we wanted. :D

 

Once they OK you can call the airline and select your seats!

 

Keep in mind you can cancel no charge if you find a better fare. (We never use their transfers anyway)

 

Ray

[Dee1161]

Hi

I booked my 1st cruise on Celebrity so I am not a Catain's Club member yet. However I called the Custom Air dept and for a $75.00 fee I was able to change my flight. I am flying from LAX to Miami and then from Amsterdam to LAX (it is a transatlantic cruise)

I have never booked air with the cruiseline before but the price with Celebrity was substanially less than I could find on my own.

I had my choice of 4 flights to Miami on the carrier (American) I wanted. I am staying 3 nights in Amsterdam post cruise and got all my flight info on the phone. I thought for sure I would have a long drawn out flight home but nope.... I am flying non stop on KLM from Amsterdam to LAX

 

I couldn't be happier with the arrangements! :D

[Dee1161]

Hi

I booked my 1st cruise on Celebrity so I am not a Catain's Club member yet. However I called the Custom Air dept and for a $75.00 fee I was able to change my flight. I am flying from LAX to Miami and then from Amsterdam to LAX (it is a transatlantic cruise)

I have never booked air with the cruiseline before but the price with Celebrity was substanially less than I could find on my own.

I had my choice of 4 flights to Miami on the carrier (American) I wanted. I am staying 3 nights in Amsterdam post cruise and got all my flight info on the phone. I thought for sure I would have a long drawn out flight home but nope.... I am flying non stop on KLM from Amsterdam to LAX

 

I couldn't be happier with the arrangements! :D

[teets]

I had originally booked my cruise w/air from Cleveland to Amsterdam I had checked the fare and it was about the same cost as Celebrity. I happened to check today and USAirways is running a special. I was able to book roundtrip Cleveland to Amsterdam for $550 per person instead of the $1239 per person that Celebrity wanted. I was told by my TA to keep checking and see if you can get a deal. I guess she was right, and I'm thrillled. I saved $1400 in fare for my husband and I!! Yay!

 

Terry

[Parrot Mom]

One good thing about booking our second cruise with Celebrity is no fee for deviation... We have requested that we get a flight on a particular airline from Boston to London...then a flight to Barcelona....rather than flying to Rome, Frankfurt, Paris or whever.. From our destination... a direct flight to Boston rather than a milk run stopping inAtlanta.. I honestly feel even if there were an additional charge it is well worth it

[the2006Junket]

SpringBreakMom,

 

We took the Millie last Aug. from Venice to Barc. and paid the custom air fee and it was well worth it! I told Celebrity exactly what flights I wanted, on what airlines, at what times and they booked it for hundreds less that we would have paid independently. I would NEVER leave my international flight up-in-the-air for the sake of $75. Do you research on what you want, and book thru them.

 

I would urge you to consider one night pre-cruise in Venice. It REALLY helps with the jet lag and stress about lost luggage etc. Don't book the hotel through Celebrity...read the Europe board and get hotel recos. It's such a fabulous city to spend a little extra time in.

 

And Parrot Mom...we're Boston flyers too...FYI...we had great experience on Delta flights through JFK to Venice and Barcelona (nonstops from JFK to VCN and from BCN to JFK). These days, I prefer to connect in the US if possible...if I'm going to get stuck somewhere??!! Love to be someplace where my options to get home are less complicated. Just my 2 cents.

 

Happy travels all!

 

Lynne

[Parrot Mom]

Hi..what we did last time and possibly will do this time is fly from Boston to Heathrow and then pick up one of their Barcelona flights.. then fly direct from San Juan to Boston...Do you think it was easier or less expensive going to JFK first? Parrot Pop will need a wheel chair if there are long distances in walking.. I really don't want to fool around booking my own flights...would rather the cruise company did it...not worth the hassle.. i just get on the plane and fall asleep anyhow..

[jezzdogg]

I am one for booking air yourself... found on the Mille several people had very short connection times and they were missed..luggage lost. I find I always find air for hundreds less than the cruise lines and use the difference to pay for the extra days in Barcelona/ Venice or London. Right now on our TA air with Celebrity is around 700. and I can get air from swiss air for 311. home from Barcelona

[the2006Junket]

Hi Parrot Mom,

 

The connection in JFK was easy...same terminal for arrival from Boston and departure to Venice and not too long a walk. The aircraft to/from Boston/JFK on Delta is usually a regional jet though, that doesn't have a jetway, you have to walk out onto the tarmac and up a flight of stairs. So, I don't know if that would be a problem for your Pop.

 

These days, I just prefer to connect in the U.S. where it's feasible and especially when I'm traveling with my three kids. I travel weekly for business and I know how things can mess up and prefer to be someplace where English is the primary language and I can easily navigate if I have issues (cancelled flight and have to spend the night, lost bags etc).

 

I also prefer to book my own air usually for vacations...like Jezzdog, but in the case of our air to/from Venice and Barcelona...given that we wanted the non-stop flights to/from JFK (wasn't willing to connect multiple times), Celebrity air was actually hundreds cheaper for those exact flights. In fact, by the time we departed the same flights would've cost $500 more than we paid. Guess it just depends!

 

Good luck!

 

Lynne

[Parrot Mom]

Parrot Pop checked out going from JFK and found it more $$... so what we ended up is flying Swiss Air to Zurich from Boston and ..Zurich to Barcelona where my driver/guide will pick us up...and then in San Juan have a direct flight back to Boston.. Believe it or not we saved $680.00..over Celebrity which is quite a sum.. On top of that Swiss Air will have a wheelchair waiting for him (he walks with a cane) in Zurich and Barcelona(huge airport)..Please don't even mention lost baggage... I'll have enough trouble paring down my packing for two weeks. The last trip to Europe we ended up in in Heathrow and had to change areas... Our Celebrity fare was almost $900.00

[Sky Sweet]

We used Celebrity's Air Package for our Baltic Cruise last summer. They put us on a non stop Virgin Atlantic Flight from JFK to Heathrow, and provided transportation from Heathrow to the ship in Dover. It was a beautiful plane with great service, and as soon as we went through customs at Heathrow, a Celebrity rep took our luggage which we didn't see again until it arrived at our cabin.

 

During the flight I met a number of people who were taking the same cruise, so I felt as if our vacation actually began during the flight.

 

After the cruise we were on the transfer bus by 7:30 AM and arrived at Heathrow, just before the lines got much longer.

 

While I prefer doing my own flights within the US, I recommend using Celebrity's Air Package for European Cruises.