Air to Europe - I can't believe it

[vacationhappy]

I have been checking some early fares from Boston to Rome for next summer - I can't believe it! They are about $1500 for next June. Usually early fares are less...yikes! $6k for a family of 4 - almost as much as the cruise.

 

I am just wondering if the airlines are just being very conservative given the oil speculation or if this is where the bar is going to be set. I can't imagine given that most of the cruiselines have several ships in Europe next summer that the air prices won't severly impact the industry. Unless, they can fill the ships with travelers outside North America...

 

Time to think of Plan B.

[Cruisin' Ron VA]

I have been checking some early fares from Boston to Rome for next summer - I can't believe it! They are about $1500 for next June. Usually early fares are less...yikes! $6k for a family of 4 - almost as much as the cruise.

 

I am just wondering if the airlines are just being very conservative given the oil speculation or if this is where the bar is going to be set. I can't imagine given that most of the cruiselines have several ships in Europe next summer that the air prices won't severly impact the industry. Unless, they can fill the ships with travelers outside North America...

 

Time to think of Plan B.

 

Did you also try looking at NON U.S. based airlines as well?

 

Did you try other cities besides Boston? NY? Washington?

[greatam]

Out of Boston, the best bet will probably be AerLingus. They have not released next summers schedule, but they are usually a couple hundred dollars cheaper than the other European carriers. Stop in Dublin (can even stay a couple of days if you so desire at no extra airfare cost). And the US luggage allowance-2 bags totally 80 pounds weight-continues to Italy. The REALLY great thing about connecting through Ireland-you clear US immigration in Ireland. So when you land in the USA, no long immigration line. Go to baggage, walk your luggage through customs and you are on your way.

 

You may also investigate driving to Montreal and flying Zoom nonstop to FCO. Zoom has not released a schedule past October 31, but for those dates, you can get PREMIUM economy for about $1000.00pp. Economy is in the $650.00 range. The only problem with Zoom-44 pounds of checked luggage unless you book premium economy.

[Cruisin' Ron VA]

Correction to clarify:

 

What I meant to say is, and greatam helped in that, is have you tried cities other than Boston SUCH AS NY or DC? And yes even Montreal.

[trvlgal619]

Most airlines have not even released their flights to the general public yet. Only the cruise lines that pre-book up to 2 years out and other trade suppliers have access to that. You have to be inside 330 days to really price it out.

 

I think you may do better on flights out of JFK or EWR since they have more scheduled out of there. You can either drive down or fly down on Jet Blue, which is usually pretty good to JFK. Don't panic yet :) . I bought our air tickets for 6 from JFK to Barcelona nonstop, then BCN to LGW for an overnight, then LHR to JFK for $630 each including taxes. The tix are now up to $1800! You just have to watch, or find a good TA who has access to consolidators and can get you good rates. June is going to be high anyway, high season :eek:

[greatam]

I bought our air tickets for 6 from JFK to Barcelona nonstop, then BCN to LGW for an overnight, then LHR to JFK for $630 each including taxes. The tix are now up to $1800! You just have to watch, or find a good TA who has access to consolidators and can get you good rates. June is going to be high anyway, high season :eek:

 

Barcelona is CONSIDERABLY cheaper than Rome. Italy and Greece are two of the MOST expensive places to fly to in Europe.

 

To the OP:

 

How about a train trip from a central European airline hub to Italy if you can't find decent air fare? Would be a great learning experience for kids. Or if you are REALLY tight on the luggage (REALLY tight), you can fly to the cheapest European airport hub you can get to and take one of the European discount airlines to your destination.

 

There are ways to do this cheaper. It will involve some hassle, but all in all, it will be a great experience for the kids, IF you have a few extra days.

[Globaliser]

Usually early fares are less...yikes!

This is actually not always true. The airline industry does not work on a first come first served basis. The earliest bookers do not get the cheapest fares. With the airlines that I normally fly, availability for the cheapest normal fares (I'm not talking about sale fares) is very often not loaded when booking opens, and seats are made available in those booking classes only later in the booking cycle.

 

After all, anyone who feels they must book in the first few days or weeks may well be someone who has a pressing need to lock in that fare, so the airlines will trap them with a higher fare. The lower fares are then made available later to people who have more discretion about whether they're going to travel, and when.

 

One thing that cruise passengers must remember is that air travel to a cruise is largely non-flexible time-critical travel. All of that tends to add cost to the air travel.

[critterchick]

Barcelona is CONSIDERABLY cheaper than Rome. Italy and Greece are two of the MOST expensive places to fly to in Europe.

 

To the OP:

 

How about a train trip from a central European airline hub to Italy if you can't find decent air fare? Would be a great learning experience for kids. Or if you are REALLY tight on the luggage (REALLY tight), you can fly to the cheapest European airport hub you can get to and take one of the European discount airlines to your destination.

 

There are ways to do this cheaper. It will involve some hassle, but all in all, it will be a great experience for the kids, IF you have a few extra days.

 

You could also take a ferry from Barcelona to Italy - the Grimaldi line runs a basic overnight service (passenger and freight) that is kind of a fun way to go.

[vacationhappy]

Thank you!!! These are all great ideas....it never occured to me to stay in Dublin...or take a ferry from Barcelona...

 

I am just going to check fares on a regular basis and then decide at the 90/120 day mark if we have to look at Plan B.

[fbgd]

Globaliser beat me to it. Nice summary :p

 

You could also take a ferry from Barcelona to Italy - the Grimaldi line runs a basic overnight service (passenger and freight) that is kind of a fun way to go.

 

By the time you've paid for an overnight ferry and all the arseing about that comes with transferring to the ferry terminal you're probably within $100 of the most direct airfare. Is all that extra complications worth it? For me it certainly isn't!

[SelectSys]

I have been checking some early fares from Boston to Rome for next summer ... $6k for a family of 4 - almost as much as the cruise.

... I can't imagine given that most of the cruiselines have several ships in Europe next summer that the air prices won't severly impact the industry. Unless, they can fill the ships with travelers outside North America...

 

Time to think of Plan B.

 

What are the cruise lines quoting as airfares? It may be that they will start subsidizing airfare to keep ships their filled. This may especially be true if your selected line depends on US and Canadian passengers to fill up 30%+ of the ship. I would really check the cruise line before pulling the trigger on a ticket.

 

It may be that the cruise lines even start some charter sevice (already done by some lines in Europe) to keep their ships filled. Certainly no shortage of aircraft and flight crews to leverage with all the cut backs...

 

I can see charter service making a comeback in the US to serve leisure destinations. Flight costs from the west coast to HI have doubled in a year. Like the cruise ships, the hotels will need to do something to keep their rooms filled...

[travel68]

Need some guidance here please. We are flying into Heathrow and have arranged for Carnival to do the transfer to Dover. I assume we have to clear customs first, get baggage and then find representative in the claim area. Is that correct? Is there a special area for cruise passengers?

 

Thanks,

Muriel

[Globaliser]

I assume we have to clear customs first, get baggage and then find representative in the claim area. Is that correct? Is there a special area for cruise passengers?

You will need to clear immigration, collect your baggage and then clear Customs. You will probably find the cruise line's representatives waiting for you in the main greeting area after you exit from Customs (and pass the arrivals "duty free" shop). There are no specially-designated areas for cruise passengers, as far as I know - after all, the number of cruise passengers passing through Heathrow is tiny compared to the airport's normal work.

[ohioNCLcruiser]

Like what Globaliser no cruise ship area but once you clear everything someone should be holding up a sign.