Air packages

[rosey1946]

I want to warn everyone about buying an air package from HAL. We paid over $650 pp to fly from NY to Ft Lauderdale and back. On the trip back to NY we leave Ft. Lauderdale, fly to Minneapolis, stay there for 3 hours and finally arrive back in NY at 10:49PM. Total of over 9 hours to come home from Fla. I bought the air package as I have my granddaughter traveling with us and I wanted to make sure the flight wasn't cancelled and we wouldn't make the boat. I regret this now.

The worst part? HAL lied and said there were no other seats available for that date. Went on the web-I can get a Delta flight out non stop at less cost. What they really meant was there were no seats where they could make lots of money on us.

I take at least 4 cruises a year. I will never sail on HAL again. It's the lies and attitude I am most upset about. No such thing as the famous service. By the way, this is our 5th trip on HAL, so they treat their Mariners no better than anyone else.

Beware of air packages on HAL.

[willy paul]

We have found that HA air package prices are much more expensive than doing the air ourselves. We actually have found that we can come in at least one day early, get the flights we want each way and still save a considerable amount of money.

 

This Fall we are going from Barcelona to Ft. Lauderdale and we found prices from Phoenix to Barcelona and Ft. Lauderdale back to Phoenix were a total of 1600.00 for two round trip opposed to the HA price of $1475.00 per person round trip. The savings paid for a three night hotel stay pre cruise in Barcelona and spending money.

[pms4104]

I want to warn everyone about buying an air package from HAL. We paid over $650 pp to fly from NY to Ft Lauderdale and back. It is common knowledge that cruise air frequently is higher than what you can get on your own. On the trip back to NY we leave Ft. Lauderdale, fly to Minneapolis, stay there for 3 hours and finally arrive back in NY at 10:49PM. Total of over 9 hours to come home from Fla. I bought the air package as I have my granddaughter traveling with us and I wanted to make sure the flight wasn't cancelled and we wouldn't make the boat. I regret this now. Cruise air does not guarantee the ship will wait for you if their are air snafus and delays.

The worst part? HAL lied and said there were no other seats available for that date. Cruise air sometimes/often may be consolidator tickets, and perhaps there were no more of those available for your dates. Went on the web-I can get a Delta flight out non stop at less cost. If you have not yet made final payment, you certainly have the option of cancelling HAL air and buying Delta. What they really meant was there were no seats where they could make lots of money on us.

I take at least 4 cruises a year. I will never sail on HAL again. It's the lies and attitude I am most upset about. No such thing as the famous service. By the way, this is our 5th trip on HAL, so they treat their Mariners no better than anyone else.

Beware of air packages on HAL.

My comments in bold and red above.

 

Bottom line is that you may not have done adequate research ... and your blame on HAL is misplaced. I think you need to take some responsibility for your decision to buy HAL air.

[AZjohn]

Though this might not help the OP now, there is a sticky here on Cruise Critic “Cruise Air” board that has a lot of information and also “myth busters” regarding cruise air.

To the OP, you have the general thought that most people do, that the cruise line will hold the ship, get the most direct flights, and at the same price or cheaper if you book air from them. This is not true and your post is another testimony to this.

Please take a few minutes to read this sticky if you are considering “cruise air” (aka: consolidated tickets).

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=530322

Good luck,

John

[CowPrincess]

We used HAL air for our Nov cruise, because the price was AMAZINGLY BETTER than any we could find on our own (we saved about 35% each). Sucky flight times, miserable connections, so we paid a price, even if it was not monetary. However, I'd use them again PROVIDING the savings were significant. As noted, not all air packages offered by HAL do provide savings.

[rosey1946]

Thanks for all the kind responses. I did know the cruise air packages were more expensive. It isn't the money that got me upset-it's the air scheduling that has us angry. If I hadn't paid in full already I would cancel. I did this for our 12 year old hoping it would help if we ran into trouble.

As far as taking some of the blame for all this-no way. We were treated shabbily by HAL.

[jhannah]

As far as taking some of the blame for all this-no way. We were treated shabbily by HAL.

Your treatment would be exactly the same with Princess, Carnival, Celebrity, etc. The cruise lines purchase blocks of tickets. They had no more remaining seats on flights they had already contracted for. They're obviously not going to make it a point to go out and spend more money when they already have you getting from point A to point B ... even though it is a less-than-desirable routing. That's just the way cruise line air works.

[travelntreats]

Thanks for all the kind responses. I did know the cruise air packages were more expensive. It isn't the money that got me upset-it's the air scheduling that has us angry. If I hadn't paid in full already I would cancel. I did this for our 12 year old hoping it would help if we ran into trouble.

As far as taking some of the blame for all this-no way. We were treated shabbily by HAL.

Whoever you booked with SHOULD HAVE ADVISED YOU that the air schedules are totally at the cruiselines discretion UNLESS you paid for an air deviation and would have been able to select airlines/flight schedule, etc... for additional costs ! Sadly, you are now trying to place full blame on the cruiseline and none yourself for not reseraching properly before making the decision to use the cruiselines air. What happened to you is no different than it could have happened on any cruiseline if choosing to pay them to book your air arrangements... so either you will do your own air for future cruises or I guess won't be cruising when air is involved !