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Not from actual experience with this exact scenario, but when you check in for the Valet service - you will know whether they are going to charge you or not. If they don't seem to go along with what you believe to be the correct situation, just tell them never mind.

 

And as you already know - if you've booked with Southwest - their policy applies even if you're flight is on an Airtran leg. (we've done this several times)

 

We're flying Southwest out of FLL after our next cruise, so may take advantage of this there.

Thanks -- good advice.

Does anyone have experience with using Royal Caribbean's luggage valet service in Fort Lauderdale? We're returning on the Liberty of the Seas and are suite guests so qualify for the free luggage valet service where you check your bags on the ship and don't have to worry about them until your flight lands at your destination. We'd like to take advantage of it.

However, my concern is that we have a joint AirTran/Southwest ticket. (Air Tran FLL-ATL, and Southwest ATL-SAT) We booked it with Southwest, so Southwest policies apply (no baggage fees, check in 24 hours in advance) But since it is an AirTran operated flight out of Ft. Lauderdale, I'm concerned that there will be a mix up with the bags. We don't want to get charged the AirTran bag fee because we're checking the bags (on the ship) with AirTran. As I understand it, the luggage valet service automatically charges any applicable airline fees (such as baggage fees) to your sea pass.

Anyone have experience with this situation? I'm thinking we should just forgo the convenience of the luggage valet service so that we can ensure that the bags fly free (per our Southwest booking) when we check in at the counter with AirTran. But it sure would be nice not to have to wrangle with the suitcases that day.

Thanks for any advice.

Is the concierge lounge open for continental breakfast on the morning of debarkation? What is usually offered?

Also (and/or) is the breakfast in Portofino's available for suite guests on that last morning? (We're going on Liberty.)

Thanks for any info. Trying to firm up our plans for debarkation timing/airport transportation.

That Feb 2014 was, I believe, pertaining to when Oana was in the CL for Carlos. When he came back she moved back into the DL which she is leaving on 4/21. I do not know when Carlos is scheduled to go on vacation.

Ok, thanks so much for explaining that. So is it likely that he will be there next week?

LB Liberty- (Concierge)-Carlos Ortiz till Feb 2014

-(Diamond )Oana Papa until 4-21-14

I'm confused by this. Any updates for the Liberty concierge? This says until Feb 2014, but I'm wondering about April 2014. Thanks for any info.

I'm hunting for recent Cruise Compasses from Liberty of the Seas, specifically the 5-day Western that stops in Labadee and Falmouth, Jamaica.

Anyone have one to share, or a link to one that's already been posted?

Thanks for any help.

Was Capt. Gus the captain for your sailing?

LOL...not making fun of you at all....."Unfortunately Economy" would be a very honest trade name for an airline to use. Different from "Premium Economy"!

 

A travel editor of our local newspaper talked about the new trend with airlines- "Noninconvenience charge" !

Ha! If only all marketing terminology was so upfront and honest. I guess that's the way for airlines to make money... Make traveling so miserable that you'll pay anything to survive it!

Thanks for all the advice. I really appreciate it. I will check Air France and Air Canada, as well as the possibilities of upgrading to premium on BA.

Unfortunately economy.

Which cabin will you be flying in?

Thanks so much! That's exactly the kind of iinsight I was looking for. I didn't know that about the Schengen Agreement. I've seen that referenced occasionally but didn't understand what it was.

I guess the other consideration is a comparison between the airlines of the services are -- ie entertainment, food, luggage fees, etc.

Six and half a dozen, really. Barcelona isn't a terribly well-served transatlantic destination (only a few flights) so your options on nonstops from the US will be limited. If your cruise is a transatlantic from Barcelona, it's probably in the autumn or early winter, when connecting through some airports in the US northeast might be subject to weather delays, but nothing too terrible.

 

As to passports and immigration issues, it depends. Most continental European countries (Spain included) are members of the "Schengen agreement" which allows one country's passport and immigration controls to apply to all. The UK is not a Schengen member, so if you connect in the UK, you'll just go through security and go to your connecting gate to Barcelona, which may or may not be in the same terminal (thus requiring a bus ride). You won't go through passport control and customs until you get to Barcelona.

 

If you land in some Schengen member country, such as Germany, you'll go through passport control there, but bag claim and customs in Barcelona. (Customs will basically mean walking through the green "nothing to declare" door.) Either way you won't see your bags until Barcelona.

 

Arriving in the morning means there's a good chance your hotel room won't be available for some hours, thus you'll have to leave your bags with the hotel desk and wander around in a stupor until your room's ready. If you connect in Europe and arrive in the mid-afternoon, then the chances are better your room will be available for showers and snoozes.

 

Most European airports are very efficient at getting connecting passengers through border controls and on to their next flight. If your ticket shows a 90 min. connection (in some places way less) it means this is "legal" in the minds of the airline(s) and the airport(s) involved. I generally try to avoid connections of an hour or less, because things happen. Two or three hours usually means I feel knackered for the second flight, but this is an individual thing.

Help me think this through. Any insight from experienced travelers would be appreciated.

We're flying Houston - Barcelona for a transatlantic. We're flying in a couple of days early (leave Thurs/arrive Fri for a Sunday departure).

My goals are to maximize our time in Barcelona and minimize our travel hassles. And, of course, keep the cost as low as possible. Leaving Houston we have 2 basic categories of flights:

1) Fly from Houston to a US city (for example, JFK, Newark or Miami) to connect to the international flight to Barcelona. These choices have us arrive in Barcelona in the morning.

2) Fly international out of Houston (looks like the best choices at the moment are Heathrow on British Airways or Frankfurt on Lufthansa, where we'd connect to a flight to Barcelona. These choices have us arrive in Barcelona after noon.

Any opinions on which of these options are preferable? If we connect in an international city, do we have to clear customs or anything like that? Or just connect within the airport to the new flight? How much time is recommended? Some of the connections times are about 90 minutes, but I wonder if that is too tight.

Thanks for any input on what I should consider about this situation.

I have a question. We'd like to use ChoiceAir to book a one way ticket for a Transatlantic cruise on Royal Caribbean. It's the only reasonable one way airfare we've found. We have a voucher from United from a previous issue with a missed flight. Is it possible to use the voucher when booking with ChoiceAir. Does anyone have any experience with this? Thanks for any info!

I was in Cocoa Beach for a cruise last December and there was a nail place in the shopping center where Publix grocery store is. The Publix is right behind the Holiday Inn Express hotel

We used that one before our cruise in 2007 - long time ago! Is it still Diva nails? If so, it was great, fairly reasonably priced and they were able to accommodate all 6 of us with mani/pedis.

Yes, it is still available. I am booked for December. Here is the info:

 

British Colonial Hilton Day Pass

Transportation- walking distance from cruise terminal

$60 per person online via Island Marketing (www.bahamascruiseexcursions.com); $5 more upon arrival.

If you wait to purchase on arrival, do you purchase on site?

Hi -- what is the recommended option for port parking at Port Canaveral? I'm not looking for a hotel package, but rather one of the parking/shuttle services near the port. I'm looking at Park'n'Cruise (parkcruise.com) and Park Port Canaveral (parkportcanaveral.com). I keep reading about something being closed in Nov. due to construction, so that's something we want to avoid. We're cruising in Dec. Will construction be complete or will it still be an issue?

Thanks for any info or advice based on experience with these services.

I got the Hyatt Regency Long Beach for one night (3/11/2007) for $65 on Priceline. It is a 4 star. My first bid, for $55 for a 4* in Long Beach was rejected, but I rebid and added the San Pedro location (there aren't any hotels that are classified 4* in San Pedro) and upped the price to $65 and it was accepted. With taxes and fees, the total is $82.01.

I probably should have tried an intermediary amount ($60 or $62) but I am pleased with the price I got. The best rate I could find for that same hotel for that date was $199.