Will RCCL airfair change?

[Celhubb]

I have been watching a cruise for price drops, including RCCL air. I have not booked yet. Does the price ever change for flights?

Thanks

[pltag]

Booking air with RCI is rarely if EVER a good deal or good idea. Play with it on-line on the RCI website by first including air wiht your cruise booking and then not. This will tell you how much of RCI's cost is allocated to air. Then shop air on your own.

 

RCI locks up blocks of seats far in advance with the airlines. There very well may be a change in price of a particular cabin, but this is never attributed directly to the cost of air.

[negc]

Booking air with RCI is rarely if EVER a good deal or good idea. Play with it on-line on the RCI website by first including air wiht your cruise booking and then not. This will tell you how much of RCI's cost is allocated to air. Then shop air on your own.

 

RCI locks up blocks of seats far in advance with the airlines. There very well may be a change in price of a particular cabin, but this is never attributed directly to the cost of air.

I'm not sure that "rarely if EVER" is an accurate portrayal of the situation. One advantage of using RCI's air is that, unless you use their Choice Air program, you don't need to pay for the airfare until you make your final payment for the trip. If, in the meantime, you find a lower price for the air you can cancel the cruiseline's air without paying a penalty. Check the prices of booking both ways because there are occasions, especially if you are flying one way or on an open-jaw itinerary (flying in to one city but back home from another) when RCI's airfare is considerably cheaper. If you can use their Custom Air (air deviation) program, you can specify the particular airline and flight(s) you want and they will advise you if those arrangements can be made without additional cost. We have used it on flights to London from Boston, and gotten the best price and the flights we wanted, and didn't have to pay for it at the time of booking, only when final payment for the cruise is due.

There is no one absolutely right way to book your air. Check your options and then decide.

[Shak]

I have never seen cruise air go down but I have seen it go up. I have also seen special air rates on some cruises. I don't often use cruise air but I never rule it out until I have found a lower price. When researching oversea cruises I have found cruise air at least competitive and when you take into accounts transfers many times lower. Transfers overseas can be very expensive.

 

Shak

[James in SA]

What about problems that can come up such as flight delays, or the ship returning to port late. Isn't there some advantage to using RCCL air in those situations? Or is that a Cruise Care insurance situation?

[pltag]

What about problems that can come up such as flight delays, or the ship returning to port late. Isn't there some advantage to using RCCL air in those situations? Or is that a Cruise Care insurance situation?

James is right! If you are flying in the same day of your cruise and if you are travelling during a time of year when airport delays / cancellations might occur (winter) then CruiseAir does give you some extra security. The ship won't wait forever, but if they know they have a whole group that is delayed....they will delay departure.

 

The other thing that is bad about cruise air is your inability to choose your itinerary. Non-stops from my end of the world pretty much don't exist. The routes for us are pretty standard -- Delta thru Atlanta, American thru Dallas. RCI might not see things the same way and decide I need a stop in Chicago or Detroit. I like the flexability and control of booking my own air.

[tnt10]

As others have already said, there are pros and cons on both sides of the "cruise air or not" equation.

I have used cruise air with TA cruises, with free air deviation due to C&A status, and reveived air fares less than booking directly with the airlines. The only less expensive would have been with "consolidators."

The current offerings with Choice Air show some values as well. For my upcoming cruise, both the Coach and Business Class air fares are anywhere from a few hundred to almost half of the airlines direct rates. And no, they are not different flights or connections, they are the same flight numbers and times and connections as the higher priced online airline website fares

Look around, and be sure to also check on the "Cruise Air" CC boards.

Happy Cruising,

TnT