Indirect flights from the UK to San Juan - Where does it connect?

[English Rose]

I have booked Serenade of the Sea with RCI for 16 December departure from the UK. The only information I have is that it is an indirect flight and there is an overnight stop before embarking. Does anyone know where our flight will connect and where the hotel will be i.e. USA or San Juan? They have yet to give me any details. Thanks for any help!

[Spring]

What date do you leave the UK and from what city or airport ??

[TrentS]

If you're getting your air through RCI it could be almost anywhere! They tend to book at the last minute and take whatever's left so who knows. :confused:

 

That's why we always book our own air, then we know what we're getting and when. We've heard too many stories and been the victims ourselves of the cruise line's bizarre routings.

[springtxbill]

As hotels are more expensive in San Juan, I would expect the hotel to not be there. There are connecting flights thru Boston, New York, Washington, and Atlanta. Again based on hotel prices I would expect Atlanta would be the choice and the cruiselines also seem to like Atlanta as a hub for collecting pax for the final flight.

 

The Atlanta connection leaves at 0930, but if you have to fly to London first, the better connection would overnight in Boston.

[Spring]

springtxbill

 

I see your from Spring Tx, So am I

 

Spring

[springtxbill]

Good to hear from you. I think there is also a Springtx on here .

[TrentS]

As hotels are more expensive in San Juan, I would expect the hotel to not be there. There are connecting flights thru Boston, New York, Washington, and Atlanta. Again based on hotel prices I would expect Atlanta would be the choice and the cruiselines also seem to like Atlanta as a hub for collecting pax for the final flight.

 

The Atlanta connection leaves at 0930, but if you have to fly to London first, the better connection would overnight in Boston.

 

Lots of UK to Miami and Miami to San Juan flights as well, but again with the way the cruise lines sometimes do their flights it could be any of the above or more. Chicago is a popular gateway as well. It's not necessarily something that's going to "make sense", it's usually whatever they can get the best price on whenever they get around to booking the air.

[English Rose]

Thanks very much - it sounds like its a 'wait and see' game! I did look into booking my own flights, but I could not have done this for the price. I am not expecting too much. Your input is much appreciated.

[woodards]

We did San Juan last December from Manchester (all be it with Celebrity).

Airline was Delta and we changed in Atlanta.

Depending on your UK depature point (as per previous posts) you could end up almost anywhere (including Madrid!!!, Iberia do a direct flight to San Juan from Madrid).

 

Steve.

[springtxbill]

Keep checking the flights on your own especially starting around 6 months out until your final payment is due. If the prices go on sale, jump on them and then you can cancel the cruise air without penalty.

[Ms Jo UK]

Hi English Rose

 

As you will see I am also from the UK. I am booked on AOS out of San Juan in December. I did book my own air. I took advantage of the BA sale and booked flights to New York, I chose to stay over for a few days. Then booked Delta flights from New York to San Juan, I took advantage of the offer of an open jaw ticket and I am flying back from Miami so booked my own flight from San Juan to Miami.

 

My UK-US flight cost £238 if I had booked the return New York flight and not the Miami return it would have been £189. I notice Virgin have still got a sale on, I am not sure about BA.

 

My flight from New York to San Juan I have booked with Delta for £50 one way + £10 charges. You can't use UK credit card on Delta's own site so I had to book with Travelocity.co.uk. I guess the return flight would not cost double as they never do. For San Juan to Miami I think the cost was also around £50.

 

In total I have paid £338 for airfare per person. What difference does this make to my cruise price. Well even if I had booked with a discount operator I was being quoted £1100 per person for a Cat E1 cabin. That was for airfare, 1 night hotel somewhere they didn't say where the connecting flight or overnight stay would be and the cruise.

 

Booking the airfare myself and the cruise would have only cost £839 per person (if I hadn't taken the open jaw ticket) against the £1100 quoted by TAs etc. I have tracked most of the airfares for the last few months, UK to San Juan and the cheapest tends to be circa £350 usually Iberia via Madrid. So even though I took a chance and booked very early at acceptable prices to me and not worrried if airfare goes down by a few £s in the next few months I figure I have saved a lot more money buying the cruise and airfare seperate. I also feel in control of my own itinerary, as I get to spend a few days in New York, a few days in San Juan and a few days in Miami at the end of the cruise.

 

If you are willing to put some work in yourself I am sure you can find a better deal booking things seperately. Good luck and enjoy your cruise.

 

Jo

[English Rose]

Wow, I obviously didn't do as much research as I should have done. Would I loose out if I changed my booking to a cruise only even though I have booked it? Think I will look into this. Incidentally the flight will be from Heathrow. Thanks for the info!

[Sussexcruise]

Hi all

 

The company I work for deals with the air provision for Royal Caribbean and they hold allocations / group space on flights with AA, BA & VS departing the UK, they also run their own charter flights into Florida so be careful they don't put you on that service.

We are the same as Ms Jo we book the cruise through the cruise line and the flights ourselves, we travel on Empress this March from San Juan and booked on AA via JFK, its over Easter and we have paid GBP450.00 per person including tax

We did the AOS cruise last year and had a great time, hope you enjoy it

[springtxbill]

Like I said above, you can drop the air without penalty until the last payment date. Book it when you first reserve as insurance in case air prices go up. :)

[Ms Jo UK]

English Rose

 

Glad I was of help. Check whether or not you can cancel the airfare with Royal Carribean before you do anything as I notice the above poster who said you can cancel without penalty right up to final payment date is from the US. There are different rules in the US eg they can have price drops passed on to them whereas here in UK that doesn't happen and we loose our £125 or £150 deposit if we cancel before final payment whereas in the states you can cancel without penalty up to final payment. I would check before you do the research.

 

Also just another hint, this time I booked cruise only with a US online TA as the price was £80 cheaper than Royal Carribean and I get a prepaid Matercard thing (I am not really sure what that is but it has value so I will take it).

 

Best wishes and happy cruising.

[cruzobsessed]

cheryl, you definitely need to do this yourself. when i booked my next cruise...rc added 700.00 per person for airfare. i've already found it for 537.00 and i'm waiting to see if i can get it cheaper. also, you are giving them all the control over which airline, what times, and now this stopping overnight wrinkle. when i asked about canceling my airfare with them they told me that i could cancel up till the last payment.

[Globaliser]

also, you are giving them all the control over which airline, what times, and now this stopping overnight wrinkle. when i asked about canceling my airfare with them they told me that i could cancel up till the last payment.

English Rose has no alternative but to stop overnight on the way to San Juan. I looked at this very carefully with a London TA friend who was organising a group a few years back - you just cannot do it from the UK without an overnight stay.

 

I agree with the caution from other UK posters - I think this business of cancelling without penalty right up until the final payment date is a US thing. English Rose may very well be in for a penalty if she changes the arrangements now.

[English Rose]

You are absolutely right Globaliser. It sounds to me like I would have to cancel this booking and re-book as a cruise only holiday. I would lose £400 GBP if I did this. So no, I will stick to what I have already done. I chose to fly from Heathrow rather than Gatwick hoping that this would help me not being on a chartered flight. I think I will get a better chance of a scheduled BA, Virgin or American Airlines. These are all lessons learnt and next time I will be wiser. Thanks for all the advice.

[Globaliser]

I chose to fly from Heathrow rather than Gatwick hoping that this would help me not being on a chartered flight. I think I will get a better chance of a scheduled BA, Virgin or American Airlines.

That's absolutely right - it might be well be worth £200 per person not to be on a charter!

[Ms Jo UK]

I agree with you English Rose. Heathrow will probably be best to avoid a charter flight. I hope you have a wonderful cruise.

 

Happy sailing

 

Jo

[English Rose]

Thank you Jo - although December is a long way away yet!