Yikes! Over $3000 just to fly to the port...

[mrums]

If swim with dolphins is what your girls want, you can't miss with Puerto Vallarta. My sister and I were in with the dolphins for about an hour and it was the best experience we have ever had. As far as air fare, Allegiant airlines might work to vegas or phoenix or you can take a ship out of galveston (western caribbean) or new orleans. It might save some money on the air fare. Also, check sites like kayak and cheap o air. We have had really good results at these sites. Good luck and enjoy. Either MR or Caribbean are terrific experiences. By the way, all ships have programs for children of all ages and we have talked to many who say they are having a blast. The lines really have child care down to a sience so all ages will have fun.

[BenaBena]

Have you considered Priceline or a similar outfit where you bid for your tickets?I've never used them for flights (they only accept US residents for those) but I have used them for hotels and have gotten some good deals.

[7continentKaren]

August is brutally hot in the Mexican Riviera. For folks used to Seattle, the shock of the muggy weather will dampen your spirits. It is only marginally better in the Caribbean. Can you take your vacation some other time? We took our family to the Mexican Riviera last January. A perfect time and a time when the warm weather is really appreciated. The fares right now out of San Fran are low and even Seattle to MIA is $300 on United.

 

I tend to think your youngest kids will not appreciate Alaska and the weather is dicey. How about Hawaii? It is nice year round. Park them at the Hilton Waikoloa on the Big Island and they can see dolphins everyday! That is what I would do in August. There are also cruises of Hawaii. That air is really going to cost you though. There are sometimes deals with awful hotels you could use and ditch the hotel for less than just air. Then cruise! Good luck!

 

If you have not been to Hawaii, you can stay just in Honolulu for much less for air and get a Hyatt on Priceline. Go to www.BiddingForTravel.com to see what people are paying for that hotel. Your kids will love Hawaii. Polynesian Cultural Center, Pearl Harbor, north side with all the surfing, etc. Compare the costs of land vs cruise. Be sure to consider the cost of tours. You are more likely to pay for tours in the Caribbean than Hawaii where you can easily rent a car and drive yourselves around. It is America, after all, as I pointed out to a fearful friend. People drive on the right and speak English!

[Nansafan]

Have you looked at 2 one-ways? On a trip to Las Vegas from Chicago, we flew out on US Air and back on American, 3 adults. We saved almost $100 pp this way. I purchased the tickets thru cheaptickets.com. I had a similar experience flying to Orlando from Chicago during Spring Break and saved $75 on the airfare.

[snever]

Re: Cost of airfare. One site I saw said to always check prices of only one flyer. Said sites quote at price point that has tickest available for all flyers. So if two tickets were available at a lower fare and 13 tickets at a higher fare, you would be quoted per ticket price of the higher fare and someone else would by the two at the lower fare.

[raylene5]

Yeah, we're in Phx too and we're doing the MR cruise on Carnival in a few weeks. I can't imagine buying plane tickets for our family of 6 to Florida...yikes! Having to get two rooms on the cruise was $$$ enough...$5000. And yeah, the drive from Phx to L.A. is nothing. Last year we had roundtrip tickets to San Diego but we hated the hassell of the first leg so much that we opted to rent a car and drive back instead! :) I'm just glad we live semi-close enough to any port to take a cruise and not have to fly.

[Griet]

we are flying into Tampa to catch a cruise leaving from Cape Canaveral over spring break. We are a party of 5 with 2 kids and a grandma. We saved over $1,200 in airfare but we will have to drive 2 hours or more to get to port. Orlando was almost double the cost. The savings enabled us to bring grandma on the cruise! Whichever port you decide on, take a look at all of the possible airports - if you are willing to drive a little it can mean big differences in price sometimes.

[imsulin]

You might want to check out Alaska Airline rates. I've found them to be the best by far if you book early!

[imsulin]

Edited to add: Alaska Air has two non-stop SEA-ATL flights daily...and back. $20 checked bag fee, but you can always consolidate stuff into one or two checked bags and take carry-ons. They also partner with Delta to get you to MIA or FLL. I use this Alaska Air route all the time to fly from ATL - EUG (on Horizon). I just bought a ticket for $382 over CHRISTMAS this year! The extra cost is flying in and out of a small airport like Eugene, OR.

 

Cruising in August......hurricane season in the Caribbean. Brutal heat and humidity!! Been there several times! From the USVI to the Grenadines.

 

Spent a week in Puerto Vallarta (MR) in mid-August about ten years ago, and again.....uncomfortable heat and humidity.

 

If possible, change your date plans if you can. Mid-late January has great weather and cheaper flights. Summer months (June, July, August) always have high air fares.....because it's Summer Vacation time, when lots of families travel.

 

You might have to pull your kids out of school....which is another (well-reviewed and oft-debated) topic. Late Feb-early March is also good. Forget Spring Break times.

 

Good luck to you!

 

(Who'd a thunk Alaska Air would end up in Atlanta?!?! Their check-in counter is the size of my kitchen counter. Great airline, though....love it!)

[Cruisin Kay D]

Rental car companies in FL generally do not have 1 way drop charges, so you could fly to Tampa or Orlando or West Palm Beach or Jacksonville, and get rental car & go to FLL or MIA -- also cruises go out of Tampa, Cape Canaveral etc.

Maybe get a SW (or other airline) credit card now & build up credits toward free tix for your Aug 2012 trip.

You have lots of time to work this out!!! So keep searching.

Kayak.com is good source of info, but alot of low cost airlines are not included on kayak.

 

Although Aug is hurricane season, remember that a ship will definitely maneuver out of a hurricane area -- for example, if you book eastern caribbean and a storm comes, your ship might instead do western caribbean route.

 

As you can see from my signature below, we just completed a cruise with 6 grandchildren and we drove to Ft. Laud from Tennessee in a Suburban, 15-16 hours each way -- spent 1 night in hotel going down & also coming back -- 1 was Fairfield by Marriott $85 per each connecting room. Other night in Country Inn & Suites at same rate but rooms this time not connecting because I had not called ahead!!! Spent night before cruise in a timeshare in Ft. Lauderdale (we have Wyndham points).

[jhdoublin]

Does southwest fly from your area?

 

I love to fly with them because there is 2 free bags per person checked and no paying for picking your seat- unless you want to. I just check in at the minute the 24 hour window is open and get seat assignments then. They go by groups ABC and let the people with small kids board first.

 

They also just added a new feature - it says you can change your flights and only pay the difference- not a change fee - which helps.

 

They have sales many days throughout the year- you just have to look frequently.

 

Otherwise- Spirit airlines offers good rates a lot of times- if they go to your area.

 

Allegiant Airlines

 

Frontier Airlines.

 

Definitely fly to FLL or PBI (Lauderdale or West Palm Beach)

 

You can rent a car for a day and drive the rest of the way- Florida does not penalize for dropping car off at different location inside of Florida. Most car rentals offer free transport to airport/cruise terminal.

 

You have lots of time- if you got an excellent price on the cruise and knew you wanted that one- I would book it and just wait on the airfare for a while. Might consider buying the insurace though sice it's so far away.

 

 

What cruise are you looking at?

Good Luck.

Julie

[jhdoublin]

Kuddos to Southwest again, just checked and my flight dropped $60 so I could change it for free and also got the $60 credit for future use!

 

Julie