Fly Cruise plan

[cuagrad90]

I am interested in hearing experience of anyone using HAL's Fly Cruise Plan. I am considering it, as of right now it is $300 less than the airfare I can get booking on my own. My cruise is in 9 months. Thanks.

[jtl513]

As you've discovered the price can be cheaper, but generally you'll get lousy routing and/or times because HAL buys cheaply from consolidators. I suggest you pay the "air deviation" fee and pick the flights you want. That will cut the savings a bit, but well worth it IMO.

[Randyk47]

I am interested in hearing experience of anyone using HAL's Fly Cruise Plan. I am considering it, as of right now it is $300 less than the airfare I can get booking on my own. My cruise is in 9 months. Thanks.

 

We typically book our own flights and usually, though as you have found there are exceptions, have beat HAL's airfare. Twice we've gone with HAL air. First time because it seemed like a good deal and we were new to cruising so we let our TA arrange it all. Second time was because we messed up and didn't get around to booking flights until too close to the cruise and HAL had reasonably available flights. If we have any problem with HAL air it was that the flights generally were in the less desirable time slots. For the past several years Mrs. K has had advanced frequent flier status with American and that's allowed us to buy coach seats but fly first class so we've pretty much stuck with them and not looked too hard for better fares.

[gerryl12]

I tend to find that HAL flights are priced higher than I can get. Also with HAL flights you are at there mercy for scheduling. There are some better deals with HAL but they are far and few between.

Do your research! There is a huge price difference between day flying, day booked, time of day, advance notice etc.

[CowPrincess]

We used HAL air once when they beat the heck out of any other available air pricing. We paid in other ways :) with very inconvenient flights, and full day travel each way (for a total of about 4 hrs flying time). I'd do it again, if the price was right, but it would have to be a significant saving.

[travelnap]

I am interested in hearing experience of anyone using HAL's Fly Cruise Plan. I am considering it, as of right now it is $300 less than the airfare I can get booking on my own. My cruise is in 9 months. Thanks.

Cuagrad90, I usually book my own air because I can get it much cheaper with better flights, but I always check out the Cruise Line Air, because they sometimes have better value. This year I am doing a TA on HAL and the airfare on HAL was about 1/3 of the price that I could find, so I took the HAL air package. When I got my flight information for the trip I saw that on one leg, I only had 30 minutes between flights and it was an international flight so I was not very comfortable with that. I contacted my TA and told him of my concerns. He contacted HAL and they were able to change the flights for me, and now I have much better flights. HAL will try and work with you if they can, some lines won't.

[twodogmom]

Since this is a flight thread, I was wondering if anyone has upgraded to business or first class flights. What was your cost and experience?

[Globaliser]

I was wondering if anyone has upgraded to business or first class flights. What was your cost and experience?

The last time I upgraded an international flight to business class, it cost me £59 per person. The time before that, it was 25,000 miles per person. Both of those flights were last month.

 

That, of course, tells you nothing useful.

 

And nobody else is going to be able to tell you anything useful, either, unless you post your:-

• routing;
• date(s) of travel;
• airline(s);
• current booking class (or fare bucket);
• whether you want to upgrade with frequent flyer miles or with cash.

Even then, everyone's experience will be different because the likely cost for you to upgrade will depend critically on what the airline is prepared to do for you on the exact flights and dates you want to travel, not what the airline might have done for someone else in the past.

[Globaliser]

And while thinking about the original subject of HAL's fly-cruise arrangements, there's some generic advice on this thread in the Cruise Air forum: Cruise Air and Air Deviation Explanation.

[gregdude]

I have done three cruises with HAL Air and each one was perfect. I call the Air department after I have made my reservation and discuss flights and times. They have always been willing to work with me within there perameters. On my cruise this week I was able to get a non- stop from Vancouver to Newark on our way home, you can't beat that. The above folks must have waited for HAL to notify them and by thea it is too late to make a lot of changes. I have never been able to beat HAL Air pricing.

[Willsot]

I've done air through HAL a number of times and have had no problems. A little of this might depend on one's proximity to an international airport.