NCL Air - When Do We Get Flight Info?

[Us2inFL]

We're booked for April 20th Transatlantic, flying home from Barcelona on May 5th.

 

We added NCL transfer to airport and one-way travel from BCN to Miami on May 5th.

 

Final payment is due mid Jan 2013 and we added Premium air to the booking.

 

When does NCL decide what flight to put us on?

 

Thanks!

[Davechipp74]

usually within 30 days of the flight

this may also delay your E-Docs a bit as well, because the flight has to be booked before they release your E-Docs

this is based on my own past experience

[NMLady]

usually within 30 days of the flight

this may also delay your E-Docs a bit as well, because the flight has to be booked before they release your E-Docs

this is based on my own past experience

 

Same experience as yours

[time2cruise1]

usually within 30 days of the flight

this may also delay your E-Docs a bit as well, because the flight has to be booked before they release your E-Docs

this is based on my own past experience

 

Same exact experience on several cruises.

[SandyAtSea]

I got mine at 60 days. According to the air department, that is when they start booking flights.

[kapoho2]

And , very important....as soon as you get your flight information from NCL, call the airline to get seat assignments. Otherwise, you may end up not getting seats assigned until the day of departure and that may mean that you will not be sitting together and will most likely be stuck in middle seats!

[Us2inFL]

Thanks! I appreciate the comments.

 

This is the first time we're using NCL for air travel, hopefully it won't be too painful.

 

There is a non-stop on American from BCN to MIA every day at 11:30 AM. I was told NCL could price that flight for me, but there would be a significant upcharge from the $850/pp they added to the cruise reservation.

 

The Expedia price for that flight is currently $1800/pp.

[cliffy97]

We are on the Breakaway TA and were able to get our flights booked a year out (355 days) as soon as the scheduled opened.

 

Called the UK flight dept and they booked whilst I was on the phone and they provided the confirmation right then no questions asked.

 

YMMV, but I am sure if you ask they will do it for you and we dont have premium air or anything :-)

 

Dan

[Us2inFL]

Cliffy,

 

I don't know if you were using NCL for air travel, but we just got the flight booking we requested (non-stop Barcelona-Miami) for April 2013 cruise.

 

There was a modest deviation differential fee per person.

 

We were able to choose exit row seats, but NCL doesn't officially ticket us on flight until after final payment (Jan 20th for Apr 20th cruise.)

 

We should get tickets for return air apx 60 days prior to cruise.

[slidergirl]

I wouldn't count on AA to be around in May. They are heading towards bankruptcy again and there are rumors that US Airways would like to pick at the carcass:eek: There is a one-stop Air Berlin flight BCN-MIA The going Economy price for that one is in the mid $800 range. Sounds like that is the one that NCL may put you on...

The other advice about contacting the airline as soon as you know the flight is excellent! You are getting a consolidator fare via NCL. The airline will leave you for last for your seat assignment. You have to be proactive and call them ASAP and get your own seats. Otherwise, if you do get Premium Air, you may end up rows apart on opposite sides of the plane. If you are in cattle car, you may end up in the middle middle seats, 20+ rows away from each other. And, no one is going to want to switch their aisle or window seat for a middle seat on a TATL flight so you and your SO can sit together...

[Us2inFL]

I'm not experienced in having a cruise line handle air travel and NCL can't predict whether an airline is going to be in business seven months from now, things change so quickly.

 

However, we do have a confirmed flight on AA 113, it shows up on the airline's online booking site, and I called the airline and they'll hold the seats we selected as long as the cruise line holds the reservation.

 

NCL stated flat out they only use prime carriers.

[slidergirl]

I'm not experienced in having a cruise line handle air travel and NCL can't predict whether an airline is going to be in business seven months from now, things change so quickly.

 

However, we do have a confirmed flight on AA 113, it shows up on the airline's online booking site, and I called the airline and they'll hold the seats we selected as long as the cruise line holds the reservation.

 

NCL stated flat out they only use prime carriers.

 

You are lucky. But, I would still closely monitor the AA situation. If something does happen, consolidator seats will most likely be toward the bottom of the re-accomodation chain...

[time2cruise1]

I wouldn't count on AA to be around in May. They are heading towards bankruptcy again and there are rumors that US Airways would like to pick at the carcass:eek: There is a one-stop Air Berlin flight BCN-MIA The going Economy price for that one is in the mid $800 range. Sounds like that is the one that NCL may put you on...

The other advice about contacting the airline as soon as you know the flight is excellent! You are getting a consolidator fare via NCL. The airline will leave you for last for your seat assignment. You have to be proactive and call them ASAP and get your own seats. Otherwise, if you do get Premium Air, you may end up rows apart on opposite sides of the plane. If you are in cattle car, you may end up in the middle middle seats, 20+ rows away from each other. And, no one is going to want to switch their aisle or window seat for a middle seat on a TATL flight so you and your SO can sit together...

 

Air Berlin might not be a lower risk. Not far behind AA. That said I am booked on Air Berlin in April. Hard to pass up a $349 one way fare Miami to Germany.

 

http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/air-berlin-sliding-towards-bankcrupcy-due-to-airport-delays-a-850627.html

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk - Jim

[Us2inFL]

Slidergirl,

 

Thank you for the info, I'll keep my eyes peeled.