Planning my first cruise

[Ali70]

Would you recommend booking flights and cruise together or should I just book separately if I can get a better deal that way. It's just that I heard it's better to book them together in case you miss your flight or your luggage goes missing.

[celbercrz333]

Do your homework online. See what good deals are out there for flights. Find a cruise you want to do by going to any of the popular cruise/flight/hotel sites and then call the 1 800 number of that cruise line and see if they can match it or do better. Most of the time, they will give you the same price, but upgrade your cabin selection if you are booking several months in advance. I'm willing to bet if you ask the cruiseline direct and then make your own flight reservations online, you'll come out ahead. But then that's just my opinion. I've never used any of the online travel sites to actually book a vacation. Maybe other people on this message board can tell you what their experience is towards online cruise/flight/hotel site reservations.

[KruznKel]

I am cruising for the 1st time next March.. I booked our cabin thru Carnival.. but I booked our Air/Hotel myself.. I did this because we are doing a pre/post stay in Miami.. As I understand if you book with the Cruiseline you arrive the sameday or day after the ship leaves and leave the sameday/nextday the ship docks.. (I maybe mistaken but that is what I have gathered from these boards). If you book separately makesure to get travel insurance all the same.. Happy Planning!!

[hajekfam]

We have done air with cruiseline and on our own. It depends on when and where we are flying. On a transatlantic, it is ususally cheaper to do cruise air because you need 2 one ways - home to Europe, Florida to home for example. On our first trans, we booked the cruise air & hotel package for Barcelona. On our second, we booked the cruise air arriving in Barcelona 3 days early and booked the hotel on our own.

Our TA usually books our cruise including air and then we both look around for cheaper air. If we find cheaper flights, she cancels our air. You usually can cancel the air portion up until final payment with no penalty. At least this way we have air.

If we are embarking and disembarking from the same port, we usually do our own air. We would only do the cruise air in these circumstances if we were flying in the day of embarkation in the winter (we live in Chicago and can't guarantee that we wouldn't be snowed in), or the cruise fare was cheaper. If you book the cruise air and miss the ship because of late or cancelled flight, they will help you catch up to the ship if at all possible.

[serene56]

I am sure you could buy airfare for almost 50% cheaper if not more if you did it yourself. We live in Phila. and Carnival wants 350 to fly to Tampa. I found it for 123. pp. It makes a lot of sense to fly in the day before so you can enjoy the first day of your cruise without travel jet lag. Hotels can be found quite cheaply using priceline.

[CaptData]

It also depends where you are going and if open jaw may be required. Ie if you are doing full Panama Canal then if my be cheaper with the Cruise line but if you are going to and from same port ie Maimi then you can book you own flight cheaper and get insurance from somewhere other the cruiseline too. I agree book one day ahead and stay in hotel overnight so if flight is late or bags delayed you have the extra day.

[Honeygram]

We are flying into Seattle, tour bus to Vancouver to catch cruise ship, touring norhtwest and flying out of Salt Lake City, Utah. We booked our own flights for half the price the tour people wanted to charge us.

[cubfan49]

We booked our flights direct with the airline, saved a bunch over what the travel agency offered.

[Happy ks]

So, you see there are variables. One way tickets may be cheaper through the cruiseline, round trip are usually cheaper on your own. You have to price out what is best for you.

 

If you are worried about luggage getting misplaced, pack an extra outfit (shorts/Tshirt) in your carry on. Cross pack with your travbel companion in case one suitcase goes missing. Fly in the day before, if you can in any way manage it. Travel day is full of stress and that is not how you want to start your vacation. We have always been able to book flights so much cheaper than cruiseline airfare that even getting a room hotel room and meals doesn't come up to the cost of cruiseline airfare. Usually we are able to get the best online price through the airline itself, Expedia, Travelocity, etc...charge a fee to book the tickets. It is a myth that the cruise ship will wait for their air pax, that only happens when it is a brief wait and there are numerous pax being held up. If they have to catch you up to the ship at the nest port, sure they pay for it, but if you have travel insurance it will also be paid for. Take your cell phone along and airline phone numbers in case of any problems, you won't have to stand in a ticket line that way.

 

But travel insurance separate from the cruiseline, www.insuremytrip.com will give you comparisons.

 

Have fun planning!

[megr1125]

I did my own air...much cheaper. But it depends on the embarkation point. You are flying from Ireland so cruise air may be a decent price. If you do your own, allow a day or 2 pre and a day or 2 post to prevent mad dashes to/from the pier. Plus, if you are sailing from say, Miami, the airport is probably crazy on Saturday and Sunday with all the arriving and departing passengers!

 

Let us know if you need more info

[clackey]

You should never worry about little things such as losing your luggage. On a cruise you can go semi-naked, with the exception of formal night, and this is one of the reasons that God made credit cards. You can buy a whole new wardrobe.:D

 

Don't sweat the small stuff.

Clackey