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TO BOOK OWN AIR & HOTEL OR LET CRUISE LINE DO IT?


SISSY III

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My sister & I have taken 2 cruises sailing out of S.J. PR and we have discussed if we could handle our own airfare arrangements and Hotel reservations??. How many of the "cruise experts on the board" have done this?? Any problems?? Now you must understand we always have all our ducks in a row and go over and over the things that have to be done and need to do. Not obsessive compulsive but almost!!!

Our questions to the "experts" are these. How do we handle the baggage transfers from Hotel to the pier? do we take them thru the security and into the checkin desk at the ship terminal?? How is this handled? as we never see our luggage until we get into the cabins the 1st day?? when the cruise line make the pre night arrangements. And does anyone know how the Hotel (Marriott) handle the transfer from airport to hotel and from hotel to ship terminal?? This has been the topic of conversation with my sister and I for quite some time.

Also have you "experts" made your own air and Hotel? and how did it work for you?? WE ARE COUNTING ON OUR CRUISE CRITIC FRIENDS TO ENCOURAGE OR DISCOURAGE US IN THIS UNDERTAKING SO PLEASE GIVE US YOUR BEST ADVICE.

We think we can do this but need your input on this plan Thank all of you who respond icon_eek.gif

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Since no one has replied, I'll try to help, but don't consider myself an expert. We have also done 2 cruise and have a third one planned. To sum it up: The first time we cruised, booked airfare and hotel myself. Flew into BWI, the four of us for less than the cruise was going to charge. Hotel's shuttle picked us up. Next morning the hotel called us a taxi, when we got to the port someone with the cruiseline took our luggage from the taxi and we went into the terminal. Note Galaxy was the only ship sailing so didn't worry too much about our bags. Other people were also leaving their luggage there. On departure, we grabbed a taxi (this was somewhat a mess-no organization); would have had the taxi that dropped us come back and get us but the terminal would not allow him to get us unless we prepaid. Second trip, let Celebrity do it all, room and cruise. The airfare for us to Vancouver was the same regardless to who made the reservation, granted the hotel was more. It also included transfers. We cruised first, then hotel. The transfers aren't great as we had to wait for the bus to be full from airport to ship, and then from the hotel to the airport we had tickets to ride a bus that goes from hotel to hotel (which would have only been $5.00CA). The transfer from the ship to hotel was also a bus, but it filled quickly since everyone was departing at the same time. Third cruise-let them do it all. Priced airfare and it was cheaper from them, although the hotel was more (but not much). It was worth the convenience for them to do it all. So if I were going to SJ, I would price everything out then make the decision.

 

I'm sure you can do it yourself, you sound very competent.icon_biggrin.gif

 

Happy Sailing!

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We sailed out of Rochester, NY last January and booked our air on JetBlue,leaving on a Friday and our room through Priceline, (got The Normandie but would rather have had the Caribe Hilton) and it couldn't have been smoother. Saturday morning we got up went for a walk, adn then hung out by the Normandie's pool until about 11, checked out at noon, and took a $10 cab ride over to the pier. We were close to being the first people on the ship it was great.

When we arrived back in San Juan the following Saturday, instead of getting herded onto a bus like everyone does with the vouchers from the cruise lines, we just got a cab and went straight to the airport. Great thing about this is you get to the airport more quickly and your luggage is never really out of you sight.

If I'm not mistaken, all trips to and from the San Juan airport are a flat rate,

Have a great trip.

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icon_cool.gifThank You to all who replied to my inquiry. I really think we CAN do all the arranging ourselves, and I agree it is so much easier to let the travel agent handle all the "arranging" and just sit back and relax but if we think we can SAVE a great deal of money, it might be worth it to try. Will have to just go on the puter and research the prices and weigh the info, and make the plans. Again thank you to those who replied I knew I could count on the Cruise Critic travelers and experts!! icon_cool.gif
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