How satisfied were you with Celebrity air travel

[need2bespoiled]

 

If you're not already aware, do your homework with regard to a premium economy product. The product varies widely between U.S. and foreign carriers, with the foreign product being usually being far superior. For example, United and Delta premium economy is nothing more than extra legroom and is still situated in the economy cabin. On many foreign carriers, premium economy has it's own dedicated cabin separate from economy as well as wider seats (for instance 6-7 seats across compared to 9 or 10 in economy on a wide-body aircraft). Again, do your homework and know what you're buying! Chances are a minimum amount of research will put you in a more knowledgable position than anyone in the cruise air department!

 

Good luck and have a wonderful cruise.

 

The same can be said for First and Business classes. U.S. airlines lag way behind in both hard and more so in the soft product, especially compared to Asian and Middle Eastern based carriers. They still lag behind most European carriers, but not by as much.

 

Happy sailing (and Flying),

Jenna

[alcpa1]

For more specific information about cruise air programs please check out the Cruise Air Forum right here on Cruise Critic.

There are many opinions presented but the Sticky on the Cruise Air forum and the advice of the true air warriors will be of great assistance.

[Dick in Falls Church]

We have used ChoiceAir several times and they did quote us the best prices. However, this last trip (Solstice 8 day Alaska) was a complete disaster. Probably not ChoiceAir's fault, but I have an opinion.

Booked Orl to Vancouver and return Seattle to Orl (direct) about a year prior to our cruise. A couple of months prior to cruise United Air changed our return from direct return flight to Orl to a stop over in Washington DC. I called ChoiceAir and the response I got was "sorry, we have no control over UA flight changes".

On the morning of our departure from Orlando, I get a text message from United that we have been delayed 3 hrs due to "crew availability". Of course that screwed our Denver connection and was told we would have a 7.5 hr wait in Denver. So, 1st day in Vancouver is shot.

Now here comes the "kick while we are down" moment....the morning of departure from Seattle we were texted by United that our flight to DC was delayed due to "crew availability". So we would have the same missed connection in DC and another big wait. We finally got ahold of United to change the flight from Seattle to Chicago to Orlando. But wait, the worst thunder storm to hit O'Hara cancelled all flights out of Chicago. Only flight to Orlando would be next morning with stop in Houston! No rooms available, 12 sleepless hours at O'Hara.

Now my thoughts on this whole fiasco....While I do think ChoiceAir is correct about changes made by airlines after initial bookings thru them, does anybody think that the great pricing we get thru ChoiceAir puts us at a great disadvantage with the airlines? We all know about airline overbookings and maybe the fact we did pay such a good price bumped us down the totem pole to be replaced by a different plane full of higher priced ticket holders. I don't know....I hope this is not the case and "crew availability" was a legit excuse. Of course, the storm was out of our control. My point is, without all the cancellations, we would never have been involved in the Chicago weather mess

Ok, my rant is officially put to rest. Soapbox back in the closet.

 

Doubt that your booking with ChoiceAir had anything to do with it. Just appears to be a function of United. Last year, United left a planeful of us waiting for 23 hours in Scotland because the plane never left the US until a day late. On the other hand, last trip was fine.

[Allis154]

I have done ChoiceAir several times. First ones were great, the last few...not so much. My next cruise/flight is booked through ChoiceAir, and if there are issues, it will be my last.

 

Last year, flight from Seattle to Halifax, booked many months in advance was switched to a different day. Thanksfully, we had loads of time on the ship to get it straightened out.

 

This past January, flights were completely messed up. We had connecting flights from Fll to Halifax, through New York...our connection flight left hours before we arrived...took forever to get that straightened out!.

[Christine Frances]

On one of the boards (maybe Cruise Air) it was pointed out that the farther out flights are booked the more likely they are to change. Flights booked at 333 days could change 4-5 times over that period. I have since checked my regular flights and Choice Air flights weekly and I also try to set up alerts on the airlines web site. If there are any changes I am not happy with I call the Airlines directly because if they make the change they have to fix it.

[boogs]

I have done ChoiceAir several times. First ones were great, the last few...not so much. My next cruise/flight is booked through ChoiceAir, and if there are issues, it will be my last.

 

Last year, flight from Seattle to Halifax, booked many months in advance was switched to a different day. Thanksfully, we had loads of time on the ship to get it straightened out.

 

This past January, flights were completely messed up. We had connecting flights from Fll to Halifax, through New York...our connection flight left hours before we arrived...took forever to get that straightened out!.

 

I suspect you would have had the same issues if you had booked through a TA or directly with the airlines. TAs or Choice Air have no control over the airline's scheduling. They can, however, assist in finding appropriate flights to correct such rescheduling changes rather than being on your own.

 

As for your January trip, was this discrepancy in connecting flight times a change, or a mistake? Whenever working with a TA or ChoiceAir, I always double check the flights to make sure they are acceptable to me. I never blindly let them make all the reservations with no oversight on my part.

Edited June 2, 2014 by boogs

[Aussie_Kiwi_Family]

We have booked choice air for one way travel from YVR to SYD next year after our B2B cruise.

The cost of the flights was a big concern when we booked the cruise!

 

I price checked and the best pricing I was able to get was through choice air - I calculated that we saved $400 per person (4 of us travelling).

[waterbug123]

does anybody think that the great pricing we get thru ChoiceAir puts us at a great disadvantage with the airlines? We all know about airline overbookings and maybe the fact we did pay such a good price bumped us down the totem pole to be replaced by a different plane full of higher priced ticket holders. I don't know....I hope this is not the case and "crew availability" was a legit excuse.

 

Obviously I can't speak for the airline but crew availability is indeed a legitimate excuse, especially in weather situations which you had. For example, often your aircraft is arriving from one city and your crew is arriving on a completely different flight from another city. The aircraft may have gotten there but the crew didn't.

 

Doubt that your booking with ChoiceAir had anything to do with it. Just appears to be a function of United.

 

It's entirely possible that the ticket seeyakids' got through Choice Air DID bump them down the totem poll for rebooking priority. The airline's frequent flyers, and higher fare passengers may well have been automatically rebooked first, while better options were still available.

[need2bespoiled]

We have used ChoiceAir several times and they did quote us the best prices. However, this last trip (Solstice 8 day Alaska) was a complete disaster. Probably not ChoiceAir's fault, but I have an opinion.

Booked Orl to Vancouver and return Seattle to Orl (direct) about a year prior to our cruise. A couple of months prior to cruise United Air changed our return from direct return flight to Orl to a stop over in Washington DC. I called ChoiceAir and the response I got was "sorry, we have no control over UA flight changes".

On the morning of our departure from Orlando, I get a text message from United that we have been delayed 3 hrs due to "crew availability". Of course that screwed our Denver connection and was told we would have a 7.5 hr wait in Denver. So, 1st day in Vancouver is shot.

Now here comes the "kick while we are down" moment....the morning of departure from Seattle we were texted by United that our flight to DC was delayed due to "crew availability". So we would have the same missed connection in DC and another big wait. We finally got ahold of United to change the flight from Seattle to Chicago to Orlando. But wait, the worst thunder storm to hit O'Hara cancelled all flights out of Chicago. Only flight to Orlando would be next morning with stop in Houston! No rooms available, 12 sleepless hours at O'Hara.

Now my thoughts on this whole fiasco....While I do think ChoiceAir is correct about changes made by airlines after initial bookings thru them, does anybody think that the great pricing we get thru ChoiceAir puts us at a great disadvantage with the airlines? We all know about airline overbookings and maybe the fact we did pay such a good price bumped us down the totem pole to be replaced by a different plane full of higher priced ticket holders. I don't know....I hope this is not the case and "crew availability" was a legit excuse. Of course, the storm was out of our control. My point is, without all the cancellations, we would never have been involved in the Chicago weather mess

Ok, my rant is officially put to rest. Soapbox back in the closet.

 

This is ashame, but does happen, and unless you are pretty high up te elite ladder, when weather causes delays, you are SOL and when the weather causes a crew or plane delay, they'll still do nothing for you.

 

While there is nothing Choice Air can do about changing your flight you did have the right, through choice air or united directly to pick a different flight at NO Penalty. I do this sometimes when it benefits me. With status, I try and get an upgrade out of it :)

 

I will say that there is no way that Choice Air is booking entire planes, so Choice air had nothing to do with the plane delays. However, your fair classes are probably bargain basement, which means, you may be very low on the list to be accomidated or get concessions, however, I have found United to be willing to rebook me on any available route when needed.

 

Here is a fare class list:

http://cwsi.net/united.htm

 

Upgrades are given out in order of status, then fare class and then date booked. If you have no status, you're behind everyone with status in that fare class.

 

FYI, Orlando is MCO, I have no idea why :)

 

Happy sailing (and flying in the future),

Jenna

[need2bespoiled]

Obviously I can't speak for the airline but crew availability is indeed a legitimate excuse, especially in weather situations which you had. For example, often your aircraft is arriving from one city and your crew is arriving on a completely different flight from another city. The aircraft may have gotten there but the crew didn't.

 

 

 

It's entirely possible that the ticket seeyakids' got through Choice Air DID bump them down the totem poll for rebooking priority. The airline's frequent flyers, and higher fare passengers may well have been automatically rebooked first, while better options were still available.

 

Didn't see your response, but yes, it is very likely. How choice air gets cheaper one way fligths than we can see is that they have access to fare classes not available to the pubilc. They're good, but come with some limitations.

 

Happy sailing,

Jenna