Book Air first?

[jtcoolk]

Hi! Just for fun I have been looking at cruises during the same time we are going next week. There have been some incredible last minute deals at this time of year. Has anyone ever booked their airfare and then waited to book cruise? For instance if I had airfare to Fort Lauderdale there is literally 8 different cruises on different cruise lines that I could sign on for and they are all priced very low.

[RD64]

Yes - since airfare from Toronto to Miami/Lauderdale can be incredibly expensive during our March Break week - I usually book the airfare in April or May for the next year. This gets me a direct flight at a decent price.

 

Since it is just a regular seven day Caribbean, there is not usually a specific ship or itinerary that I want. So I monitor the prices of ships sailing that day, and make a decision in January or February - last year I waited until mid_February and got a great solo rate.

[socialworker]

It would probably work if you didn't mind staying in FLL or MIA a few days because I'm guessing all the cruises won't be leaving on exactly the same day.

 

I actually thought about doing the same thing for Alaska because the airfare goes up but often the price of those cruises, especially early in the season or the one ways, go down.

 

If you do it, let us know how it worked.

[jtcoolk]

I'm thinking of doing it next year. There are 14 cruises that leave out of Fort Lauderdale or Miami on this Saturday and 4 that leave on Sunday. So, I would only need to book airfare for the Friday before and return on late Sunday. It would be hard to wait as I love the planning, it's half the fun!

[Birdie 0229]

I have been thinking the same thing. I enjoy a cruise in the fall and don't really have preferences on the itinerary. The rates have been fantastic these past few weeks. It would be worth a try and if it doesn't work out well for the cruise - switch the air to another time. The ticket can be used for a year from purchase.

[toberman]

I It would be worth a try and if it doesn't work out well for the cruise - switch the air to another time. The ticket can be used for a year from purchase.

 

What airline is it that will allow change of flights without a fee? Yes - they normally give a credit good for a year, but also charge a fee for any changes to the original booking. Change fees are normally around $150 - $200.

[geoherb]

Southwest doesn't charge a change fee--just the difference in price between the flights.

 

I wish I had booked our flights for next month during the summer. As it is right now, we'll end up driving down to Fort Lauderdale. Fortunately we can do that in day (about 12 hours) from central North Carolina. And since we are going during the holidays, DH has a lot of time off.

 

If it's a cruise that is not within driving distance--such as one to Alaska--I'll check out airfare and cruise fares at the same time. I will have my travel agent put a 24-hour hold on the cruise and then finalize the air before finalizing the cruise booking.

Edited November 9, 2014 by geoherb

[toberman]

Southwest doesn't charge a change fee--just the difference in price between the flights.

 

Good to know - doesn't help us since we don't have WN close by.... still good to know. Thanks. :)

[Id rather be diving]

I'm trying it this year. I bought our airline tickets the end of October for travel to Houston in January. Frontier Airlines MasterCard had a perk that you could get a companion ticket for 15,000 miles instead of the normal 20,000 miles. So, now I have my tickets and will just sit back and wait for cruise prices to fall. There are a ton of cabins left on that cruise so I am crossing my fingers that I'll get a great deal. I was going to book an inside when it was $399 a person. I see some balcony cabins on the 11/30 cruise for $459. I would be so psyched to get a deal like that!! I'm planning this trip as a surprise for my husband for our anniversary. I'll give him a card on our anniversary and tell him to pack his packs because we leave in three days!! We spent our honeymoon on the Emerald so she is near and dear to us.

[Birdie 0229]

Wonderful plan for your anniversary. Enjoy!

[caribill]

Yes - since airfare from Toronto to Miami/Lauderdale can be incredibly expensive during our March Break week - I usually book the airfare in April or May for the next year. This gets me a direct flight at a decent price.

 

 

Yes - they normally give a credit good for a year.

 

A flight booked almost 11 months in advance can be cancelled, but that year to use it is from the day booked, so the flexibility extends only for about five more weeks past the cancelled flight date.

Edited November 10, 2014 by caribill

[amusea]

This year I found a flight to FLL from Tucson one way for $192 in Sept. I grabbed it and the price has gone up ever since. The arrival date in Florida is early December and I have my choice of about six cruises in FLL and MIA including Princess, HAL, RCI, Celebrity, Oceania and Silversea. So I did book the air first and then waited for a good price on a ship that I liked. Luckily I have a lot of flexibility with my schedule and I might even take a second cruise before flying back to Arizona.

[Coral]

I did this for RT Vancouver for a B2B cruise.

 

I booked frequent flier miles and figured I could get on 1 of 2 desired ships (more for ships I couldn't care for).

 

It worked 2 years in a row.