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Have to cancel... airfare is a nightmare!!

Last Salmon Man

By Last Salmon Man,
in Carnival Cruise Lines

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JinxyB

JinxyB

Posted
Posted

I can commiserate with you regarding the ridiculous airfare. I'm going on the Breeze from Miami leaving Feb 27, 2016. RT airfare to Miami or FLL from RDU is usually around $250. The price for this time frame is $600-700! I'm not sure why the high airfare, especially when it is not Spring Break. I could not even get a good price on Southwest and they didn't have the times that would work for me, either.

 

I ended up booking 2 separate one-way tickets. I paid about $200 for a one-way to Miami on AA and used my Delta Sky Miles for a 'free' ticket from FLL on the way home. I'm really glad I booked when I did because that same one-way to Miami has gone up over $100! I booked RT airfare from RDU to FLL for a trip in May for like $206pp. Go figure.

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LuckyZ

LuckyZ

Posted
Posted
Lots of Black Friday airfare sales today!

Take a look.

 

Mark Twain says "The rumors of cheap flights have been greatly exaggerated"

 

Been looking myself for cheap flights for a cruise next May and today's prices are same as they have been all week

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6rugrats

6rugrats

Posted
Posted
I can commiserate with you regarding the ridiculous airfare. I'm going on the Breeze from Miami leaving Feb 27, 2016. RT airfare to Miami or FLL from RDU is usually around $250. The price for this time frame is $600-700! I'm not sure why the high airfare, especially when it is not Spring Break.

Because your travel is during midwinter break for many U.S. Schools.

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FTLCruiseGal

FTLCruiseGal

Posted
Posted
I can commiserate with you regarding the ridiculous airfare. I'm going on the Breeze from Miami leaving Feb 27, 2016. RT airfare to Miami or FLL from RDU is usually around $250. The price for this time frame is $600-700! I'm not sure why the high airfare, especially when it is not Spring Break. I could not even get a good price on Southwest and they didn't have the times that would work for me, either.

 

I ended up booking 2 separate one-way tickets. I paid about $200 for a one-way to Miami on AA and used my Delta Sky Miles for a 'free' ticket from FLL on the way home. I'm really glad I booked when I did because that same one-way to Miami has gone up over $100! I booked RT airfare from RDU to FLL for a trip in May for like $206pp. Go figure.

 

Prices are probably that expensive as that is when Food & Wine Festival is taking place in Miami Beach.

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Sparky2

Sparky2

Posted
Posted
There are a lot of posts here, who seem to think, there is some kind of magic time frame that prices are going to drop. Several references to "waiting", yep- it has always dropped for me- and my ONE time past situation- but I am going to tell you, it will happen for you too. :)

 

Nothing further from the truth. There is NO way to predict any - future prices or availability of airline seats.

 

I find it interesting- with the above thinking- BUT- what's going to happen- when, people do "wait"- now it is past final payment- AND the flights have gone up? Still wait?

 

All the "best" price thinking is hindsight. NOTHING to do with the future.

 

I agree with you.

 

We booked our airfare for our 1/9/16 - 1/23/6 (B2B) last February from DTW to MIA. Paid $328.20. Current price for the times we want are now $552.20. We're about 41 days till cruise date.

 

This is for a direct flight on Delta. We don't have to pay the baggage fees on Delta because we have their AmEx Platinum card. We do pay a fee for it, but since I fly 3 X a year & my DH flies once a year it evens out. Plus we get an annual free companion fare.

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JinxyB

JinxyB

Posted
Posted
Prices are probably that expensive as that is when Food & Wine Festival is taking place in Miami Beach

 

I figured there was some type of event in Miami that weekend but just never got around to looking it up. I usually cruise the first week of March every year and have never encountered such extreme prices for flights.

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Budget Queen

Budget Queen

Posted
Posted

WHAT is going to happen to those "waiting" posters, who HOPE their fares are going to drop- because "in the past they were, never that high"????? (which has NOTHING to do with the future fares)

 

 

There are good chances the fares are NOT going to drop. What then? You aren't going to go? You are going to drive, and incur meal, gas, lodging, lack of sleep, inconvenience? You are going to pay the higher fare?

 

Better think ahead and be prepared for those decisions.

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Shipbound

Shipbound

Posted
Posted (edited)
Any time you want to fly to Florida in Jan, Feb, Mar. Is gonna be expensive because it is snowbird season.

 

Like I said I'm going in April and the cost of the fare with SW is still over 900.00 Dollars R/T from BDL to FLL. How could families afford that?

 

Gary

Edited by Shipbound
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  • 1 month later...
Last Salmon Man

Last Salmon Man

Posted
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Update from the OP. We have looked for months, checking every option I can think of... nothing reasonable so we called carnival and canceled. Was hoping they would allow us to transfer our $200 deposit, but no luck. Learned a valuable lesson... next time we will check airfare before we pull the trigger on booking a cruise. Wife now wants a new kitchen, so looks like we wont be cruising this year. thanks to all of you who provided great advice and suggestions! We will be back next year!

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mumtopugs

mumtopugs

Posted
Posted (edited)
Do not fly to Tampa for a cruise out of Miami . it may seem like an easy drive but route 4 is an awful road . It cuts across Florida from Tampa to Orlando and passes all the disney parks . The traffic is horrendous and there are always accidents on that road . Fly into Fort Lauderdale or West Palm or anywhere but Tampa .

 

 

We went 75 south from Tampa across "alligator alley" and had no issues. You're right that 4 is a beast, but you can avoid it if you're willing to see nothing but marsh for several hours [emoji2]

 

Sorry for your luck OP!!!

Edited by mumtopugs
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zdcatc12

zdcatc12

Posted
Posted
We went 75 south from Tampa across "alligator alley" and had no issues. You're right that 4 is a beast, but you can avoid it if you're willing to see nothing but marsh for several hours [emoji2]

 

Sorry for your luck OP!!!

 

Not sure why they would have wanted to take I-4 from Tampa to Orlando anyway, to catch the Turnpike? It is 60 miles out of the way. Agree with your route if going from Tampa.

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Roscoe13

Roscoe13

Posted
Posted
Update from the OP. We have looked for months, checking every option I can think of... nothing reasonable so we called carnival and canceled. Was hoping they would allow us to transfer our $200 deposit, but no luck. Learned a valuable lesson... next time we will check airfare before we pull the trigger on booking a cruise. Wife now wants a new kitchen, so looks like we wont be cruising this year. thanks to all of you who provided great advice and suggestions! We will be back next year!

 

Best of luck on the new kitchen!!

 

We remodeled/updated the kitchen 2.5 years ago...$23k later the DW is a happy camper.

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vwrestler171

vwrestler171

Posted
Posted
Update from the OP. We have looked for months, checking every option I can think of... nothing reasonable so we called carnival and canceled. Was hoping they would allow us to transfer our $200 deposit, but no luck. Learned a valuable lesson... next time we will check airfare before we pull the trigger on booking a cruise. Wife now wants a new kitchen, so looks like we wont be cruising this year. thanks to all of you who provided great advice and suggestions! We will be back next year!

 

 

As a fellow Utahn, I have recently found out that if you book flight the day or sometime the first week that they are released by the airline (generally 330days) I have been finding flights from SLC-FLL MIA- SLC for under $300/pp. I've been watching flights for about 5-6 months and that's the trend I have seen. I'm hoping it stays the same so I can get cheap flights to my Vista cruise.

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shipbound2

shipbound2

Posted
Posted (edited)

I'm from Ct and usually fly to FLL. This April I will be going on the Breeze from the 9 to the 17. The fare on S.W is 600.00 RT and the fare on jetblue is 800.00 RT. How can a family afford these prices plus the cruise fare. If I wasn't using my miles I probably wouldn't have gone.

 

Gary

Edited by shipbound2
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cjrs

cjrs

Posted
Posted (edited)
I'm from Ct and usually fly to FLL. This April I will be going on the Breeze from the 9 to the 17. The fare on S.W is 600.00 RT and the fare on jetblue is 800.00 RT. How can a family afford these prices plus the cruise fare. If I wasn't using my miles I probably wouldn't have gone.

 

Gary

 

they cant...that why no one fly's out of bdl when lga is half that price. going on sunshine during april break and picked up airfare for 250 rt before i booked the cruise.... just need to deal with the 2 hour drive

 

key message find a cruise you want but commit the airfare before the cruise

Edited by cjrs
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