Flights for transatlantic Cruises

[biotech]

We are sailing on Riviera for the April 2016 transatlantic cruise. In the past I have usually had the "free" airfare removed from the booking and taken the credit to book flights with better times and connections.

 

However, this time I am having problems booking our return flight from Barcelona to Toronto. The lowest priced economy fares are not showing up on the Air Canada booking web site and fares begin at over $4,000! That's approximately the cost of the 14 day cruise.

 

Does anyone have any suggestions for booking a one way flight home from Europe?

[sammiedawg]

Check Icelandic Air, I'm not Canadian but I believe they fly to Toronto. It may be worthwhile to take a quick Easy Jet to one of their gateways.

[Flatbush Flyer]

We are sailing on Riviera for the April 2016 transatlantic cruise. In the past I have usually had the "free" airfare removed from the booking and taken the credit to book flights with better times and connections.

 

 

 

However, this time I am having problems booking our return flight from Barcelona to Toronto. The lowest priced economy fares are not showing up on the Air Canada booking web site and fares begin at over $4,000! That's approximately the cost of the 14 day cruise.

 

 

 

Does anyone have any suggestions for booking a one way flight home from Europe?

 

 

Use the ITA search engine app for price verification and register at exitfares.com for deals notifications that scan multiple flight watching sites. Consider "nearby" airports (though transfers and puddle jumps can be a real hassle).

 

Also, check fares both as multi-city and one-way. NOTE: If you're only flying one way (return after cruise from your non fly-in home port), look at round trip airfares from and then back to that disembarkation port (Use outbound portion and consider options fir "return" later).

Edited December 5, 2015 by Flatbush Flyer

[LHT28]

I would pay the deviation fee with O & get the flights you want

 

Since the cruise does not sail from Toronto how are you getting to Miami ??

 

You can book both legs & fly in early & leave later for the $175 PP fee

 

Work with your TA (if you used one) or the air deviation dept to come up with flights that work for you

 

sometimes Oceania air works better

Edited December 5, 2015 by LHT28

[Hawaiidan]

This is a clear case to take the air provided.....you will not find a cheaper coach.. If you had miles that is the only other option

 

I think O has the advantage because the distances are too large for an open jaw ticket and one way tickets to or from Europe are usually the same as the rt fare.... (double)

 

flying out of Lyon or Zurich will have more options too Great TGV connections to all of Europe

 

However by insisting on flying to Toronto you are limiting your self.... try looking at New York or Chicago and then buying a air ticket ...or rent a car take the train......lots of options by not locking into Toronto

[StanandJim]

This is a clear case to take the air provided.....you will not find a cheaper coach.. If you had miles that is the only other option

 

I think O has the advantage because the distances are too large for an open jaw ticket and one way tickets to or from Europe are usually the same as the rt fare.... (double)

 

flying out of Lyon or Zurich will have more options too Great TGV connections to all of Europe

 

However by insisting on flying to Toronto you are limiting your self.... try looking at New York or Chicago and then buying a air ticket ...or rent a car take the train......lots of options by not locking into Toronto

 

+1

Dan puts a great deal of effort into his research, but it is ALWAYS, 100% of the time, a good idea to price ones Air arrangements privately AND through Oceania.

 

Every once in a while, they have a "deal" which could not be bettered.

 

You have to know about it to take advantage of it, and pricing their option costs nothing except the time which it takes to ask for it.

[kerryincork]

One way fares are often twice the price of a return airfare. Check out a return air fares from Barcelona to see of they are cheaper.

[kerryincork]

Just did a dummy booking through ebookers, and it showing return flights Barcelona to Toronto for €530 p.p. return with air Canada with 1 flight change. Leaving on sat 16th of April.

[LHT28]

flying out of Lyon or Zurich will have more options too Great TGV connections to all of Europe

 

However by insisting on flying to Toronto you are limiting your self.... try looking at New York or Chicago and then buying a air ticket ...or rent a car take the train......lots of options by not locking into Toronto

for me I would pay extra to fly nonstop or direct to YYZ

doing the convolutions you suggest would be a major PITA :eek:

 

YMMV

[PaulMCO]

Second the "Use the ITA Matrix site.."

 

Was able to find flights for C$1326 for the 10th and 26th on AC down and Aer Lingus return

[Catherine721]

Have you tried Air Canada Rouge - they fly non stop Toronto to Barcelona and Barcelona to Toronto. In November we flew with Rouge - Tango. We then did a Trans Atlantic on Riviera to Miami. We also used Rouge from Ft. Lauderdale home (arrived home last night).

 

Our flight to Barcelona in November was $417.00. We did not take Oceania Air and booked this ourselves. I just checked the Air Canada website and yes, indeed the flight says $4000.00 plus. If you click on Return flight and book a dummy return flight you can get the return are for under $1000.00.

 

Worthwhile checking out. Air Canada Rouge is an economy branch of Air Canada and not all that bad - especially if you book Premium Economy. And the benefit is that it is direct.

 

Give it a try.

 

Linda

[LHT28]

Worthwhile checking out. Air Canada Rouge is an economy branch of Air Canada and not all that bad - especially if you book Premium Economy. And the benefit is that it is direct.

 

Give it a try.

 

Linda

 

That is the kicker you need to take the upper categories Premium Rouge or Rouge Plus otherwise sardine city

http://flyrouge.com/

 

A 3hr flight from FLL is bearable but no on a transatlantic flight

[Hawaiidan]

currently if you get a AA credit card j join their FF program and spend 3000 on the card within 90 days you get 50,000 miles...actualy 53,000 miles. AND theyhave a miles sale fo 0.019 cents to buy miles..

So you could get a free or low cost business class or coach.... Part of that purchase of 3000 could be charging your cruise or making a payment and picking up some miles....make every dime count...its your money

 

 

Just an option to think about and ask Am I going to cruise internationally in thefuture?

Would it be nice to have a resource that builds and builds with every dollar, crusing, groceries, gas, etc that you spend.... it all starts with afirst move.. Those of us who started years ago very seldom if ever pay for any vacation flight...business or first class. AND you know air fares are not going down in thefuture.............Food for thought

 

By the way How did we get talking about animal rights and Pita?????

Very confusing

[Silver Sweethearts]

By the way How did we get talking about animal rights and Pita?????

Very confusing

 

Tell us you are joking.

[biotech]

You have all been so helpful with your suggestions and I am thankful for your help.

 

I gave a question about booking the "dummy" return flights. If I booked flights from Barcelona to Toronto and then booked a dummy return flight from Toronto to Barcelona leaving the next week do I simply just not take the 2nd flight? Do immigration officials understand what I'm doing?

 

If I decide to take the Oceania air how much can I expect to pay in deviation fees? I want to fly to Miami on the day before the cruise leaves and spend a few extra days in Barcelona after the cruise. Will I be able to request certain flights once I've paid the deviation fees and get the routing easiest for me or are there still more fees that would have to be paid?

[Toranut97]

You have all been so helpful with your suggestions and I am thankful for your help.

 

I gave a question about booking the "dummy" return flights. If I booked flights from Barcelona to Toronto and then booked a dummy return flight from Toronto to Barcelona leaving the next week do I simply just not take the 2nd flight? Do immigration officials understand what I'm doing?

 

If I decide to take the Oceania air how much can I expect to pay in deviation fees? I want to fly to Miami on the day before the cruise leaves and spend a few extra days in Barcelona after the cruise. Will I be able to request certain flights once I've paid the deviation fees and get the routing easiest for me or are there still more fees that would have to be paid?

 

There is a flat deviation fee - $175 US per pax. Period. I speak only from our experience, but we have always paid the deviation fee, and were able to negotiate the flights we wanted through O (with the assistance of our TA, I should mention).

 

Good luck

Donna

[tropicalkerry2002]

no personal experience, but I believe I read somewhere that if you book a return ticket only intending to use the RETURN portion, and don't show up for the OUTBOUND leg, that the airline cancels the RETURN portion.

 

I don't know what would happen if you take the OUTBOUND leg, and don't show up for the RETURN portion.

 

However, I would be afraid to do so, incase the airline blackballs me! And with AC being one of our 2 main choices here in Canada, I wouldn't want to risk it!

 

And I never even thought about the consequences with immigration etc.

 

Check into the deviation. We have taken many deviations with Oceania, and chosen our flights, and only once did we have to pay a price differential as well as the deviation fee, and it was only $100 per person.

 

Good luck!

Edited December 6, 2015 by tropicalkerry2002

[LHT28]

If I decide to take the Oceania air how much can I expect to pay in deviation fees? I want to fly to Miami on the day before the cruise leaves and spend a few extra days in Barcelona after the cruise. Will I be able to request certain flights once I've paid the deviation fees and get the routing easiest for me or are there still more fees that would have to be paid?

The deviation fee as stated is $175 PP non refundable once you confirm the flights they offer you are OK

When looking at flights to Miami & back from BCN use the muliti city tab to check pricing & routes

A lot of us use this site to check the routes & airlines to see what works for us

http://matrix.itasoftware.com/

 

 

If you are going to play the game of booking a round trip from BCN

You book the ticket BCN to YYZ then the return YYZ to BCN

then just do not use the YYZ to BCN ticket

 

I am with Tropicalkerry if you fly AC a lot i would not try it ....they can come back & charge you the full one way fare if they choose to

 

JMO

 

Lyn

[LHT28]

just wanted to say love your photo

 

Not long now & you are FREE :D

 

 

Lyn

[tropicalkerry2002]

17 more days, 10 of them working!

 

I know I will miss it but

 

FREEDOM!!!

Edited December 6, 2015 by tropicalkerry2002

[LHT28]

17 more days, 10 of them working!

 

I know I will miss it but

 

FREEDOM!!!

Enjoy

:D

[Mura]

It's been at least 10 years since we booked a round trip flight and only used the first portion of it, maybe even 15. But these were always short intra-european flights. I wouldn't want to try it with a long flight ...

 

For the record, they never came after us even though we know they don't want you to do it!

[rallydave]

You have all been so helpful with your suggestions and I am thankful for your help.

 

I gave a question about booking the "dummy" return flights. If I booked flights from Barcelona to Toronto and then booked a dummy return flight from Toronto to Barcelona leaving the next week do I simply just not take the 2nd flight? Do immigration officials understand what I'm doing?

 

If I decide to take the Oceania air how much can I expect to pay in deviation fees? I want to fly to Miami on the day before the cruise leaves and spend a few extra days in Barcelona after the cruise. Will I be able to request certain flights once I've paid the deviation fees and get the routing easiest for me or are there still more fees that would have to be paid?

 

You've been given bits of this process, will try to pull it all together and give you a complete answer.

 

You don't pay the deviation fees unless or until you and Oceania agree on a routing and what, if anything over and above the deviation fee you might have to pay. You can go back and forth with Oceania until you find a routing and price, if any that you are comfortable with. Simply find several itineraries and prioritize them and provide this list to your TA and see what Oceania comes back with. You are under no obligation to deviate if you begin this process and can simply say no and go with their included flights. It is impossible to say what you might have to pay over and above the $175 per person deviation fee as prices change daily but, once you agree, and pay the fee you are locked in. If you later decide you want to change, you start the process over again and again pay the deviation fee.

 

As to those who are concerned about taking the first of a round trip itinerary and not the return. Simply phone the airline or go online and cancel the return flight. Assuming you bought a non-refundable flight, you simply lose your money for the second flight and everyone is happy. You also might be able to get the value of the second flight by paying the cancellation fee but, not sure how that would work since they might revalue your initial flight at the one way price and you end up at zero. Not sure but, don't believe cancelling a return flight has any risk to the passenger.

[Sopwith]

no personal experience, but I believe I read somewhere that if you book a return ticket only intending to use the RETURN portion, and don't show up for the OUTBOUND leg, that the airline cancels the RETURN portion.

 

I don't know what would happen if you take the OUTBOUND leg, and don't show up for the RETURN portion.

 

However, I would be afraid to do so, incase the airline blackballs me! And with AC being one of our 2 main choices here in Canada, I wouldn't want to risk it!

 

And I never even thought about the consequences with immigration etc.

 

Check into the deviation. We have taken many deviations with Oceania, and chosen our flights, and only once did we have to pay a price differential as well as the deviation fee, and it was only $100 per person.

 

Good luck!

 

If you no-show for a flight the airline will cancel everything following on the same ticket. Hence, you can get away with booking a round trip and missing the return. If you do it once, or even occasionally the airline will not do anything. If you do it repeatedly, AND they notice, they MIGHT come after you for the fare difference, but highly unlikely. I've done a lot of flying and I would have no hesitation in doing it.

 

I would avoid Rouge at all costs unless you can afford PE or better.

[BenMurphy]

You have all been so helpful with your suggestions and I am thankful for your help.

 

I gave a question about booking the "dummy" return flights. If I booked flights from Barcelona to Toronto and then booked a dummy return flight from Toronto to Barcelona leaving the next week do I simply just not take the 2nd flight? Do immigration officials understand what I'm doing?

 

If I decide to take the Oceania air how much can I expect to pay in deviation fees? I want to fly to Miami on the day before the cruise leaves and spend a few extra days in Barcelona after the cruise. Will I be able to request certain flights once I've paid the deviation fees and get the routing easiest for me or are there still more fees that would have to be paid?

 

A few years back we sailed Lisbon/ending in NewYork on Regatta,We booked a single UK/Portugal .Coming back our agent booked us NY/Manchester (business first )and economy Manchester/NY. We simply did not use the return portion. Airlines bank on "no shows" and customs don't have to be told .

If Iceland Air fly from Barcelona think about going home via Reykjavik and spending a couple of days there before your return to Toronto.Iceland Air offer this on their web page.

Good Luck

regards

Josie