celebrity

[az201013]

Is it really cheaper to book a flight and a hotel through the cruise line?

[jelayne]

Depends upon where you are flying to and from. Celebrity’s Choice Air normally has excellent fares on international flights but I haven’t found their prices on domestic flights to be any saving over booking direct with the airlines.

[I_r_a]

Ditto

 

Ira

[upwarduk]

One way flights are said to be very competitive.

[helen haywood]

I can’t imagine a cruise line’s hotel could ever be cheaper or better than what you could find on your own. Now if the hotel was in the Far East or such and included transfers that might be different.

 

 

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[Gonzo70]

Hotels are usually MUCH MUCH more expensive through the cruise line (at least for North American made bookings - not sure if elsewhere offers more competitive rates). The price for the hotel is per/person, not per/night. For one-way international airfare you can often receive great discounts as compared to booking directly with the airline, but realize you are likely getting 'specially negotiated fares (i.e. consolidator tickets) - they essentially work the same as normal tickets if everything goes smoothly, but may carry significant additional restrictions and/or bottom priority for accommodation on another flight in case one's flight is cancelled or a connection missed. As such it is prudent to build in extra wiggle room if taking advantage of these low fares.

[Luvcrusn]

We often find savings when booking through Choice air for our flights when they are open ended (ie flying to Europe returning from Florida), and no savings when booking round trip. As for hotel bookings through Celebrity, I'd wholeheartedly agree with Gonzo70. Since they are per person, and not per night the bookings through Celebrity are often at least twice the price that I can book at the same hotel on my own. (I have on occasion done that.)

[George C]

agree hotels no, Europe flights yes

[grandgeezer]

Depends upon where you are flying to and from. Celebrity’s Choice Air normally has excellent fares on international flights but I haven’t found their prices on domestic flights to be any saving over booking direct with the airlines.

 

For years I used to believe this too, except until the end of January of this year. I was looking for two first class tickets from Phoenix to Ft. Lauderdale, round trip in October. After checking Choice Air, just for kicks, I priced it out on American Airlines site. AA wanted $80 p.p. less than Choice Air, for the exact same flights. I've checked several times, for different cruises, since then and haven't been able to duplicate it. One way flights to/from Europe for transAtlantics, not even close. Choice Air by a mile, usually 1/3 to 1/4 the price from the airlines. No fluke, we've done it six times with the same results.

[Hydrokitty]

Is it really cheaper to book a flight and a hotel through the cruise line?

 

Generally speaking hotels are NOT cheaper when booked through the cruise line....air fare on the other hand can be substantially less but it depends on where you're going and where you live. For example: I live in NY with a regional airport nearby. If I'm taking a cruise out of anywhere in the US I can fly from my local airport on SW for less than any of the legacy airlines and I don't have to pay for things like luggage, peanuts or my seat....BUT if I'm sailing from a European port I can save up to $1000 or more, per person, flying business class on airlines like Lufthansa, KLM, Virgin Atlantic and I get to choose my airline, my flights and my seat. I even get loyalty points but most of all, I get to use their lounge and upper class passenger line through security.

[phoenix_dream]

Our experience when checking is that hotels are definitely not cheaper. Airfare for domestic US flights not cheaper either - have never tried it for flying overseas.