ONE WAY TRANSATLANTIC (E or W) AFFORDABLE OPTIONS?

[Sirlancelot]

Greetings! 

Since 2012 I have used Air 2 Sea Royal Caribbean to get those one way fares  from  US  to Europe/Scandinavia to get to my Transatlantic cruise to then cruise home

 

In 2019 I'm looking at fares FROM EUROPE for after  the March W-E transatlantic we booked on the Jewel MIA-Rome and then FROM EUROPE and then 

TO EUROPE in the Fall to get on Brilliance coming home from Barcelona.

 

The prices seem so much higher than in past years. Anyone else finding this?

 

 We have one person with physical problems with us so we can't do the cheapest multi stop, red eye flights in coach unfortunately.

 

Look forward to what other folks use! 

 

 

Edited October 23, 2018 by Sirlancelot
typo

[vickiw0318]

Found the same thing - no bargain fare - when I tried pricing air2sea for my Indy cruises next spring.  Ended up booking direct with American.  Had a wonderful one way business class fare to Amsterdam this past September.

 

Anyone else?

[Clarea]

Yes, I am seeing the same huge price increases.  What used to cost $400-$500 is now around $2000. 

 

We first saw this several weeks back, and thought (hoped) it was some sort of glitch.  If it is not a glitch and these are real prices, then we will be cancelling our 2019 transatlantic cruise.

[Sirlancelot]

Thank you. I thought I was going CRAZY and we will be cancelling both our 2019 cruises for the same reason.

 

The prices have not gone down for the actual cruises themselves and as we know if you wanted a suite -- good luck (topic of great interest in meet and mingle on Brilliance 9/1/18 sailing back from Amsterdam ) 

[Merion_Mom]

I just did the same checking.  Fortunately, I purchased my return airfare for April already.

 

The price is the same as I can get directly from the airline, i.e., absurdly high.  (in the $2000+ range)

[Sirlancelot]

I am afraid American has changed the drill for 2019 ROME to TAMPA. It is $2500 euros one way in the main cabin. Just checked. 

 

 

•  

[lynncarol]

Did you look into booking a round-trip ticket and just not using (ie cancelling) that return trip?  Recently a one way air to Prague from the USA, was more expensive than the round-trip fare for unknown some reason.

[John&LaLa]

1 hour ago, Host Clarea said:

Yes, I am seeing the same huge price increases.  What used to cost $400-$500 is now around $2000. 

 

We first saw this several weeks back, and thought (hoped) it was some sort of glitch.  If it is not a glitch and these are real prices, then we will be cancelling our 2019 transatlantic cruise.

 

I booked mine early, but it's Eastbound and I could. 😎

 

Orlando - Copenhagen $877 for Business Class on Lufthansa.

 

I'm going to miss those fares. 

[pcur]

Whenever I fly to/from Australia or Europe, I get a new Chase Sapphire or airline credit card and use points to lower my cost.  Chase Sapphire allows a new card every 24 months, and it's usually 40,000 or 50,000 bonus points.  That converts to $400 - $500 credit on my statement, or the equivalent 40,000 - 50,000 points toward a frequent flyer program if it's partnered with Chase.  

 

I've done this since 2005.  We also flew Hawaiian Airlines "first" class from LAX-HNL with their card.  Last year my son donated 60,000 British Airways points to my friend and I, and I combined Sapphire points for us to fly business class home from Europe to LAX last April.

 

In 2019 Mr. pcur and I are flying home after the Jewel cruises on BA business class using points again.  We both got BA credit cards this time, and added Sapphire points.

 

Paying for all the cruise and travel expenses with the card gets double points which increases the total.

 

Last year and this year the Business class flights with points are about $1,100 - $1,300 for 2 people, including seat fees.  That's BUSINESS class; economy is even cheaper.

[ssb]

We have always used air miles on our transatlantics  and repositioning cruises except our first TA . That was back when round trips in a year were required, and a fall and spring trip were  our MO.  Yes these repos and TA's cruise pricing are definitely going up . 

First day opening pricing is always our objective.

   

Edited October 23, 2018 by ssb

[Clarea]

5 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

I booked mine early, but it's Eastbound and I could. 😎

 

Orlando - Copenhagen $877 for Business Class on Lufthansa.

 

I'm going to miss those fares. 

 

Wow, that is one heck of a good fare for business!

[John&LaLa]

15 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

 

Wow, that is one heck of a good fare for business!

 

5 BC fares booked since August to either Copenhagen or Barcelona.  Lufthansa or Delta.

Low was the $877, high was just over $1,300. 

 

This spring one is upper deck in a 747. Bucket list check off.

[Clarea]

13 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

...

This spring one is upper deck in a 747. Bucket list check off.

 

Good that you are doing that soon, 4-engine passenger jets are on their way out.

[RM]

We thought they were extremely high. Hopefully they will go down. 

[TIBTEE]

Call Air2Sea directly.

I wanted business class from Amsterdam May 2019. The Air2Sea website had 5,120.

I called and booked it for 678!

[Clarea]

12 minutes ago, TIBTEE said:

Call Air2Sea directly.

I wanted business class from Amsterdam May 2019. The Air2Sea website had 5,120.

I called and booked it for 678!

 

Thanks for this, a small ray of hope!

 

[John&LaLa]

32 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

 

Thanks for this, a small ray of hope!

 

 

When should your fall 2019 TA open for booking?

[Clarea]

6 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

When should your fall 2019 TA open for booking?

 

Airline flights would normally open in early December 2018 for early Nov 2019 flights.

[Sirlancelot]

Oh thanks so much!! Great ray of hope. We come back FROM rome April 20 and go TO Barcelona October 31. 2019

 

SUNSHINE TO YOU ALL For this great thread. 

[little britain]

Book a return and then only use the outbound leg.

Look at low cost carriers like Norwegian who now fly to quite a few US cities.

[Clarea]

2 minutes ago, little britain said:

Book a return and then only use the outbound leg.

Look at low cost carriers like Norwegian who now fly to quite a few US cities.

 

Would using Norwegian require a stop in Norway for flights from the US?

[kernow]

28 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

 

Would using Norwegian require a stop in Norway for flights from the US?

No, Norwegian fly direct to/from lots of European cities

 

Julie

[Clarea]

8 minutes ago, kernow said:

No, Norwegian fly direct to/from lots of European cities

 

Julie

 

Thanks Julie, I may be looking into that for next year's TA.

 

See you soon.

[Cigar King]

FWIW, and I know this won't work for everyone, here's what we do.

 

I only book a TA when I have enough miles to get two first class tickets.  Fortunately the miles build up quickly.  Last time we did this for the UK, we paid literally a few dollars for seats that were 10k.  Looks like we have enough miles so we're going to book another when they release the new routes.

[ONECRUISER]

4 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

 

I booked mine early, but it's Eastbound and I could. 😎

 

Orlando - Copenhagen $877 for Business Class on Lufthansa.

 

I'm going to miss those fares. 

Booked early myself and greatful. Doing the B2B2B on Vision inc the TA May2019. Air2Sea was at $400 reg and $900 Business couple months ago. This was Barcelona to Lansing MI. Now LOT higher, $2600-$5000+