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Free Air Fare?

roger001

By roger001,
in Norwegian Cruise Line

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roger001

roger001

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Posted

Not quite free (I know.  They do have an asterisk disclaimer saying it might be only a  reduced air fare).   I just did a mock booking, sailing out of Tampa, flying from Nashville.  My "free" airfare promo choice for the two of us added $390 to the booking.  I can advance book  SWA for that price myself.  I think I'll pass on that "free" promo and maybe take the free WiFi instead.   I know.  I'm beating a dead horse.  But all this "free" stuff is getting less and less "free"....you know the other "free" stuff I mean.   Ok.  I'm through.  

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roger001

roger001

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2 minutes ago, rtkenmore said:

Oh, thank god someone else brought up how the "free" stuff isn't really free again.  I missed that topic the last 14,589 times it was brought up.

 

😕 

I searched through every single one of those and couldn't find anything specific about my BNA-TPA flight....really...I did.   

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njkate

njkate

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Posted
47 minutes ago, rtkenmore said:

Oh, thank god someone else brought up how the "free" stuff isn't really free again.  I missed that topic the last 14,589 times it was brought up.

 

😕 

Simple solution, don't read keep on scrolling 🙂

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Budget Queen

Budget Queen

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Posted
1 minute ago, PTC DAWG said:

It's free out of ATL....really free...some of the airfare is a real good deal...some not so much...price around.  

 

So   the perk cruise rate is the same as  the sail away rate???    I've never seen that? 

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roger001

roger001

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48 minutes ago, PTC DAWG said:

It's free out of ATL....really free...some of the airfare is a real good deal...some not so much...price around.  

 

Thanks.  Actually, Tampa is close enough for us that driving isn't that bad.  However, if they offered on Los Angeles or Seattle port cruises, I'd sure do some shopping for those.  An then again,  way advanced bookings on SWA can get you some pretty cheap fares....and we use points.   SWA is our biggest Nashville airline now.  

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Markanddonna

Markanddonna

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Posted
15 hours ago, BDRebel said:

Round trip from Dallas for a Trans-Atlantic (FLL - Spain) = $99

Same cruise, round trip from San Antonio (250 miles south) = $100,000.

 

I'm hoping the website is broken:classic_wacko:

Your rate out of San Antonio was cheaper than mine. Ours was about $200,000 pp. They obviously don't want passengers from the Midwest. :classic_cool:

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littlelulu01

littlelulu01

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Posted

Did a price check on our 2019 Jade med out of Civitavecchia from Seattle.  A couple weeks ago it was $499 and zero price difference between sail away rate and pick your perks.  Then $599.  Then $699 and the prices of cruise fare went up compared to sail away.  Now it’s not available from Seattle.  They might have some quotas like only x amount for x $.

 

The taxes and fees on our, “free” airline mileage fares were higher than Ncl’s free/reduced rates.  

 

Biggest issue I see is no deviation allowed unless Hawaii cruise on poa.  

 

For europe its risky arriving day of departure on a airline ticket that you don’t own that’s highly restrictive.  At least with a mileage ticket you can fly business or first, arrive a few days prior, and fly legacy carrier vs potentially on an airline that only has a few flights/week and no partner airlines to switch to if necessary. 

 

I do do see the t&c say 25% off ncl airfare rates for additional passengers in same stateroom.  Some folks can make out pretty good on free airfare.  Too risky for me though.  Flying is a pain in itself.  Having a 3rd party owner of the ticket just adds an extra layer if something goes wrong,  delays...  

 

When reading t&c’s of free at sea also caught a new little bonus.  Sdp looks like now 5 max for 11+ night sailing.  It was previously 4.  This must of changed with the recent $12 increase for sdp’s. 

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jwatford

jwatford

Posted
Posted

I have three cruises coming up. The first one is in a couple of weeks on the Breakaway. Received the free airfare for $0 from Madison, WI to New Orleans. Received my booking information and it was through American Airlines and I own the tickets (in my name and I was able to pick my seat). 

 

2nd Cruise is in March 2019 on the Escape. Received free airfare for $99 from Madison, WI to New York City. 

 

3rd Cruise is in September 2019 on the Escape. Did not receive the free airfare as it was around $320 and I can book my own for less. 

 

Due to the above, I do not think it matters what airport you are using. 

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littlelulu01

littlelulu01

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22 hours ago, jwatford said:

I have three cruises coming up. The first one is in a couple of weeks on the Breakaway. Received the free airfare for $0 from Madison, WI to New Orleans. Received my booking information and it was through American Airlines and I own the tickets (in my name and I was able to pick my seat). 

 

2nd Cruise is in March 2019 on the Escape. Received free airfare for $99 from Madison, WI to New York City. 

 

3rd Cruise is in September 2019 on the Escape. Did not receive the free airfare as it was around $320 and I can book my own for less. 

 

Due to the above, I do not think it matters what airport you are using. 

Definitely some great deals to be had depending on sailing and departure city.  But as far as you owning the ticket, not so sure.  Picking your seats doesn’t mean you own the tickets.  When you book through a ta you get to pick your stateroom and it’s in your name but ta owns reservation.  No biggie there except perhaps no upgrade invites but restricted group airfares are completely different.

 

Ncl books the ticket in group blocks in order to get discount.  I’d feel comfortable with a nonstop flight but not with a connection. The tickets are highly restrictive.   If interested in what could go wrong with restricted group booking tickets just do a google search.

 

Flights can go off without a hitch and most do.  fights can have delays and issues causing missed connections and even missed embarkation. The key is definitely read the fine print.  

 

Flight issues happen all the time.  I dropped daughter off this am for an Alaska Airlines flight with over 3 hours connection time.   Some guy started vomiting so plane back to gate.  Still enough connection time? Nope. Then cleaning crew has to board.  Then plane lost place in line for deice.  Then arrival gate is lost.  Then connection flight is missed.  Alaska and Delta are not even partners but I was able to get her on a delta flight before first flight ever left the ground here.  That’s not happening with a restricted fare.  If she was traveling back east to catch a cruise today it would have been a missed cruise. But because she owned her ticket it was a simple process...

 

people think they have all bases covered booking airfare, insurance... all through a cruise line but it’s not the case.  it’s fine most of the time but given how often flights get delayed, I would never risk arriving day of on international flights or flights with connections.  Since air deviation is not allowed except for Hawaii, these free flights are arriving day of departure. 

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Karysa

Karysa

Posted
Posted (edited)
On 11/29/2018 at 9:30 AM, rtkenmore said:

Oh, thank god someone else brought up how the "free" stuff isn't really free again.  I missed that topic the last 14,589 times it was brought up.

 

😕 

Actually I did miss them. All of them. 

 

We decided to change our ocean view room with 3 perks to a gty balcony. Lost the perks. Saved about $400 to spend the way we choose. Funny thing is, we got assigned a balcony room that we would have chosen if we booked a standard balcony any way. We have early on board times ranging from 3:30-4:30 so we felt that even with only one seaday that we would use the balcony enough to make the switch and lose the perks. 

 

Our perks were 3 specialty restaurants, $50 of OBC and free internet. We can expense the internet for business and I think the other perks and the extra money we paid for the OV room washes out. So basically we feel that we got a balcony instead of a window for the same price. 

 

Not everyone feels like us or they wouldn't still be running the Perks program.

Edited by Karysa
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Budget Queen

Budget Queen

Posted
Posted
20 hours ago, littlelulu01 said:

Definitely some great deals to be had depending on sailing and departure city.  But as far as you owning the ticket, not so sure.  Picking your seats doesn’t mean you own the tickets.  When you book through a ta you get to pick your stateroom and it’s in your name but ta owns reservation.  No biggie there except perhaps no upgrade invites but restricted group airfares are completely different.

 

Ncl books the ticket in group blocks in order to get discount.  I’d feel comfortable with a nonstop flight but not with a connection. The tickets are highly restrictive.   If interested in what could go wrong with restricted group booking tickets just do a google search.

 

Flights can go off without a hitch and most do.  fights can have delays and issues causing missed connections and even missed embarkation. The key is definitely read the fine print.  

 

Flight issues happen all the time.  I dropped daughter off this am for an Alaska Airlines flight with over 3 hours connection time.   Some guy started vomiting so plane back to gate.  Still enough connection time? Nope. Then cleaning crew has to board.  Then plane lost place in line for deice.  Then arrival gate is lost.  Then connection flight is missed.  Alaska and Delta are not even partners but I was able to get her on a delta flight before first flight ever left the ground here.  That’s not happening with a restricted fare.  If she was traveling back east to catch a cruise today it would have been a missed cruise. But because she owned her ticket it was a simple process...

 

people think they have all bases covered booking airfare, insurance... all through a cruise line but it’s not the case.  it’s fine most of the time but given how often flights get delayed, I would never risk arriving day of on international flights or flights with connections.  Since air deviation is not allowed except for Hawaii, these free flights are arriving day of departure. 

 

I absolutely agree and see this.    The "cruiseline will get me to the ship"    is mis guided thinking.    I fly several times per month and see flight glitches every time.   Yep,  have been involved as well.    I simply make fast decisions,  route differently  etc,  had already known  plan  BCDE and F  before I left.      

 

These bookings REQUIRE   wasting valuable time on hold since you have to go back to the booking agent.   I see paralyzed people, who are unable to help themselves  again wasting very valuable time ,     

 

eg-  I mentioned  a few years ago on a roll call   that a storm was coming into the North East,   and for people to get to Barcelona-    ta cruise,   days ahead.    A larage number had booked cruise air with flying in day of cruises.     I mentioned-   the risks-  which only 1 person listened to,   ===  he did,  change his flight-   at an additional cost.   The rest were proclaiming   the cruise line   "said"   they guarantee they will make the ship.     etc etc etc.    I left earlier,   and sure enough-    none of those people made the cruise-    over 20.    Airports closed   and flights canceled.    Alternative airports and flights,   overbooked etc.     

 

So,   at the least-   I'd suggest-  knowing what you should do-   which many do not.   Have known-   alternatives-     flight numbers-,  times,  car rentals,  alternative airports,  ground transportation   etc   and call immediately.     Time is the priority,  so move along quickly and efficiently.    

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roger001

roger001

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Apparently it really does make a huge difference as to which airport you are flying from.  I just did one more check for a Dawn cruise out of San Juan.  The Nashville to San Juan round trip "free or reduced airfare" for the two of us added $620 to the cruise price (plus the drink gratuity was $280, has that increased again?).  So, shopping other nearby airports, if you have one available would certainly be worthwhile.  Ok.  You can poke me with a fork.  I'm done.  

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Heronymous

Heronymous

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Posted
On 11/29/2018 at 9:30 AM, rtkenmore said:

Oh, thank god someone else brought up how the "free" stuff isn't really free again.  I missed that topic the last 14,589 times it was brought up.

 

😕 

And thanks God there was another member who felt required to post a negative comment insulting the OP instead of just moving on. 

 

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