experience with free or reduced airfare

[kimberlym4]

I am a little nervous about letting the cruise line book our airfare.  Have you all had positive experiences?  Any hidden fees?  Terrible flight times?  Or has it worked out well?

Edited June 5, 2019 by kimberlym4

[workingmom200112]

30 minutes ago, kimberlym4 said:

I am a little nervous about letting the cruise line book our airfare.  Have you all had positive experiences?  Any hidden fees?  Terrible flight times?  Or has it worked out well?

Used the reduced airfare my last cruise, and planning on using the next two.

 

i chose to fly in the day before, and stayed in the hotel NCL offered.  Chose  to upgrade to better seats, and you have to pay to check in you luggage.  I thought everything worked out great.  

[Nola26]

Too soon for our flight details, but the price was right from Newark to Barcelona. We'll see what the actual flights we get, but we are at peace with our decision to take the promotion. 

[Run14]

Last cruise we used the free airfare. Worked out wonderfully, although it's worth noting that we used the Premium Air department to fly out a couple of days early.  Also, have a pending cruise (sail Dec. 1st) and just did the same thing.  It only cost us $25/person to change the date we fly out as well - twice as nice.  I'd happily use it again (and already am).  

[Peachypooh]

If you live near a major airport that has lots of international and for that matter

domestic flights it seems like a good deal. Family that live in NYC can fly to

Miami for $0. We live in an out of the way place where they quoted us

$685 per person when I knew booking on my own it would be aprox. $400.

It pays to double check prices.

[Sup_Devil]

We are looking at the Encore Bermuda sailing and it appears that it will cost us $600 through NCL to fly there from Tampa to NYC. Booking on my own looks closer to $1200. 

[cyndepet]

12 hours ago, workingmom200112 said:

Used the reduced airfare my last cruise, and planning on using the next two.

 

i chose to fly in the day before, and stayed in the hotel NCL offered.  Chose  to upgrade to better seats, and you have to pay to check in you luggage.  I thought everything worked out great.  

This is exactly what we did - we are flying out tomorrow morning for Alaska cruise on Saturday.  We got direct flights and great times.  The only stressful part was not getting flights until 4 weeks prior.

[alexgtp]

Flew from Chicago (ORD) to Seattle (SeaTac) roundtrip thru United airlines , no issues. Only downside was I was not allowed to change my reservation to 1 day before ships departure.. But they were both direct flights.

 

Flew in early the day of cruise, still had plenty of time to explore Seattle.

[WillCruiseForMoney]

Bad experience.

 

Tried to use for an upcoming POA Hawaiian cruise.

eDocs Showed us flying from Oakland CA- Salt Lake City UT, Honolulu HI.  I know that this has to be a Delta flight and there is a layover in Salt lake of at least 2 hours and 45 minutes, so total travel time of around 12 hours.

Return trip same route Saturday flight from Honolulu - Salt Lake, Sunday flight from Salt Lake to Oak.  No idea of actual flight time, but overnight from HI to CA is ridiculous.

Had my travel agent call and let NCL know we would not be boarding the flights. 

Re booked my own travel through Hawaiian Air, both flights around 5 hours, but my trip cost just went up $1,000

[sassyshar]

WillCruiseForMoney, did your TA tell you if there was a penalty for canceling the original  flight that had been set up NCL?

[Butterz]

On ‎6‎/‎4‎/‎2019 at 9:45 PM, workingmom200112 said:

Used the reduced airfare my last cruise, and planning on using the next two.

 

i chose to fly in the day before, and stayed in the hotel NCL offered.  Chose  to upgrade to better seats, and you have to pay to check in you luggage.  I thought everything worked out great.  

I too have chose to fly in the day before. I am 107 days out on my cruise. I am unable to go online to check seats or pick seats  etc.. How did you handle this or am I still too far out. I have my flight number so I figure I could pick my seat.

Just trying to stay on top of it

Thanks for info

 

[Christine_mo]

I received my flights today and am less than happy. I will arrive in Seattle at 1:40pm and the port shuttle reservation says that it runs until 1:00. My return flight will leave at 11:50 pm and I will arrive home at 8:26 am. 

I called today, but the airline area was closed and I have to call back tomorrow. The person I talked to at the general phone number was surprised my flights were scheduled 87 days out and aboutbthe overnight flight, so hopefully it means there was an error and they will fix it. If not I will be out the $199 I paid for their flight, because I am not flying home overnight! 

[newmexicoNita]

We are using it for our Oct cruise. It is costing us $99 round trip which is a steal compared to $570 if we did the air on our own. The only concern we have is flying out the day of sailing, plus is our case we have to drive a couple of hours to get to Tulsa. We will go to Tulsa the day before, have a relaxing night in the hotel we have chosen and be ready for that early morning flight, whatever time that is. 

[Sailing12Away]

On 6/5/2019 at 4:11 PM, WillCruiseForMoney said:

Bad experience.

 

Tried to use for an upcoming POA Hawaiian cruise.

eDocs Showed us flying from Oakland CA- Salt Lake City UT, Honolulu HI.  I know that this has to be a Delta flight and there is a layover in Salt lake of at least 2 hours and 45 minutes, so total travel time of around 12 hours.

Return trip same route Saturday flight from Honolulu - Salt Lake, Sunday flight from Salt Lake to Oak.  No idea of actual flight time, but overnight from HI to CA is ridiculous.

Had my travel agent call and let NCL know we would not be boarding the flights. 

Re booked my own travel through Hawaiian Air, both flights around 5 hours, but my trip cost just went up $1,000

I'm sailing POA next month, just got my edocs this week. The overnight flight from HI is not rediculous... they have to wait for an afternoon flight so you have enough time to dock and get off the boat. Simple math will tell you that if you don't leave Hawaii until 2pm or later, you won't make it to the mainland until late in the evening. For me going all the way to the East coast.... I don't arrive until ~7am the following morning. 

 

Yes, there will be "better" flight options, but at a premium price as you found out. I'm fine with napping on the plane and saving $1,000.

[WillCruiseForMoney]

sassy928 - My reservation showed the flight path (through Salt Lake) but NCL said the tickets had not been issued yet, so no fee for canceling. 

 

Sailing12away - Your flight to the East coast has you returning at ~7am the next morning.  My flight to the west coast would be arriving ~10am the next morning.  There are many direct flights, and we would have been fine with the any of the other common stop over flight paths (through LA or Seattle), but to fly 2 hours east and add in long layovers, was just not worth it for us. My post was in response to the OP who wanted to know if NCL flight experience was positive, in our case I would say no.

 

 

[workingmom200112]

22 hours ago, Butterz said:

I too have chose to fly in the day before. I am 107 days out on my cruise. I am unable to go online to check seats or pick seats  etc.. How did you handle this or am I still too far out. I have my flight number so I figure I could pick my seat.

Just trying to stay on top of it

Thanks for info

 

It’s to soon.  My flight wasn’t actually booked until 45 days before, and I had to call the air department to get it booked.  You will know the flight is booked when your e-docs are ready.  If you don’t have your e-docs 45 days before, then call.  They won’t help you before that.  (Sorry not sure if I called at day 49 or 45) .  I was supper stressed about it but everything worked out great.