For me, HAL's Flight Ease is more expensive than Princess' EZ AIR

[canadarocks]

We have consecutive cruises booked with Princess & HAL next winter and every time I've compared their prices (which is daily 🙂), HAL's Flight Ease is more expensive for the exact same flights than Princess' EZair.

Just a head's up in case anyone here is in the same situation. 

Edited July 6, 2019 by canadarocks

[teacherman]

Maybe Holland cruisers are able to pay more than Princess cruisers.  If they are CONSECUTIVE cruises, can't you just book with which ever one you want, by just doing either an early arrival or later departure that matches the double itinerary?

[AtlantaCruiser72]

I have found the same thing  - HAL for whatever reason seems to have a different contract with higher average fares.  While both air programs share a common computer program for consumers, I think the contracts with the airlines are separate, and perhaps Princess/Cunard/P&O as a group have more buying power than HAL/Seabourn do??????

[canadarocks]

26 minutes ago, teacherman said:

can't you just book with which ever one you want, by just doing either an early arrival or later departure that matches the double itinerary?

 Yes I can and I have. Just wanted to give the head's up to anyone else in the same situation to do the comparison. 

[rkacruiser]

This is good information.  I rarely have an opportunity to book Princess air in conjunction with a cruise.  I have booked HAL air booked for my upcoming Westerdam cruise followed by a return home after a Princess cruise.  The fare was a major savings over what I could have booked myself on Delta.  

[canadarocks]

10 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

This is good information.  I rarely have an opportunity to book Princess air in conjunction with a cruise.  I have booked HAL air booked for my upcoming Westerdam cruise followed by a return home after a Princess cruise.  The fare was a major savings over what I could have booked myself on Delta.  

Check out Princess' pricing for both - before your HAL cruise and after your Princess one. The leeway with timing is quite surprising. 🙂 

[rkacruiser]

15 minutes ago, canadarocks said:

Check out Princess' pricing for both - before your HAL cruise and after your Princess one. The leeway with timing is quite surprising. 🙂 

 

When I make air arrangements for a cruise, I am very specific as to the airline, the flights and the time, and the class of service that I want.  Is the "shopping" still warranted if one flight might be before or after a combined Princess/HAL cruise?

[canadarocks]

Definitely. Flights both before and after your actual cruise dates are permitted. 

[Krazy Kruizers]

I learned a lot from this thread.  I always have people asking me about HAL air and now I can tell them that if they are doing back to back cruises on HAL and Princess, check out Princess air.

[happy cruzer]

Thanks for the posting.  I have asked before how people found cruise air compared between lines.  Once we found Princess EZ air and Seabourn's air, it is hard to consider a line like Oceania which includes air as a perk but has a steep air deviation fee.

 

So if HAL is more expensive, how much more (per centage)??  I wonder about Celebrity's air?

 

Great topic.

[RocketMan275]

Just a reminder.   The prices, at least on Holland's Easy Air, can change hourly.  Check back often.   Just like doing a fake booking.  Also, you can change your flights if you see something more attractive.

[rkacruiser]

Flying to/from Vancouver and sailing first on the Westerdam and returning on the Coral Princess, air prices and specific flights available were checked with both HAL and Princess.  HAL had the better prices and could book the flights that I specifically wanted.  Both quotes were better than the prices that I was finding trying to book the air on my own.

Edited July 7, 2019 by rkacruiser

[RocketMan275]

7 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

Flying to/from Vancouver and sailing first on the Westerdam and returning on the Coral Princess, air prices and specific flights available were checked with both HAL and Princess.  HAL had the better prices and could book the flights that I specifically wanted.  Both quotes were better than the prices that I was finding trying to book the air on my own.

Flying to/from Vancouver in Sept.  Flights on HAL significantly cheaper than direct from Delta.  I've tried to check Princess prices but I can't get the website to work. All I get is a blank screen.

[rkacruiser]

Just now, RocketMan275 said:

Flying to/from Vancouver in Sept.  Flights on HAL significantly cheaper than direct from Delta.  I've tried to check Princess prices but I can't get the website to work. All I get is a blank screen.

 

I did not find the Princess web site very user friendly as to obtaining air information.  I book through a travel agent and she does the "finger work"/ phone calling to get the information required.  I do the checking with Delta, etc. myself and can then compare my data with Mary's.

[RocketMan275]

1 hour ago, rkacruiser said:

 

I did not find the Princess web site very user friendly as to obtaining air information.  I book through a travel agent and she does the "finger work"/ phone calling to get the information required.  I do the checking with Delta, etc. myself and can then compare my data with Mary's.

Aha, I figured it out.  My ad blocker was blocking Princess Easzy air.  I turned it off and was able to see princess flights.  The same flights I booked on HAL would be $1000 more on Princess.  (I book first class).  Doesn't say much because I've seen those same flights anywhere between $2500 and $4000 on HAL.  Just have to be persistent and keeping checking.  My flights started out at $3300.  A few days later they were $2300.  I finally booked at $2500 because the connections were better.  BTW, both HAL and Princess showed flights that no sane person should book, ie, 35 minute connections in Atlanta? No way.

[rkacruiser]

19 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

no sane person should book, ie, 35 minute connections in Atlanta? No way.

 

So agree!  The connection time is a prime consideration of mine when I make air reservations via whatever source.  My connection time in August at MSP has been shortened by a a few minutes from the original connection time and my flight will be the last flight of the day to DAY.  A bit concerned, but, if I miss the connection, I think there is an Intercontinental Hotel connected to the airport and that will be quite satisfactory.  I'll be surprised if my luggage appears in baggage claim at DAY that night, though.  

[RocketMan275]

11 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

 

So agree!  The connection time is a prime consideration of mine when I make air reservations via whatever source.  My connection time in August at MSP has been shortened by a a few minutes from the original connection time and my flight will be the last flight of the day to DAY.  A bit concerned, but, if I miss the connection, I think there is an Intercontinental Hotel connected to the airport and that will be quite satisfactory.  I'll be surprised if my luggage appears in baggage claim at DAY that night, though.  

Reminds me of the time wife and I were returning to SLC after a house hunting trip to Alabama.  When we checked in, we were told since our flight was delayed, our bags would not make the connection from ATL to SLC so they changed our flights out of ATL.  We got to SLC and our bags were not on the carousell.  I reported them missing at lost baggage.  When I turned in the form, the lady said:  "Oh, those bags, they came in on the flight before yours.", that would have been the original flight we were on.  

[rkacruiser]

17 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

Oh, those bags, they came in on the flight before yours."

 

😀

 

I had that same experience once.  I checked in for a DAY-ATL-FLL flight prior to an earlier flight departing to ATL.  I arrive at FLL and no luggage appears on the carousal.  Oh #@&*!!,  I said.  I went to the Baggage Office to report the issue.  The luggage had arrived on the flight that left DAY before MY flight left.  I was shocked because this was not long after 9/11, I thought one's luggage HAD to be on the flight on which one was booked.  

[canadarocks]

3 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

Flying to/from Vancouver and sailing first on the Westerdam and returning on the Coral Princess, air prices and specific flights available were checked with both HAL and Princess.  HAL had the better prices and could book the flights that I specifically wanted.  Both quotes were better than the prices that I was finding trying to book the air on my own.

Good to read that you got better rates with HAL! Goes to show you that it's important to check (and check often).