My free/reduced Air experience

[jgreenwo17]

I thought I would relay my experience with NCL's free/reduced air.  I'm sure this topic has been hashed and rehashed to death.  But here goes.

 

After many cruises with other lines, we decided to finally give NCL a try.   Last April, we booked a cruise on the Joy to the Panama canal.  We live in SLC, UT and airfare to the Miami area isn't cheap.  ($600 or more round trip).  We were delighted to get air included for $99.00.  Being a newbie with NCL, I took what I saw on their website as gospel.  It looked like they chose American airline flights both ways.  A few months later it morphed into a Delta/American flight plan.  Today we are 38 days out from departure.  I finally get a confirmation # with JetBlue.   I am happy NCL got us direct flights with no stops like were showing up on the website originally,  but the flight times are not ideal.  A red eye to FLL and a 6:00pm flight home after the cruise.

 

I guess we will have to do our Miami shore excursions post cruise.   The other thing is do you keep a hotel reservation for the sake of 8 hours after our red eye lands?  (Or hang out in the airport lounge)?

 

The only other drama now with this trip is wilI we get upgraded to the Haven?  The air drama is over.  I spent many days looking at NCL's website looking for final air arrangements.

 

I'm looking forward cruising with NCL for the first time!

 

 

 

[smplybcause]

There are several hotels near the port that let you pay for a day pass. I'm not sure when they let you come in as my friends have only used them on disembark day (ie get off ship at 9am and then chill until they have to leave for their 6pm flight).

[ColeThornton]

 

Deja Vu all over again.  

Edited September 19, 2019 by ColeThornton

[fshagan]

16 hours ago, jgreenwo17 said:

Being a newbie with NCL, I took what I saw on their website as gospel.  It looked like they chose American airline flights both ways.  A few months later it morphed into a Delta/American flight plan.  Today we are 38 days out from departure.  I finally get a confirmation # with JetBlue.   I am happy NCL got us direct flights with no stops like were showing up on the website originally,  but the flight times are not ideal.  A red eye to FLL and a 6:00pm flight home after the cruise.

 

Have you ever flown JetBlue? I like them a lot. We are taking them as our preferred airline now, and flying out to FLL on Saturday. I chose them even though they were not the cheapest from LAX to FLL. The red eye isn't ideal, which is why I would not let someone else handle my air reservations. There is an upgrade available to fly in the day before, I believe, that might get you on a non-red eye flight.

 

 

[Deeliteful]

I wouldn’t be complaining if I only paid $99 for those flights 😎

[lhsail]

JetBlue is great. We are two months out and are not ticked yet. I don’t like the flight plan they have laid out. You give me hope that it might change. 

[Mrenee26]

I was booked for the latest flight coming home from my cruise as well and now with my cruise 9 days away, we are booked on a flight leaving at 1 instead of 6pm - So it could still change... Keep checking!

[AFsouth]

6:00pm is better than the 9:30pm that we were given.  We'll take an excursion on the return date.

[czimm]

We have rented hotel rooms for the day on a few occasions through dayuse when we have had later flights.  It’s worked well for us.  The Miami south beach tour is nice too.  Enjoy your trip!

[CardFanDubG]

@Mrenee26 just curious how far out your flight was changed. I am 17 days out and hoping for a flight change. 

 

@jgreenwo17 - JetBlue is my favorite airline. I do believe that you will be pleased with them. 

[jgreenwo17]

I did call my TA to see if I could change that redeye to the day before  allowing us a full day in Miami but no can do.

I did not get my air deviation in time to make this happen.  NCL told my TA it would cost a few hundred dollars.

 

Oh well.

[AFsouth]

One more thing, validate that the transfer is the correct airport. I contacted NCL when we didn't get any info regarding the transfer. When we booked, they assumed that we would be flying to MIA and that's what was reflected in the invoice.  However, when we received the flight info, it was to FLL. I contacted NCL last night and found out that they totally dropped my transfer because it was cost more from FLL.  Get this, I had to pay the difference for them to reinstate the transfer from FLL.  NCL never would have figured this out had I not called them.  The rep told me and I quote "nice catch". go figure.

[Mrenee26]

@CardFanDubG I’m not exactly sure when it changed because I don’t check everyday but when I went to print our documents with 9/10 days to go, I noticed it was changed. Good luck! 

[AACJ]

We recently book, a week ago yesterday, and our cruise departs out of Miami.  Strangely, NCL has us "scheduled" (no flight information yet) to fly to FLL, via Philly the day of.  Returning, we fly from FLL through Atlanta.  Ironically, there's a few direct non-stop flights right to Miami, just slightly higher than the ones with layovers that I'm surprised they didn't book us on.  I would think the transfers would be more expensive from FLL to the cruise port, and cheaper from Miami to the cruise port and it almost be a wash in the difference.

 

So is it possible NCL could change the flights from/out of FLL to Miami?  That would be nice if they did.