Booking air and waiting for a good cruise deal?

[Mike981]

I have heard folks will book their air for a decent price and then keep an eye out for cruise specials during your flight dates.
I have never done it and it seems risky, especially since we fly from Minnesota to Florida in January. As far as I can tell, the prices don't go down as January gets closer.

How about you?

[ColeThornton]

I've used that strategy before and it worked out well.  Got a good deal on a flight then waited for and got a good cruise deal.  Having said that if you are talking about this January coming up I wouldn't be booking any flights or cruises.  This isn't the time to take chances with your money, no matter what the companies advertise as refund policies.

[iancal]

We have done this multiple times.  We always combine it with a land trip.  If the right cruise price pops we cruise.  If not we go forward with our land plans.

 

We would not be booking anything that requires a payment or a deposit at this time.  Especially air or cruises.  We are accustomed to last minute travel and not booking hotels more than a few days in advance.

 

 

 

Edited September 9, 2020 by iancal

[CruiserBruce]

With many airlines making changes and cancellations fee free, this could become more popular.

[Mike981]

Thank you for your replies, I should have been more clear. I am not talking in the next year or two. I just wanted to hear from folks that have done it and how it worked for them.

[iancal]

Who knows what post covid will be like.  Pre covid....I would think that if you took a flyer and got down to FLL very early in January, had a good travel window, your chances based on past pricing and availability that we have seen, would be excellent.

 

I also think that you could achieve the same by shopping/ booking over Christmas and New Year.  Prices for last minute cruises  would be down by then.  Depends on whether you want a really good price or if you want the lowest price.  We go for the  former.

 

It should be a non issue for insides or outsides.  Balcony OK too but perhaps fewer choices.  Air should be OK.  What we do is price air to FLL, MIA, PBI.   Two one ways sometimes allow us to cherry pick for fares and routing.   We often look at other FLA  arrival or departure points because we plan on some land time and on renting a car (one way).   

 

[Joebucks]

If you would have asked me this a few months ago, I would have said this is a stupid thing to do.

 

Now with airlines like United and Delta introducing no change fees, it makes it a lot more reasonable. If you're one of those people who are going to want everything the way you want it at the drop of a hat, probably not. However, if you are willing to be flexible, why not? I don't believe in the hope that you are going to get all of these last minute-cruise deals though. Sure it happens, but that's largely a myth. If you're banking on a specific cruise, hoping it is going to plummet in price last-minute, you will be disappointed.

[evandbob]

On 9/9/2020 at 4:26 PM, Mike981 said:

I have heard folks will book their air for a decent price and then keep an eye out for cruise specials during your flight dates.
I have never done it and it seems risky, especially since we fly from Minnesota to Florida in January. As far as I can tell, the prices don't go down as January gets closer.

How about you?

 

I haven't done this, but since the OP lives in Minnesota, January is a good time to head south anyway.  If he books a flight to a southern port like MIA or FLL, he can always enjoy a stay at a Florida (or any other southern area) hotel if no suitable cruises are available.

 

{I've permanently escaped the NY winters by transplanting to Florida, so I may be biased against cold winters.}

[iancal]

Several years ago, spring break time, we found ourselves in a one week condo rental at Ormand Beach.  We were due to check on on Saturday. Our intention was to head home since we have been away for several months.  On Wednesday morning we saw and excellent balcony offer for a cruise departing on Wednesday.    It was less money than accommodation, let alone food etc.   So we booked.  Dropped the rental  car, cruised for a week.   Why not?  The last minute cruise was less than the cost of spending a week at the No Tell Motel, let alone a beachfront condo.

 

As long as you are not the type of person who will only cruise on one cruise line or must have a cabin in a very specific location of the ship you will be fine. 

 

We have done last minute Caribbean cruise on Celebrity, Carnival, NCL, and HAL at various times over Christmas/New Year and spring break.  7 day, 10 day, etc.  They have all been terrific.  I mean really, when given the choice of being at home shoveling the driveway  in winter or sitting beside the pool soaking up the sun, watching the ocean,  taking a dip in the pool, or enjoying a cold drink what would the average person pick?   We do exactly the same for AI's.

Edited September 11, 2020 by iancal

[pris993]

On 9/9/2020 at 4:33 PM, CruiserBruce said:

With many airlines making changes and cancellations fee free, this could become more popular.

This still could be risky.  I have a credit on United, I would like to use in 2021.  Waiting for international travel to open to Israel.  Now no foreigners allowed.  Checking flight fares for May 2021,  doable fare for business class now but to book I would have to give United more money.   Not a good deal, if I end up with another credit and United has my money.  So waiting ... til I am sure I can travel.

[msmayor]

We did this a few years ago.  My husband and I had a specific week we knew we would be on vacation, and knew we wanted to go someplace warm.  Booked a cheap R/T ticket to Miami (leaving on a Saturday, returning the following Sunday) to give us the most flexibility.

 

I made a list of all the cruises leaving Ft. Lauderdale and Miami on the Saturday arrival day and the next day (Sunday) with 7-night itineraries and just watched prices.  While the Saturday departures weren't first choices (I hate to fly in on day of embarkation) we kept them as options.  Had we not been able to find or book a cruise, we would have simply rented a car and bounced around Florida for the week.

 

We ended up booking on HAL - got one of the best aft veranda staterooms with an extra deep balcony for about $450pp.  It was our first balcony (we usually booked insides at rates around $700-800pp) so this was a big score for us....and the cruise line in general.  We haven't sailed without a balcony since!

[ldubs]

On 9/9/2020 at 5:25 PM, Mike981 said:

Thank you for your replies, I should have been more clear. I am not talking in the next year or two. I just wanted to hear from folks that have done it and how it worked for them.

 

Never have booked flights first in the past.

 

Because most of our cruise trips involve long haul flights, the air travel is an important component.  It is quite literally a deal breaker if I cannot get the seats I want.  It is my only requirement for travel.   So up to now, flight options were viewed and booked the same time as the cruise.  

 

As CruiseBruce and others point out, airlines are modifying their cancel/change rules.  If the airlines continue with a relaxed change/cancel policy, I could see booking the flight I want then watching for a compatible cruise.   

 

Anyway, I had not really thought about this before your thread.  Something we will have to consider moving forward.  

[Mike981]

1 hour ago, ldubs said:

 

Never have booked flights first in the past.

 

Because most of our cruise trips involve long haul flights, the air travel is an important component.  It is quite literally a deal breaker if I cannot get the seats I want.  It is my only requirement for travel.   So up to now, flight options were viewed and booked the same time as the cruise.  

 

 

Maybe I'm doing it wrong. I spend extra to book the seats I want and then they always change. Flying out of MSP/Minnneapolis it is always Delta and we pay for comfort plus and specific seats...next to each other. The last several trips we always get different seats in the same class and in different rows.

[ldubs]

1 hour ago, Mike981 said:

 

Maybe I'm doing it wrong. I spend extra to book the seats I want and then they always change. Flying out of MSP/Minnneapolis it is always Delta and we pay for comfort plus and specific seats...next to each other. The last several trips we always get different seats in the same class and in different rows.

 

We were bumped from our selected seats on the last 3 out of 4 international flights we took on Lufthansa.  On one flight I was actually "relocated" after I had boarded.   To this day I think I was being bumped in favor of Lufthansa mileage members  because I was flying under my UA miles.  Probably not, but it just seems odd.  I no longer fly Lufthansa.   Never had an issue with other airlines but have only one international flight on Delta.  

 

Assuming you are not booking the tickets separately, it does seem doubly wrong that they would split you up.  

[iancal]

Last fall we booked a direct flight to Athens and a return flight home from London six weeks later.  While on our land travels we shopped for Med cruises and Canaries cruises.  Nothing popped  so we got an inexpensive flight to Cyprus for a two week stay.  

 

We do this type of travel twice a year.  If we score a good balcony cruise we take it.  If not, we carry on.  We travel light and we are extremely flexible when it comes to travel plans.  Pre covid air in Europe and Asia was comparatively inexpensive.  

Edited September 15, 2020 by iancal

[ldubs]

14 hours ago, iancal said:

 Pre covid air in Europe and Asia was comparatively inexpensive.  

 

 

👍👍👍

 

So easy and economical to hop around Europe.  We haven't done that in Asia much.  

[navybankerteacher]

When a flight was necessary, I generally booked both flight and cruise at the same time so I knew what the whole package would come to.  I suppose if I saw a really extraordinary flight deal to a place I would like to be - either for boarding a cruise or for a land stay, I might try it. 

[ldubs]

On 9/15/2020 at 12:00 PM, navybankerteacher said:

When a flight was necessary, I generally booked both flight and cruise at the same time so I knew what the whole package would come to.  I suppose if I saw a really extraordinary flight deal to a place I would like to be - either for boarding a cruise or for a land stay, I might try it. 

 

And, the premise being refundable air fares, why "might" try it.  You could always cancel and get a refund if things didn't work out.   I suspect that the relaxed refund/cancel rules being currently adopted will make a big u-turn as things start to return to normal -- whenever that might be.  

[Mike981]

21 hours ago, ldubs said:

 

I suspect that the relaxed refund/cancel rules being currently adopted will make a big u-turn as things start to return to normal -- whenever that might be.  

 

Agree.

[iancal]

Cannot speak for NA air fares.  Our experience over the past nine years booking international flights is that the old rule about booking months in advance is just not applicable any more.  

 

It seems to be supply and demand.  The lowest air fare of five we ever had to Thailand was booked ten days prior to departure.  We were not following air prices.  We had not booked anything, it was getting cold and snowy.  Saw what appeared to be a good fare so we grabbed it. 

 

We booked our  last Sept.  Europe trip  air about 45 days prior to departure. I looked at the fare seven days from departure....it was the same give or take $15.

 

We are getting some very attractive travel offers these days.  All scream non refundable.  But that won't do us any good if the hotel or resort or tour firm goes belly up.   We do not plan on parting with any monies for travel products until we are within a few weeks or less or departure.  When travel does open up we believe that there will be lots of incentives to book.

Edited September 19, 2020 by iancal