Be careful ncl air

[hallux]

36 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

and you’re stuck sitting at an airport for unending hours

When I booked my own flights for my Pacific Coastal cruise, I had no option except a red-eye, so I took the opportunity to book a tour with a Vancouver tour company.  When I let NCL book my flights for the Mexican Riviera cruise, that also ended up with a red-eye from LA so I rented a car and went to see some sights.

 

"Make hay while the sun shines", I hadn't been to either city before so it was a great opportunity to see places I hadn't been to before.

[MoCruiseFan]

13 hours ago, stich3003 said:

I am not going to get in a verbal battle with you. A lot of people work a ton of hours. And don't have time to read every thread and all the fine print. I am just putting it out there. You are buying air fare with no clue when were and how. Ncl should change that policy and give some idea of flights before it's to late to cancel. Not a professional way to do business. Just saying. Just beware. 

 

If you "don't have time to read" the terms of an offer, you really should not accept it.  BTW there is no "fine print"  The T&C are clearly stated in the same font face/size as the rest of the NCL page text.

 

[zdcatc12]

1 hour ago, RRSeeker said:

In 2019 I used the NCL free flights, it was not BOGO at the time but still cost $99/pp.  My flight from Pittsburgh to Orlando on Delta had a stop in Atlanta on the way there and Detroit on return.  Most carriers have direct flights on this route.  

Not sure who "most carriers" are, but currently Southwest and Spirit are the only airlines with NONSTOPS between PIT and MCO, not sure if any airline has a DIRECT flight, though maybe a Southwest that stops in ATL or something and you stay on the plane.

[RRSeeker]

2 minutes ago, zdcatc12 said:

Not sure who "most carriers" are, but currently Southwest and Spirit are the only airlines with NONSTOPS between PIT and MCO, not sure if any airline has a DIRECT flight, though maybe a Southwest that stops in ATL or something and you stay on the plane.

In 2018 when I looked at costs for my 2019 cruise there were more than 2 carriers that offered direct flights.  I honestly don't remember what carriers could have been Frontier or Allegiant for all I remember, I just know that getting a direct flight to Orlando was not that hard but at the end of the day having a layover, while not ideal, was not a big deal. 

 

Now with a 1 hr 20 min flight to NY I would think it would be direct but who knows.  Worse case we could drive there in 6 hours and I am not going to stress something that is 717 days away or about what NONSTOPS were available on the day I looked at flights in 2018 to decide if I should take the NCL flight deal.  

[Rob-Bob]

It can be frustrating.  We had NCL's BOGO flights to Greece in July.  It wasn't bad but a couple on our ship lived in Atlanta.  We had a connection on the way home through Atlanta.  The folks that lived in Atlanta had a connection in Toronto.  They missed their connection and had to spend the night in the Toronto airport.

 

Really seems Like they should have had the direct flight to Atlanta.  I guess the connecting flight was cheaper (sometimes this does happen).

[graphicguy]

Not saying someone shouldn't book through NCL.  But, if letting someone else control your flights, understand the risks involved in doing so.

 

Just an aside, before retiring I traveled a lot for work, internationally.  We had a travel dept whose sole job was to find the best fares when booking flights.  To override them, I had to get permission by the CFO.

I used to email her often with override requests with the same justifications.  "Do you really want me to take flights that cost less, but would make me unproductive by having me miss on site work/meetings?  After a while, she just told our travel people to just book the flights I chose and gave me blanket override oiler for myself and those who worked for me.

 

Again, either control your own flights, or accept what NCL books for you.

[julig22]

On 9/22/2021 at 2:41 PM, Middleager said:

The b1g1 airfare promo is actually 75days out.  So when you get inside the 75 days, even if it's before the 60d final payment, you cannot change the air or deviation.

So on Friday I contacted my PCC and asked to change the return info for one of my flights- I wanted to return to a different airport to visit family, something I have done before. I just made the "90 day" limit to get the BOGO only because I put it on hold, then made my deposit through my PCC on day 89 after commenting that I was likely going to change the airport info - and she didn't say anything.

 

So here is the response I got when I sent the airport details (86 days out):

"we can't make any changes to the air under 90 days to sailing. If you want to remove the air completely I can still do that until 59 days to sailing"

 

Makes no sense to me - they obviously don't start booking airfare until day 75 since they allow deviations - what is the difference between adding a deviation or changing the airport?  I will probably just cancel the cruise instead - it was a fairly good deal so I booked it, but nothing that I can't live without.

[jkrislc]

For the price on my upcoming cruise, it's worth the hassle of booking NCL air. We're paying $600 for 3 people roundtrip from San Diego to New York. The cheapest tickets are in the $400-$500 per person. I can handle come crappy flights for the savings.

 

What's odd is that there seems to be no rhyme or reason to the airfare. We have friends joining us on the same cruise, flying from the same airport, but our air is completely different. Now mind you, this is based on our "summary" and could change when tickets are actually issued.

 

NCL has us on a redeye flight so that we arrive on the day that our 3 precruise hotel nights begin. Our friends are booked on a daytime flight direct, whereas we have a connection. However, flying home, we have a direct flight and our friends have a connection.

 

Now, I expected the redeye from reading NCL's flight policies, but it seems odd they would fly our friends direct and schedule us to leave a day early to accommodate the redeye flight.

[hallux]

@jkrislcdid you pay the fee to have your reservations linked using the Travel With Guarantee?  That would link yours and your friend's reservations and ensure you're on the same flights.  Your placeholder flights may not match until closer to when they're finally booked.

 

NCL's ultimate goal is to have you arrive in time to catch the cruise ship.  Apparently the booking/scheduling algorithm used does not take into account that you have a deviation in addition to the pricing requirements, just that you want to arrive on a certain day.

 

In October 2019 I was going the opposite way, Upstate NY to LA.  I took the reduced airfare perk and did a one day deviation.  I was in my hotel in LA by noon.  Yup, NCL booked me on a 6 AM flight...

[Rick&Jeannie]

We just got back from a Greek Isles cruise.  (Great cruise..TERRIBLE air experience).  Yes, I saw the bit up front about how restrictive their policies were...but I was looking at that great rate!  And, since I have pretty good status with Delta I *assumed* that I could tweak anything I wanted to directly with Delta.

 

Not so!  Delta could not do ANYTHING with our reservation...even on an extra paid basis.  My complaint was a crazy short connection time in Paris.  Plane was delayed on the ground in Athens.  We missed our connection in Paris.  NCL (or Air France...not sure who this would be) was then on the hook for hotel accommodations and meal vouchers...BUT WE HAD NO ACCESS TO OUR LUGGAGE!

 

I have since cancelled the air portion of a future cruise and will handle my own arrangements.  Never again will I be fooled into the "convenience" of NCL's air program.  Princess' EZAir is FAR superior...you have control when using them.

[DCGuy64]

On 9/23/2021 at 5:23 AM, CruizinKittie40 said:

Our flight times were perfect and we love the thought that someone will be waiting for us at the airport to drive us straight to the cruise port.

Same here. No way in the world we could’ve gotten the deal on our own that we had with NCL, $199 round trip for two from DC to Miami. Even a nonstop on the way down. Our status with American meant we got free checked bags 🧳 and exit row seats on a 1/2 full flight. Also, I think some people are confused about why NCL doesn’t ticket until 45 days before sailing. They’re using ticket consolidators and buying in bulk, and the best deals aren’t available until then (they’re essentially unsold seats). They’re not trying to pull a fast one, despite what some are suggesting. It worked great for us & we’d do it again. 

[Oakman58]

 

 

36 minutes ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

 

 

 My complaint was a crazy short connection time in Paris.  Plane was delayed on the ground in Athens.  We missed our connection in Paris.  NCL (or Air France...not sure who this would be) was then on the hook for hotel accommodations and meal vouchers...BUT WE HAD NO ACCESS TO OUR LUGGAGE!

 

We had something similar happen to us many years ago on a flight from Egypt.  This is why everyone should always keep a small carry-on with them, especially if they have important medications.

[zdcatc12]

6 hours ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

We just got back from a Greek Isles cruise.  (Great cruise..TERRIBLE air experience).  Yes, I saw the bit up front about how restrictive their policies were...but I was looking at that great rate!  And, since I have pretty good status with Delta I *assumed* that I could tweak anything I wanted to directly with Delta.

 

Not so!  Delta could not do ANYTHING with our reservation...even on an extra paid basis.  My complaint was a crazy short connection time in Paris.  Plane was delayed on the ground in Athens.  We missed our connection in Paris.  NCL (or Air France...not sure who this would be) was then on the hook for hotel accommodations and meal vouchers...BUT WE HAD NO ACCESS TO OUR LUGGAGE!

Would have been the case with any airline, not just Delta. It is no different than booking a cruise through a TA and you personally can not change anything without them doing it, no different here.

[CruizinKittie40]

17 hours ago, DCGuy64 said:

Same here. No way in the world we could’ve gotten the deal on our own that we had with NCL, $199 round trip for two from DC to Miami. Even a nonstop on the way down. Our status with American meant we got free checked bags 🧳 and exit row seats on a 1/2 full flight. Also, I think some people are confused about why NCL doesn’t ticket until 45 days before sailing. They’re using ticket consolidators and buying in bulk, and the best deals aren’t available until then (they’re essentially unsold seats). They’re not trying to pull a fast one, despite what some are suggesting. It worked great for us & we’d do it again. 

We also got free checked bags with Delta! I'm wondering if that's an NCL thing because we don't have any sort of status with them

[hallux]

2 hours ago, CruizinKittie40 said:

We also got free checked bags with Delta! I'm wondering if that's an NCL thing because we don't have any sort of status with them

I seem to recall paying for a checked bag on Delta in 2019 with NCL-booked air (as a perk).

 

Was yours a domestic or international flight?  I flew to Mexico City in 2015 and didn't pay for a checked bag even though a baggage fee was pretty standard on domestic flights by then.

[CruizinKittie40]

1 hour ago, hallux said:

I seem to recall paying for a checked bag on Delta in 2019 with NCL-booked air (as a perk).

 

Was yours a domestic or international flight?  I flew to Mexico City in 2015 and didn't pay for a checked bag even though a baggage fee was pretty standard on domestic flights by then.

International

[TowerOrchard]

We are taking advantage of the B1G1 deal with Norwegian for our next cruise. We fly out of a smaller market airport where choices are fewer,  prices are higher, and travel always involves a connection through a hub. I can understand people from bigger markets not finding the value in this deal, but it is saving us around $1400 for flights that are about the same as what we have access to anyway.

[julig22]

I have had good luck with my flights, especially international from the west coast.  Often the times aren't great but totally in line with any options I can find when I look at what I'd be able to book myself.

 

However, I'm currently trying to change my return airport for a cruise that is 83 days out and my PCC says no changes after 90 days.

You can do a date deviation - "Date deviations can be added up to 75 days prior to embarkation"

You can cancel up to 60 days.

But you can't change the airport??

This was a last minute cruise (got a solo discount so the price was right) so not something I can't live without - totally floors me that NCL would prefer a cancellation than to make a change, long before they even start booking tickets.

Still scratching my head...

 

[kpjb]

On 9/22/2021 at 5:14 PM, stich3003 said:

Ncl requires full payment 60 days out. There air program is part of the 60 days out. But the catch is you don't know when and were your flight will be. You have zero say on preference or routes. You find out the bad news 45 days out. Oops to late to cancel. 

I understand that you don't know when, but I certainly hope the "where" is from somewhere reasonably near your house to the cruise port.

[hallux]

10 minutes ago, kpjb said:

I understand that you don't know when, but I certainly hope the "where" is from somewhere reasonably near your house to the cruise port.

You even get to tell NCL what airport you want to fly from.  Some people like to be dramatic because they think it's better for getting their point across...

[DCGuy64]

1 hour ago, hallux said:

You even get to tell NCL what airport you want to fly from.  Some people like to be dramatic because they think it's better for getting their point across...

Quite true. We originally requested IAD (Dulles) since it's slightly closer to our house than DCA (Reagan). But we ended up with DCA since NCL booked it that way. There's a limit to how far away NCL might make you go, but it wouldn't be far. They're not going to make us go to Philadelphia from DC, but might have chosen Baltimore. OTOH living in the DC area we're lucky to have 3 airports within 30-45 minutes' drive. 

[BoozinCroozin]

We chose to take NCL's flight deal. The reason is it cost us $448. We fly in the day before our cruise and we fly back after the day we disembark. The cheapest airfare for me booking under those conditions is $700pp RT. There are 3 of us going. That would be $2,100 vs $448. That is a massive difference and I can live with the times and airlines they choose. If I had to pay $2,100, we would cancel the cruise, simple as that. 

[BoozinCroozin]

A little confusion in my post above. We fly back on disembarkation day which limits us to flights maybe 11AM or later.

[milolii]

On 9/27/2021 at 4:55 AM, CruizinKittie40 said:

We also got free checked bags with Delta! I'm wondering if that's an NCL thing because we don't have any sort of status with them

Most US airlines do not charge for baggage on most international flights.  As of now, anyway…..could happen though.  Weight limits can apply,  though. 

[hallux]

5 hours ago, DCGuy64 said:

There's a limit to how far away NCL might make you go, but it wouldn't be far.

Right.  I live near Albany but NCL wouldn't book me from Newburgh or one of the NYC airports in an effort to save money...