Booked my first Alaskan cruise! Flight question.

[CarnivalNico]

Hi all!  Booked my first NCL cruise which just so happens to be my first Alaskan cruise.  I'm super excited!  As such, this will be my first time requiring a flight to get to a port, I'm sailing out of Vancouver.  (I live in Florida so I'm driving distance to all the main ports and never needed a flight.)

 

Questions I have that I'm hoping this community could give me answers too.

1.  Should I allow NCL to book my flights or should I book them myself to try and save some money?

2.  If NCL books my flight, what happens if my flight is canceled or delayed and I miss embarkation?  I'll be flying from Tampa so it's a long way... I imagine the risk of flight delays might be greater since it's a MUCH longer flight.

3.  If NCL books my flight, do I have any say as to when I fly in or out?  Kinda wouldn't mind spending an extra day or two in Vancouver to check it out before my cruise.

4. Will I need to get a hotel?  Or do they try and get me flown in/out on the same day as embarkation/debarkation?

 

Thanks all!  

[www3traveler]

5 minutes ago, CarnivalNico said:

Hi all!  Booked my first NCL cruise which just so happens to be my first Alaskan cruise.  I'm super excited!  As such, this will be my first time requiring a flight to get to a port, I'm sailing out of Vancouver.  (I live in Florida so I'm driving distance to all the main ports and never needed a flight.)

 

Questions I have that I'm hoping this community could give me answers too.

1.  Should I allow NCL to book my flights or should I book them myself to try and save some money?

2.  If NCL books my flight, what happens if my flight is canceled or delayed and I miss embarkation?  I'll be flying from Tampa so it's a long way... I imagine the risk of flight delays might be greater since it's a MUCH longer flight.

3.  If NCL books my flight, do I have any say as to when I fly in or out?  Kinda wouldn't mind spending an extra day or two in Vancouver to check it out before my cruise.

4. Will I need to get a hotel?  Or do they try and get me flown in/out on the same day as embarkation/debarkation?

 

Thanks all!  

First suggestion would be: fly into Vancouver, B.C., the day before your cruise and stay at the partnership hotel (check website under Explore--Land and Sea for current information).

 

There is a hotel next door to the cruise terminal (I do not remember what it is called- probably expensive given the location).

 

If you are sailing on The Jewel, this would be a one way cruise to Seward.  I would opt for Norwegian's air package since this would involve 2 One Way fares.

 

Enjoy   Alaska is a wonderful cruise. 

[SliderNc]

9 minutes ago, CarnivalNico said:

Hi all!  Booked my first NCL cruise which just so happens to be my first Alaskan cruise.  I'm super excited!  As such, this will be my first time requiring a flight to get to a port, I'm sailing out of Vancouver.  (I live in Florida so I'm driving distance to all the main ports and never needed a flight.)

 

Questions I have that I'm hoping this community could give me answers too.

1.  Should I allow NCL to book my flights or should I book them myself to try and save some money?

2.  If NCL books my flight, what happens if my flight is canceled or delayed and I miss embarkation?  I'll be flying from Tampa so it's a long way... I imagine the risk of flight delays might be greater since it's a MUCH longer flight.

3.  If NCL books my flight, do I have any say as to when I fly in or out?  Kinda wouldn't mind spending an extra day or two in Vancouver to check it out before my cruise.

4. Will I need to get a hotel?  Or do they try and get me flown in/out on the same day as embarkation/debarkation?

 

Thanks all!  

1.  That's up to you.  Answers to the following questions might help in your decision.

2. My assumption is that you will be on a very early flight the day of departure where you'll land in Vancouver sometime around 9-10AM.  I haven't heard of them booking flights and a hotel for the day before for a cruise for any passenger in their system, but I could be wrong.

3. You do not have any say as to when you fly in or out.  They will put you on flights that will get you to the ship on time (minus things they can't control like flight delays and weather, etc.) and home after debarkation.  Considering you have to go back 3 hours going back, it is possible you might get a redeye flight debarkation day if its financially sound for them to book vs. what you would want to happen.

4. See answer to question 2. 

 

With that said, personally, I like to book my own flight and choose the airlines that I like to fly.  If you've never been to Vancouver before, it is an awesome city and definitely worth flying in a day or two before hand to explore and see.  Great food and atmosphere, plus peace of mind that you'll be there well before your cruise.

 

I just booked my first Alaskan cruise for July on Encore and am super excited as well. 

 

Good luck with your decision and hope you enjoy your cruise.

[Shellbelle28]

1.  Should I allow NCL to book my flights or should I book them myself to try and save some money? NCL usually has good pricing on flights, but you might find better if there isn't a BOGO or discount running. 

2.  If NCL books my flight, what happens if my flight is canceled or delayed and I miss embarkation?  I'll be flying from Tampa so it's a long way... I imagine the risk of flight delays might be greater since it's a MUCH longer flight. NCL has a support number that can be called for flight issues. COVID protocols are not allowing them to board passengers at the next port if they miss a sailing so if there are huge flight issues, it could go sideways. 

3.  If NCL books my flight, do I have any say as to when I fly in or out?  Kinda wouldn't mind spending an extra day or two in Vancouver to check it out before my cruise. You get what you get for flights, no choices, other than the option of flying to the port destination one or two days early. (This is called a "deviation" with NCL flights)

4. Will I need to get a hotel?  Or do they try and get me flown in/out on the same day as embarkation/debarkation? If you fly in the day before, you are responsible for your hotel accommodation overnight. If you don't choose a deviation to arrive earlier, NCL will arrange flights the day of sailing. 

[libtrek]

We’ve gone to Alaska via Vancouver several times. I would suggest going a day or two early as others have. Do some checking on flights. Airfare seems high right now, so the NCL deal might be better. Also, price flying to Seattle, then Amtrak or a shuttle to Vancouver. Very scenic route. In the Covid world, I am doing NCL air since, if they cancel, I don’t have to deal with the airline. You will LOVE Alaska!

[milolii]

Coming from Florida, you should consider flying in a day or two before the cruise.  A few years ago I was on a flight heading home which was cancelled by weather until the next day.  There were many, many passengers heading to Seattle or Vancouver who were concerned they would miss the embarkation. Even those who had an extra day. 
 

Vancouver hotels are very expensive, book early.  Have a great time. 

[ArtInMotionPersians]

The NCL BOGO flights were more expensive for one person, than for me to independently book for two people - so for us, it was a "no" to NCL flights.

 

I would get to the west coast at least a day early, more if possible.  The time change is extremely hard to adjust to.  I wish we had done the adjustment prior to the cruise instead of losing so much ship time to upset tummies and wacky sleep schedules.

[Crazy planning mom]

The northbound cruises end in Seward, Alaska.  We were just in Seward last summer on a land trip.

It is a great place to visit in its own right.  I recommend spending at least one extra night at the end of your cruise here.  It is beautiful town and the gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park.  Then, take the Alaska Railroad to Anchorage where you fly home from.

[RocketMan275]

4 hours ago, CarnivalNico said:

 

4. Will I need to get a hotel?  Or do they try and get me flown in/out on the same day as embarkation/debarkation?

 

Thanks all!  

Our last cruise was Alaska out of Vancouver.

I would never book out of Vancouver again because of the return flights.  First, you fly to Seattle, then home.  Also, you have to clear immigration and customs between Vancouver and Seattle.  Going out of Vancouver adds several hours to the home flight.

The earliest flight we could book was at 10PM.  We didn't get back to Alabama until 10 AM the following day.

If I did go out of Vancouver, I would plan on flying in a day early and flying back the day after debarkation.

 

We were on Holland and we booked our flights through HAL.  It was significantly cheaper and we got to choose our flights.  I would not leave flight selection up to the cruise line.

 

That said, it is possible to get a day room in Vancouver for up to 12  hours while you wait for  your flight home.

 

There are several hotels next to the port.  We stayed at the Pan Pacific and loved it but the Fairmont is also very nice.  The Pan Pacific has a fabulous breakfast buffet with huge windows only about 100  yards from the cruise ship. No need for a cab, you can walk to the port.

 

I've booked my cruises for 22 and 23.  I'm seriously considering an Alaskan cruise out of Seattle for 24.  We had a horrible time on our 2019 cruise.  We were both sick after about the third day and spent most of the time sleeping in our room.  We had all the symptoms of COVID.  

 

One suggestion.  I would book the train trip out of Skagway that goes to the top of the pass.  I would book the VIP car.  It's twice as expensive but you have swivel arm chairs, alcoholic beverages, and a guide dedicated to your car.  The other cars share one guide with all the other cars on a loud speaker.  With a dedicated guide, you get to ask all the questions you want.

 

Edited November 4, 2021 by RocketMan275

[cruisequeen4ever]

Vancouver is a beautiful, fun city to visit. If you book through NCL, I recommend paying the $50 fee or whatever it is to request flying in the day before the cruise. It’s trickier, if not impossible, to join an Alaska cruise later in the sailing because of the PVSA and because the ship sails straight to a US port. Plus, the tides necessitate a timely departure, which means the ship isn’t likely able to wait for delayed flights. 
 

I recommend staying at the Pan Pacific directly ON the port or the Fairmont Waterfront right across the street. Everything is walking distance from that area. 
 

Happy planning!  

[hallux]

Lots of assumptions in the previous responses. Are you using NCL's Premium Air service or using the perk airfares?  If the former, I believe you WOULD get choice of flight times, days, etc.  On the perk you don't get a choice of flight time but you CAN pick a deviation of one or two days.

 

The hotel adjacent to the terminal (there may even be direct access available to hotel guests transferring to the terminal on embarkation day) is the Pan Pacific, a 5-star hotel.  There are two Fairmont hotels in walking distance - the Fairmont Waterfront is a 4-star and directly across the street and the Fairmont Pacific Rim is a 5-star, across the street and a block West.

 

If you haven't been to Vancouver before, DEFINITELY go a day or 2 early and get in some sightseeing!  Provided you can afford the time to do it.

 

23 hours ago, RocketMan275 said:

First, you fly to Seattle, then home

Nice generalization, but that's not always the case.  I flew from Vancouver to NY through Chicago where I cleared customs then boarded a plane directly to my home airport (not in the NYC Metro area).  Because of the time of my flight I had to clear customs in Chicago but if things are back to some idea of normalcy by the time the OP cruises they MIGHT clear customs in Vancouver, assuming it's not a 1-way cruise ending in a US city as others are suggesting.

 

23 hours ago, RocketMan275 said:

That said, it is possible to get a day room in Vancouver for up to 12  hours while you wait for  your flight home

I took the opportunity to book a tour for the day, got back to downtown in time to grab a bite, grab my bag and hop the transit system for a ride to the airport, to wait 3 more hours for my flight.

[milolii]

@RocketMan275 We were on a late August 2019 Princess Alaska cruise and became sick the last day.  Very sick for about a week.  A coworker had a similar experience the same week from a cruise to Mexico. We both wondered if it was CoVID.  That would of been about three months ahead of the first known reports.

Edited November 5, 2021 by milolii

[RocketMan275]

16 hours ago, milolii said:

@RocketMan275 We were on a late August 2019 Princess Alaska cruise and became sick the last day.  Very sick for about a week.  A coworker had a similar experience the same week from a cruise to Mexico. We both wondered if it was CoVID.  That would of been about three months ahead of the first known reports.

"The first known" commonly reported are out of China which hasn't got a lot of credibility.  

There are other scattered reports of earlier, late summer, cases.

The Seattle/Vancouver area is a major transit point to/from China.

Ours lasted about a week too.

[njkate]

I'd do mock bookings of air then decide. Yes go in one to two days ahead of your cruise, if using NCL air you can do this, any longer you have to book hotel through them as well which can be pricey as they don't charge per room they charge per person and you can do much better with a hotel booking on your own.

[The Traveling Man]

Vancouver is one of our favorite cities.  If you can budget the time and cost, go a couple of days early and explore the city.  It may be a bit more hassle to arrange the air fare yourself than letting NCL do it for you, but I think you'll find that it's well worth it.  Are you planning on disembarking in Seward and exploring more of Alaska?  NCL does offer land packages that include riding the train to Denali National Park, a side trip that you will remember fondly.  We have cruised Alaska several times, including once on the Vancouver to Seward itinerary.  We booked our airfare, hotels, rail travel, and park visit on our own and had a great time everywhere along the way.  The flight home from Fairbanks was a red eye, though, and I'm not sure I would want to do that again.  Overall, though, it's a fun adventure.  Enjoy.