Air travel strategy - what do you think?

[CruiseRQA]

We are intending to leave in a couple of weeks for a cruise on Apex.   Flying in the day before Detroit - Ft Lauderdale.    I am more concerned about flight delays/cancellations leading to a missed cruise than COVID.

 

I was looking at the airline website and see that there are fairly cheap one-way tickets in the  morning the day after our scheduled flights.   What do you think of buying a one way ticket for the morning after my scheduled flight as "insurance" in case my currently scheduled flight is canceled?    Would the airline look askew on this?   Would they even know?

[stoshb]

Those back-up reservations sound good, but bet they aren't refundable if you make your earlier flight.

 

All depends on the Airline Gods to mesh with the Cruise Gods and the Weather Gods.

 

As you are coming from Detroit, I feel your worry even though I am flying from DFW.

[D C]

Is that better than a re-book by the airline in the event of a cancelation? 

 

Guessing this isn't a Celebrity Air booking? 

[tallnthensome]

I would try the cruise air forum as I'm not sure what this has to do with Celebrity Cruise Line. 

[CruiseRQA]

14 minutes ago, D C said:

Is that better than a re-book by the airline in the event of a cancelation? 

 

Guessing this isn't a Celebrity Air booking? 

My concern is that an airline rebooking might get me to FLL too late to get on the boat. 

[CHEZMARYLOU]

Just a guess but if it is with the same airline and you have a frequent flyer account it will be flagged and not allowed. Different airline no problem with your plan.

Edited January 1, 2022 by CHEZMARYLOU

[Arizona Wildcat]

48 minutes ago, CruiseRQA said:

My concern is that an airline rebooking might get me to FLL too late to get on the boat. 

Think many have suggested getting to the portal extra day early if possible.  Sure seems likely that the weather would be better in Florida and reduce stress.

[teacherman]

We are flying Delta from DTW to FLL for a cruise on Jan 19.  We are flying on the 18th.  For some reason, I have booked one way tickets both down and back.  We have first class on the way down.  My hope is that all will go well, but if we are cancelled on the 18th, then there are 3 more flights after us that same day and 3 the next day that will get us to the ship on time.  I did see that the last few days Delta has cancelled at least one, and sometimes two, flights DTW to FLL each day.  Hopefully this will all settle down some in the next few weeks.

[D C]

The good news about flying to FLL is that there are a ton of alternative airports. If you can't get to FLL, there is MIA, RSW, PBI, MCO, JAX all within a few hour's drive to the port. 

[Arubamoose]

The only way this would work is if your original reservation was done as two one-way tickets.

If you have a round trip ticket and you don't show up for the first leg they will most likely cancel your return home.

[markeb]

10 minutes ago, Arubamoose said:

The only way this would work is if your original reservation was done as two one-way tickets.

If you have a round trip ticket and you don't show up for the first leg they will most likely cancel your return home.

Was about to say the same thing. It could get complicated if you don’t use the first leg. 

[Charles4515]

If you can book on either Jet Blue or Southwest you can book all your flights as one ways. And if your airport has both those airlines you can even fly down on one and fly back on the other.  

Edited January 1, 2022 by Charles4515

[cruzer0007]

If you are willing to eat the $$$ of the backup plan airfare, why not just go down 2 days early, giving you multiple days of re-scheduling options to work with if it came to that, then if your original flight holds up, at least you get something out of the extra $$$ (you get some extra days on your trip).   We had a similar concern about flight cancellation for our cruise in early December, and we elected to take a flight down 2 days early, normally we go one day early. 

Edited January 2, 2022 by cruzer0007

[Ride-The-Waves]

...and book business or first class.  Fewer people and more air circulation. 

[keesar]

As mentioned, there are many options to fly in the day before if you original leg is cancelled.  If you do not show up for the first leg, you return will be cancelled on the same airline.  Our number of cancellations have risen significantly since last weekend.  

How about a one way car rental?  Or book first class?

 

 

[cl.klink]

As a thought experiment, if today was the day that the original flight is supposed to go, and today it gets cancelled, I would be of a mind to do whatever I had to, cost notwithstanding, to find a way to get to the cruise after all.  But, I may not have options if I start planning at the moment of the cancellation. 

 

So, I'd book a backup refundable flight now, pay the extra for refundable fare, and that way if the cancellation happens I would still be in a position to get there.  It'd be more expensive, but, in my thought experiment, I am already conceding that problem at that point.

 

If you do not need it, you can cancel and you are out nothing. 

 

- Joel

Edited January 2, 2022 by cl.klink
typo

[taylortime05]

9 hours ago, CruiseRQA said:

We are intending to leave in a couple of weeks for a cruise on Apex.   Flying in the day before Detroit - Ft Lauderdale.    I am more concerned about flight delays/cancellations leading to a missed cruise than COVID.

 

I was looking at the airline website and see that there are fairly cheap one-way tickets in the  morning the day after our scheduled flights.   What do you think of buying a one way ticket for the morning after my scheduled flight as "insurance" in case my currently scheduled flight is canceled?    Would the airline look askew on this?   Would they even know?

We are on the Apex Jan 15th sailing and also flying from DTW to FLL.  We are leaving on the 14th on the 10:55 AM flight.  I'm considering changing it to the earlier flight at 7:00 am.  I had not even considered purchasing another ticket for backup.  

[Cruise a holic]

We were supposed to fly out yesterday for our cruise today.  We had first class tickets.  We were bumped as the flight was cancelled.  I had been watching the seating charts of the flight for about 2 weeks and noticed it wasn't nearly full.  The air to sea program moved us to a later flight- but it wasn't first class which was a problem as we would have been three in a row vs two.  We cancelled the cruise-

 

We planned on not eating or drinking on the flight as we didn't want to remove our masks at all during the flight.  Hopefully things will get better in a few months as more people get immunizated.

[keesar]

I suspect that others are cancelling their cruises.  Besides the issues with the experience on board, there are now issues with air travel. To some, the hassle is just not worth it.

[happy cruzer]

4 hours ago, Cruise a holic said:

We were supposed to fly out yesterday for our cruise today.  We had first class tickets.  We were bumped as the flight was cancelled.  I had been watching the seating charts of the flight for about 2 weeks and noticed it wasn't nearly full.  The air to sea program moved us to a later flight- but it wasn't first class which was a problem as we would have been three in a row vs two.  We cancelled the cruise-

 

We planned on not eating or drinking on the flight as we didn't want to remove our masks at all during the flight.  Hopefully things will get better in a few months as more people get immunizated.

So did you get a refund or FCC, for both the cruise fare and the air fare?  Cruise with Confidence would cover 48 hours before the sail date.  Or were you covered by travel insurance?  Please share the details many of us have been discussing what actually happens in these cases especially with air fare.

 

Thank you very much.

[Cruise a holic]

21 minutes ago, happy cruzer said:

So did you get a refund or FCC, for both the cruise fare and the air fare?  Cruise with Confidence would cover 48 hours before the sail date.  Or were you covered by travel insurance?  Please share the details many of us have been discussing what actually happens in these cases especially with air fare.

 

Thank you very much.

Yes, we will be fully refunded.  For cruise, extras and airfare.  However, we were advised the refund can take up to 45 days. Hope we will not have any problems.  We booked 2 years ago  and have the cruise with confidence program for both the Jan 2nd and Jan 9th cruises.  I am sad- but we believe the best option for us under the current omicron uptick.

[CruiseRQA]

20 hours ago, Arubamoose said:

The only way this would work is if your original reservation was done as two one-way tickets.

If you have a round trip ticket and you don't show up for the first leg they will most likely cancel your return home.

If my flight is canceled  and they can't rebook me in time to make the cruise can't I just refuse the rebooking but keep the return flight? 

[happy cruzer]

4 hours ago, Cruise a holic said:

Yes, we will be fully refunded.  For cruise, extras and airfare.  However, we were advised the refund can take up to 45 days. Hope we will not have any problems.  We booked 2 years ago  and have the cruise with confidence program for both the Jan 2nd and Jan 9th cruises.  I am sad- but we believe the best option for us under the current omicron uptick.

So Cruise with Confidence lists FCC for the cruise fare?  Airfare is refundable because it was booked that way?    And you are going to get refunded for all of it?  Just trying to understand what actually happens.  Thanks.

[Arizona Wildcat]

1 hour ago, CruiseRQA said:

If my flight is canceled  and they can't rebook me in time to make the cruise can't I just refuse the rebooking but keep the return flight? 

Maybe.  If you booked and paid for the flights and let the airline know what you are doing - yes.  If it is part of a package - no.  

The other alternative is they can fly you to the first port and join the cruise there.  In this case the airline would pay lodging and a meal allowance.   

[Arizona Wildcat]

9 minutes ago, happy cruzer said:

So Cruise with Confidence lists FCC for the cruise fare?  Airfare is refundable because it was booked that way?    And you are going to get refunded for all of it?  Just trying to understand what actually happens.  Thanks.

So are the rest of us.  Airfare would only be refundable if that is the fare rule on that ticket.  Basic economy is use it or lose it.  Economy is usually a credit - not a refund.

Cruise with Confidence is also a credit - not a refund.

Again frequent flyer programs and packaged bookings often have different rules.  The OP has not shared all the details.