Airfare Inclusion

[Flatbush Flyer]

4 hours ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

If you are outside the 24 hour window, you will not receive a cash refund of your airline ticket that you buy from them.  Or, often bought through the cruiseline.  Closely read the T&C for cruiseline air and you will find that most often they are merely acting as an intermediary, with all tickets subject to the fare rules of the airline and the ticket itself.

 

To the airline, it doesn't matter WHY you cancelled.  Cruise cancelled, changed your mind - all the same.

 

 

+1.
Many folks don’t quite understand that a cruise line’s air department only acts as a TA handling ticketing. They have zero responsibility for airline performance et al. airline issues. 

[Hawaiidan]

15 hours ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

If you are outside the 24 hour window, you will not receive a cash refund of your airline ticket that you buy from them.  Or, often bought through the cruiseline.  Closely read the T&C for cruiseline air and you will find that most often they are merely acting as an intermediary, with all tickets subject to the fare rules of the airline and the ticket itself.

 

To the airline, it doesn't matter WHY you cancelled.  Cruise cancelled, changed your mind - all the same.

 

 

As a thought,   if you cancel on a  non refundable or  restricted ticket and get Future Flight credit $$$     Can you then, using that credit purchase a "refundable" fare  and then later cancel , getting a  cash refund ?

[basor]

11 minutes ago, Hawaiidan said:

As a thought,   if you cancel on a  non refundable or  restricted ticket and get Future Flight credit $$$     Can you then, using that credit purchase a "refundable" fare  and then later cancel , getting a  cash refund ?

No - the rules associated with the original ticket carry forward to the new ticket.....but a good thought.

[Benita]

I wanted to use O for our flights to Rome, so we would not be stuck with the tickets if O cancelled the cruise, assuming that has not changed since our last cruise,  but the math did not make sense. For our one way Miami to Rome, there was a $500 credit if I booked my own air. O was offering a premium economy upgrade for $199. 
   I wanted to fly in a few days early and take the only nonstop flight that any airline offered. O wanted the $175 deviation and an extra $200 for a nonstop flight, even though the flight was less expensive than any of the flights with a stop. Adding in the extra for premium economy, O’s price was just under $1100 vs $815 a ticket for booking it on my own. The added bonus of being able to book the seats right away clinched the decision with booking it on my own. 
 

Edited February 20, 2022 by Benita

[Flatbush Flyer]

1 hour ago, Hawaiidan said:

As a thought,   if you cancel on a  non refundable or  restricted ticket and get Future Flight credit $$$     Can you then, using that credit purchase a "refundable" fare  and then later cancel , getting a  cash refund ?

LOL!

That’s the same question as “can I accept a cruise FCC and then apply it to a cruise (that may have no way of ever happening) that the line or you cancels and then ask for a cash refund.

[LHT28]

1 hour ago, Benita said:

   I wanted to fly in a few days early and take the only nonstop flight that any airline offered. O wanted the $175 deviation and an extra $200 for a nonstop flight, even though the flight was less expensive than any of the flights with a stop. Adding in the extra for premium economy, O’s price was just under $1100 vs $815 a ticket for booking it on my own. The added bonus of being able to book the seats right away clinched the decision with booking it on my own. 
 

Never heard of them charging extra for a non stop flight ??

I always ask for non stop  flights

Maybe you requested an airport or airline that they do not have a contract with??

[Hawaiidan]

1 hour ago, LHT28 said:

Never heard of them charging extra for a non stop flight ??

I always ask for non stop  flights

Maybe you requested an airport or airline that they do not have a contract with??

Under The new Demand pricing...    flights are priced by convivence...  ones than leave at good time,  ones  non stop  and or number of connections.      I think O will negotiate for the best price and that will  not be for a non stop.        They reserve non stops for $$$$$$$$$$         Looking at usa to europe   a non stop will run most markets   a good $1000-1500 + over a multi change flight.    Or  a  2 stop flight with lousy connections and poor aircraft.         Its a new market that is scary.....     what you did, what we all did last year.....  well   forget it.

[Hawaiidan]

3 hours ago, Benita said:

I wanted to use O for our flights to Rome, so we would not be stuck with the tickets if O cancelled the cruise, assuming that has not changed since our last cruise,  but the math did not make sense. For our one way Miami to Rome, there was a $500 credit if I booked my own air. O was offering a premium economy upgrade for $199. 
   I wanted to fly in a few days early and take the only nonstop flight that any airline offered. O wanted the $175 deviation and an extra $200 for a nonstop flight, even though the flight was less expensive than any of the flights with a stop. Adding in the extra for premium economy, O’s price was just under $1100 vs $815 a ticket for booking it on my own. The added bonus of being able to book the seats right away clinched the decision with booking it on my own. 
 

Smart.........+++       

[ORV]

1 hour ago, LHT28 said:

Never heard of them charging extra for a non stop flight ??

I always ask for non stop  flights

Maybe you requested an airport or airline that they do not have a contract with??

Well if there was a deviation and special request then it was probably a differential fee. I think that's what they call it. Sometimes they charge extra, sometimes not. A couple of years ago we flew into Paris for a cruise that was starting in Amsterdam, they charged a differential for that. Funny thing is a lot of the flights going to AMS connect through CDG. 

[Host Jazzbeau]

12 minutes ago, ORV said:

Well if there was a deviation and special request then it was probably a differential fee. I think that's what they call it. Sometimes they charge extra, sometimes not. A couple of years ago we flew into Paris for a cruise that was starting in Amsterdam, they charged a differential for that. Funny thing is a lot of the flights going to AMS connect through CDG. 

With the crazy pricing schemes of airlines today, those AMS flights might sell for less than the single hop to CDG.  [And the airlines have gotten nasty about people who book the cheaper one and don't show up for the connection...]

[LHT28]

14 minutes ago, ORV said:

Well if there was a deviation and special request then it was probably a differential fee. I think that's what they call it. Sometimes they charge extra, sometimes not. A couple of years ago we flew into Paris for a cruise that was starting in Amsterdam, they charged a differential for that. Funny thing is a lot of the flights going to AMS connect through CDG. 

Yes that could be

Our 1st O cruise we requested BA  at the time they did not have  a contract with BA so we did pay an upcharge  for choosing BA

[Benita]

2 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

Yes that could be

Our 1st O cruise we requested BA  at the time they did not have  a contract with BA so we did pay an upcharge  for choosing BA

I had called O and was told they had continued their contract with ITA when the airline took over for Alitalia and Miami is a gateway city.

   Orv is correct that the extra $200 was an air differential, but what surprised me was the fact that the nonstop flight with ITA was cheaper than all other flights except one that was $20 cheaper. I suppose O could have negotiated better prices with the other carriers than with ITA, which could explain the differential amount. 
    

[Flatbush Flyer]

2 hours ago, LHT28 said:

Never heard of them charging extra for a non stop flight ??

I always ask for non stop  flights

Maybe you requested an airport or airline that they do not have a contract with??

The upcharge for non-stop is the airline’s doing. In most cases, non-stop will be far more expensive than “direct” or “connect.”

[LHT28]

6 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

The upcharge for non-stop is the airline’s doing. In most cases, non-stop will be far more expensive than “direct” or “connect.”

My point was O has not asked for extra $$ for my Non Stop flights

I submit the flight  I usually get them without extra charges  except the deviation fee

YMMV

[LHT28]

13 minutes ago, Benita said:

I had called O and was told they had continued their contract with ITA when the airline took over for Alitalia and Miami is a gateway city.

   Orv is correct that the extra $200 was an air differential, but what surprised me was the fact that the nonstop flight with ITA was cheaper than all other flights except one that was $20 cheaper. I suppose O could have negotiated better prices with the other carriers than with ITA, which could explain the differential amount. 
    

Did you request that specific airline?

 

[Benita]

5 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

Did you request that specific airline?

 

Yes.  That is the only airline that flies nonstop from Miami to Rome so I asked for that specific flight

Edited February 20, 2022 by Benita

[LHT28]

3 minutes ago, Benita said:

Yes.  That is the only airline that flies nonstop from Miami to Rome. 

I guess I am surprised that only 1 airline is going to FCO  from MIA

😲

[Flatbush Flyer]

51 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

My point was O has not asked for extra $$ for my Non Stop flights

I submit the flight  I usually get them without extra charges  except the deviation fee

YMMV

Nonetheless, (as a general rule) airlines charge far more for non-stop flights from A-B than for A-B “direct” (same plane with a stopover) or A-B with a different plane “connection.”

And some of the best prices on intercontinental air come from mixing partner carriers (like United/Lufthansa) using a long haul on flight 1 (e.g., SFO-FRA then FRA to BCN) and a short haul on flight 2. The problem that O runs into is that, while they can recreate any itinerary/carrier(s) you want, one component airline may not be one of O’s contracts.

BTW: if you fly from the US West Coast, always look at FRA for your long haul destination in Europe. Our “go to” (very reasonably priced for bizclass) long haul from SFO is to FRA on UA 58. From there, you’ll find numerous Star Alliance partners to get you anywhere in Europe (or beyond in that hemisphere).

[Hawaiidan]

1 hour ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Nonetheless, (as a general rule) airlines charge far more for non-stop flights from A-B than for A-B “direct” (same plane with a stopover) or A-B with a different plane “connection.”

And some of the best prices on intercontinental air come from mixing partner carriers (like United/Lufthansa) using a long haul on flight 1 (e.g., SFO-FRA then FRA to BCN) and a short haul on flight 2. The problem that O runs into is that, while they can recreate any itinerary/carrier(s) you want, one component airline may not be one of O’s contracts.

BTW: if you fly from the US West Coast, always look at FRA for your long haul destination in Europe. Our “go to” (very reasonably priced for bizclass) long haul from SFO is to FRA on UA 58. From there, you’ll find numerous Star Alliance partners to get you anywhere in Europe (or beyond in that hemisphere).

Oh yes amigo  FRA      I also use ZRH too.  UAL      For long hauls  Business is the  only choice from the  west.      Out here to AMS   Going from SNA to IAH then AMS is the best deal I have found.     I try to steer clear of 787-9    Terrible seating 2-2-2 in Bus   ( old pre polaris but they call it Polaris)    It aint   the good stuff on 777/767"s

[mexicobob]

On 2/18/2022 at 7:15 PM, Flatbush Flyer said:

Things are changing/challenging with airfare all the time these days.

For example:

 

Yesterday, I booked United biz class for our Barcelona-Miami cruise later this year. When I entered the multi-city itinerary on ITA Matrix and then on United (SFO-BCN outbound in October and MIA-SFO return in December), average price fir a desirable itinerary was right about $9500/ticket on both websites! In addition, while ITA Matrix showed all United flight options, United’s website showed a selection of “recommended” itineraries (which it often does if you do not specify time spans in the date choices). From my research and past flight itineraries, I had a good idea of the best way to get to BCN with my criteria (including United Polaris for the long-haul) and at a reasonable price.

I then separated the outbound and inbound flights into two one-way tix: SFO-BCN via FRA with a 3 hr layover (incl LH Lounge access) outbound at $2600/ticket and return MIA-SFO at $1,000/ticket.

I had a somewhat similar experience with our upcoming cruise ARN-NYC in May-July. Not only did we end up opting for one way tix, which saved $ thousands, we booked with United on the phone for an even lower price (since the United and ITA websites didn’t include current time-limited Lufthansa connecting flight prices that the phone rep could see). BTW, if you ask nicely and/or can demonstrate that you couldn’t find the desired (and existing) routing, United will wave the phone booking fee. (And United generally treats its FFs well (including answering the phone in an often timely manner and bending a variety of booking rules on a case-by-case basis (though that may take longer while the agent checks with a supervisor or the revenue folks).

 

So, you are saying that sometimes booking two one-way tickets will be cheaper than booking one round trip ticket?

[FlyerTalker]

6 hours ago, Benita said:

Orv is correct that the extra $200 was an air differential, but what surprised me was the fact that the nonstop flight with ITA was cheaper than all other flights except one that was $20 cheaper.

 

Contract pricing is completely separate from retail pricing directly from the airline.  What you may see as a retail customer has no direct linkage to the contract rates that the airline works from.  So the "cheaper" to you may very well be the "expensive" to the cruiseline, and vice versa.

[FlyerTalker]

5 hours ago, LHT28 said:

I guess I am surprised that only 1 airline is going to FCO  from MIA

 

There have been two carriers on that route in the past - Alitalia and American.  AA has dropped that route a while back, and have more recently dropped many other international routes, including to Sao Paulo, Sydney, Santiago, Tel Aviv, Hong Kong, Edinburgh, Prague and Dubrovnik.

 

Supply and demand.  There isn't the demand from SoFla to support AA flights, while AZ has enough origin traffic from Italy to support their service.  And yes, the origin does favor the local carrier when there is a choice.

[FlyerTalker]

57 minutes ago, mexicobob said:

So, you are saying that sometimes booking two one-way tickets will be cheaper than booking one round trip ticket?

 

And vice versa.  Completely depends on the airline involved and the routing.

 

Caveat Emptor.

[Flatbush Flyer]

1 hour ago, mexicobob said:

So, you are saying that sometimes booking two one-way tickets will be cheaper than booking one round trip ticket?

I was referring primarily to one multi-city ticket (common for cruisers: A to B and C to A [cruise from B to C]) vs two separate one way tickets: A to B on one reservation and C to A on a separate reservation. For the last several years, I have found the two one way tix to be significantly cheaper (at least for biz class).

As for a RT ticket (A to B and B to A), I haven’t looked lately. But, I expect that kind of simple RT reservation would USUALLY be a far better deal than two one-way tix.
However, if I find myself looking for an RT, please know that I’ll look at all options for pricing.

[LHT28]

some airlines will offer  a non refundable BIZ class price  usually the same as or cheaper than PE   IME

It was still pricey  but worth it for overseas flights  for us

YMMV