Booking flights well after booking cruise

[sadiwest]

Long time cruisers but never dealt with this situation before.  

I booked a (surprise) Alaska cruise for June 2024 on RCCL.  Now that we're almost at a time when air travel can be booked for that date range, I'm trying to decide a few things.

 

First, can I still do so through RCCL or would I have had to decide that when I first booked the cruise?

 

Then, how.... undesirable a flight are we likely to get if we do it through RCCL? Originally I was going to do it myself so I can hand pick flights (either of two airports, couple days early, etc) but now I wonder if we're better off putting any unfortunate cancelations in their hands to fix.

 

Still undecided just wondering. 

 

Also I can't even find RCCL information regarding flights on their website.  Where is it located? 

 

TIA

[livingonthebeach]

4 minutes ago, sadiwest said:

Long time cruisers but never dealt with this situation before.  

I booked a (surprise) Alaska cruise for June 2024 on RCCL.  Now that we're almost at a time when air travel can be booked for that date range, I'm trying to decide a few things.

 

First, can I still do so through RCCL or would I have had to decide that when I first booked the cruise?

 

Then, how.... undesirable a flight are we likely to get if we do it through RCCL? Originally I was going to do it myself so I can hand pick flights (either of two airports, couple days early, etc) but now I wonder if we're better off putting any unfortunate cancelations in their hands to fix.

 

Still undecided just wondering. 

 

Also I can't even find RCCL information regarding flights on their website.  Where is it located? 

 

TIA

 

Check the Air2Sea website:

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/flights/bookFlights

[sadiwest]

7 minutes ago, livingonthebeach said:

 

Check the Air2Sea website:

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/flights/bookFlights

Thank you. Now I will be able to check once June 2024 is available.  😑 suspense....how frustrating.  

[Tree_skier]

I have never found Air2Sea flights to be a particularly good deal. Almost always I save substantially by booking myself.  We always book with enough time should something go wrong we have some flexibility and don't have to worry about missing the cruise.

[sadiwest]

Just now, Tree_skier said:

I have never found Air2Sea flights to be a particularly good deal. Almost always I save substantially by booking myself.  We always book with enough time should something go wrong we have some flexibility and don't have to worry about missing the cruise.

Yeah I'm assuming I'll be better off cost wise and option wise. It makes me wonder, though, about spending money for an additional hotel day/night just to arrive early (or have wiggle room in case). I'll most likely check both and then make the final choice.  Seems like I could be two months away from being able to check, as most airlines are showing flights through April 2024 at the moment.  

[livingonthebeach]

2 minutes ago, Tree_skier said:

I have never found Air2Sea flights to be a particularly good deal. Almost always I save substantially by booking myself.  We always book with enough time should something go wrong we have some flexibility and don't have to worry about missing the cruise.

 

I find Air2Sea to be the best fare for repositioning cruises - i.e. going to one airport and returning from another. 

[livingonthebeach]

Just now, sadiwest said:

Yeah I'm assuming I'll be better off cost wise and option wise. It makes me wonder, though, about spending money for an additional hotel day/night just to arrive early (or have wiggle room in case). I'll most likely check both and then make the final choice.  Seems like I could be two months away from being able to check, as most airlines are showing flights through April 2024 at the moment.  

 

The advantage of using Air2Sea is that if flights are cancelled they make sure you are rerouted in order not to miss your cruise. I have used them on several occasions and have been very pleased. You might get lesser cost fares yourself but the added security of not missing a cruise is well worth any additional fees, if any, IMO. 

[Tree_skier]

12 minutes ago, livingonthebeach said:

 

I find Air2Sea to be the best fare for repositioning cruises - i.e. going to one airport and returning from another. 

Good to know. I haven't done one of those yet.  Hopefully soon.  

[smokeybandit]

There's no real connection between when you book a cruise and when you book a flight.

Just be careful if you book a business class flight that has a connection. They sometimes will book you in economy (at business class prices) for one of the legs and not tell you.

[c-leg5]

20 minutes ago, livingonthebeach said:

 

I find Air2Sea to be the best fare for repositioning cruises - i.e. going to one airport and returning from another. 

 

17 minutes ago, livingonthebeach said:

 

The advantage of using Air2Sea is that if flights are cancelled they make sure you are rerouted in order not to miss your cruise. I have used them on several occasions and have been very pleased. You might get lesser cost fares yourself but the added security of not missing a cruise is well worth any additional fees, if any, IMO. 

Certainly used to be the case also you could fly in a week ot two early or leave late or from different airports after a land trip.

 

However, Unless the website has changed again recently it was VERY user unfriendly last year for a couple of repositioning cruises we were taking. You couldn’t determine options without phoning, which requires you to have some alternative ideas already worked out.

[sadiwest]

34 minutes ago, livingonthebeach said:

 

The advantage of using Air2Sea is that if flights are cancelled they make sure you are rerouted in order not to miss your cruise. I have used them on several occasions and have been very pleased. You might get lesser cost fares yourself but the added security of not missing a cruise is well worth any additional fees, if any, IMO. 

This is the main reason I'm even considering it through RCCL. Its a land and sea trip withba lot of moving parts.  I do want to get there at least onecdaybprior, so I hope that's an optin through them. 

 

I guess all I can do for now is wait until June dates open for booking flights.

[livingonthebeach]

7 minutes ago, sadiwest said:

This is the main reason I'm even considering it through RCCL. Its a land and sea trip withba lot of moving parts.  I do want to get there at least onecdaybprior, so I hope that's an optin through them. 

 

I guess all I can do for now is wait until June dates open for booking flights.

 

Yes -- I also have a June 2024 booked and am waiting for flights to open up. For that cruise, I'm arriving in Barcelona and departing from Athens. I'm definitely using Air2Sea for that one as I don't want any major snafus -- not saying they can't happen but Air2Sea has always made good for me, YMMV. 

[njkruzer]

Check the posting on cancelled flight.  Apparently a one day strike in Italy this weekend cancelled someone's flt.  Booked thru Royal and Royal is handling the rebooking.  I think there's a free hotel involved.

[sadiwest]

9 minutes ago, njkruzer said:

Check the posting on cancelled flight.  Apparently a one day strike in Italy this weekend cancelled someone's flt.  Booked thru Royal and Royal is handling the rebooking.  I think there's a free hotel involved.

Yes I did see that which is what is making me seriously reconsider doing it on my own. 

[njkruzer]

5 minutes ago, sadiwest said:

Yes I did see that which is what is making me seriously reconsider doing it on my own. 

Good.

[smokeybandit]

Air2Sea is definitely more attractive for international flights than domestic

[njkruzer]

Just now, smokeybandit said:

Air2Sea is definitely more attractive for international flights than domestic

That's what we've used it for, especially 1 way flts.

[Tlbecker1]

3 hours ago, livingonthebeach said:

 

I find Air2Sea to be the best fare for repositioning cruises - i.e. going to one airport and returning from another. 

Also, you don’t pay for the flight until your final cruise payment is due.  You have until then to also select a different flight or cancel your reservation altogether.

[rg123]

I agree. We had good luck with Air2Sea for an international flight. I was able to browse on the site and found prices to be better than what I found on outside sites. Also, besides being able to rebook if flights go down, you are allowed to pick dates before or after your cruise if you want to do a little sightseeing on either end. I found the flights (a nonstop over and a flight with one US stop coming home) and just called Air2Sea and let them know which flights I liked. Got right through with no wait and worked with a great rep.

[Jbluebird]

We're using Air2Sea for our cruise in a couple months.  They were able to get us round trip non-stop flights to Europe.  When I initially booked them soon after booking the cruise, the flights were $1400.  We just made our final payment and over time, the cost of the flights went down to just over $900. Each time the cost went down I was able to cancel and rebook the exact same flight with our exact same seats. In looking on the airline web site, the cost of our flights booking directly with the airline is over $1200. So we were able to save some money with Air2Sea.

Edited June 4, 2023 by Jbluebird
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