New restrictions on easyair?

[gottagocit]

25 minutes ago, vjmatty said:

Especially after an eastbound transatlantic. Who wants to run to the airport and fly right back home from the ship after spending all that time getting to Europe?

Indeed. Perfect example. 

[CalLuvsCrusingToo]

What if you use EZ air only One direction like precruise?

Then make your own arrangements for getting back to USA...

 We prefer to do that as we have Airline Points to use and EZ doesn't get involved with points.

 

Edited June 24 by CalLuvsCrusingToo

[gottagocit]

28 minutes ago, CalLuvsCrusingToo said:

What if you use EZ air only One direction like precruise?

Then make your own arrangements for getting back to USA...

 We prefer to do that as we have Airline Points to use and EZ doesn't get involved with points.

 

Yea that is an option but one way tickets bought from the airline tend to be terribly expensive compared to a r/t unless of course you’re buying short flights with southwest other low cost airline. Buying one ways for overseas flights are awful typically. 
EZair was helpful in negotiating fares with one way voyages that avoided the penalties for two one ways. 
Also any flights bought outside ezair are not covered by Princess travel insurance or changeable without paying extra. 
It will just making cruising more difficult and more expensive for those who want to spend time before or after their cruise. 

[azbirdmom]

42 minutes ago, CalLuvsCrusingToo said:

What if you use EZ air only One direction like precruise?

Then make your own arrangements for getting back to USA...

 We prefer to do that as we have Airline Points to use and EZ doesn't get involved with points.

 

 

Yes you can certainly do that.  If you're using points it makes no difference.  If you are paying and flying internationally, most airlines charge more for two one ways than what the round trip fare would be for the same flights.  So if you're paying the airline one way and EZAir for the other ticket you will pay more in total.  If you're flying domestic, usually two one ways would cost the same as a round trip for most domestic airlines.

[SCX22]

1 minute ago, azbirdmom said:

If you're flying domestic, usually two one ways would cost the same as a round trip for most domestic airlines.

 

If you're flying domestic, I would double check the booking with the airline directly.  EZAir savings are more prevalent with international flight, especially international flights that require a different arrival and departure city.  For domestic flights, most times it's cheaper to book directly with the airline rather than EZAir.  You lose the protection, but that's the risk that you sometimes have to take.  If I'm cruising out of LA, it's waaaay cheaper for me to fly on Southwest, which includes 2 pieces of checked luggage.

[tothemall&beyond]

1 hour ago, CalLuvsCrusingToo said:

What if you use EZ air only One direction like precruise?

Then make your own arrangements for getting back to USA...

 We prefer to do that as we have Airline Points to use and EZ doesn't get involved with points.

 

What if? You can always do that. But now limited to the 5-day parameter for the direction you use it. And, as others have pointed out, no Princess protection if/when "things happen" -- which can be a real issue when, as it was for us on a TA in 2018 when the ship didn't actually get to our disembarkation port. We were fully protected and made whole because we had purchased both EZ Air and Princess insurance. But were were flying home on what would have been day 6 after end of cruise so under new rules, we wouldn't even be able to book that same EZAir now.

Edited June 24 by tothemall&beyond

[Debinnova]

Well this is a real inconvenience. I've been waiting for the air booking to open up for a TA next year. My hotels, etc in Europe are already booked and we are staying in London for 8 additional nights, after the transatlantic. I liked the flexible payment and cancelation since it's a year out. Now I have to book direct with the airline with a less flexible cancelation policy and probably a higher cost. Very frustrating.

[racj846]

We have air booked to the UK for later in the year, 7 days ahead of the cruise departure date so as to visit friends.  If I want to rebook our flight on that date, to take advantage of a lower fare or better routing, that is now not possible with this 5 day limit, since the policy appears to be retroactive

 

Any thoughts on how this will apply to flights that head west across the Intl Date line? If the 5 day rule applies to the day of departure, one day is lost enroute, then only three days at final destination before cruise departure.  Not good.

 

What angers me the most about this change, is the total lack of any communication from Princess, or more correctly since other lines seem to be involved, Carnival Corp.

 

 

[SCX22]

7 minutes ago, racj846 said:

Any thoughts on how this will apply to flights that head west across the Intl Date line? If the 5 day rule applies to the day of departure, one day is lost enroute, then only three days at final destination before cruise departure.  Not good.

 

Doesn't affect flights that cross Int'l Date Line.  The date you enter when initiating the search through EZAir is the arrival date and the flights that populate will compensate for the lost days.  In the example below for a cruise departing Sydney on 11/23, the furthest date back that can be selected is 11/18.  In the flight results, the flights that populate depart on 11/16 so you arrive on 11/18. 

 

Same principle applies for European flights where the arrival is the next day.  The flight departure date will automatically revert to the date before the arrival date selected.

 

Still agree that the change blows.

[racj846]

Yes, I should have remembered EZAir asks for arrival date.

 

However we were looking at both an Asian cruise and Northbound transpacific next year.  If only a few days to explore area before cruise, then I see little point in taking just the cruises if not possible to arrive a couple of weeks (or more) to explore and sightsee those countries.

 

Just my 2 cents worth, 

[FLAlaska]

1 hour ago, racj846 said:

Yes, I should have remembered EZAir asks for arrival date.

 

However we were looking at both an Asian cruise and Northbound transpacific next year.  If only a few days to explore area before cruise, then I see little point in taking just the cruises if not possible to arrive a couple of weeks (or more) to explore and sightsee those countries.

 

Just my 2 cents worth, 

Just buy airfare directly with the airlines.

[tothemall&beyond]

On 6/23/2024 at 2:01 PM, voljeep said:

oh, I have no clue ... obviously 

 

Does Princess make much on ezair? or just the way to get passengers to the ports cheaper?

They make commission because they are, in fact, acting as travel agent.

[tothemall&beyond]

32 minutes ago, FLAlaska said:

Just buy airfare directly with the airlines.

There are several key protections that EZAir offers that are lost when you book directly with the airlines. That's why this policy change is being met with such negative reactions from so many of us.

[tothemall&beyond]

21 hours ago, SCX22 said:

 

If you're flying domestic, I would double check the booking with the airline directly.  EZAir savings are more prevalent with international flight, especially international flights that require a different arrival and departure city.  For domestic flights, most times it's cheaper to book directly with the airline rather than EZAir.  You lose the protection, but that's the risk that you sometimes have to take.  If I'm cruising out of LA, it's waaaay cheaper for me to fly on Southwest, which includes 2 pieces of checked luggage.

For our roundtrip nonstop flights between FLL and LAX in April and May, EZAir was still cheaper than booking directly with any of the airlines, including Southwest which didn't even offer the option of nonstop flights. 

[FLAlaska]

9 minutes ago, tothemall&beyond said:

There are several key protections that EZAir offers that are lost when you book directly with the airlines. That's why this policy change is being met with such negative reactions from so many of us.

I get that. But I still don’t get the attitude that you can’t possibly go earlier

because Princess EZ air isn’t available. And do you really need the protection of missing the cruise if you are going a week early?

Im not  trying to be argumentative, I get the ability to change flights, wait to pay , etc may be affected, but EZ Air would never be a deal killer to extending my trip 

[dreaminofcruisin]

The one thought I haven't seen anyone suggest yet....

perhaps it's the airlines that are requiring this and not Princess?

 

Maybe Princess hasn't even been following some 'rules' airline consolidators have made.....

 

Just another thought to pour in the soup.....

🧐

[startedwithamouse]

1 hour ago, FLAlaska said:

Just buy airfare directly with the airlines.

Exactly.

 

Y'all are acting like there's no other choice here. 

[gottagocit]

9 minutes ago, startedwithamouse said:

Exactly.

 

Y'all are acting like there's no other choice here. 

Y’all act like buying two one way international flights from the airline is not big deal. Lol. 

When buying one way tickets directly from the airlines for an Asian, down under or even Europe can be very expensive. Ezair negotiated fares that don’t include penalties and were like buying a r/t even though the voyage may be a one way. 

[SCX22]

1 hour ago, FLAlaska said:

Just buy airfare directly with the airlines.

 

29 minutes ago, startedwithamouse said:

Exactly.

 

Y'all are acting like there's no other choice here. 

 

Sometimes the low airfare EZAir quotes sways me to book Princess.  Happened on a TA.  X quoted $1000 for SFO to LHR and FLL to SFO, cruises had similar itineraries.  Princess quoted $529 R/T.  I booked the Princess cruise.  If the air component is going to be the same for X and Princess for similar cruises, then I'm going with X.  Yes, the cruise fare was more, but I've always thought X is worth it.

 

As has been stated by others EZAir makes a bigger difference on international flights.  Also makes a difference if your home airport is a major airport with a robust flight schedule.  One of out friends lives in the boonies of the Midwest (no offense meant), has to make a zillion connections to get to the final destination, and can only fly on the 4 major US airlines on at least one of the connections because those are the only airlines that fly to their home airport.  When there's slim pickings, then expect flights to cost more.

[startedwithamouse]

1 hour ago, SCX22 said:

 

 

Sometimes the low airfare EZAir quotes sways me to book Princess.  Happened on a TA.  X quoted $1000 for SFO to LHR and FLL to SFO, cruises had similar itineraries.  Princess quoted $529 R/T.  I booked the Princess cruise.  If the air component is going to be the same for X and Princess for similar cruises, then I'm going with X.  Yes, the cruise fare was more, but I've always thought X is worth it.

 

As has been stated by others EZAir makes a bigger difference on international flights.  Also makes a difference if your home airport is a major airport with a robust flight schedule.  One of out friends lives in the boonies of the Midwest (no offense meant), has to make a zillion connections to get to the final destination, and can only fly on the 4 major US airlines on at least one of the connections because those are the only airlines that fly to their home airport.  When there's slim pickings, then expect flights to cost more.

Why was EZAir so low?  Who was picking up the difference in cost between an EZAir ticket and a regular ticket? Princess? Airlines? Other passengers paying for even higher cost tickets to balance?

 

[startedwithamouse]

1 hour ago, gottagocit said:

Y’all act like buying two one way international flights from the airline is not big deal. Lol. 

When buying one way tickets directly from the airlines for an Asian, down under or even Europe can be very expensive. Ezair negotiated fares that don’t include penalties and were like buying a r/t even though the voyage may be a one way. 

Why are you buying two one way tickets, and not a round trip?

 

You can still use EZAir for your cruise vacation.

[ceilidh1]

Just now, startedwithamouse said:

Why are you buying two one way tickets, and not a round trip?

 

You can still use EZAir for your cruise vacation.

Because you don’t always start/end at the same port? I am sailing Southampton to Boston and need to fly from Vancouver. That requires a one way to London and a one way Boston to Vancouver. I can 100% guarantee it would be less with EZ Air and I wouldn’t need to pay until final. That’s why I choose princess over lines that don’t offer airfare for these sailings…

[ceilidh1]

5 minutes ago, startedwithamouse said:

Why was EZAir so low?  Who was picking up the difference in cost between an EZAir ticket and a regular ticket? Princess? Airlines? Other passengers paying for even higher cost tickets to balance?

 

EZ Air is lower as princess are acting as the consolidator, just like any travel agent. Travel agents pay way less for the flight than they charge the consumer as they add a mark up fee. They pay net rates, as do princess. 

[LACruiser88]

An example of lower International Business Class fares on EZair was on our recent Sydney to Seattle cruise on the Majestic.

 

We flew non-stop LAX to Sydney.  The lowest fare that we could find, outside of EZair, for the one-way flight was $7,900 pp on Quantas.  Through EZair we paid $4,200 pp via United Airlines.  A huge savings! 

 

We booked our flight home from Seattle directly via American Airlines.

[kiwimum]

Flying from SAN to SGP with Singapore Air. EZAir when we booked on opening day was $7500 for 2 in BC.   Today looking at the same flights on Singapore Air website is $14590.   Flying in 5 days prior.