Why such late flights?

[bonni99]

On Cunard packages why do Cunard insist on booking such late flights? On our 2-16 December trip on the Qm2 - we were off the ship on the 16th by 9-30am and our flight wasn't until 8.20pm. A day wasted sloping around the Miami Hilton with a school cafeteria style lunch and a later check in which resulted in some couples not bing allocated seats together- meant we had a journey which all together took 24 hours to get us back to london from the time we got off the ship. This only serves to undo the R and R we had just had for the previous 2 weeks! How did others find the set up?

[Kindlychap]

On Cunard packages why do Cunard insist on booking such late flights?

 

Well, one reason is that there appears to be only one American Airlines flight per day from Miami to London that is direct.

 

It is also more or less standard practice for flights to America to be day flights, and the return to be night flights.

 

It is the same from New York.

[bonni99]

Other than my total disdain for American Airlines- I would think that Cunard could handle the daytime arrangements better. When we disembarked in New York they took us on a Manhattan tour and we had some independent time at South Street Seaport. I would think they could do something similar in Miami. A lot of our fellow travellers were not impressed with the arrangements this time- it just involved sitting around for 12 hours.

[Kindlychap]

Other than my total disdain for American Airlines- I would think that Cunard could handle the daytime arrangements better. When we disembarked in New York they took us on a Manhattan tour and we had some independent time at South Street Seaport. I would think they could do something similar in Miami. A lot of our fellow travellers were not impressed with the arrangements this time- it just involved sitting around for 12 hours.

 

So is your problem isn't waiting for the flight, but the quality of the entertainment?

[bonni99]

...waiting all day for a flight alternating between sitting on a bus, sitting in a rubbish hotel lobby...sitting back in a coach then sitting at the airport for 12 hours- then a 10 hour flight...personally it doesn't do it for me or the others who were on the coach with us... its not about getting entertained its about not being herded off the ship and then treated like rubbish now that the cruise is over.

 

Wow imagine me expecting a little better from Cunard! isn't this board meant to be called Cruise critic? Or cant we critique or criticise anything anymore?

[Kindlychap]

Wow imagine me expecting a little better from Cunard! isn't this board meant to be called Cruise critic? Or cant we critique or criticise anything anymore?

 

Of course we can. But you'll find plenty to put the other side of the argument as well.

 

What would you suggest they did about it, for example?

 

The Manhatten transfer is really just an opportunity to sleep if you've been up and about to see the whole of the entrance to New York.

[bonni99]

Dopping us off at a mall in Miami would have given us food options and something to do for a few hours- particularly with it being a week before Christmas...maybe a drive around Miami to see some of the sights...

[Kindlychap]

Dopping us off at a mall in Miami would have given us food options and something to do for a few hours- particularly with it being a week before Christmas...maybe a drive around Miami to see some of the sights...

 

Well, here's the rub.

 

I can think of nothing worse than being dropped in a shopping centre.

 

I don't go on holiday to shop......

 

We're all different, and want different things.

 

Why not book into a decent hotel, get a cab there, drop your luggage off and then fly home the next day?

[bonni99]

If I had unlimited holiday or annual leave then that would be ideal but unfortunately not...horses for courses as you say but a sightseeing tour would be preferable to a lame airport hotel lobby

[ocngypz]

Nonstop ta flights leave between 5-9pm from the states.

 

As soon as I have the record locator from Cunard's Air/Sea department, I choose my clients' seats.

 

There are post debarkation tours available for both Ft Lauderdale and Miami for those folks with evening flights regardless of whether the flights were booked through Cunard or independently.

[hooked cruiser]

We live in Ireland and have to fly first to the UK and then connect to Miami. On the occassions that we travel we always inform the company (Both Cunard and Princess) (Same office and company) that we have to get flight connections and request particular flights, an example is that we are joining the QM2 on Saturday 23/12/06 and although the majority of passengers are travelling over on Friday and staying in a hotel we are actually flying on Saturday Morning and then straight to the ship.

On our return we do have an evening flight but much earlier with a different airline to that we fly out with, as I explained our connection problems, Cunard were very helpful and we will now get home at a reasonable hour with only a couple of hours waiting for a connection at Heathrow instead of 7 hours.

[Skippyyyy]

There could be one more reason for cruise lines booking flights late evening.....

 

Just in case the ship is delayed by up to (say) 8 hours - they're not faced with having to rebook flights.

 

Most flights US to Europe are overnight in any case, and if you know this beforehand you can always make arrangements to 'fill' the day. We've never had enough time to do everything we've wanted on disembarkating and in a way it reduces the 'let down' by providing something else for you to focus on.

[greatam]

Book your own flights and find your own entertainment in between disembarkation and flight time. That would solve all the problems.

 

Depending on a cruise line to entertain you when they have to worry about all others on a Cunard package is asking way too much. Some pax want shopping, some pax want sightseeing, some pax just want to sit and rest. Can't please everyone. I have yet to see a post cruise transfer that would make everyone happy, no matter the country or cruiseline. Next time, do it yourself and do what YOU want to do. Much easier and generally cheaper.

[jgsmuzzy]

Bonnie,

 

You started by saying

On Cunard packages why do Cunard insist on booking such late flights?

, you have since changed this to

I would think that Cunard could handle the daytime arrangements better

 

Which is it? As for the flight times, Cunard do not own any airlines anymore, if they did, you could complain then. Even if the flights left earlier, say 2pm, that would involve you getting to Heathrow at 4am in the morning, but then that would probably be a complaint as well.

 

For your second point. If you are unable to make your own arrangements to do something for 12 hours, maybe it was best that you were sitting about in a hotel.