Question for Canadian Cruisers or anyone else!

[lucywestie]

We are heading on our first Alaskan Cruise in September. We initially booked the flights through our TA but the cost of the flights seem a bit excessive [$1000 each from Toronto to Vancouver] We also have to pay a $74 each fee on top as we altered the return date/airport to Calgary. Another TA advised us that the airlines such as Air Canada/WestJet don't start dropping their prices till closer to September. My question is: From peoples previous experiences would I be better to just pay for the cruise but cancel the flights [would have to forfeit the $74 fee still] and then try and book closer to the cruise date and chance getting a cheaper flight?

Also, we are only? paying $959 for an oceanview cabin on Serenade which was dropped from over $1200 when we initially booked the cruise. Would we lose that discount on the cabin if we cancelled the flights or does one not affect the other?

We are experienced travellers but not experienced cruisers and certainly havent a clue how or if one affects the others. Any and all input would be welcome.

The cost of the flights has just been bugging me for a while. Considering that you can fly to the UK for $350 inc taxes right now yet to fly in my own country is nearly 3 times that...yikes:eek:

Pete

[Sue L]

The flight portion should not affect the cost of the cruise at all. Have you checked sidestep.com for flights. I got 300$ pp round trip on a direct flight from NY to Vancouver in August.

 

I just did a search from toronto-vancouver-calgary using random dates in Sept and I got 529$ so you definitely can do better. If you are willing to go to Buffalo airport and fly into Bellingham (pretty close to vancouver) the price goes down to 471$

[jalakim]

We are heading on our first Alaskan Cruise in September. We initially booked the flights through our TA but the cost of the flights seem a bit excessive [$1000 each from Toronto to Vancouver] We also have to pay a $74 each fee on top as we altered the return date/airport to Calgary. Another TA advised us that the airlines such as Air Canada/WestJet don't start dropping their prices till closer to September. My question is: From peoples previous experiences would I be better to just pay for the cruise but cancel the flights [would have to forfeit the $74 fee still] and then try and book closer to the cruise date and chance getting a cheaper flight?

Also, we are only? paying $959 for an oceanview cabin on Serenade which was dropped from over $1200 when we initially booked the cruise. Would we lose that discount on the cabin if we cancelled the flights or does one not affect the other?

We are experienced travellers but not experienced cruisers and certainly havent a clue how or if one affects the others. Any and all input would be welcome.

The cost of the flights has just been bugging me for a while. Considering that you can fly to the UK for $350 inc taxes right now yet to fly in my own country is nearly 3 times that...yikes:eek:

Pete

 

 

Wait!!!!!!!!!! I just looked at Air Canada's site for June, just to get an idea of what it is a few months out and it is 481.00 pp from Toronto to Vancouver return. It has been my experience that cruise price go up and airfares go down, especially if you are traveling between two major airports. Have fun.

 

Kim

[pandaTO]

lucywestie - Found a sale on flysunwingdotca. This is a charter airline offering 5000 one way seats at only $50 a piece based on a round trip purchase. The travel dates this deal applies to are from May 30th to June 25th and from September 4th to October 31st.

 

Destinations include:

• 
  
• Toronto & Vancouver.

[travelling fools]

Right now sunwing.ca has one way flights Toronto to Vancouver in Sept for as low as $50 each way up to $230 each way on sale.

You might have to go in a day early but it is still cheaper.

 

Since we moved from Oshawa to the west coast and go back to visit relatives we know how much the Cdn airlines charge.All we can hope for is open skies so we can get more competetion.

 

Good luck.

Just keep on looking !

[lucywestie]

Right now sunwing.ca has one way flights Toronto to Vancouver in Sept for as low as $50 each way up to $230 each way on sale.

You might have to go in a day early but it is still cheaper.

 

Since we moved from Oshawa to the west coast and go back to visit relatives we know how much the Cdn airlines charge.All we can hope for is open skies so we can get more competetion.

 

Good luck.

Just keep on looking !

 

Funny, I am typing this from work in Oshawa right now! Ok, thanks to all, I will keep looking and probably cancel the flight portion of the cruise and book seperately. Weather in downtown Oshawa today is a balmy 10 degrees, bright and sunny, traffic flowing smoothly on Simcoe St and the Oshawa centre is still there!:)

[robtulipe]

Yes do your own air flight arrangement and you will get to choose your flights instead of getting what the cruise line wants to pay for. You can drop the cruise air portion without a charge as it is well before your final payment date and I believe that includes the custom air fee.

We tend to book our cruises at the last minute and have got some good flight deals 3 to 4 weeks out and Sept. is past the high demand summer school break period.

I just booked flights online from Philadelphia to Maui, on to Oahu and back to PHL for my son and girlfriend for the end of May early June for $650 CDN each. I did this a little further out since it is for their honeymoon. Last two return flights from Buffalo to San Juan for cruises last month and the month before were $239 an $249US each.

[travelling fools]

Actually we like to watch the webcam of King&Simcoe on the City of Oshawa website esp when there is snow as it only happens rarely out here.Then we phone home and laugh.

Let us know how you make out on fares.

[lucywestie]

So I fired off an email to my TA and she is going to keep looking for cheaper flights. We have until July 7th to finalise payments etc. She stated that because there are only two major national [Canadian] airlines that fly to Vancouver that it is hard to find cheaper flights. This far out it probably isnt easy to find cheaper flights as they are probably just filling seats etc. Well I still have over two months to make a decision so will keep on checking.

Thks

[kingsgirl]

I think you might have better luck doing your own flights.

 

Search yourself. Try Buffalo or Detroit - they are often to fly from than Toronto.

 

I'm not implying your TA won't work hard for you, but if you're willing, chances are you could find better prices.

 

I'm not sure if the flights + cruise are part of the commission, but if it is, booking cheaper stuff might not be a good incentive for your TA.

 

Just a few thoughts. I am Canadian too...I hope you can save some money to spend! We're going to Alaska too this summer. Have a wonderful time!!

[Sally Forth]

Try Tuesdays- Thursdays on WestJet and try leaving from Hamilton or even Waterloo. It won't add much to your drive and the parking is way cheaper.

 

Viv

[maddiesky]

Yes do your own air flight arrangement and you will get to choose your flights instead of getting what the cruise line wants to pay for. You can drop the cruise air portion without a charge as it is well before your final payment date and I believe that includes the custom air fee.

We tend to book our cruises at the last minute and have got some good flight deals 3 to 4 weeks out and Sept. is past the high demand summer school break period.

I just booked flights online from Philadelphia to Maui, on to Oahu and back to PHL for my son and girlfriend for the end of May early June for $650 CDN each. I did this a little further out since it is for their honeymoon. Last two return flights from Buffalo to San Juan for cruises last month and the month before were $239 an $249US each.

Can you tell me what airlines and how you booked for Buffalo to San Juan?

My TA says I am looking at $900.00 for Toronto to San juan for April/08!

Thank you

[Magicat]

Hi Madiesky, we fly out of Buffalo all the time. We are flying on Jet Blue to San Juan next week and then US Air on the way back. There are lot of flights and airlines that do this route. Good luck.

[dirtgirl]

I'm always amazed at what my friends in the US get to pay for their flights, while we get fleeced at every turn.:mad:

 

I am flying to LA in November. I am wondering whether to book with Airmiles, which has fewer times to choose from, or book independently. It is just me, so it shouldn't be hard to get on a flight. Should I wait a while to see if prices go down, or pay ~$200 with Airmiles and get a rotten time?

[maddiesky]

Hi Madiesky, we fly out of Buffalo all the time. We are flying on Jet Blue to San Juan next week and then US Air on the way back. There are lot of flights and airlines that do this route. Good luck.

Thanks Magicat. I'll try that. Don't mind going to Buffalo to get a cheaper flight....$900.00 per person is a lot when the whole family is going!!

[lovemylab]

Can you tell me what airlines and how you booked for Buffalo to San Juan?

My TA says I am looking at $900.00 for Toronto to San juan for April/08!

Thank you

 

Two months ago I paid $900pp from Halifax to San Juan for this November. Three weeks later the price dropped to $650pp. This was with Continental.

[robtulipe]

Can you tell me what airlines and how you booked for Buffalo to San Juan?

My TA says I am looking at $900.00 for Toronto to San juan for April/08!

Thank you

Actually we been to SJ three times since late Oct.06.

On Oct.26th flew on Delta out of Buffalo for a Regal Princess Panama Canal cruise with return from Acapulco on Nov.7th (disembarkation day) for $514CAD each. All flights were Delta but it was a Mexicana code share one from ACA to MEX.

Since this 10 night cruise cost us only $501US each for a large inside handicap cabin which I selected because OV offered were just regular size cabin at about $100 each higher price. We added two night stay and rental car in SJ before cruise for less than $250 total without meals included. It made for a great 12 night vacation and cruise for less than $1075 US a person.

Feb. return was on Jet Blue.

March one was US Airways.

I used search engines kayakdotcom and sidrstepdotcom to find best flights and all were booked directly with airlines' websites. Sometimes online TA (Orbitz, Expedia etc) are showning as having best price but I always check price on airline site. Almost every time the airline site will come up with best price as most have best price guarantee or promise and TA sites have extra booking fee.

Note for Canadians, many of the US airlines have web sites that you can pay for flight in $CAD at the exact exchange (interbank) rate thus you don't pay the spread (1.8 to 2.5%) all credit cards charge you for foreign currency transactions. Sometimes this part of their main web site or sometimes as is the case with United it is a separate dot ca site. I know Delta, United and North West have this feature. The NW Hawaii trip I booked for my son and fiancee which I booked two weeks ago was paid in $CAD at 1.158 rate compared to the $US cost and this was very close to the interbank exchange rate on that date.

[Magicat]

maddiesky: Right now USAirways is the cheapest way to go from Buffalo to San Juan. This may change depending on when you book so you have to keep watching. Also a thing to remember, Air Canada stops flying from Toronto to San Juan between April and Sept or Oct.