Cruise Airfare question

[darin2]

My wife and I are cruising on Carnival Spirit next year Sept. 03 2008 (Anchorage to Vancouver). When I booked the cruise, I did not take the airfare option ($700pp). I assume I can opt in for that at a later date if needed??? Anyway, looking at the airfare for next year, the flights look pretty expensive, around $600 pp., plus you have to get transfers to and from the ship. We are flying out of Atlanta.

 

I'm thinking now the cruise line airfare isn't such a bad deal. Atleast the transfers to and from the airport are included. I am just wondering how others handle their airfare when traveling to Alaska, and what people think about the cost/savings of booking yourself vs. booking through the cruise line.

 

Darin

[Amaranthine33]

My wife and I are cruising on Carnival Spirit next year Sept. 03 2008 (Anchorage to Vancouver). When I booked the cruise, I did not take the airfare option ($700pp). I assume I can opt in for that at a later date if needed??? Anyway, looking at the airfare for next year, the flights look pretty expensive, around $600 pp., plus you have to get transfers to and from the ship. We are flying out of Atlanta.

 

I'm thinking now the cruise line airfare isn't such a bad deal. Atleast the transfers to and from the airport are included. I am just wondering how others handle their airfare when traveling to Alaska, and what people think about the cost/savings of booking yourself vs. booking through the cruise line.

 

Darin

 

For my cruise, I booked my own air to/from Seattle. Why? RCI air was about $100 more per person (LAX-SEA). I paid RCI $18/person for airport-pier transfer (one-way).

[agabbymama]

I check the going price when I want to book the cruise. If it's close, I book the cruise airfare to get the transfers.

 

Celebrity wanted $500 for cruiseair, thought I could beat that, got LAX to JFK for $258.

 

Alaska on HAL going rate was $450, I booked HAL for $459 including transfers.

 

For Italy in '08 Princess wanted $1200 and I thought I could get it cheaper on my own so didn't book airfare with Princess.

 

Just depends what the cruiseline is offering and what the market price is.

You have to do your research.

[itsme_jj]

For Alaska, I'd add the airfare on to your cruise booking, and then shop.

 

You're not obligated to the airfare until final payment, so you can always remove it.

 

However it is not true the air will be available later at that prices if you don't request it now.

 

signup for www.farecompare.com and watch the fares and see what works best.

 

You can also get the carnival transfers even if you don't take the air.

 

Its 75 from anchorage to whittier and 16 from vancouver to airport.

 

I highly recommend you take the anchorage transfers as it is difficult to find transportation.

 

Good luck.

[Budget Queen]

 

I highly recommend you take the anchorage transfers as it is difficult to find transportation.

 

QUOTE]

 

 

 

Actually very easy. Highly recommend is the regular run of the Alaska RR leaves at 10 am every day. Gets you into Whittier in time for a fantastic Prince William Sound boat tour. There are also several independents and the cruise contracted buses.

[MikeM]

We opted for Cruise Air on all 15 cruises and looks like we will keep it this time.

Transfers are expensive. We are also going 4-days ahead of time to Fairbanks on the Carnival pre-tour package.

We normally book the air with the cruise and drop it at final payment time to protect the price. We have been able to find cheaper air on all our prior trips.

Don't think it will happer on this one.

 

We will be on the Spirit - Sept 3, 2008 also.

 

MikeM

[Budget Queen]

We opted for Cruise Air on all 15 cruises and looks like we will keep it this time.

Transfers are expensive. We are also going 4-days ahead of time to Fairbanks on the Carnival pre-tour package.

We normally book the air with the cruise and drop it at final payment time to protect the price. We have been able to find cheaper air on all our prior trips.

Don't think it will happer on this one.

 

We will be on the Spirit - Sept 3, 2008 also.

 

MikeM

 

Be certain you understand fully what you have purchased with your land tour. It is a very poor choice if you want to see Denali Park and frankly in your timeframe I would be all the way to Wonder Lake, nothing shorter.

[nightingail]

We are going on this sailing, too. We have booked the Magic Bus. They will pick us up at our hotel in Anchorage at 10 AM, they make another pick up at Hotel Captain Cook. My confirmation states they leave Captain Cook at 10:30 AM, narrate with picture stops, and are dropped off at the Carnival Spirit at 1:00 PM. We haven't been able to book our air,yet. I have been watching the airfare....scarey isn't it????? Nightingail.

[darin2]

I went ahead and booked the air package through Carnival at $700 pp. I'll keep shopping around, and drop it later if I find a better deal. Thanks for the replies.

 

Darin

[nightingail]

Does that $700.00 include air deviation charges for flying into Anchorage, if you are going the day before your cruise? Also does it include your transfers?

[darin2]

Does that $700.00 include air deviation charges for flying into Anchorage, if you are going the day before your cruise? Also does it include your transfers?

 

I was told it includes all transfers, but not sure about the deviation.

[greatam]

I went ahead and booked the air package through Carnival at $700 pp. I'll keep shopping around, and drop it later if I find a better deal. Thanks for the replies.

 

Darin

 

Please read through this thread. It will shed a lot of light on what to expect and not expect using cruise air. And offer some tips to help if there is a problem.

 

There were quite a few missed cruises last year for people booking cruise air and flying the day of the cruise. One cruise out of Vancouver left 43 people on the dock due to a late arriving plane. They finally made the cruise 2.5 days later after flying to Seattle, Portland and Ketchikan and spending two nights in hotels. If they didn't have cruise insurance, they got very little compensation from the cruise line.

 

You also have to deal with PSA (Passenger Services Act) on Alaska cruises. IF your cruise is out of Anchorage, you have very little chance of boarding your cruise at another Alaska port. MAKE sure you have GOOD (not the cruise lines) insurance.

 

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=530322

[Coral]

delete...

[BaileyandBella]

For my cruise, I booked my own air to/from Seattle. Why? RCI air was about $100 more per person (LAX-SEA). I paid RCI $18/person for airport-pier transfer (one-way).

 

I am also flying from LAX to Sea...how much did your air cost and how far in advance did you buy it?

 

Also, what airline?

 

Thanks so much...