Med' cruise may be a "no go" -- High air $$

[Travelbug 2]

Our Med' cruise in Sept' 08 is under serious discussion at the moment.

 

After researching air from western Canada it looks like it will cost close to $4000 for the two of us to travel round trip economy class. :eek: That is almost the cost of the cruise!! It seems an awful price to pay for more than 12 hrs of discomfort to travel to Europe.

 

Has anyone any thoughts or bright ideas? I am thinking of checking airfares out of Seattle which is reasonably close to where we live in Canada. I have heard fares from US cities are less expensive. (I haven't a clue about which airlines to look at in the US)

 

We may just re-think the whole thing, we love the Med' but ---------

 

Note - This is a re-post from the HAL board. I got some good suggestions but thought I would see what a post on this board would bring.

 

Thank you (in advance!!)

__________________

[JJPNYC]

You may want to play around with routings & such, compiling your own "custom air itinerary".

 

For instance:

- look at doing one-ways in both directions

- look at all sorts of connecting cities (i.e. LAX, ORD, DFW, LHR, FRA, Vienna, etc.)

- also consider going west rather than east (i.e. transfer through Asia)

- look at ALL airlines since almost all the majors go to Europe

 

I did this recently when booking my flights from New York to China. I looked at the traditional western route but also looked at an eastern route through Europe. Surprisingly the European route, while longer, typically offered a substantial savings over the western route.

 

In this you just need to be creative.

[ab0si]

You can certainly fly cheaper out of Seattle. I put in some random dates in Sept 08 for Seattle round trip to Rome $1064/person round trip on American, for example.

 

Paul

[Soccerfan]

I was thinking about you flying into Toronto a day or so earlier and spending a day in our City as the hotels are very reasonable especially nr the airport with pick up etc.

 

I booked Toronto to Rome direct for October 3rd 08 $1,100.00 inc. tax.

 

Mind you, if you can get to Seattle and pay what was mentioned above then I'd go for that as your not going to get to Europe much cheaper.

[LHT28]

Looks like the OP is flying to Venice so it is a bit more $$

But flying into TO then they could get charter flight via Skyservice $789.

http://www.albatours.com/default.asp

[Travelbug 2]

I sent an e mail to my TA today, we will see what she can come up with re air fares to Venice. Stay tuned -------------

 

LHT 28, thanks for the info'. I checked Skyservice out of Toronto but their 2008 schedule and price list is not up yet.

[zaandam_2]

you're booking way too far in advance to get a good deal. a lot of airlines don't even have schedules this early.

 

have you tried www.kayak.com?

[LHT28]

I sent an e mail to my TA today, we will see what she can come up with re air fares to Venice. Stay tuned -------------

 

LHT 28, thanks for the info'. I checked Skyservice out of Toronto but their 2008 schedule and price list is not up yet.

 

They usually don't come out till April but it is an option if nothing else is suitable.

[anniecat]

try to have your TA use a 'consolidator' Our TA found a RT SFO open jaw for us for 950 usd each on Lufthansa (great service BTW...and free booze in economy).

We have found that flights in/out of Canada are very much more expensive...???why. So we try to get over the border by train (even a bus one time) to save some bucks.

You'll love the Med in the fall....hundreds of people rather than thousands at the sights and cooler weather. Bring rain gear (or get used to wet joggers):eek:

[Travelbug 2]

you're booking way too far in advance to get a good deal. a lot of airlines don't even have schedules this early.

 

have you tried www.kayak.com?

 

 

 

I know it is early but I am the kind of person that likes all the "ducks in a row" as soon as possible. ;) I am however prepared to wait a while for a couple of ducks to line up with the others!!

 

We will see what the new year brings and I will chill out over the holidays. :D

 

Yes I looked at Kayak, it is an interesting site.

[SelectSys]

Our Med' cruise in Sept' 08 is under serious discussion at the moment ...

 

it looks like it will cost close to $4000 for the two of us to travel round trip economy class ...

 

pay for more than 12 hrs of discomfort to travel to Europe.

 

Has anyone any thoughts or bright ideas? ...

 

We may just re-think the whole thing, we love the Med' but ---------

 

__________________

 

I don't things are going to get much cheaper over the near to mid term so delaying now will only result in paying an even higher price. Do you really want to defer on this trip for 5 years?

 

Discomfort is relative. Assuming you are in Vancouver your actual flight time will be closer to 10 hours than 12 going with the wind. Again, I wouldn't reject the vacation just because the seats might be cramped (Note I am 6'4" and have flown coach on many long haul flights).

 

Advice - start tracking fares online and buy one when it gets cheap. Alternatively look at the ticket consolidators.

 

BTW - med is my favorite cruise destination. Go if at all possible.

[Mydnite]

Air canda have a sale on at the moment, you could get a retrun flight from Toronto to London for about Can$900 each. The flights are on sale from other locations as well.

 

Then all you have to do is take a more local flight within europe for where ever you want to go, and they are not too bad on prices.

[Jade13]

try to have your TA use a 'consolidator' Our TA found a RT SFO open jaw for us for 950 usd each on Lufthansa (great service BTW...and free booze in economy).

):eek:

 

 

We returned from Rome last year on Luftansa (took US Air there) and using them to get thre this year (SWISS return).

 

Besides the wine, DH just liked the fact they gave you headphones that go over your ears (vs in them) and didn't charge you.

[fti]

I know it is early but I am the kind of person that likes all the "ducks in a row" as soon as possible. ;) I am however prepared to wait a while for a couple of ducks to line up with the others!!

 

We will see what the new year brings and I will chill out over the holidays. :D

 

Yes I looked at Kayak, it is an interesting site.

 

Sometimes you have to pay a premium for having all your "ducks in a row" early. The consolidator prices that were mentioned earlier that you can get through a TA usually would not come out until February for September travel.

 

Just for fun I checked Vancouver to Venice round trip for Sep 08 through my travel agent who uses consolidators. Guess what? No fares yet.

 

If you don't want to be patient, plain and simple you will pay more.

 

Can't you book cruise air to have a backup, then relax and wait? Then once you book something on your own, cancel the cruise air?

 

John

[Bravo]

We used www.cheaptickets.com for our cruise in July 2007. I started looking October 2006 and finally found good rates February 2007. We flew out of Newark, NJ Alitalia non-stop to Rome and the return was a day after the cruise, 3-people $2,500. You still have time. Your best bet is to fly into JFK, NYC than on to Venice. Also try Orbitz.com, Expedia.com, http://www.euroflyusa.com/US/

I found www.airhitch.org on the Rick Steves website, but from what I have read they do not have the best customer service.

 

 

Carnival Freedom July 24, 2007 Grand Med.