Should we use Princess to book Airfare to Europe?

[LoraJ]

Really leaning towards booking a cruise out of England next May. Wondering if we should book our air through Princess. It's too far in advance to really compare prices with what they would offer us.

 

We'd pay the deviation fee because we like to fly Continental and also want to come in early. Would Princess be able to give us quotes for first class?

 

Since we're traveling across the pond, is it worth it too book the whole package through Princess?

[cruiseryyc]

I would book it on your own, that way you can book exactly what you want without having to go back and forth with Princess on your deviation requests. Plus you have the added comfort of booking exactly the flights and dates you want.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

Really leaning towards booking a cruise out of England next May. Wondering if we should book our air through Princess. It's too far in advance to really compare prices with what they would offer us.

 

We'd pay the deviation fee because we like to fly Continental and also want to come in early. Would Princess be able to give us quotes for first class?

 

Since we're traveling across the pond, is it worth it too book the whole package through Princess?

 

I don't think booking air through Princess with a deviation is going to help you price wise as I'm pretty sure they charge you the going rate for the air YOU pick with the deviation.

 

Bill

[Pam in CA]

Really leaning towards booking a cruise out of England next May. Wondering if we should book our air through Princess. It's too far in advance to really compare prices with what they would offer us.

 

We'd pay the deviation fee because we like to fly Continental and also want to come in early. Would Princess be able to give us quotes for first class?

 

Since we're traveling across the pond, is it worth it too book the whole package through Princess?

Yes, definitely add the Princess air to your booking. Then, you have until final payment to find a lower fare. With the cost of air to Europe so high these days, Princess air can be very competitive since you essentially get a consolidator rate. Coming from NJ (and I assume flying from JFK), there aren't any "weird" routes they can send you to England. :)

[LoraJ]

When would Princes give me a quote for air? I was curious if they would quote this years prices and if we would save if fuel prices continue to rise and the airfares get more expensive.

[Pam in CA]

When would Princes give me a quote for air? I was curious if they would quote this years prices and if we would save if fuel prices continue to rise and the airfares get more expensive.

Just ask your TA for a quote. They'll be able to let you know right away. That will be the cost of your air. :)

[S.S.Oceanlover]

Yes, definitely add the Princess air to your booking. Then, you have until final payment to find a lower fare. With the cost of air to Europe so high these days, Princess air can be very competitive since you essentially get a consolidator rate. Coming from NJ (and I assume flying from JFK), there aren't any "weird" routes they can send you to England. :)

 

So if you do Princess air with the air deviation and pick first class on a specific airline they'll get you a cheaper price?

 

I thought with the air deviation you paid the deviation fee and any price differences in the air price.:confused:

 

Bill

[Pam in CA]

So if you do Princess air with the air deviation and pick first class on a specific airline they'll get you a cheaper price?

 

I thought with the air deviation you paid the deviation fee and any price differences in the air price.:confused:

Yup. For my upcoming Sapphire cruise, I (like a dummie) booked air on my own, going Hawaiian Air from LAX to Sydney (1-way) with a stop in Honolulu. I booked Biz Class and paid about $4,300. My sister and brother-in-law chose to stick with Princess air. They got a deviation since they're flying in several days before the cruise and are on Quantas (where they can get their AA FF miles) non-stop from LAX to Sydney for about $3,800 (Biz Class.) They have a better and shorter flight for less. Go figure.

 

I know that when you get a quote from Princess via your TA, particularly if it's Biz Class, they will tell you your flights and the cost right off the bat. With so many airline alliances, you can almost always get FF miles for whichever airline they put you on. We haven't requested a specific flight or airline and it's almost always worked out great. Last November, I used Princess Air because I couldn't find any Biz Class seats for under $7,300 (obscene) by the time I was ready to book the flight. I paid half as much using Princess Air and ironically, got the exact same flight(s) I'd been looking at.

[caribill]

I thought with the air deviation you paid the deviation fee and any price differences in the air price.:confused:

 

Bill

 

True, but they often have good prices for days other than the day of your cruise. Sometimes they can beat what you can do on your own, even with the deviation fee.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

Yup. For my upcoming Sapphire cruise, I (like a dummie) booked air on my own, going Hawaiian Air from LAX to Sydney (1-way) with a stop in Honolulu. I booked Biz Class and paid about $4,300. My sister and brother-in-law chose to stick with Princess air. They got a deviation since they're flying in several days before the cruise and are on Quantas (where they can get their AA FF miles) non-stop from LAX to Sydney for about $3,800 (Biz Class.) They have a better and shorter flight for less. Go figure.

 

I know that when you get a quote from Princess via your TA, particularly if it's Biz Class, they will tell you your flights and the cost right off the bat. With so many airline alliances, you can almost always get FF miles for whichever airline they put you on. We haven't requested a specific flight or airline and it's almost always worked out great. Last November, I used Princess Air because I couldn't find any Biz Class seats for under $7,300 (obscene) by the time I was ready to book the flight. I paid half as much using Princess Air and ironically, got the exact same flight(s) I'd been looking at.

 

interesting. I'll have to remember that.

 

Thanks for the info.:)

 

Bill

[LoraJ]

Thanks for all the info. Now I just need to find a TA.

[Toto2Kansas]

Paying the deviation fee we have also been able to choose the airline we use the most to earn those FF miles. Even though you book your air through Princess, you can still collect those miles, which makes it really nice.

 

Last time we booked through princess we were able to choose our airline and flights and the price didn't go higher. Of coarse, sometimes this doesn't happen and there is a price difference, but it sure is worth checking out and comparing to what you can find on your own.

[Pam in CA]

Ships & Dip w/Barenaked Ladies on Carnival Legend

My daughter would be so jealous! She first saw the Barenaked Ladies when they were playing in small clubs in northern NH years ago and has been a huge fan of theirs since. :)

[LoraJ]

My daughter would be so jealous! She first saw the Barenaked Ladies when they were playing in small clubs in northern NH years ago and has been a huge fan of theirs since. :)

 

 

They're doing another cruise next January. It would be a nice gift for her ;)

We're skipping it though so we can do Europe.

[chasinraynbowz]

Thanks for this post. In booking our Ruby cruise in November, I was quoted $900 for airfare for 2. That price is so out of line with what I can get on my own ($500 - 600 for 2). So, of course I opted to get my own airfare, and go down the day before.

 

Our next cruise (I HOPE!!) will be a transatlantic, so I will be sure to get a quote on airfare!

 

 

Pam

 

[Dietemann]

We are also thinking about a British Isles cruise next year with Princess. If we use custom air, how may days before and after the cruise do we have to use Princess Air with deviation?

[BJS]

We are also thinking about a British Isles cruise next year with Princess. If we use custom air, how may days before and after the cruise do we have to use Princess Air with deviation?

 

If you book the cruise directly with Princess you can call them as early as 320 days before your cruise and arrange an air deviation. The earlier you call the better as they do not have consolidator rates on all airlines or all flights and there are only so many flights available at the same air fare rate you are originally quoted with your cruise.

 

They are very willing to work with you to find flights that you want and try to find ones that will not mean an additional air fare charge. We did a deviation for our flight to Athens in Nov. with no additonal air fare charges. Delta changed their flight times and we called Princess air department and were able to change to different flights for no additional air fare and did not have to pay another deviation fee because it was the airline that changed the flights. Princess will send you an e-mail with flight changes as often as they receive them fromt he airlines.

 

I don't think there is any restriction as to how many days before the cruise you can arrive or a restriction as to how soon after the cruise you must fly back.

 

Our next cruise (I HOPE!!) will be a transatlantic, so I will be sure to get a quote on airfare!

This is where you will most likely see very big differences in booking your air with Princess vs. booking your own air. Many airlines are now charging one way fares with open jaw bookings to or from Europe and Princess is able to get them at almost 1/2 the cost that we've been finding on our own.

 

We'd pay the deviation fee because we like to fly Continental and also want to come in early. Would Princess be able to give us quotes for first class?

Yes they can give you a quote for any class. We tried to get Continental flights from Miami to Athens and Princess did not have any rates with Continental. I don't know if it was just for that route or if they never have ones with them.

 

I don't think booking air through Princess with a deviation is going to help you price wise as I'm pretty sure they charge you the going rate for the air YOU pick with the deviation.

We have picked all of our flights when doing a deviation and have received much lower rates with Princess. As long as they have a consolidator rate for the flights you want you will save money.

 

 

 

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