Brits - Bad news on flights

[julieh]

We are booked on Dec 24 05 Sea Princess cruise out of Barbados and these are advertised as having exclusive princess air charter flights. After a very bad experience 2 years ago with Trans European we were told they were stopping charters. They then brought them back using Virgin into San Juan which apparantly is very good. So I was not too worried. Just been informed now that the flights will now be with either Brittania or THOS COOK! We can however, pay £300.00 each to upgrade which may make it more bearable.

 

Brittania I can just about cope with but not Thos Cook who must have the worst reputation (even in premier). After speaking to travel agent he also informed me that they are stopping using Virgin from next April to San Juan as well.

 

Much as I love a Princess cruise this will be the last cruise we take as I cannot take anymore of the poor administration and cheap flights (most via somewhere). We are cruising this December on the Sun and our flights to Miami from London were going to be via New York both ways. We have ended up getting a direct flight and having to pay for 3 day extra stay in Miami to get a direct flight back.

 

It is a shame that they are not as good before you get on the ship as they are when you do get on it. Well think it is time I looked at HAL or Raddison any reccommendations?

 

Julie

[GottoCruise]

:confused: Why don't you book your own flights???

 

 

We never take Princess air - it is BAD more often than not -

[ourlol]

Julie,

 

Ditto the comments above!! Have you considered using a US Travel Agent for a 'cruise only' booking and then making your own flight arrangements with an airline of your choice. You may well find it works out quite a lot cheaper anyway.

 

If you are happy with the Princess ships/itineraries etc it seems a shame to exclude the line completely.

 

Laura

[julieh]

Tried that but as it is a deidcated charter flight Princess will not make any refund and as we fly out on the 24th Dec the airfares are very expensive and this would add on £4200.00 to the price of the holiday.

 

Julie

[julieh]

Hi Laura

 

Yes could try that route, I think I am just really fed up with Princess at the moment however, when we go in December perhaps it will get me back in the right frame of mind.

 

Julie

[ourlol]

... but worth bearing in mind for a future Princess cruise perhaps!!

 

Whatever happens, you should still have a wonderful Christmas (if you ignore the flights)... I know where I'd rather be :D

 

Laura

 

PS: The exchange rate is very good at the moment and predicted to get even better (sorry - to all my US friends out there - I'm not trying to rub it in) so all the more reason for you to use an American TA.

[spongerob]

Laura might have a good idea. The Sea Princess stops in Ft. Lauderdale on alternate weeks for US passengers. You could go on the same cruise, you'd just have to shift your sailing date a week earlier. That might even allow you to save on airfare.

 

I like the way the itinerary works out of Ft. Lauderdale much better. When you fly into Barbados, you start with several port days, and end with several port days. Out of Florida, you have some sea days at the beginning and end of the cruise - that's much nicer.

[103brandy]

Julie, we book cruise only with a US travel agent . It's so much cheaper.

We arrange our own Virgin flights. When we took our first flight with Virgin we joined thier flying club. We were then able to use flight miles as part payment for our second flight with them. That worked out at £175 plus taxes return Heathrow/ Miami.

I know this info is no good for you for this cruise but it's well worth bearing in mind for future ones.

[ourlol]

 

You could go on the same cruise, you'd just have to shift your sailing date a week earlier. That might even allow you to save on airfare.

 

The problem Julie will have is that the British system of booking is entirely different to that in the US.

Unlike you, we are more or less commited to travel as soon as we book (unless of course you claim for medical reasons against an insurance policy). Even if you were to cancel the day after you booked (even if it were 18 months in advance) you would lose your deposit. This is more than you pay (I think 20% of your total cost). The closer you get to final payment the greater your loss. So basically, whereas you can cancel up until the date of final payment or switch without penalty... Julie can't do that. I suspect she will lose most of the cost of her cruise if she were to cancel now. She just has to grin and bear it.

Another difference over here is that you are commited to the price advertised at the time of your booking, so even if the fare goes down afterwards (or goes on a special) Princess UK will not refund you to compensate.:mad:

[spongerob]

That's too bad, Laura. I thought I'd come up with a brilliant work-around. You guys need to get the rules changed, the system you have is definitely not passenger-friendly. Perhaps we can discuss it over a pint next August. :D

[julieh]

Spongrob - We originally booked out of Barbados so we could have a stayover at the end of the cruise and we only found out about the charter flight after booking which means we don't get any time in Barbados.

As we booked pre-brochure release we were given the wrong flight info by Princess reservations.

 

Laura - Thnaks for the currency tip I was wondering wether to hold out or get them now - guess I will wait.

 

Jean - Thanks for the info on Virgin flights that seems a great idea.

 

 

Julie

[julieh]

Spongerob - Laura summed that up pretty well. We definately get a worse deal over here. The problem is we don't have the numbers to be able to get things changed ie on our last cruise there were 1900 US passengers and 100 Brits - guess who they listen to us!

[spongerob]

Sorry to hear that, Julie. It would be so easy for us to change our plans that it really wouldn't be an issue. I hope the cruise makes up for the frustration. Are the other lines you mentioned easier to work with, or do all booking made in the UK suffer the same silly restrictions?

[ourlol]

Perhaps we can discuss it over a pint next August. :D

I would be honoured (or should I say honored) on condition the first round's on me!!

 

Timing could be key here though, as we don't get back from the Greek Isles until late on the 6th August!! Will keep my fingers crossed.

 

 

Julie,

My husband was only saying yesterday that there were suggestions that over the next few months we could see 1 GBP = 2 USD. Certainly if the exchange rate gets to 1 GBP = 1.9 USD we will seriously think about paying up the majority of the balance of our cruise next year.

[terrierjohn]

Much as I love a Princess cruise this will be the last cruise we take as I cannot take anymore of the poor administration and cheap flights (most via somewhere).

Julie

I think your complaints about transatlantic charters, particularly with Britannia, are a little bit exaggerated. It is quite likely that both companies will be operating 767’s or Airbus 330’s, and with window seats for 2 these are much more preferable than the horrible 747’s most scheduled operators use. We flew BA on our Jan. Miami flights for our Coral Princess Panama cruise, and whilst my wife and I had 3 seats between us on the outbound journey the return leg was utterly miserable, BA seats are just not wide enough for 3 and the seat pitch is also miserly short. Compared with this our June Britannia flights to Tenerife on a 767 were luxurious, plenty of elbow room and the seat pitch allowed me to stretch out and relax.

 

I would also disagree with you regarding multi leg flights, living in the North we generally have to fly via Heathrow or a US hub but, since I enjoy flying, this is no great hardship and after all your holiday starts as soon as you leave home, doesn’t it?

Regarding booking via a US TA and arranging your own flights, next year we are doing an Alaska cruise, flying into Calgary and out from Anchorage, after checking flight prices on the internet I think I might just leave it to Princess!!!

 

 

John.

[julieh]

John pleased to hear that your experience with Brittania was a good one in which case we will hope to be flying with them. Usually fly American or Virgin

My real concern is Thos Cook as I have heard so many bad reports.

 

Unfortunately unlike you I really hate flying and only endure it to get to my holiday destination so that is why I aim to get direct flights, as taking off and landing once is bad enough I certainly don't want to do it anymore than I have to.

 

As to the booking with a US travel agent or booking flights independantly I really cannot comment on as I have no knowledge on the subject at present but I do now quite a few Brits have done this and are very happy doing so.

 

Julie.

 

Laura - Hope your husband is right!

[julieh]

Spongerob - I hate to say it but I think all the cruise lines operate the same way in the UK. If anyone knows differently would be glad to hear. I have only cruised with Princess and Cunard but my Travel Agent recommended HAL.

 

Julie

[ourlol]

Laura - Hope your husband is right!

Julie,

He says:-

During President Bush's 1st term the $ dropped 20% against the £. The current prediction is that there's a bit more to go - and the UK city view is that the rate will hit a rate of between $1.9 and $2.0 in the next few months. It depends on whether you are a gambler or not .... pay now and you get a great rate (compared with the past 5 years) ... hold on and get an even better one... or, it could of course be a worse one!! If it gets to $1.9 (and it's about 1.85 today) we're going to start paying... so, in terms of looking at currency for your holiday I'd take the same approach.... keep an eye on the rate.

[spongerob]

Julie,

hold on and get an even better one... or, it could of course be a worse one!! If it gets to $1.9 (and it's about 1.85 today) we're going to start paying... so, in terms of looking at currency for your holiday I'd take the same approach.... keep an eye on the rate.

Keep an eye on how the dollar reacts to the Fed raising interest rates. That's bound to happen very soon.

 

Oh, and Wood...I can understand why some might freak out, but it's been a week already, time to freak back in. :)

[kool kruiser]

Julie

 

Following very kind advice and assistance from Laura and others on this board I now book using a US TA. However, I previously took a P&O cruise to the Caribbean using Britannia charters to and from Barbados. I would imagine that your Princess arrangements will be very similar.

 

We found the experience on Britannia very similar to a regular scheduled service, other than the absence of seat back TVs. P&O upgraded the usual charter service...free drinks, headphones, choice of meal etc and the plane was quite comfortable. The real joy was when we landed in Barbados. We alighted down some steps onto the tarmac, where a fleet of buses was waiting to take us to the ship. We did not even set foot in the terminal building, no immigration or customs formalities. Our luggage followed, albeit some time later. At the port, our bus drew up to the gates and we went straight on board...no check-in procedures. I hope your experience will be similar.

[julieh]

Kool Cruiser - Thanks for re-assurance Brittania do seem to be getting better reviews so hope thats who we go with.

 

Laura & Spongrob - will keep watching!

 

 

Julie

[Globaliser]

Julie,

 

Even if you book in the UK, can't you ask Princess to put you on a scheduled anyway? There might be an extra charge for it but at least you might have some control over what you're getting, so you can make sure you are happy with the airline.

 

I'd be very nervous about being put on a long haul charter. Many of the usual suspects have 1 or 2 inches less pitch than scheduled airlines, as they just operate the same aircraft that are used on the short flights to the Med. And then many of them squeeze in an extra seat per row as well (8 across instead of 7, 9 across instead of 8, etc.). If you can pick your charter airline, you can control this - but usually with a tour operator nothing is promised let alone guaranteed.

 

If you can get the upgrade into the charter's premium cabin, you'll usually get something that is closer to scheduled economy.

 

A couple of years ago I went to the Maldives for a cruise, and insisted on going scheduled even though it meant a connection each way. When we got there, the charter was very late. The reps came on board the ship in the evening to settle us all in, and when met with a flood of complaints about the charter blithely told us that they get it all the time, and that nobody flies charter to the Maldives a second time.

 

The problem with Barbados at Christmas is that it is a rich Englishman's winter destination. You have to remember that it was the only regular destination other than New York to which Concorde ever flew profitably.

[julieh]

Globalcruiser - We did ask Princess for scheduled air but they refused and said we would have to book our own air with no reduction on the cruise fare as they still had to pay for the charter. As its christmas we are looking at alot of money for 4 of us to fly schedule.

 

Guess we will have to go with it, upgrade to premier and hope we get Brittania which seems to get the best reviews.

 

Julie