Airfare for Over seas Cruises

[schinz]

Can anyone tell me if they have ever found less expensive air fare doing it yourself for an over seas cruise. We are going on the Galaxy next October trans atlantic from Rome to Galveston and we live in Maryland. So what is the best way to arrange airfare? I know it is easiest just to say, "Yes include airfare." But I have found, at least domestically, that arranging air yourself can be a lot cheaper. Any suggestions from anyone would be appreciated!! Thanks, Stefanie.

[hajekfam]

We have done a transatlantic 2 times and have found the cruise's air cheaper. Doing your own requires 2 one way flights.

I wouldn't think of booking two different round trips and just using one half with today's situation. I'd be afraid that, with today's security measures, not using that return flight would put me on a list and secondly, there was an article in Wall Street Journal awhile back that said that some airlines are starting to come after people who do use only one half of a round trip.

Our TA books every cruise with air, and then we both start looking elsewhere. If we find cheaper, we cancel the air with cruiseline. You have until final payment to do this without penalty. On our prior transatlantics, the cruise air (Chicago to Barcelona, Ft. Lauderdale to Chicago} was so much lower than anything we found.

[robsvacation]

I live in the Baltimore area and I'm considering the Conni transatlantic in April. I've been on 10 cruises in the last 8 years and I've booked my own air all but once. Usually I'm pretty emphatic about "doing it on your own" since the airfares and hotel prices the cruiselines usually charge amount to highway robbery. I'm pretty proficient at online searches and I've contacted a few UK based travel discounters along with a few "bucket shops" in my search for lower fares. Here's a link to, er, more links:

 

http://www.frommers.com/activities/air/article.cfm?destid=AIRFARE&articleid=2461

 

In short, I can't even come close to beating the Celebrity price. In fact, for what they are charging I can't even buy a one-way ticket from London. Part of the problem is that while you can get some low fares on domestic flights out of BWI there isn't much competition or flight options for international flights.

 

For $75 extra you can do Celebrity's "custom air" option which gives you a choice of flights and airlines. Since their fare also includes transfers (not a cheap thing on the european end, and in your case on the Texas end too) there is simply no contest this time around.

 

Good luck but honestly don't book the cruise on its own until you're sure you can book the low airfare too, otherwise go with celebrity's airfare.

[marco]

Also, when you use "their" air, it usually includes "their" transfers. In cities such as Rome, the airport to port is well over an hour away. A cab could be $100-ish and though trains are convenient and inexpensive, you have to get to and from the station via cab and having all of that luggage makes it quiet an ordeal! Also, you are traveling on the transports timetable, not yours, so you would have to allow ample time.

[hajekfam]

The custom option for $75 does not include any increase in price on the airfare. In other words, if the air would be more expensive - say you wanted to fly a carrier Celebrity was not dealing with or you wanted better than coach - you would have to pay the additional airfare. Our TA finds out who Celebrity is dealing with and then we pick from those airlines and we have not been charged additional airfare.

[btoohill]

We're booked on a cruise in 2006 and didn't sign up for air when we booked the cruise. Can we contact the cruiseline and book air now?

[gramtofive]

It should not be a problem to have them add your air. A nice surprise last year when we arrived in Barcelona was a nice 2 1/2 hour tour of the city. It was included because it was too early for us to board the ship.

[StephenJohnson]

We typically do our own air, even when going abroad. Open jaws are vastly less punitive than they were, or you can buy one way travel quite economically from travel consolidators.

[Brahmama]

Can anyone tell me if they have ever found less expensive air fare doing it yourself for an over seas cruise. We are going on the Galaxy next October trans atlantic from Rome to Galveston and we live in Maryland. So what is the best way to arrange airfare? I know it is easiest just to say, "Yes include airfare." But I have found, at least domestically, that arranging air yourself can be a lot cheaper. Any suggestions from anyone would be appreciated!! Thanks, Stefanie.

 

Stefanie,

We are booked for that cruise also. I have really searched for airfaire. I do have it booked through Celebrity just in case I have to take it. The TA said is was $798 pp from DFW to Rome. The one-ways are out of sight. If you find a good one, let me know! We are going a few days early. Some of the people we cruise with do get a RT and then cancel the 2nd leg. We never have done that but sure do need a break with the air.

 

Celebrity has our air for a Trans cruise in May and I tried to deviate it because it's on NW and late connections. But there are few flights leaving in the PM and Celebrity won't let us book until 1:00 or later. The TA did say there was one later on Delta but it would be $75 extra (even though we are Elite level) and the connections are bad and late. That's not even paying for the level that you can use your SkyMiles. So it doesn't always work out. But it's worth trying for!

 

Carol