Cruise Talk: Are Cruiseline Air Fares Always Higher?

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Topic: Are Cruiseline Air Fares Always Higher?

KansasK
First Class Passenger
Member # 1758

posted 03-28-2001 05:30 PM

We are flying to San Juan, Puerto Rico next July for a cruise on the Monarch of the Seas. The cruise line quotes an airfare of $579.00. My TA and the faresaver sites on the internet were quoting $824.00 last week. It looks like we will stay with the cruise line this time!

I've read so many times that booking your own flights is so much cheaper. Anyone else ever have this happen?

Posts: 126 | From: Overland Park, Kansas USA | Registered: Jan 2001 | IP: Logged

jwine
First Class Passenger
Member # 634

posted 03-28-2001 06:09 PM

A lot depends on where you live. We are a Delta hub (no competition) therefore, most of the time the cruiseline air is lower than what we can get on our own. I have never been able to get a better price to San Juan, usually the cruiselines air is at least $300 or more less. Sometimes if sailing out of Ft Lauderdale we can do better on our own, but usually Miami the cruiselines are cheaper.

Posts: 223 | From: Cincinnati, OH USA | Registered: Apr 99 | IP: Logged

Marcia
First Class Passenger
Member # 1198

posted 03-28-2001 06:28 PM

We also fly out of Cincinnati as we live in Hamilton. We have had our travel agent even try fares out of Dayton or Columbus and still find the cruise fare is less. The only time we went with our own was when they had us on three flights going to Barcelona and three comming back from London. We booked our own and paid more, but it was worth it. Sometimes you have to check around, but usually go with cruise line.

Posts: 101 | From: Hamilton, Oh. U.S.A. | Registered: Mar 2000 | IP: Logged

Blizzard54
First Class Passenger
Member # 1824

posted 03-28-2001 07:43 PM

I have also found that it varies. From Seattle to LA it is usually cheaper to do it on my own even adding the cost of transfers. When I have flown to Florida it has always been better to use the cruise lines program.
We have the option of a red eye or fly down the day before and they include the hotel and all transfers. When I have taken positioning cruises their air has always been a better deal. (those one-way fare are a killer.) It is always best to check it out both ways.

Posts: 118 | From: Seattle,WA | Registered: Feb 2001 | IP: Logged

JP
First Class Passenger
Member # 1373

posted 03-29-2001 11:24 AM

Even one-ways can be done cheaper on your own sometimes. A year ago, Princess wanted $800 for air for the Crown Princess Port Everglades to Rome, but we assembled our own on the Internet for a little over $400. It has seemed to me, though, that Princess is higher on their air than either Holland America or RCI.

Posts: 280 | From: Minnesota, USA | Registered: Jun 2000 | IP: Logged

ocngypz
First Class Passenger
Member # 1555

posted 03-29-2001 12:28 PM

My gateway is Boston. The only time a cruiseline's air was cheaper was Crystal. Boston-Acapulco-Ft. Lauderdale-Boston.

Every other time, I have saved considerable $$$. I really think it has to do with your individual gateways and competition in the marketplace.

Posts: 343 | From: Newport, RI USA | Registered: Sep 2000 | IP: Logged

KansasK
First Class Passenger
Member # 1758

posted 03-30-2001 08:01 AM

Thanks for all the input on this. We fly out of Kansas City, MO, and are probably not a mecca for low airfares. What Jwine said about never finding a lower fare than the cruise line's fare to San Juan also explains it.

We wanted to fly in a day early and make our own reservations because RCCL requires a two day stay before the cruise. It has worked out that the difference in two air fare rates almost pays for the two day hotel stay in San Juan through RCCL. So we are excited to have an extra day in San Juan.

Posts: 126 | From: Overland Park, Kansas USA | Registered: Jan 2001 | IP: Logged

cruisernh1
First Class Passenger
Member # 1864

posted 03-30-2001 08:23 AM

I think it is mixed. Going to Alaska was cheaper on our own. And I have found that most were cheaper but as someone mentioned San Juan looks bettter with the cruise line We got a 149 air add on from boston. Although, we have not left yet. My current comment about the cheap fare is that it is probably peddle powered.

Posts: 35 | From: Tilton,NH,USA | Registered: Mar 2001 | IP: Logged

harborman
First Class Passenger
Member # 1248

posted 03-30-2001 06:49 PM

Sometimes it depends on when you leave and return. We'll be doing a Monday to Friday RCL trip to Nassau from Miami. The cruise line air is $379.00 per person from Phila. I checked on the web at several different airlines and the cheapest air was $715.00. I called the airlines and they said it was because we were not staying over a Saturday.

We are doing an 11 night trip on the Summit in Feb. and we got our own air for $185 Phila to Ft. Lauderdale, curise air was $379 again.

So sometimes it's good to use the cruise air and sometimes you can get a better deal on your own. It pays to shop.

Posts: 147 | From: Pennsylvania, USA | Registered: Apr 2000 | IP: Logged

Frank X. Prudent
First Class Passenger
Member # 1723

posted 03-30-2001 06:56 PM

In my experience the answer is yes and no! So I have the T/A check both ways. The last two cruises that I have booked one was cheaper to use the cruise line's air and the other was not. When I fly to and from Vancouver to catch the REGAL PRINCESS in May, arranging my own air was nearly 50% less. HAL had the better air deal to catch the ROTTERDAM in Ft. Lauderdale and fly home to CVG from Costa Rica.

Posts: 577 | From: Covington, Kentucky, U.S.A. | Registered: Dec 2000 | IP: Logged

gohaze
First Class Passenger
Member # 586

posted 03-31-2001 06:07 AM

Hi...if you're flying to and returning from the same port, you can often beat the cruise/air price. Remember, the companies have to publish those a long time in advance to put in the brochures etc. and the airlines change their pricing daily - or even hourly it seems.
On the other hand if you are doing long-haul 'open jaws', going to one port and returning from another, then because most airlines like to call that 2 single fares, it's nearly always cheaper to take the cruise/air. There are also some other advantages, such as being met by a company rep and your baggage being looked after. Believe you me, when you arrive in a strange airport late at night, don't speak the language, don't know where the hotel is or even if you can get the cab driver to take you there, then the extra is worth it.
...peter

Posts: 1909 | From: Vancouver.BC | Registered: Sep 99 | IP: Logged

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