Cruise air

Ray Goldenberg wrote:

On Sat, 17 Jan 2009 19:58:09 -0500, Rosalie B.
wrote:

Anyway she said cruise air would be $1929.00 each, and a deviation
would be $75.00 and to call the World Cruise Desk early Monday. Even
though the whole cruise is only $1299/00 each, that's still cheaper
than anything I could find and not much more than a direct flight one
way.

Hi Rosalie,

Regarding the above, the cruise price has nothing at all to do with
the air price. I have seen many cruises where the air was several
times the cost of the cruise. (see further response below)

I realize that - I was just complaining about the cost of the air in
comparison to the cost of the cruise.

She also said that if I booked the hotel through HAL, I wouldn't have
to pay the deviation fee, but the hotel they use in Copenhagen is the
Radisson Scandinia at $1086.00 I'm sure I can find something enough
cheaper that even with a $75 deviation fee it will still be cheaper
than THAT

The above is SOP with most, if not all, cruise lines regarding air and
hotel arrangements when made through the cruise line. The air
deviation fee is on top of the cruise line air price. You will also
have to possibly pay a higher price for the air than the cruise line
air price if there is a difference in the contracted air and what the
cruise line has budgeted for the cruise line air. IOW, the total air
will be the air deviation fee plus the cruise line air fare plus any
air differential based on your air deviation request. I don't believe
the cruise line will let YOU make any of these changes. The SOP is
that they will require the travel agency on the record to make these
requests on your behalf. I don't know if Holland America will make an
exception for you. This being the case you will need to sort out the
confusion on which travel agency is on the record for this cruise
before you start making any changes to your arrangements.

I can't even book the air until they get the travel agent correct, and
yes, he will have to do it. I understood that the deviation was for
coming in a couple of days early and leaving late.

As far as the travel agency thing is concerned - I booked back to back
cruises in 2006 with an internet agency, but with two different agents
as the first one wasn't responsive. I carefully booked so that we
would have the same room for both trips and would not have to move.
And HAL screwed it up and moved us for the first cruise and then said
it was our fault because of using two different agents, and that they
hadn't been notified that we were going back-to-back. But they WERE
told because I was on the phone to them to arrange it when I booked
the second cruise..

I then used a different agent to book my grandson and me to the Med
this spring with NCL, and the same agent booked us on the Statendam
for the Inca Discovery cruise that we just did. I booked this
upcoming cruise while I was on board the Statendam, and enquired as to
whether our travel agent would get the booking and was assured that he
would. However, I don't know his phone number by heart (although it
is programmed into my phone) so I didn't recognize that it was the
wrong number and the name of the agency wasn't mentioned.

I have no idea why they didn't have the correct agency and I feel that
this is a mistake on the part of HAL and that therefore they should
correct it. They are trying to make it my mistake again I think - not
to take responsibility for it.

Well, without any heavy lifting I found an itinerary IAD-CPH and AMS-IAD for
as low as $930 with only
one change. Other flights were in the $1050 range, using Star Alliance
airlines. Try www.kayak.com

I do not consider that "horribly expensive" for a round trip flight to
Europe in the middle of
the high tourist season.

I find it always best to get my own tickets even if it costs a bit more than
cruise air.
That way you are in control of when you go, where you change, what airlines,
etc.






"Rosalie B." wrote in message
...

I'm doing a cruise that starts in Copenhagen and ends in Rotterdam. I
can't seem to find any airline tickets that aren't horribly expensive.

Would cruise air be cheaper?

Would it be absolutely prohibitive as to times? (That is would I have
to take 3 or 4 flights each way?)

Could I go early and stay after the cruise or would I not have any
choice?

How easy would it be to change the tickets if I didn't like them?

"Tom K" wrote:


"Rosalie B." wrote in message
.. .

Anyway she said cruise air would be $1929.00 each, and a deviation
would be $75.00 and to call the World Cruise Desk early Monday. Even
though the whole cruise is only $1299/00 each, that's still cheaper
than anything I could find and not much more than a direct flight one
way.

She also said that if I booked the hotel through HAL, I wouldn't have
to pay the deviation fee, but the hotel they use in Copenhagen is the
Radisson Scandinia at $1086.00 I'm sure I can find something enough
cheaper that even with a $75 deviation fee it will still be cheaper
than THAT


Almost $2000 each for air is horrible. Seems the biggest problem is the
open jaw air. Maybe it's time to dump that specific cruise and find a
cruise that leaves from and returns to the same port. Even if you paid more
for the cruise you'll probably save a LOT on the air. Also look at JFK...
they probably have the biggest selection of flights to Europe.

If I could get AA as an airline, it would be cheaper because I would
get a discount for an employee's parent. But that doesn't seem
available this time although I know AA flies to London and Madrid,
because my daughter does the Miami to London route.

But the cruise is kind of locked in because it has to be at a time
that my granddaughter is out of school (after June 5th which is also
our 50th wedding anniversary), and has to be on HAL and at a place in
Europe where it won't be too hot for me. I really wanted an NCL
cruise that went from England around to Portugal to Rome and then came
back via Florence and Gibraltar, but I was afraid it would be too hot
at that time of year (July)

[Default] Thus spake Rosalie B. :


I'm doing a cruise that starts in Copenhagen and ends in Rotterdam. I
can't seem to find any airline tickets that aren't horribly expensive.

Would cruise air be cheaper?

Would it be absolutely prohibitive as to times? (That is would I have
to take 3 or 4 flights each way?)

Probably. The best air I could find to Copenhagen was NY to Rejkajik
to Copenhagen. From Rotterdam, the best bet would be train to
Amsterdam (you can get directly to the airport) then to NY.


Could I go early and stay after the cruise or would I not have any
choice?

How easy would it be to change the tickets if I didn't like them?

Darn near impossible. Well, not really, but expensive. Probably too
expensive.
--

- dillon I am not invalid

Men are like a carpet. Lay them well and you can
walk on them for years.

Dillon Pyron wrote:

[Default] Thus spake Rosalie B. :


I'm doing a cruise that starts in Copenhagen and ends in Rotterdam. I
can't seem to find any airline tickets that aren't horribly expensive.

Would cruise air be cheaper?

Would it be absolutely prohibitive as to times? (That is would I have
to take 3 or 4 flights each way?)

Probably. The best air I could find to Copenhagen was NY to Rejkajik
to Copenhagen. From Rotterdam, the best bet would be train to
Amsterdam (you can get directly to the airport) then to NY.

I can get a direct flight on SAS from IAD to Copenhagen, or one
through Zurich on SwissAir, or on British Air through LHR.

Then if I come back on SwissAir I can go from Amsterdam through Zurich
again or if I go British Air I can come back through London. Although
if I do that, sometimes from LHR I get routed on AA through Miami.
Which would be OK with me. In any case it is a bit more than half as
much as the cruise air which they told me was $1969.00 each or
something like that.


Could I go early and stay after the cruise or would I not have any
choice?

How easy would it be to change the tickets if I didn't like them?

Darn near impossible. Well, not really, but expensive. Probably too
expensive.

On Tue, 20 Jan 2009 19:48:51 -0500, Rosalie B.
wrote:

I can get a direct flight on SAS from IAD to Copenhagen, or one
through Zurich on SwissAir, or on British Air through LHR.

Hi Rosalie,

FWIW I would not connect at LHR unless that is my only choice. LHR is
too often a nightmare for connections.


Best regards,
Ray
LIGHTHOUSE TRAVEL
800-719-9917 or 805-566-3905
http://www.lighthousetravel.com
--

Ray Goldenberg wrote:
On Tue, 20 Jan 2009 19:48:51 -0500, Rosalie B.
wrote:


I can get a direct flight on SAS from IAD to Copenhagen, or one
through Zurich on SwissAir, or on British Air through LHR.


Hi Rosalie,

FWIW I would not connect at LHR unless that is my only choice. LHR is
too often a nightmare for connections.


Best regards,
Ray
LIGHTHOUSE TRAVEL
800-719-9917 or 805-566-3905
http://www.lighthousetravel.com
--
Unless you really crave adventure, take a direct
flight.
LHR can be a really exciting place to transfer,
and your luggage may even have more fun than you do.
Zurich should be less "fun" but you still have the
chance of missing your connecting flight.
A direct flight, even with stops enroute, will
ensure that, at least, you and your luggage should
arrive at approximately the same time (;+)=
Have a great trip,
Cheers,
John in LALALand (On the Left Coast)

J Carnaghie wrote:



Ray Goldenberg wrote:
On Tue, 20 Jan 2009 19:48:51 -0500, Rosalie B.
wrote:


I can get a direct flight on SAS from IAD to Copenhagen, or one
through Zurich on SwissAir, or on British Air through LHR.


Hi Rosalie,

FWIW I would not connect at LHR unless that is my only choice. LHR is
too often a nightmare for connections.

I wasn't thinking of connecting - I was thinking of stopping off for a
day or so on the way home. I had a couple of days in London with this
child's brother, and I don't know whether she'd rather do a different
city or the same one.