Travel Insurance: Should I Pay for More Than a CancellationPol...

(John*Sisker) wrote:

In addition, to separate the cruise lines option
for airfare vs. their optional insurance, is
indeed rather misleading. Normally, it's an all or nothing type of
thing, with most passengers
thinking somehow they can save a lot more
money by doing this all themselves.

Under normal circumstances, I feel it is
beneficial for the traveler to simply put
everything in one neat little package through
the cruise line, than is trying to shop around
from something that may not make all that
difference anyway, and apparently not much
difference in price as well. You said this
yourself. And for those thinking it's all tit-for-tat
anyway, do read the fine print. Believe me, it
is far better to have the cruise line on your
side, if something does happen, than having
cut out the primary source, yet thinking what's
left will be your saving grace.

We've always found our airfare much cheaper by NOT going through the
cruise line. In addition instead of being at their mercy, we have been
able to find non-stop flights. (On our first cruise, a couple showed up
at our table the first night looking like hell warmed over. They did it
your way through the cruise line. They flew from the West Coast to
Dallas. Dallas to NY. NY to Madrid and Madrid to Barcelona (where at
first their baggage was misplaced.) We, OTOH, booking ourselves flew
non-stop JFK to Barcelona.

We only once had air booked through the cruise line. We booked our 30th
anniversary cruise to the Baltic region very early when we found a
cruise that almost perfectly suited our needs (and it turned out our TA
had a block of cabins on.) He advised us to take Princess' air, and then
when air prices started being available for our dates look ourselves. I
finally found a great rate on line. When I tried to book it, I got a
technical difficulties pop-up. It said try again or call a number it
gave for technical problems. After trying again with the same result, I
called. It turned out they could not book us because Princess already
had us on the same flight Newark to Copenhagen! She asked if we had
already paid. I answered no, just a cancellable deposit on the cruise.
She then said to cancel the air, and then come back to book it. I told
her we never wanted to have no air especially with this internet special
being temporary, could she do it? She hesitated, but then acceded to my
wishes for her to cancel and rebook, and only then for me to call our TA
to cancel our extra charge for Princess' air. We saved $900 by finding
our own air and being on the same flight! We could have actually bought
a 3rd ticket and still paid less than the Princess' air for two.

Do you advise your customers to do everything through the cruise line in
order to earn you more of a commission?

On 2/21/10 4:14 PM, Jeff Gersten wrote:
(John Sisker) wrote:

In addition, to separate the cruise lines option
for airfare vs. their optional insurance, is
indeed rather misleading. Normally, it's an allor nothing type of
thing, with most passengers
thinking somehow they can save a lot more
money by doing this all themselves.

Under normal circumstances, I feel it is
beneficial for the traveler to simply put
everything in one neat little package through
the cruise line, than is trying to shop around
from something that may not make all that
difference anyway, and apparently not much
difference in price as well. You said this
yourself. And for those thinking it's all tit-for-tat
anyway, do read the fine print. Believe me, it
is far better to have the cruise line on your
side, if something does happen, than having
cut out the primary source, yet thinking what's
left will be your saving grace.

We've always found our airfare much cheaper by NOT going through the
cruise line.

Not "always". We found cheaper one way air for our QM2 transatlantic
going through the cruise line than booking a one way ticket through
Continental or Virgin Atlantic. Most likely Cunard was able to buy
round trip tickets and split them up. But it was cheaper.

True it's "usually" cheaper, but not "always".

--Tom

"Tom K" wrote in message
...
On 2/21/10 4:14 PM, Jeff Gersten wrote:
(John Sisker) wrote:

In addition, to separate the cruise lines option
for airfare vs. their optional insurance, is
indeed rather misleading. Normally, it's an allor nothing type of
thing, with most passengers
thinking somehow they can save a lot more
money by doing this all themselves.

Under normal circumstances, I feel it is
beneficial for the traveler to simply put
everything in one neat little package through
the cruise line, than is trying to shop around
from something that may not make all that
difference anyway, and apparently not much
difference in price as well. You said this
yourself. And for those thinking it's all tit-for-tat
anyway, do read the fine print. Believe me, it
is far better to have the cruise line on your
side, if something does happen, than having
cut out the primary source, yet thinking what's
left will be your saving grace.

We've always found our airfare much cheaper by NOT going through the
cruise line.

Not "always". We found cheaper one way air for our QM2 transatlantic
going through the cruise line than booking a one way ticket through
Continental or Virgin Atlantic. Most likely Cunard was able to buy round
trip tickets and split them up. But it was cheaper.

True it's "usually" cheaper, but not "always".

--Tom

The only time I found air cheaper on a trans-Atlantic was on Oceania...their
air is included in the fare but we did have to pay for the flight to Houston
because San Antonio was not listed as a departure city...There are no direct
flights to Europe from San Antonio. ;-( When we took the trans-Atlantic on
the Jewel of the Seas and on the Constellation, we did our own air as it was
cheaper than what the cruise lines offered. I prefer to pick the times of
departure and arrival...the cruise lines very often offer terrible time
schedules for terrible rates...but we check both ways before deciding...

--Jean

On 2/21/10 10:57 PM, Jean O'Boyle wrote:
"Tom wrote in message
...
On 2/21/10 4:14 PM, Jeff Gersten wrote:
(John Sisker) wrote:

In addition, to separate the cruise lines option
for airfare vs. their optional insurance, is
indeed rather misleading. Normally, it's an allor nothing type of
thing, with most passengers
thinking somehow they can save a lot more
money by doing this all themselves.

Under normal circumstances, I feel it is
beneficial for the traveler to simply put
everything in one neat little package through
the cruise line, than is trying to shop around
from something that may not make all that
difference anyway, and apparently not much
difference in price as well. You said this
yourself. And for those thinking it's all tit-for-tat
anyway, do read the fine print. Believe me, it
is far better to have the cruise line on your
side, if something does happen, than having
cut out the primary source, yet thinking what's
left will be your saving grace.

We've always found our airfare much cheaper by NOT going through the
cruise line.

Not "always". We found cheaper one way air for our QM2 transatlantic
going through the cruise line than booking a one way ticket through
Continental or Virgin Atlantic. Most likely Cunard was able to buy round
trip tickets and split them up. But it was cheaper.

True it's "usually" cheaper, but not "always".

--Tom

The only time I found air cheaper on a trans-Atlantic was on Oceania...their
air is included in the fare but we did have to pay for the flight to Houston
because San Antonio was not listed as a departure city...There are no direct
flights to Europe from San Antonio. ;-( When we took the trans-Atlantic on
the Jewel of the Seas and on the Constellation, we did our own air as it was
cheaper than what the cruise lines offered. I prefer to pick the times of
departure and arrival...the cruise lines very often offer terrible time
schedules for terrible rates...but we check both ways before deciding...

--Jean


Those are repositionings as opposed to weekly crossings like Cunard
does. With weekly crossings, Cunard probably buys round trip tickets
and splits them between sailing. For a repositioning, you don't have a
return crossing the following, or the previous week to split air tickets
with.

--Tom

On Sun, 21 Feb 2010 23:13:50 -0500, Tom K
wrote:

Those are repositionings as opposed to weekly crossings like Cunard
does. With weekly crossings, Cunard probably buys round trip tickets
and splits them between sailing. For a repositioning, you don't have a
return crossing the following, or the previous week to split air tickets
with.

I'd be surprised if the same airfare rules apply to bulk purchases by
cruise lines as apply to one at a time purchases by consumers.

On Sun, 21 Feb 2010 21:07:18 -0800, Jack Hamilton wrote:

I'd be surprised if the same airfare rules apply to bulk purchases by
cruise lines as apply to one at a time purchases by consumers.

Hi Jack,

You are correct. Cruise lines negotiate contracted rates that have
nothing to do with purchasing round-trip itineraries.
--
Ray Goldenberg 800-719-9917 or 805-566-3905
Lighthouse Travel http://www.lighthousetravel.com
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