"Joseph Coulter" wrote
> Uncle Peter wrote:
>> wrote in message
>> news:1177090101.025941.196100@b75g2000hsg.googlegroups.com...
>>> My wife and I are booked on the Emerald Princess that departs from
>>> Barcelona on August 9. At the end of the cruise, we disembark in
>>> Venice. We very much look forward to this cruise, for we have never
>>> before been out of the North, Central, or South America or Hawaii.
>>> Whooptido!
>>>
>>> We also booked our airfare and transfers to/from the airports and
>>> Barcelona and Vencie with Princess, although a number of writers on
>>> this newsgroup have said not to do that.
>>>
>>> If anyone else will be on that cruise, please let us hear from you.
>>>
>>> John
>>>
>>
>> The last VacationsToGo newsletter had comments about
>> booking airline tickets through the cruiseline. Their
>> opinion favored using the cruiseline booking for several
>> reasons, including little price difference, and cruise
>> ship operator assistance in case of cruise changes, etc.
>>
>>
>>
> That just doesn't stack p to the reality especially on European cruises
> for Americans. Really, why fly overseas jump right on a cruise and then
> fly back immediately after. You will be jet lagged for the first day or
> so, and not see either the first or last port. Cruises line air will allow
> deviations but you will pay in the form of excess charges unless you take
> the cruise line hotel package and God help your pocketbook if you do.
>
> Yes it helps the commission to sell cruise air when no commission is
> available on air booked directly with the airline, but the convenience to
> the client is too good. In most cases, that I have studied, my clients
> suffer for taking the air and that includes the "free" air on Oceania.
I'll pile on to what Joe says.
1) It is very unusual for cruise line airfare to be less then air bought
from the airlines. In most cases, it is MUCH higher. The few exceptions
are when you are doing an open-jaw itinerary, but even then, if you check
Expedia or Travelocity, you can often get the flights cheaper.
2) You have no control of what flights or routing you get unless you pay an
additional "air deviation" fee of $50 to $75 pp, plus any additional air
charges.
3) Airlines no longer pay travel agents commission... but cruise lines do
pay a small commission on the air portion. Do you think that has anything
to do with a travel agency extolling the virtues of cruise line air?
4) When you are delayed because of air issues... the cruise line will help
you no matter where you bought your tickets. In every document package
there is a number to call if you are late. Sometimes the help is
ineffective, but it is there.
5) Cruise line's buy airfare at contract rates and the itineraries can be
terrible and the service from the air department can be even worse. There
is one cruise line where it would be better for my customers to walk to
Hawaii (or anywhere else) than to trust them with air arrangements.
BTW - another false statement is when you hear that if you buy airfare
through the cruise line, THEY become responsible for getting you to the ship
in case of delays. Not true. They will help you, but the responsibility to
get you to your destination in a timely manner is with the airline, not the
cruise line.
The last figures I saw were about two years ago and that indicated that less
than 20% of cruise customers were using cruise line air. In my own agency,
that number is less than 5%. On the GGC2007 and so far on the GGC2008, not
a single person is using cruise line air.
Oh, and I'll add a snide comment about Vacationstogo..... I have checked
their prices a number of times and with very few exceptions, they are the
same as everyone else's. What they do very well is marketing and in the
case about airfare, if the truth gets mangled in the process, who cares.
--
George Leppla http://www.CruiseMaster.com
April 29, 2007 GGC2007 http://cruisemaster.com/pride.htm
October 14, 2007 MOAGC 3 - http://www.moagc-3.com
January 20, 2008 - GGC2008 - http://cruisemaster.com/adventure.htm
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