Cruise Line airfares, why so high?

I've been looking at Alaska cruises and noticed
the cruise line fares are much higher than if you
book the flights yourself. What am I missing ?
Thanks, Joe

On Thu, 31 Dec 2009 14:40:50 -0500, "Joe C" wrote:

I've been looking at Alaska cruises and noticed
the cruise line fares are much higher than if you
book the flights yourself. What am I missing ?
Thanks, Joe

If you use the cruise line's airfare, you save yourself the three or
four minutes it takes to make an internet booking. Surely your time is
worth at least $100 per minute.

Also, if you book cruise line air they will generally rebook you at no
cost if something causes the ship to leave or arrive late or early. So
you get some price protection.

And the cruise line airfare might be lower than the last minute walkup
air fare.

Cruise line airfare is always higher than the same flights booked any other
way.

Also, if you are booking a cruise sailing out of Vancouver, you will
probably get air to Vancouver. Fares into and out of Vancouver from/to any
US airport are always $100+ more than fares in / out of Seattle. We live in
British Columbia and usually book our flights to/from Florida or California
from Seattle (SEA) for this reason.

It doesn't hurt that our DD and SIL live about an hour from SeaTac airport
and we can bum a night there before and after, and a ride to/from the
airport and save on parking.

Tobieon an Island in the Pacific

"Jack Hamilton" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 31 Dec 2009 14:40:50 -0500, "Joe C" wrote:

I've been looking at Alaska cruises and noticed
the cruise line fares are much higher than if you
book the flights yourself. What am I missing ?
Thanks, Joe

If you use the cruise line's airfare, you save yourself the three or
four minutes it takes to make an internet booking. Surely your time is
worth at least $100 per minute.

Also, if you book cruise line air they will generally rebook you at no
cost if something causes the ship to leave or arrive late or early. So
you get some price protection.

And the cruise line airfare might be lower than the last minute walkup
air fare.

Joe C wrote:
I've been looking at Alaska cruises and noticed
the cruise line fares are much higher than if you
book the flights yourself. What am I missing ?
Thanks, Joe

Sometimes cruise air is better if you have an open jaw flight or a
flight to Europe. Most of the rest of the time you are better off
booking your flight on your own. Now only will you get much lower fares,
but you can pick the flights that you want. Cruise air will have you up
at the crack of dawn and making crazy connections.

For years now we book our flights ourselves and fly down a day ahead to
be safe.

sue

Jack Hamilton wrote:

Also, if you book cruise line air they will generally rebook you at no
cost if something causes the ship to leave or arrive late or early. So
you get some price protection.

On the flip side of this, if you buy cruise insurance and make sure it
covers your flights and travel time. The insurance would cover any
additional charges if you ship returns late or if there is a storm etc.

sue

"Island Grampa" wrote in message
...
Cruise line airfare is always higher than the same flights booked any
other way.

A few exceptions (on occasion... mostly international)...

Like when Cunard had cheaper one way air from NYC to London than
Continental, BA, VA, etc. I suspect they bought round trip tix and split
them up.

Sometimes you might pay a bit more for cruise air, but get free transfers
from a place like Heathrow Airport to Dover, England, which puts cruise air
cheaper if you buy your own air and have to pay for transfers..

When you cruise from Europe, it's always a good idea to at lease look at
cruise air (with transfers) options.

--Tom

"Tom K" wrote in message
...

"Island Grampa" wrote in message
...
Cruise line airfare is always higher than the same flights booked any
other way.

A few exceptions (on occasion... mostly international)...

Like when Cunard had cheaper one way air from NYC to London than
Continental, BA, VA, etc. I suspect they bought round trip tix and split
them up.

Sometimes you might pay a bit more for cruise air, but get free transfers
from a place like Heathrow Airport to Dover, England, which puts cruise
air cheaper if you buy your own air and have to pay for transfers..

When you cruise from Europe, it's always a good idea to at lease look at
cruise air (with transfers) options.

--Tom
You're right Tom, I should have used the word "generally" instead of
"always".

My bad!!
--
Tobieon an Island in the Pacific

You are missing nothing Joe, book the airfares yourself.

"Joe C" wrote in message
...
I've been looking at Alaska cruises and noticed
the cruise line fares are much higher than if you
book the flights yourself. What am I missing ?
Thanks, Joe

On Thu, 31 Dec 2009 14:40:50 -0500, "Joe C"
wrote:

I've been looking at Alaska cruises and noticed
the cruise line fares are much higher than if you
book the flights yourself. What am I missing ?
Thanks, Joe

Related to this is the phenomenon that one can generally take the
credit for "free air" and buy their own coming out ahead with
connections that you have chosen. This is something that I (and most
agents) always check.
Joseph Coulter
Joseph Coulter Cruises and Vacations
www.josephcoulter.com

On Dec 31 2009, 6:11*pm, "Tom K" wrote:

Sometimes you might pay a bit more for cruise air, but get free transfers
from a place like Heathrow Airport to Dover, England, which puts cruise air
cheaper if you buy your own air and have to pay for transfers..

On what planet?

Even for European cruises the cruise air is usually much more
expensive than most
flights booked independently (sometimes double). That buys plenty of
independent transportation plus one or two nights in a hotel, which I
prefer since it allows you to be on your own schedule without being
herded on to
a bus.

For our upcoming cruise on Azamara Journey (in to Rome, home from
Barcelona), cruise air is $1500 p/p. We booked a roundtrip with non-
stop flights for $800 p/p. The $1400 savings will pay for transfers, 1
night pre and post hotel and probably cover an excursion or three.
If I had waited I'd probably be able to shave a even more off of the
air by catching a sale but it's still a good deal.

Warren