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If
you plan to fly to your port of embarkation, you must decide
whether to arrange airline tickets on your own or use the
AIR/SEA program offered by the cruise line. Here are the main
considerations to help you with your decision.
Advantages
of Arranging Your Own Airline Tickets
The main
advantages of securing your own airline tickets are that you
will be able to select the airline you fly and you will have
some control over the timing and routing of your flights.
You may wish to fly a particular airline to use frequent flier
rewards, or to earn frequent flier miles, or because that
carrier has nonstop service to your port city. If you arrange
your own airline tickets you will have more control over these
variables than if you utilize the cruise line's AIR/SEA program.
Advantages
of Using the AIR/SEA Program
The main
reasons to let us book your air at the same time you reserve
your cruise - through the cruise line's AIR/SEA department
- are convenience, better access to flights that make easy
connections to your ship, and added protection in the event
of a flight or sailing delay or cancellation.
Cruise lines meet their AIR/SEA passengers at the airport
and transport them to the pier. These transfers are frequently
free of charge, but even if a charge is levied it is typically
less than what you would pay if you arranged your own transfers.
Cruise lines monitor the status of flights carrying their
AIR/SEA passengers, and will sometimes hold a ship past its
scheduled departure time to wait for guests arriving on a
delayed flight, but only if that flight was booked through
the cruise line.
Cruise lines reserve large blocks of seats on flights that
make easy connections to their departing and returning cruise
ships. These flights traditionally experience high load factors
and you could have difficulty getting a low fare - or a seat
at any price - as an individual. On busy days like Saturday
and Sunday, you might have to fly into your port of embarkation
a day early if you book your own tickets, adding a day's meals
and lodging to your cost.
And finally, sometimes unexpected things occur that affect
travel plans. Flight delays or cancellations, changes in cruise
ship arrival or departure times, and cancellation of sailings
altogether, are some of the things that can force you to rebook
at a later time or date or seek a refund for your airline
tickets. If any of these things should happen before or during
your vacation, you will not be eligible for assistance from
the cruise line if you arranged your own airline tickets.
However, if we secure your tickets through the cruise line's
AIR/SEA program, the cruise line's help desk will assist you
in working with the airline to make alternate flight plans,
help you catch up with your ship at the next port, or apply
for a refund.
The Bottom Line:
Unless you are a sophisticated traveler who can plan to arrive
in the port of embarkation a day early, you're probably better
off letting us book your airline tickets through the AIR/SEA
program.
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