Don't book air with Princess( unless you like burning money!

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p.g.

Guest
I am so mad at Princess, they have messed up our air big time,and keep asking for more money.
We recieved our flight times for our April 17th cruise . The air times were terrible, and would require us to spend two extra nights in a hotel( we already were flying out a day ahead) but since the flights they put us on total out to like 14 hours and leave at 6 am we would have travel to our departure city the night before( we live on an island so there is no 4 am ferry!!!) ,it also had us arriving back at 11:30 pm so there again another night. Fine we decide to pay the deviation fee and get better flights. They quote us some better( still not great ) flights and there is also an incresase in the price, we agree to pay. We then decide instead of taking the boat( ferry) we will fly to our departure city since our "new " flight leaves at 10 am and there are flights from our town to that airport that will get us there at at 7:30 am. Perfect we thought. So we booked those flights.
Today my ta emails me that Princess has decided to change our friggin( I am so Mad) flights agian and now we will have to pay a fee to change our tickets that we booked seperately!!Oh yes they did say that we could keep the flights they quoted us the second time BUT it would cost even more now!!!!!! I am so mad that I refuse to phone my ta , not because I think it's her fault but just becaus eI know I'll explode and I don't want her to be the recipeicnt!
Now I'm just waiting to see what happens.
I will never book cruise air again, EVER, I will book my own air and not fart around , I don't even care about the cost, it's this being dicked around that bugs me!!

Please excuse my ranting, and any suggestions welcome.
 
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CaribbeanSun

Guest
All cruise lines do this, not just Princess. I can give you similiar experiences with Celebrity, Carnival, Radisson.......
 
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PEB

Guest
I'm sorry for your problems with the flights. This is one reason we always book our own flights.
 
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Cruise cutie

Guest
We have heard the nasty messes too ,which is why we book our own too..Good Luck..Take care...Joanne
 
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diverdiver

Guest
When you book air through the cruise line, you will be given the cheapest, and often most inconvenient flights possible, because they use what is known as BULK TICKETING. Red-eye flights are now the norm, so they don't have to pay to put you up in a hotel - particularly from the West Coast. They go by your departure airport, and don't care how far away you live from it. Any time you want a more convenient air schedule or preferred airline, you have to pay the air deviation fee PLUS the difference in airfare. Since airlines can pretty freely raise/lower their prices and change their schedules at will, that difference in airfare is what you get stuck with. The same thing can happen if you buy your air separately, although the price will be set, the schedule can change. I'm with the other posters. I always book my air separately..fly in a day early, book my own hotel, and book an evening flight home. (Plus, I always buy trip insurance through a third party). There are only a few cruises I would recommend buying air through the cruiselines. And, Princess is definitely not the only offender in this area. All the cruise lines do this. Can you tell us what ship and departure port? For your "basic" Caribbean cruise (not Southern, necessarily), it's best to book your own air.
 
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kruznut

Guest
I agree with diverdiver - We never ever book flights through the cruise line. Would even consider booking flights through any cruise line ! ;)
 
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CruiseAholic

Guest
As said, the cruise lines do use bulk ticketing, and when you book air thru them, they only agree to get to your destination.

I seriously doubt that the one change that you mentioned, the 2nd change in flights was Princess' fault, I would imagine that it is the airlines change, I've had this happen many times, cruise or no cruise.

There are times however, when the cruise line flights are cheaper than you can get on your own.
 
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Princess Pat

Guest
I think it's because we've been irritated so many times with Princess air that we've finally gotten over it. Now we look at it as a "do with me whatever you wish" day, coming and going.

We've had the charter flight from JFK that used almost all the water while it was on the NY tarmac so that there was none for flushing or brushing in the morning approaching Venice. We've done the Tower Air from Tahiti where you wait in the ship's atrium a full day with your carry-ons, go to the airport to wait a few more hours, and then have a cattle-type rush for the airplane. Last cruise we flew over Atlanta (our home) to Memphis and then had a less than 1-hour flight back a few hours later, and that was after spending almost all day in the San Juan, Puerto Rico airport.

Sorry about your personal reservations being screwed up but hope you really, really enjoy your cruise.

Pat
 
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p.g.

Guest
Don't worry I know we will enjoy our cruise it will be the "light at the end of the tunnel"!

The second flight change occurred( our ta said ) because although we are flying with United on the return flight( and HAD been booked with them on the way out) Princess found a cheaper flight out on Continental.So we fly two airlines !
Now does anyone know if these are the type of airlines that serve you food or if they are the new" food for fee " type?

The cruise , ahhhhh, sitting out on our balcony and sipping that first drink watching the sun go down!!! Nothing will ruin that for us! ( even the fact that we may be dog tired from our 13-14 hr travel day, and our luggage will be somewhere in Houston!) We will have our toothbrushes in our carry ons, what more do we need!!!
 
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gaa

Guest
Princess quoted us more than $500 for our airfare with no guarantee that it would be nonstop, or that it would not be an overnight flight. We just booked our fares, direct and at convenient times, for less than half on the carrier of our choice, American.

And to think that we considered going with Princess air!!
 
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bikevegas

Guest
Always book my own air. Its usually cheaper and you can get the flight times that you prefer. Thats been my experience!:AL:USA
 
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p.g.

Guest
I wish there was a "direct" flight from Vancouver B,C. to FLL but there isn't ,on any airline, just too darn far away!
As I said the flight times are the problem, the price wasn't bad and they included a night in a hotelplus the transfers. Total 799 CANDIAN( which is about 500 American I think)
I would book on my own just to get decent times and less stopovers, I believe we will be doing a lovely ariel tour of your nation, plus visiting serveral lovely airports!! Oh well 13 or 14 hours of travel time and then relaxation for the next seven days!! I'll take it!
 
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lizardstew

Guest
Oh my goodness.....what a day you have in store for you!

I always book my own air too, and come in the day before unless I'm cruising west coast. Although I am sure it's possible, I have never seen the cruiseline's air cheaper than I could get it myself.
 
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denfarwell

Guest
The only downside in booking your own airfare is IF the cruise is cancelled due to some unforeseen diaster/mishap. Then the cruise line is responsible for refunds. But the advantages in booking your own air far outweigh this remote possibility. There are so many cruise ships going to the same ports you could still fly your destination and rendezvous with another cruise ship --probably at a cut rate price to fill that ship.

I am seeing more and more, particularly on cruisetours, that luggage is late getting to passengers. The hotel, etc., didn't load it --whatever. Almost always you can find cheaper and better pre and post packages yourself.
 
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