Just booked Millenium to NZ/AU Have ?'s

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dirtcheaptraveler

Guest
This will be my 4th cruise with Celebrity but my first having them book the air for me. What is meant by air deviation? My agent said I may not know the flights until 30 days before the cruise. This could be a problem since I have to fly from home to JFK with my own arrangements. (package deal was good only from certain airports). Also it says on my contract that we may not be eligible to get seating assignments until at the airport. Is this normal?
 
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Ted_D

Guest
Re: Just booked Millenium to NZ/AU Have ?'s

Both are normal when the cruise line (any of them) books the airline flights. An "air deviation" is an
industry term to cover the case where you specify, for an additional charge, some of the details of
your flights, such as which flight number or which airline.

Because cruise line arranged flights are almost always less than ideal for us, and seldom cheaper than
we can do for ourselves, we NEVER book through them.

Ted
 
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BSeabob

Guest
Re: Just booked Millenium to NZ/AU Have ?'s

Ted is correct on the terminology but I wouldn't never say never. Depending on your comfort zone going with the cruise line air can be just fine. There is a fee to deviate and the actual cost of the air may be more also. The flts. on cruise air tend to leave early or late in the day and jump around on a milk run agenda but depending on where you are leaving from and going too past history of their bookings usually can tell you what will happen. In advance but yes normally you don't hear until 30 days out.

We use cruise air flying from the North when there is a bad weather season and often the cost of air with the cruise lines is cheaper on "Open Jawed" booking or a flight into distant places. It pays to shop around and ask questions ..exactly what you are doing.

Welcome to our forums
 
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Conniemc

Guest
Re: Just booked Millenium to NZ/AU Have ?'s

Bob is right. Every time I checked into Celebrity air - they had me making 3-4 connections on horrible flights that would keep me in airports and planes far more than necessary. For the same price, (or cheaper!) I book direct with Travelocity and take direct flights. I have heard plenty of feedback from Celeb people who say their flights all involved connections and all day travel. CHECK BEFORE YOU BOOK.
 
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Mar

Guest
Re: Just booked Millenium to NZ/AU Have ?'s

How does one check on flights if they aren't given out until a month is advance? We are on Millennium Hololulu to Auckland and then Auckland to Sydney. Trying to get our own flights was crazy...
 
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Conniemc

Guest
Re: Just booked Millenium to NZ/AU Have ?'s

You can't. That's the problem. You have to wait until 30 days before the cruise before you are entitled to know your "surprise"! flights...LOL

There is no way I would do air through any cruiseline...did you try Travelocity - do multiple flights and search for each leg. At least you are in control of how long/where/how much, etc. when you book your own flights. I think it's safe to say, you could find more direct flights on your own, than the ones you will be booked on through the cruise. Hope they give you decent flights - good luck!
 
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Auarians

Guest
Re: Just booked Millenium to NZ/AU Have ?'s

Kia ora,
I presume you live on the east coast of the US and would be able to make your own air travel arrangements. Here in New Zealand we are used to spending long hours in the air if we want to get anywhere. To fly to Europe with only one refuel stop invoves 24+ hours flying time plus getting to Auckland & time in airports etc, making 32+ hours in all! My suggestion would be to try & do it with one stopover on the west coast, as depending on where you fly from (SF or LA?) that leg alone would involve 12 to 14 hours flying time plus whatever number of hours it would take to get from JFK to the California. Further stops justs adds to the time & stress of traveling. Another interesting route would be direct from New York to Tahiti & then on to Auckland, where I presume your ship departs from. If you have any queries on NZ or Aus I will be happy to assist if I can.
Ka kite
Aquarians
 
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Conniemc

Guest
Re: Just booked Millenium to NZ/AU Have ?'s

Funny, I considered that cruise once, and being on the east coast, it was the horror of the flights that eliminated it from my choices. I just cant' bear the thought of 40-50 hours in airports and planes, no matter how great the cruise.
 
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Mbandy

Guest
Re: Just booked Millenium to NZ/AU Have ?'s

I know of some people who will book a round trip to LA and book their trans-pacific flights from LAX separately. The reason they do this is so that they can stay at a hotel near the LA airport and then do the trans-pacific the next day. The reason they book separately is to avoid a stop over charge. I agree that it is best to book your own flights. If you are having difficulty, contact a travel agent for assistance.
 
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Conniemc

Guest
Re: Just booked Millenium to NZ/AU Have ?'s

I gotta tell you Michael, with the new jump in airfare prices, cutting flights, charging for bags, having to arrive 2 hours before your flight, etc. - it's beginning to get far less appealing to fly anywhere. Truly.

My Atlantic City to Ft. Lauderdale flight which has ALWAYS been under $200 (It's a heavily traveled snow bird flight) has jumped to almost $500 and they have eliminated some of the regular flights, like the one I always take. Now, unless I want to be at the FLL terminal at 8:30am, I have to do layovers or come in the night before, which makes no sense to me. Why pay to stay at a hotel, when I'm only a 2 hour flight away?

Anyway, getting a lot more complicated to travel....a lot.
 
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Mbandy

Guest
Re: Just booked Millenium to NZ/AU Have ?'s

=yeah I agree completely and as a T/A I hear it every day. The price of flights has increased a lot in the past couple of weeks. Now you pay for a second checked bag and it's in the wind that the airlines are thinking about charging extra for aisle or window seats. :dizzy
 
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Conniemc

Guest
Re: Just booked Millenium to NZ/AU Have ?'s

Maybe we could start private "plane shares" like condo shares....100 people buy their own jet, ha. Private jets aren't subject to all the hassles and BS of the commerical lines...things are a changin.
 
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