Strange air schedule

S

sacto bob

Guest
Just received our air schedule for returning home from our Aug.19,2007 sailing of Pride of Ahola.We go back to Sacramento , but our plane doesn't leave until 11:00PM and we have to go thru San Francisco for our connection to Sacto.,with only 30 min.to change planes.My wife and I are in our seventies
and that puts us under a lot of stress.Everyone tells me that NCL sets the scheduling and nothing can be done about it. VERY UNFAIR !!!
Just thought I would blow off some steam.
 
N

newmexicoNita

Guest
I understand your frustration, but this isn't terribly unusual. Most cruiselines will use the cheapest combination of flights they can. I think on the other board someone suggested you let the flight attendant know early in your flight about the connection problem. I am willing to bet you will not be the only one the plane with a similar problem. Try to get seats as close to the front as you can. Has your TA requested seats for you yet? If not have this done now.

Nita
 
L

Lisa63

Guest
Hi sacto bob. I agree that 30 minutes is an unacceptable "layover" time. Assuming your first plane arrives on time, pax may be boarding your second flight by then. And, if your second flight is on a commuter plane, it may possibly involve a change of terminals. (Although, truth be told, I am not familiar with SFO as a point of transfer.)

Have you called your travel agent (if you used one) to find out how this may be changed? People will tell you it's not possible to make changes, but I speak from experience that it can happen. Let us know how it turns out.
 
C

cycofan

Guest
I tend to book my own air, because I like to know what my layover and schedule will be. I think that 30 minutes is the minimum acceptable layover. If you are not comfortable, call your TA or the airline directly and see if they can at least get you seats at the front of the first flight, and let them know that you may need help making the connections.

Regarding the flight time, our TA told us that late night flights are the norm returning from HI, because they get you back to the states the following afternoon. If you left at noon HI time, you would probably have a super long layover somewhere in the western US - wouldn't you rather spend that last day in paradise! :)
 
C

Cruizer

Guest
[quote sacto bob]Just received our air schedule for returning home from our Aug.19,2007 sailing of Pride of Ahola.We go back to Sacramento , but our plane doesn't leave until 11:00PM and we have to go thru San Francisco for our connection to Sacto.,with only 30 min.to change planes.My wife and I are in our seventies
and that puts us under a lot of stress.Everyone tells me that NCL sets the scheduling and nothing can be done about it. VERY UNFAIR !!!
Just thought I would blow off some steam.[/quote]

This is just another reason not to book air through the cruise line.
 
N

nmnita

Guest
not booking thru the airline isn't always the best way. Unless you intend on traveling to the port location a day prior to sailing it sometimes pays to book the entire package. I am taking a group out of LA next month. some are in theie 80s. For them having the package is much better. bTW they got a great flight.

During winter or booking one way on a repo cruise it often is better to go with the cruise line. 75% of the time I would do my own air and arrive a day early. The other 25% go with the package. It may not always be cheaper and you may not like the connections, but it is a package, you have transfers and don't have to worry about plane delays. An example; just tonight our grnaddaughters husbands sister was to fly into to DFW from ST Lake City. Guess what? The plane, leaving out of wherever to ST Lake and onto Dallas was delayed 3 hours. Last I heard it hadn't even taken off, making the delay closer to 5 hours. What if she was embarking on a ship and this happened the day of the embarkation? Goodbye ship....NMnita
 
L

Lisa63

Guest
Last I heard it hadn't even taken off, making the delay closer to 5 hours. What if she was embarking on a ship and this happened the day of the embarkation? Goodbye ship....NMnita
Click to expand...
Nita, for a delay that long, the ship still wouldn't stick around. The cruise line, however, will (supposedly) assist in getting pax to the first port. But I agree that for some itineraries, particularly those that require one-way or open-jaw flights, booking through the cruise line may be most practical.
 
N

nmnita

Guest
I really was using that as an example. I didn't mean to insenuate the ship would wait forever. However, backing up a bit, if it is winter, the weather is bad enough and the flights delayed many places, yes, the ship will oftern wait a few hours, sometimes longer. Again, not the rule, but the exception.

Nita
 
Top