Indirect Flights from UK to US

[Lidders]

We have a Regent air package to fly from London to Fort Lauderdale for the Mariner cruise departing on 4th December, but we have indirect flights with Continental Airlines via Newark.

Not having done an indirect route before, what happens with baggage etc? Do we have to collect it and clear customs or does it automatically get routed to our onward flight?

I assume that we would also have to clear US immigration at Newark, but the schedule only gives us I hour 20 minutes between landing and departure of our ongoing flight to FL- which seems a little tight for time.

[Travelcat2]

You will pick up your baggage, go through customs and then it will be reloaded on to the next plans (you will be directed where to go to drop off your luggage). The time you have does seem a bit short.

Just checked Continetal's flight times they have flights from Newark to Ft. Lauderdale at:

6:00 a.m.
7:30 a.m.
1:29 p.m.
3:05 p.m.
5:29 p.m.

If you were to miss your flight, there are plenty more that should be available.

[turtlemichael]

I concur with TC2's details of the procedure.

But do Regent have you coming in the day before or the day of the cruise? If it is the day before there will be no problem even if your inbound from London is late. There are plenty of options, even the next morning, to get you to Fort Lauderdale and it will be Continental's responsibility. But if they are bringing you in on December 4th I would have concerns as there is no margin for error and indeed, the 1.29pm flight is the last you could get to make the cruise sail time. If this is the case I'd be expressing my concerns to my TA but I can't believe Regent would be so silly.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

I have fought with Regent before (thru my TA) when they gave me a "legal connection" that was just too tight for my liking. As Michael says, if you're flying in the day before, I don't think you have a problem, but if on the day of the cruise, I would be a bit concerned, especially if what he says is true that it's the last flight that would get you to the ship by "all aboard" (sailing is at 6 p.m.) Newark's a pretty big airport.

If it were me, and Regent was NOT flying me in the day before, I think I would pay for a deviation to have them do so. Of course, then you'll have to find a hotel and pay for cabs, but both are reasonably-priced in FLL.

[Northern Miss]

We have a Regent air package to fly from London to Fort Lauderdale for the Mariner cruise departing on 4th December, but we have indirect flights with Continental Airlines via Newark.

Not having done an indirect route before, what happens with baggage etc? Do we have to collect it and clear customs or does it automatically get routed to our onward flight?

I assume that we would also have to clear US immigration at Newark, but the schedule only gives us I hour 20 minutes between landing and departure of our ongoing flight to FL- which seems a little tight for time.

You and your bags will be checked through to FL. You will be given a boarding card for the Lon/Newark sector and a boarding card for the Newark/FL sector. You will be a Transit passenger through Newark and do not need to clear customs but you will pass through another internal airport security system. Just follow the signs for Transit Passengers and make sure you know which gate number you need for your ongoing connection.

Maggs

[Travelcat2]

You and your bags will be checked through to FL. You will be given a boarding card for the Lon/Newark sector and a boarding card for the Newark/FL sector. You will be a Transit passenger through Newark and do not need to clear customs but you will pass through another internal airport security system. Just follow the signs for Transit Passengers and make sure you know which gate number you need for your ongoing connection.

Maggs

Actually, this information may be true for other countries -- but, not for the U.S. You must clear Customs are the first point of entry. Here is a link to U.S. Customs and Border Protection https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/458/~/when-does-a-traveler-clear-u.s.-customs-and-border-protection

[Northern Miss]

Actually, this information may be true for other countries -- but, not for the U.S. You must clear Customs are the first point of entry. Here is a link to U.S. Customs and Border Protection https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/458/~/when-does-a-traveler-clear-u.s.-customs-and-border-protection

Seems strange that the airline has only allowed them 1 hour 20 minutes connection time in that case.

[Lidders]

Thanks for the advice folks.

I suspected we would have to do customs and immigration at the first point of entry to the US

We do actually fly in the day before the cruise departs - so missing the ship should not be an issue....

I guess Regent must consider the connection time is feasible - so fingers crossed that everything goes on schedule otherwise it will be straight to bed on arrival at the hotel in FL!

[rallydave]

We have a Regent air package to fly from London to Fort Lauderdale for the Mariner cruise departing on 4th December, but we have indirect flights with Continental Airlines via Newark.

Not having done an indirect route before, what happens with baggage etc? Do we have to collect it and clear customs or does it automatically get routed to our onward flight?

I assume that we would also have to clear US immigration at Newark, but the schedule only gives us I hour 20 minutes between landing and departure of our ongoing flight to FL- which seems a little tight for time.

Lidders, I have connected thru Newark on an international to domestic flight in the past and you most certainly have to go thru US Immigration, pick up your bags, go thru US Customs, check your bags back in with the airline and then most probably change terminals, go back thru security as if you hadn't flown in and then walk to your gate.

I am flying home in April from Barcelona connecting in Newark and I specified a specific connection even though there was an earlier flight that was a legal connection however depending on how busy the airport is and how late your inbound flight is you most probably won't make a 1 hour 20 minutes connection. Continental generally starts boarding about 35 minutes prior to flight time which reduces your perfect connection time to 45 minutes and you won't make that even on a not so busy day.

My suggestion is if you have deviated, have them change you to a later flight to FLL and if not, demand Regent thru your TA to change your connecting flight to the next flight. I have heard in the past that people have been able to force these changes at no cost when the connection is this absurd.

Good luck and have a great flight and cruise.

[MV21]

This is a little worrying. I am going on my first Regent cruise in a couple of weeks. It is in the Med and the Regent flights are with BA. I was hoping to become a loyal Regent customer, thinking they were a cut above the competition but reading this and discovering that they have provided indirect flights makes me wonder. When we have cruised with Princess embarking in Ft Lauderdale we have been flown from the UK direct with either Virgin or BA to Miami. Why haven't Regent used this option?

[Wendy The Wanderer]

In Regent's defence, not many flights direct to Fort Lauderdale from London, I suspect.

As for the Med., we live in a major hub, but I would still expect to have to change planes on the way to many ports in the Med. We had to do this in
Athens, Istanbul and Nice, in the past.

[OrpingtonT]

I have on occasion embarked at FL and Regent have flown me from LHR direct to Miami on BA the day before and put me up at Hyatt Pier 66 in FL a short distance from the embarkation point. Others I know have done this. Cannot you suggest this to them?

[Lidders]

Part of the attraction of the whole deal for this Regent cruise was the inclusive air package and pre-cruise hotel (we are at Pier 66 in FL), and although we did have the option of direct flights with BA, Regent wanted to charge us an extra £400 for this privilige.

Unfortunately, we had already blown our budget on a Penthouse suite, as this was the only grade available by the time we booked, so unfortunately had to go for the indirect flight option.