split up seating

Tip of the hat to NCL flight reservation personal. NOT :mad: :mad: :mad:

booked our cruise early last fall and paid in full by mid November.

this time we decided to book the flights with the cruise.

we are sitting in separate seats & rows spread about the plane for half our flights:mad: The three of us even share the same surname, so how could they have screwed this up? They must have procrastinated on booking the seats :(

I wish I could arrange their holiday travel .........

Tip of the hat to NCL flight reservation personal. NOT :mad: :mad: :mad:

 

booked our cruise early last fall and paid in full by mid November.

this time we decided to book the flights with the cruise.

 

we are sitting in separate seats & rows spread about the plane for half our flights:mad: The three of us even share the same surname, so how could they have screwed this up? They must have procrastinated on booking the seats :(

 

I wish I could arrange their holiday travel .........

Cruise lines will NOT get seats for you. They book A seat, that's all. Call the airline directly and see if you can't get your seating changed. Your TA should have either booked the seats for you or IF you booked the cruise directly with NCL, it is YOUR responsibility. We all live and learn.

Enjoy your cruise.

Well it's true If you want it done right do it yourself!

lesson learned as you pointed out. hopefully my experience will alert some one else so they don't have the same bad surprise.

as for the cruise.. well it will be that much more sweeter when we get there !

No matter how far in advance you book your cruise, the lines don't book the air until 30-45 days out on average... ALWAYS BOOK YOUR OWN AIR, then you can get the flights & times you want, and reserve your seats at time of booking.

I was once in the same situation. All you have to do is call the airlines directly and if they have seats availbable together they will switch them for you.

I will second what Lauren says, I had a similar situation (booking airfare via Orbitz) and we were auto-assigned seats that were not together. I called the airlines with the records locator number and they were more than happy to put us together.

TrentS is right, cruise lines book flights so late that all the good seats are taken. ALWAYS book your own flights and ALWAYS fly in the day before your cruise.

Good Luck!

Kel

booked our cruise early last fall and paid in full by mid November.this time we decided to book the flights with the cruise.we are sitting in separate seats & rows spread about the plane for half our flights:mad: The three of us even share the same surname, so how could they have screwed this up?

This happened to us last Summer - not with a cruise-line but with a travel agent. We were taking our kids from LAX to Maui on their first "big" vacation. Neither had ever flown before and both were young (just turning 5 and 6). I was floored when I realized that our seats - all 4 of them - were all over the plane! None were even in the same area! I called American Airlines immediately and was informed that there were no groups of 4 seats together anywhere but that we should keep checking the website. I did and was able to eventually get 2 and 2 so my husband sat with my son and I with my daughter. I was told that minors cannot sit by themselves anyway (unless traveling unaccompanied, of course) so, if seats hadn't opened up, changed would've been made at the gate before boarding. Too - many people with whom I discussed our situation said that most flight attendants (much to my surprise) would be more than happy to help once we were on the plane - making an announcement and asking about for people willing to "trade seats".

I hope you get your seats straightened out and are able to enjoy your trip!

Thanks for the positive encouragement.

NW airline service rep suggested we try again at check in and see if they can do anything about the seats.

Is it the cruise line for late booking of seats, or the airline for not having the basic customer service skill to realize that people booked by the same cruise line sharing the same last name would likely want to sit together.

"Common sense is not very common these days"

I think it was NCL who dropped the ball on me.

This will in no way ruin the cruise, just a "pre cruise" disappointment. It sounds funny but I enjoy the planning and anticipation nearly as much as the vacation itself.

Some poor soul sitting next to me on the plane is going to hear all about my vacation plans!

and for everyone who reads this message please "heads Up"

I will likely go back to arranging my own flights again but will be wiser next time around.

Thanks for the positive encouragement.

NW airline service rep suggested we try again at check in and see if they can do anything about the seats.

 

Is it the cruise line for late booking of seats, or the airline for not having the basic customer service skill to realize that people booked by the same cruise line sharing the same last name would likely want to sit together.

"Common sense is not very common these days"

I think it was NCL who dropped the ball on me.

 

I don't think the cruise line dropped the ball at all. I can't be certain about NCL, but I know that RCI specifically states on their website that they do not make seat assignments, you or your travel agent are responsible for making seat assignments. This is pretty common among all cruise lines.

Since the cruiselines don't book until about 60 days out, most seats are already sold and assigned on popular routes. You are then assigned to whatever seats are left. I've seen it where at that late a point in many cases you can no longer get an assigned seat at all until you arrive at the airport.

Boy reading these posts brings back memories of some scary moments for hubby and myself. Our first cruise we were soooo excited. The big day was fast approaching and we got out docs from the third ta (first and second left the agency during the time of our reservation) got all the info home and did what I was supposed to do "confirm 48 hrs before leaving" Guess what Airlines had no info on us. AND I MEAN NO INFO - no name, nothing.....

I thought I would get sick. The airlines had no suggestion other than for me to call my TA. TA was out of town for a week, finally I talked to TA's manager. She didn't have a clue, but she told me she would get in touch with the cruise line and get it straightened out.

The next day it still wasn't straightned out. Then I called the cruise line and had them give me a number that I could call if something happened the day of the flight. Luckly nothing happened. That was the day I learned TWO valuble lessons. 1) Do your own air. 2) Fly in a day ahead of time.

We were so tired we after the flight and waiting in line for the transfers from airport to ship. What a long day!

We had the same problem with NCL in 2004 and Celebrity in 2005. In both cases we talked other passangers into swithching with us since the airline would not allow changes.

This isn't really anything the cruise line can do anything about. They don't book your flights until after you've made final payment because if you cancel, they are stuck with your flights. By that point, as said many times already, there isn't a lot of choice left.

Incidentally, my wife and I sat in separate rows last Saturday, and it was fine. I had asked at the gate almost 2 hours ahead of flight time if there were any exit row seats available. No. I checked back an hour later and asked if they had upgraded anyone out of the exit rows yet. Still no. As they called our row to board, the gate agent came over and said he had one exit seat open up. I declined saying I had my wife with me. She told me to take it, since she knew my 6'5" frame would be more comfortable there, and she would be more comfortable with almost anyone else crammed in beside her LOL. So I took it. I sat in row 16, and she was in 30. Plus they never did put anyone in my empty seat, so it worked out great for her, and I had about 7 feet of floor in front of me.

So, if you don't get the seat thing resolved by the time you go, ask at the gate. And be polite, not saying something like "you'd think the guy at the airline would be smart enough to realize these people with the same name would want to sit together", and the gate agent will likely be able to help you out.

Because NCL booked our airfare so late for our flight from Toronto - Miami, they had to pay for a full-fare first class seat for my wife and I. Actually, of the 16 first class seats on the plane 12 of the people were NCL customers. I had asked if the airline bumped us up and they said no they were FULL FARE tickets. We even got a nice bonus on our Aeroplan points.

My wife and I on our first cruise had seats all over the differnet flights we had to take between Toronto - San Juan. This was with Princess. I've learned and now call the airline the second I get the info requesting seats together.

FB

You did great with getting the first class, but no doubt you could have beaten the cruise air fare for Toronto to Miami by quite a bit. The San Juan is probably a toss-up, especially with that schedule you posted on the other thread. I would look at Buffalo if flying to San Juan again.

It's pretty surprising NCL paid for business class. They could have still bought the coach tickets, and Air Canada would have just upgraded enough people to make room. You should have bought a lottery ticket that day LOL.

One problem with getting seats together for families late is that so many of us business travelers book online and grab seats, Aisles and windows, all over the plane. So it is mostly middle seats left. Then if you are assigned middle seats, it is difficult to convince someone with a window or aisle to trade for a middle so you can sit together. Most of us are willing to trade if asked in a nice way.

our cruise air did the same thing to us...we have different surnames, but same reservation number...they gave us both middle seats in 2 different isles. i wasn't really surprised that they did this, as i did read the information on the website regarding cruise air. but what i couldn't figure out is why 2 random middle seats? an isle yes, a window ok, but 2 middle seats in 2 different rows!? wierd..

anyway, its chocked up to a lesson learned...and it did save us $300 per person, so i guess not sitting together is not so terrible. after all, we did spend a whole week together...what's a couple of hours on a flight? :cool:

edited because i just read MichTravelers post and that makes sense ;)

One problem with getting seats together for families late is that so many of us business travelers book online and grab seats, Aisles and windows, all over the plane. So it is mostly middle seats left. Then if you are assigned middle seats, it is difficult to convince someone with a window or aisle to trade for a middle so you can sit together. Most of us are willing to trade if asked in a nice way.

Isn't that the truth? I always pick my seats up front window. I have five roundtrip airline tickets booked right now and I'm in the same seat for most of them.

Because NCL booked our airfare so late for our flight from Toronto - Miami, they had to pay for a full-fare first class seat for my wife and I. Actually, of the 16 first class seats on the plane 12 of the people were NCL customers. I had asked if the airline bumped us up and they said no they were FULL FARE tickets. We even got a nice bonus on our Aeroplan points.

 

Wow! You lucked out!

hi guys hope your having fun, a job came up and sis needs to get resume in by the 2ndin relocation with mae s.

damianm@sasktel.net for more info

You can also get your Reservation # & check for seats yourself. Go to N.W. website & enter your information. It will take you to your Reservation which will include the seats you have now. Click on the seats. It will then show you where you are sitting. It will show you which seats are available. You can change them at any time. Be sure to click Continue if you change your seats.

Did I give the right directions?

Gail

Is it the cruise line for late booking of seats, or the airline for not having the basic customer service skill to realize that people booked by the same cruise line sharing the same last name would likely want to sit together.

Airlines just automate the process of assigning seats. There's no human involved until you actually call one on the phone. If there aren't any blocks that can fit the number of passengers on the record, it's just split 'em up. And if you are all on separate tickets (with different locators) you for sure will not be assigned seats together without your own intervention.

How do you book your own seats when you don't even know what airline or flights the cruiseline is putting you on. Right now all I know is I paid HAL $579 for air including transfers from LAX to Vancouver/Anchorage back to LAX. Haven't a clue who/what/when airline. When I did this in '99, we didn't even find out our flights until I received docs about 3 weeks before the cruise and it was too late then to try and get seat. Fortunately we were seated together.

Are you saying once you make final payment there is some way to find out your flights? Will my TA get flight times/airlines etc immediately after final payment approximately 3 months before cruise? Versus waiting for docs to arrive approximately 3 weeks before cruise?

Thanks for the info.:p

agabbymamma, generally the cruiseline's start booking their flights at 60 to 90 days out. I know on RCCL you can call at 60 days out and find out your flights, even though the documents don't go out until 30 days out.

As others have said, its not the airline nor the cruiselines fault. Seats are booked so far in advance, plus with FF privileges - the good seats go fast. For instance, exit rows on many airlines are restricted to FF of a certain level. This is the problem when you book through the cruiseline, they don't confirm your flights until no more than 60 days in advance once you send final payment. Additionally, they don't have someone sit and personally pick your seats, they are just assigned based on open seats through the system.

There are a few options. The first is to try checking to see if you can change them online. As long as you have a locator code or confirmation number you can check your reservation on the airlines website. They close off picking seats as it gets close (within a week I believe). your next chance is to do online checkin 24 hours in advance. Most airlines let you pick seats then. If your airline doesn't permit that, then the last choice is get to the airport 2 hours beforehand. To to the ticket counter and see if you can get changed. If they can not do it, then 1 hour before you try with the gate agent. If they can't do it then (and I suggest being very nice and not too demanding), they will possibly hold your passes and look for volunteers.

At the end of the day, if you are traveling with children they will accommodate you. If you are adults traveling, most airlines try to accommodate, but its not the end of the world to spend a few hours apart. I agree that its nice to be with your traveling companion, but sometimes its just not possible. Especially on a full flight to popular destinations.