Airfare to Greece - YIKES!

We've booked a cruise leaving from Venice to the Greek Isles for next June. I know it's early to be looking at airfares, but the prices from WV have been $1600 - $1900 in the past few weeks - YIKES! I've seen other suggestions of flying into neighboring airports and taking train to Venice, but it only saves a few hundred dollars, and that isn't worth it to us to spend the time and lug the luggage around. We are not frequent flyers to have points to use. Anyone found any ways to save flying into Venice, please share!! Thanks.

Transatlantic airfares are much higher than a few years ago. Painful, isn't it?

From Chicago, I am seeing $1100-1300 RT fares to Venice for my possible fall cruise this year. And since it is fall, those are typically lower than peak summer fares.

You might look to see if the cruise you want is available in May. And if the weather would be OK for you. And vacation time works for you, too. The airfare gurus say most years there are typically price increases around late May, so going earilier may save a bit. Of course if you have to wait until schools are out, you will pay more, like so many others with the same limitation.

You may look into flying into London. There a lots of inexpensive flight from North America to London. Once you are in London, there are many cheap flights to Venice including easyjet and Ryanair. However, you have to factor in the facts that you may have to stay one night in London which is expensive and the transportation cost to get around the different airports which is also expenisve. Many discount airlines charges for ANY luggage and etc which can also add up.

Welcome to our world where we in the UK are used to paying well over $1600 every time we take a Caribbean cruise. Med cruises are of course cheaper for us but way too cold in winter months. My two weeks in Greece, Italy, Turkey and the Ukraine - travelling in a Butler suite - are cheaper than my 15 nights on Epic on a basic balcony.

The joys of air prices and taxes :(

You might want to check KLM into Amsterdam - then on to Venice - worth a check.

There are some consolidators that can delivery big savings but board rules prevent me from posting names or links. I would also check NCL airfare sometimes it can be a bargain. They had been offering air credits for European cruises up to $1000. Check into that as well.

You may look into flying into London. There a lots of inexpensive flight from North America to London. Once you are in London, there are many cheap flights to Venice including easyjet and Ryanair. However, you have to factor in the facts that you may have to stay one night in London which is expensive and the transportation cost to get around the different airports which is also expenisve. Many discount airlines charges for ANY luggage and etc which can also add up.

Might try that for Dublin. That is often the least expensive European gateway for me. I really enjoyed a 32 hour layover there, but I am not sure I want to do it every time.

This far out, I'd set a fare alert on whatever web site you are looking at at several price points & airports.

With no major airports nearby, it's going to be expensive. You might even check into a park & fly option in DC. They often have flights as cheap as New York.

Look at packages for a pre cruise hotel & air in Venice & even talk to the cruise line. On European flights they can often get a deal.

You might even check into a park & fly option in DC.

 

This is a good idea. There are flights available now, round trip WAS to VCE, for less than $1000 in June.

There are some consolidators that can delivery big savings but board rules prevent me from posting names or links. I would also check NCL airfare sometimes it can be a bargain. They had been offering air credits for European cruises up to $1000. Check into that as well.

Be ever ever so cautious when buying from consolidators. Really read up on what little piggy is in the poke you are buying. If you get the air from the cruise line you also do not get the choice of flights or times as much as if you do your own air fare. I have been doing my own airfare for about 15 years and I think that about 90% of the time I save money and add convenience by choosing the flights that I want. And 100% of the time I am in control and can choose the least stinky of the options according to my standards.

This is a good idea. There are flights available now, round trip WAS to VCE, for less than $1000 in June.

Park and fly usually refers to hotel near airport that offers parking for a week or two with the night's room. Be sure of exactly what the deal is. Some airlines have "vacation" packages featured on their webpages but when you follow up it is a travel agent who is offering to book hotel and flight for you and is really a 3rd party booking. When hotels offer a package they just book the flights sometimes through a booking agent for commission.

I pretty much always follow the rule that you deal with only the person/company providing the service (flight/car/room etc). Then your deal is with that person/company not the 3rd party booker. If you are standing at the desk of a hotel late at night and they are full, your little paper from somebody in an office in India is not getting you a room. I can come in after you with my reservation made with the company and I will get the room. The decision is made in staff meeting early that morning as to who will be turned away when overbooked. Family member is high management for luxury hotels and NO it is not fair but that is the way it operates. No problem to send a mass travel agency (and that includes all online booking engines) client away. BIG problem to send a company client away -- so much so they hold back a room sometimes for the unexpected VIP. Airlines operate the same way as do car rental agencies.

Think about it. All travel companies are in business for one reason --to make money. Why would they sell their rooms to someone else cheap enough for someone else to undercut them in price ? If you don't like the room or it is not what you thought you paid for -- the manager will smile nicely and tell you to call your booking agent. You do not have a deal with them you have a deal with the company you paid your money to.

Be ever ever so cautious when buying from consolidators. Really read up on what little piggy is in the poke you are buying. If you get the air from the cruise line you also do not get the choice of flights or times as much as if you do your own air fare. I have been doing my own airfare for about 15 years and I think that about 90% of the time I save money and add convenience by choosing the flights that I want. And 100% of the time I am in control and can choose the least stinky of the options according to my standards.

I have booked with one consolidator a dozen times and always was able to book exactly the fight I wanted on the carrier I wanted with a little work.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk - Jim

Supply and demand work against cruisers flying in/out of VCE. Limited lift, few non-stops, plus the need to put thousands on/off several ships.

To avoid the airfare spikes on "cruise day", you end up staying in high-priced hotels in VCE either before or after a cruise. All in all, I wonder if cruises that start/end in VCE are a worthwhile value proposition.

Thanks for all of the replies. We have several strikes on us. We are a group of 8 & have to wait until June for 2 college students. We go on a cruise every year & have been in Europe for past 6 years so we have paid over $1000. We also have limited time to be off work so we normally do 7 day cruises so the one leaving Venice is perfect itinerary & wanted to see Venice too. Just shocked how much this airport seems to be. Yes, we always look at flying from different airports since we have to fly somewhere else from Charleston for international flight. We have to consider extra time spent driving to another airport, sometimes hotel room & it would be same time & expense on the other end flying somewhere other than Venice. We called cruise line this week. We are too far out right now, but our problem with getting flight thru cruise line is that they book cheapest flight, usually meaning flying thru 4 or 5 airports and wasting a lot of time getting there & back & you don't get your flight itinerary until 30 days before cruise. We prefer to choose our own flights so I guess we'll just watch. We are signed up on fare alert sites.

I have no personal experience with this, but my BIL flew into Milan and took a train to Venice. They did the opposite on the departure and were satisfied with both the service and the lower dollars paid.

Thanks for all of the replies. We have several strikes on us. We are a group of 8 & have to wait until June for 2 college students. We go on a cruise every year & have been in Europe for past 6 years so we have paid over $1000. We also have limited time to be off work so we normally do 7 day cruises so the one leaving Venice is perfect itinerary & wanted to see Venice too. Just shocked how much this airport seems to be. Yes, we always look at flying from different airports since we have to fly somewhere else from Charleston for international flight. We have to consider extra time spent driving to another airport, sometimes hotel room & it would be same time & expense on the other end flying somewhere other than Venice. We called cruise line this week. We are too far out right now, but our problem with getting flight thru cruise line is that they book cheapest flight, usually meaning flying thru 4 or 5 airports and wasting a lot of time getting there & back & you don't get your flight itinerary until 30 days before cruise. We prefer to choose our own flights so I guess we'll just watch. We are signed up on fare alert sites.

I will admit the cruise lines book the cheapest route for them. Never have I seen anyone booked thru 4 or 5 airports. The most likely is a flight from Charleston to a gateway with a direct fight to Venice. Worse case you might go from the gateway city (DC, NY, ATL ) with one stop to Venice. We did a roll call website for the Epic TA. You may find some helpful links there. Epicmadhatters.com

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk - Jim

Consider Air Berlin routing via DUS or BER And on to VCE. Milan is also an easy option.