Fred. Olsen Charter Flights

I am joining the "Balmoral" in Montego Bay in January and flying back from Rio de Janeiro in March. What charter airline is FOCL using these days? It's a couple of years since I took a fly-cruise with them. I have unfortunate memories of a terrible flight with Monarch to Capetown and somewhat better experiences with Thomson since then.

I have flown to Caribbean several times but always to Barbados. I assume at Montego Bay you have to clear your luggage and take it to the coach?

Grateful any information.:confused:

Unfortunately at this time I am unable to release details concerning these flights as they are yet to be finalised. However if you email us directly at internet@fredolsen.co.uk nearer the time we will try and answer your query as soon as we can.

Regards

FOCL

Many thanks. Will do.

Hi Parsman,

We landed at Montego Bay a few years back with Fred.

Luggage was delivered directly to the ship but we had to go through customs before catching the bus to the ship.

We flew with Monarch that time, the plane and crew were OK but American air traffic control made us fly across to-wards America and then down the coast and so it was a long 10 hour flight.

Then clearing customs at Montego Bay wasn't very fast and we were all a bit on the tired side when we eventually reached the ship.

Still it was a great cruise and we flew back from Barbados.

Have a great cruise in January.

Rick.

We flew out of Montego Bay with Thomas cook after a cruise on Braemar in March, we had to go through customs etc and it was pretty grim, we were in a queue for about 2 1/2 hours and then got through just in time to board, hopefully it will be easier going in, I would avoid Montego bay in the future there were elderly people stood outside in the heat for about an hour until they made 3 lines. The luggage did however get delivered to the airport and put on the plane without us having to handle them. Barbados is much easier. I have to say the flight was fine and the service was good.:)

I am joining the "Balmoral" in Montego Bay in January and flying back from Rio de Janeiro in March. What charter airline is FOCL using these days? It's a couple of years since I took a fly-cruise with them. I have unfortunate memories of a terrible flight with Monarch to Capetown and somewhat better experiences with Thomson since then.

I have flown to Caribbean several times but always to Barbados. I assume at Montego Bay you have to clear your luggage and take it to the coach?

Grateful any information.:confused:

Did you ever get any details from FOCL ? I am flying out from there , presumably on the same charter flight that you will be coming in on.

I did ask them and they told me a charter company that doesnt seem to exist !!

No word so far. I assume that it will be a fairly early flight on the 29th. I await advice from FOCL

We went from Manchester to Barbados to join Braemar in april and we flew with Thomas Cook Airlines...:)

I did ask them and they told me a charter company that doesnt seem to exist !!

Did they give you a name, or do you have a flight number...?

The chap I spoke to about three weeks ago said that no times had been fixed yet but that the charter company was " Manta Air". I cant find any reference to an airline by that name on the internet.

(We are flying back from Montego Bay.)

Must say that the last three trips we have done well. Singapore Airlines from Singapore in 2009, Virgin Atlantic from San Francisco 2010 and Quantas from Sydney 2011.

All scheduled flights and excellent.

flew out mid march to barbados with thomas cook fantastic service first checking in so we got 2 seats on own towards rear of aircraft as much food and drink as you required all paid for by focl but flew back from montego bay (with tc again) 3 hour wait to get thro security (cases went ahead of us)again seats booked thro ship a few days earlier (got same seats) would travel focl again but they are stopping fly/cruise to carribean

in 2013 why i dont know a big mistake. we have just booked azamara quest for 2013 (we only do small ships)

I am joining the "Balmoral" in Montego Bay in January and flying back from Rio de Janeiro in March. What charter airline is FOCL using these days? It's a couple of years since I took a fly-cruise with them. I have unfortunate memories of a terrible flight with Monarch to Capetown and somewhat better experiences with Thomson since then.

I have flown to Caribbean several times but always to Barbados. I assume at Montego Bay you have to clear your luggage and take it to the coach?

Grateful any information.:confused:

Have posted this question on the other forum. We travel on 9th March from Gatwick to Rio and have been trying to find out which terminal we fly from and the Airline as we wish to book hotel for the previous night. FO can give me no information. I would have thought that by now the schedules would have been finalised. Never had this problem before. Is it always like this with FO? Anyone else on this flight?

As regards Monarch - I hope not. We flew back from Barbados with them and it was one of the worst flights - bad food, bad service and THE most uncomfortable seats. TC and Thompson are both fine.

Will post any info as it becomes available.

"Balmoral" cruise L120124 outward flight from Gatwick South to Montego Bay on 29 January departs 0900 with arrival (local time) 1500. Flight number is PLM7001. Return flight from Rio not yet firm.

PLM is the flight code for Pullmantur Air, a Spanish charter airline which operates a fleet of Boeing 747's mostly to the Caribbean. It is owned by Royal Caribbean Cruises.

The chap I spoke to about three weeks ago said that no times had been fixed yet but that the charter company was " Manta Air". I cant find any reference to an airline by that name on the internet.

 

(We are flying back from Montego Bay.)

 

Must say that the last three trips we have done well. Singapore Airlines from Singapore in 2009, Virgin Atlantic from San Francisco 2010 and Quantas from Sydney 2011.

 

All scheduled flights and excellent.

PLM is the flight code for Pullmantur Air, a Spanish charter airline which operates a fleet of Boeing 747's mostly to the Caribbean. It is owned by Royal Caribbean Cruises.

Ah, making sense now :o

PLM is the flight code for Pullmantur Air, a Spanish charter airline which operates a fleet of Boeing 747's mostly to the Caribbean. It is owned by Royal Caribbean Cruises.

Glad that they fly 747s. I much prefer them.

We are flying Sunstate (a subsidiary of Quantas) from Heathrow to Sydney.

Does anyone know about them and what kind of planes they use?

Thanks in advance.

Have posted this question on the other forum. We travel on 9th March from Gatwick to Rio and have been trying to find out which terminal we fly from and the Airline as we wish to book hotel for the previous night. FO can give me no information. I would have thought that by now the schedules would have been finalised. Never had this problem before. Is it always like this with FO? Anyone else on this flight?

 

As regards Monarch - I hope not. We flew back from Barbados with them and it was one of the worst flights - bad food, bad service and THE most uncomfortable seats. TC and Thompson are both fine.

 

Will post any info as it becomes available.

Hi Toby2,

My wife and I, together with friends, are travelling to Rio on the 9th March (we presume!), to join the 'Balmoral' for the trip back to Southampton, but have been unable to get flight times or details from either Fred. Olsen or our Travel Agents.

They tell me that it will be a Pullmantur flight from Gatwick South Terminal - but, as yet, no times. As take-off slots from Gatwick have to be arranged months in advance, I cannot understand this. We need to book hire cars and, possibly, a hotel room, so are not impressed.

This is to be a 'forgive and forget' cruise with Fred., following a disasterous experience we had on the 'Balmoral's 2008 Christmas Markets cruise. This has done nothing to mend old wounds!

I will advise you of any information if I receive it - and maybe have a drink with you in one of the bars.

Cheers, Geoff

Hi Geoff

Agree FO leave a lot to be desired when it comes to flight arrangements. Have you been reading the saga on the FO Roll Call site? As you say airline schedules are worked out months in advance and I cannot find a Pullmantur flight on the Gatwick charter flight schedule for any day let alone 9th March. Also need to book hotel and taxi to airport. Will post as soon as I have any info.

Will look forward to that drink and I reckon we shall deserve it after this fiasco.

The lack of constructive comment from Ipswich continues. I have cruised almost 30 time with FOCL, often on fly-cruises, but I have never left home without details of my return flight. Unless we hear within the next 24 hours I shall be doing just that. It is quite unacceptable as plans to be picked up at the airport on our return should be in hand for peace of mind.

it is also strange that the Pullmantur flights do not yet figure on the Gatwick flight schedule. :confused:

I pestered my Travel Agent to contact Fred. Olsen again regarding the 9th March flight to Rio and it seems Fred "hopes to be able to tell us within the next two weeks". This is the second (out of two) bad experiences I have had with Fred., so it will be my final cruise with them.

I will keep you posted.

Geoff

As I expect to be on board on Sunday I hope they pass the information to the ship!!

Will phone TA on Monday. Hopefully other people trying to find out flight details will do the same and FO will tell us something!! I agree first and last FO experience. Will stick to P+O or Cunard next time. Can honestly say we have never had this experience before. Wish I knew someone on the FO Board.

Have a great time Mr. Parsman.

Hi all,

I have just received another email from FO advising me that they still cannot give me flight times, but confirming that we will definately be flying to Rio on the 9th March (our initial invoice from the TA gave a departure date of the 8th March!). We have a ship's excursion booked in Rio for the 10th March, so need to be on the ship by the evening of the 9th March.

Fo state that, as they are chartering the aircraft, they are reliant on the Charter firm supplying times - which apparently they have not done. As the charterer (i.e. client), FO should be demanding this information forthwith and, if it is not forthcoming, they should explore other options, such as placing their passengers on existing scheduled aircraft.

It seems to be a case of the tail wagging the dog so far!

FO have promised to advise me as soon as flight information is available, so I will let you all know as soon as I do.

I think it is disgusting that the people who have just flown out to join the ship and will be flying back from Rio, have no idea of flight times home from Rio. This information is urgently needed to arrange Airport pick-ups and ongoing transport etc. Very poor show FO!!!!

Cheers, Geoff

Hi Geoff

I phoned my TA yesterday, who in turn phoned FO and absolutely nothing was forthcoming. Perhaps we should insist that we fly BA scheduled flight from Heathrow as the passengers who booked late are doing? We are also booked on an excursion for the 10th March.:mad: