Do you ever get tired of cruising because of the unfriendly skies?

I was wondering if any of you ever get tired of cruising? The idea is wonderful, but traveling overseas leaves a lot to be desired. Even though we were able to bump up to business class, the hassle with he airlines is so very frustrating. My husband and i just returned from a 14 day cruise in the Mediterranean and have another planned for May. Truthfully, if our roll call wasn't so fantastic, we would probably cancel. It is not the cruise line but the airlines that makes us rethink about traveling to Europe! However, we love Europe so much and do enjoy cruising. Anyone else feel the same way?:confused:

hassles with the airlines?. do you mean security?. that takes 5 minutes.. what hassles are you talking about?

I just came back this week from a trip to England and encountered no hassles whatsoever.

even if there were some minor inconveniences it would never detract me from cruising from more exotic locales around the world.

hassles with the airlines?. do you mean security?. that takes 5 minutes.. what hassles are you talking about?

 

I just came back this week from a trip to England and encountered no hassles whatsoever.

 

even if there were some minor inconveniences it would never detract me from cruising from more exotic locales around the world.

Changing your reservation more than once and putting your husband on a different reservation so your seats are NOT together. Changing the plane configuration 3 times, along with your seat. Not to mention that just because you choose a seat, doesn't mean that you will end up with it. Never being able to speak to someone in the States. Being told constantly that what he/she sees is correct and your computer must be wrong! Telling you to go to the airport in order to check in during the 24 hour window. Security was a breeze; this has never happened to me before!:eek:

Thanks for explaining.. Yikes... it seems like you had a particularly exasperating experience on your last flight.. However, I implore you to perceive it as an aberration, not at all a common experience in regard to the seating/reservation problems you encountered, and not let it detract you from international air travel.....with or without a cruise attached to it.. :)

Try using a non-American carrier. I don't know what city you are flying out, but there's a lot of pretty good companies flying to the US.

About the seatchange, that's operational reasons. They only change seats if they truly need to. Problem with this is: a lot of people pick their seats not thinking further then their own comfort. This often leaves single seats left open for choice. Although airlines do block several rows, there's always that one frequent flying premium flyers that show up late without any assigned seats and want to sit together.

Some companies who are well worth considering (however a domestic flight with a US carrier is often needed):

Jet Airways (by far the best I've flown with on a TATL flight)

British Airways

KLM (but only the KL operated flights and not the KL marketed flight operated by Delta)

Swiss Air

Brussels Airlines

Lufthansa (only for Business class imho)

For some reason, non US carriers change their schedule much less often then US carriers do. Everyime I travel on a US carrier (TATL or domestic) I have at least 1 schedule change. Never happened to me before on a European carrier.

But don't let the airlines take away the wonderful opportunity of discovering another continent.

areas..such as Canada(Maritimes cruise) ,,Carribean,,etc...thats what we do,,,even better on last one since we can drive down to Miami,,or FT.Lauderdale.

Also,,we usually travel Luftansa Business,,,have great flights from Orlando to Frankfurt,,,no hassle to get to many connecting cities ...avoid the big lines when coming home,,etc...

Also,vary between river and ocean cruises,,,variiety is the spice of life..

Or take re positioning cruise ...???Lots of options to consider.:)

Anyone else feel the same way?:confused:

No.

Wow, was that really needed? Don't go all out on a rage pal, relax.

I can understand OP's frustrations. You got to admit that airlines sometimes give you a hard time. I work in the business myself and will be the first to admit that it isn't always easy for pax.

And honestly, if you fly business class you pay a premium price to receive at least some sort of acknowledgement, specially when splitting up couples. Imo OP has a great case if it comes to asking some miles in return.

Next time, try and give some constructional answers, because this is exactly why FlyerTalk boards are full of raging racoons nowadays.

I was wondering if any of you ever get tired of cruising? The idea is wonderful, but traveling overseas leaves a lot to be desired. Even though we were able to bump up to business class, the hassle with he airlines is so very frustrating. My husband and i just returned from a 14 day cruise in the Mediterranean and have another planned for May. Truthfully, if our roll call wasn't so fantastic, we would probably cancel. It is not the cruise line but the airlines that makes us rethink about traveling to Europe! However, we love Europe so much and do enjoy cruising. Anyone else feel the same way?:confused:

Yes I totally agree with you!!!

flying is nothing more than a necessary evil to get where you want to go.

You certainly don't deserved to be attacked for your view.

Let's see...someone is willing to stop traveling to Europe and stop cruising because they didn't get to sit together? And you don't think that's being in a rage? Or over the top?

I just went with a bit of reductio ad absurdum.

If you find anyone who agrees that they should stop flying to Europe over this, then I'll send the FF miles in compensation. (Not really, but you know what I mean....)

That's not even the intended point. The point is flying is sometimes a bit too much of a hastle. The fact they were broken up is just the top of the iceberg in this matter.

I was wondering if any of you ever get tired of cruising? The idea is wonderful, but traveling overseas leaves a lot to be desired. Even though we were able to bump up to business class, the hassle with he airlines is so very frustrating. My husband and i just returned from a 14 day cruise in the Mediterranean and have another planned for May. Truthfully, if our roll call wasn't so fantastic, we would probably cancel. It is not the cruise line but the airlines that makes us rethink about traveling to Europe! However, we love Europe so much and do enjoy cruising. Anyone else feel the same way?:confused:

Wow, was that really needed? Don't go all out on a rage pal, relax.

I can understand OP's frustrations. You got to admit that airlines sometimes give you a hard time. I work in the business myself and will be the first to admit that it isn't always easy for pax.

And honestly, if you fly business class you pay a premium price to receive at least some sort of acknowledgement, specially when splitting up couples. Imo OP has a great case if it comes to asking some miles in return.

Next time, try and give some constructional answers, because this is exactly why FlyerTalk boards are full of raging racoons nowadays.

Purely out of curiousity, I'm wondering what the OP meant by being "bumped to business class." Did they pay for an upgrade with $ or miles? Or was the upgrade a form of compensation for prior schedule changes, aircraft changes and/or seating changes?

And to answer the OP's question, no, I don't feel the same way. Given all the complexities that are involved in operating an airline with even a modicum of efficiency, I find it amazing that air travel goes as smoothly as it does, overall. Delays happen, aircraft get switched, etc. and sometimes these things are simply inevitable. Is it frustrating or disappointing when it happens to me? Of course. But I understand that these things happen, and would never consider giving up cruising because of it. Don't throw the baby out with the bath water.

I was wondering if any of you ever get tired of cruising? The idea is wonderful, but traveling overseas leaves a lot to be desired. Even though we were able to bump up to business class, the hassle with he airlines is so very frustrating. My husband and i just returned from a 14 day cruise in the Mediterranean and have another planned for May. Truthfully, if our roll call wasn't so fantastic, we would probably cancel. It is not the cruise line but the airlines that makes us rethink about traveling to Europe! However, we love Europe so much and do enjoy cruising. Anyone else feel the same way?:confused:

We never get tired of cruising but I think one of the biggest challenges when it comes to a cruise is the airplane flights. Before we book the cruise we will think through the starting and ending ports of call and look at our flight options.

But in spite of this we love to travel and that includes cruising.

Keith

I agree that flying anywhere is pretty unpleasant these days though I always think business class is better despite OPs bad experience-we though mostly go cheap and it is not fun but I still would never cancel because of awful flights. The bright side? Going you have your wonderful cruise to think about and Returning you can think about the great cruise you had. For me that helps make my cramped uncomfortable flight a little more bearable.

I'm terrified of flying, so it takes something really good (like a cruise :D) to get me on a plane. I have to sit next to my husband, I know that its probably silly and childish to all of you seasoned travellers :o, but I really need to hold his hand to help me keep from panicking on take off. If the airline split us up, there would be a real serious problem.

The other hassle I hate is the fuss over carry on luggage - my last flight YYZ to FLL, they measured by bag (I had only one) and weighed it and even though it matched their allowed measurements and weighed less, they still tried to force me to check it :mad:. Everyone tells you to carry a change of clothes and necessary or fragile items, in case the airline loses your luggage and then they try to get you to give it to them anyway. I now make sure my carry on is noticably smaller than what is allowed so they'll leave it alone.

I really don't care about the Security, to get on a cruise, they can ask me to strip in the middle of the airport and I wouldn't hesitate, although I'd warn everyone to look away - 'cause it won't be pretty ;).

I'm confused. I've NEVER in all my years of flying heard of a reservation being split after tickets were purchased, without the passengers consent.

I'm confused. I've NEVER in all my years of flying heard of a reservation being split after tickets were purchased, without the passengers consent.

Yeah I am very intrigued by that too. Doesn't make sense. Airlines don't make a habit of taking two passengers on the same reservation and separating it, let alone for the hell of it.

Yes I totally agree with you!!!

flying is nothing more than a necessary evil to get where you want to go.

 

You certainly don't deserved to be attacked for your view.

i agree. flying is a de-humanizing PITA.

i agree. flying is a de-humanizing PITA.

De-humanizing? It's de-humanizing to pay only $1,000 to sit on a $60 million, ultra-modern piece of machinery and engineering to fly over oceans and visit cultures vastly different than your own? Give me de-humanizing any day! ;)

The OP should really pony up and pay for Lufthansa First Class and make sure to use the First Class Terminal in Frankfurt to experience air travel.

De-humanizing? It's de-humanizing to pay only $1,000 to sit on a $60 million, ultra-modern piece of machinery and engineering to fly over oceans and visit cultures vastly different than your own? Give me de-humanizing any day! ;)

Those machines are a lot more than $60mm, even with volume discounts. NW's A332s costed that much 10 years ago but they got them at a super price years earlier. OP should feel lucky that it was only $1,000 with fuel being what it is.

Those machines are a lot more than $60mm, even with volume discounts. NW's A332s costed that much 10 years ago but they got them at a super price years earlier. OP should feel lucky that it was only $1,000 with fuel being what it is.

You're right, they are more than $60 million. An A380 list price is something like, what $300 million?

$1,000 each way ($2,000 round trip) is a perfectly acceptable coach fare between the US and Australia, but it can definitely be a lot more than that. But that's where I got $1k.

I'm confused. I've NEVER in all my years of flying heard of a reservation being split after tickets were purchased, without the passengers consent.

UA now does it, 24 hours before the flight, at least on domestic flights, if there is at least one elite member on the PNR for upgrade purposes. Many complaints right now about that.

Changing your reservation more than once and putting your husband on a different reservation so your seats are NOT together. Changing the plane configuration 3 times, along with your seat. Not to mention that just because you choose a seat, doesn't mean that you will end up with it. Never being able to speak to someone in the States. Being told constantly that what he/she sees is correct and your computer must be wrong! Telling you to go to the airport in order to check in during the 24 hour window. Security was a breeze; this has never happened to me before!:eek:

I checked with my insider and all of this appears to be entirely possible, indeed it has happened to others. Reservation changes, schedule changes or equipment changes, yes, equal changes to the reservation and EGADS seat assignments. This is reality folks. A request for upgrade to business will split the reservations ( at least with my insiders airline ) since one might get the upgrade and not the other. Not sitting together in business after being granted an upgrade to business, sorry, no sympathy here. Both the upgrade and the seating arrangement are dependant on availability !! I guess the crew should have kicked others out of their seats so this OP could sit with hubby. :rolleyes: This OP seems to have enough status to be granted an upgrade but seems unaware of the reality of airline travel??? After reviewing the OPs posts and checking, I actually side with FT's assessment of the OP and the situation. It seems to me that this OP needs the trash talk for what appears to be a definite pout at not getting everything their own way. They then in my view compound the problem by pouting on-line and threatening themselves with not traveling to Europe for a cruise they are fortunate enough to be able to afford when millions cannot. Really, give us all a break eh!

edit to ask. " not being able to talk with anyone in the states"... Does the OP also include airlines that have their call centers in Canada as " not in the states"?

To answer the OPs question... NO. We will fly to Europe for the FIRST time in May even if we have to sit at opposite ends of the aircraft !!

I'm confused. I've NEVER in all my years of flying heard of a reservation being split after tickets were purchased, without the passengers consent.

A request for upgrade to business will split the reservations ( at least with my insiders airline ) since one might get the upgrade and not the other.

Anyone else feel the same way?:confused:

De-humanizing? It's de-humanizing to pay only $1,000 to sit on a $60 million, ultra-modern piece of machinery and engineering to fly over oceans and visit cultures vastly different than your own? Give me de-humanizing any day! ;)

Just to let you know, 60 million MIGHT get you a small, stripped down version of a 737 or A320. :eek: 777/787 are over 200 million, the new 747 is over 300 million, and a new A380 is over 350 million. (all figures approx and in USD :p)

Honestly, I was REALLY starting to think that maybe I was the ONLY person left besides you who thought about things this way.

For CRIPES SAKE PEOPLE... A few hours of minor discomfort? To travel the WORLD in near-perfect safety at over 500 miles per hour? GIVE ME A BREAK:confused:

If trans-oceanic/trans-continental air travel is SSOOOO UNBEARABLE please feel free to row a boat or ride a bicycle. :rolleyes: