kderr1

UPDATE - I attempted to contact Avalon myself yesterday to see why if I had made final payment in May I have to wait until August for flight ticketing. I was told they could not discuss arrangements of MY cruise as I had used a TA and they had financial arrangements with TAs. I told the person that I was not asking to change or alter the reservation, only that I wanted to know why they would not ticket the flights if they had received full payments months ago. When I asked to speak to a supervisor I was placed on hold for more than 30 minutes and was never connected to a supervisor. I guess I will have to try again today to speak to a supervisor.

I guess I have learned my lesson with allowing Avalon to make the flight reservation as part of the total cruise package.

Looking for others with experience.

We have booked and made final payment (In May) for our October 2018 river cruise from Vienna to Zurich. Earlier this year, Feb - Mar time frame, we had our TA book our airline arrangements through Avalon. The flights were made and we received confirmation through our eMaterials of the flights, including a United confirmation number. Fast forward to June, I was on the United website checking to see if I could get our seat assignments when I noticed a significant change to the reservations regarding connecting airports with extremely short layovers in a US connection as well as at our Europe entry port. (1 hour to transit Atlanta Hartsfield from domestic to international and less than 2 hours in Amsterdam for our connecting flight to Vienna). Some may say it is doable, but with one little hiccup in a flight delay, and missed flights would ruin the trip. I put my TA to work and after several phone calls (and now it is July), she said she worked with Avalon had gotten the flights changed back to the original flights.

Now a new road block, with everything that transpired, I asked my TA to have Avalon ticket the flights before any other changes could be made. Avalon has told her they will NOT ticket the flights until August. I have read MANY other posts that say all you have to do is ask and Avalon with ticket the flights. Did I miss something?

Thanks in advance for any and all replies.

We are in the pre-planning stages for our first Europe river cruise in 2018. I see many deals and incentives to make our reservations now, but I am wondering if there is a "good, better, best" time when the river cruise operators offer the best deals.

BTW we are looking at October 2018 for our cruise and seriously looking at the Avalon River Cruise, Vienna to Zurich 13 day cruise.

Thanks in advance or your suggestions and advice.

Thanks for the reply. I think I will send one of our group ahead to scope out the security lines while we check our baggage.

I assume you found that info at the Port of Seattle website. Do you think it would be posted there if it weren't just for cruise passengers?

Thank you for your insightful comment. For your edification, since you want to be precise, no the information did not come from the Port of Seattle website, it came from the SEA-TAC Airport website, a "child node" of the "parent node" or "Home Page" for the Port of Seattle. It has its own website URL as does the Cruise site, Fisherman's Terminal and the Recreational Moorage.

Also, HOV lanes, NO passing lanes and No parking zone are so posted........do I need to go on.

But again, thank you for your insight.

While browsing the SeaTac website the security page mentions that Security Checkpoint #1 is open Fri, Sat and Sun from 9 am to 1 pm for cruise passengers only. Has anyone used this checkpoint? Is it truly for cruise passengers and does it go any faster that then general security checkpoints?