Which should we do first?

Happy Holidays! DH and I want to know if we should purchase our airline tickets or cruise tickets first. Today, we can buy plane tickets. But next Friday (pay day) we can purchase both. We're using FIL friends and family discount so you must pay in full at the time of purchase. What do you suggest? Thanks.

IMHO, you should buy the airline tickets after you have committed to the cruise dates.

Get the cruise bought first. If the ship is sold out and you bought non-refundable air, you have a problem

Or pick the cruise and the rooms first because your TA can put a 24 hour hold on it. Then you can buy your airline tickets. Go back and purchae the held cruise rooms.

Finalize the cruise first but do the research so you know how much the airline tickets will run. Once you know for sure that you want to do the cruise then purchase the airline tickets.

Keith

Always book the things that can be cancelled first. Airline tickets usually can't be cancelled or change....without big $$$ or hassle! Book the flight last.

I am a bit different. In my last and the upcoming cruises, I knew the particular week we can go. I found good air price to a popular departure port (Orlando and Fort Lauderdale) so I booked the air first. Then I shopped around for the cruise that meet our preference.

im with the majority book cruise first then flights

I book the cruise first, then put "watches" on a couple of different sites to find cheap flights to the port. I guess it would depend on just how close the cruise is, of course. If it's in the next month or so, then you'd need to book both together.

For us the answer to your question is simple. We book our cruises one to two years in advance. That is too early to book airfare.

We always book the cruise first, air second.

Book cruise first, then airline tickets. depending where you are flying in from, try to go the day before your cruise leaves, and book a mid to late afternoon flight back.

I am a bit different. In my last and the upcoming cruises, I knew the particular week we can go. I found good air price to a popular departure port (Orlando and Fort Lauderdale) so I booked the air first. Then I shopped around for the cruise that meet our preference.

That's good if you can do it but it doesn't always work out that way unfortunately, but hey, if it works for you....go for it

If you're booking the cruise over a year from sail date, book the cruise then wait for the air to open up. Do some research and buy when you like the price.

If air is already available, purchase that first, then cruise. I like the suggestion to put the cruise on hold, buy the air, then finalize the cruise. Air tickets are hard (and expensive) to change.