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Krazy Kruizers

By Krazy Kruizers,
in Ask a Cruise Question

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Krazy Kruizers

Krazy Kruizers

Posted
Posted

We always book our own air and I am looking over schedules for next Nov/Dec. I have never been in a quandry about book air right away. But this time I am as I see that price of the airline tickets that I am looking at are SO much higher than what I paid for several round trip flights Already booked round trip to Ft Lauderdale from Pittsburgh and an now looking at doing round trip from Pittsburgh to Tampa and the price is double.

Want to check several airlines and seat availabllity.

Where can I go to see what seats are left without actually giving out credit card information?

Am interested in only first class seats.

Thanks for any help anyone can give me.

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Cotton

Cotton

Posted
Posted

You book airline tickets that far in advance? Not criticizing, just wondering why you don't wait until closer to the cruise date - there are usually 'deals' to be had thru various airlines. You know air fares - up one day, down the next, and then sometimes there are the airfare wars.:)

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gtalum

gtalum

Posted
Posted

I'd definitely wait a few months before booking, even for the holidays. The airlines won't give out any real deals until 3-4 months ahead of time.

 

That said, you should watch for fare drops at air-fare.com and look around when you see that the Tampa fares from your city have dropped.

 

Whyen you decide which airline to book on, then book directly through their website. You will save ~$5 per ticket, as the online travel agents all add a $5 fee these days.

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VanillaGorilla

VanillaGorilla

Posted
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Just a buyer beware....Travelocity just really screwed us over recently. We never had a problem with them before, but this time it was a real pain in the butt and they did it twice in the same week. First canceling a booking 3 weeks after booking without informing us, I found out accidently because I was anxious for our upcoming trip and wanted to double check everything, which I usually don't do after everything has been originally confirmed. We hadn't yet recieved, and still haven't, the billing report from our credit card and wouldn't have known untill we arrived at the airport the night before our cruise. When I called to get it resolved, we forgave the mistake (everyone's entitled to one), they ended up double billing us for the new reservation. The airline called me 2 days later to inform me of this and Travelocity gave us a really hard time about getting an obvious error taken care of. Even when they finally agreed to fix it (which shouldn't have been an issue, who "agrees" to pay twice for the same seats on the same flight? lol) they said we needed to send them a letter explaining the situation and then "maybe" we would recieve a refund in 30 business days! Of course I put up a fight and finally after almost an hour and a half on the phone, got it fixed (I hope). Just thought I'd throw that in. Anyways, one thing I've learned about those sites (travelocity, expedia, ect...) is they are good if you want to book flight and hotel and ect together...you'll save a little on the hotel. But the price of the flight is really about the same as if you were to book it directly through the airline's website itself. From now on we will be using travelocity's site only as a search engine to find the cheaper airline price and then head over to that airline for booking. Best of luck and I hope no one else has to go through the same thing we did. Happy sailing!

 

VG:D

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VanillaGorilla

VanillaGorilla

Posted
Posted
We don't use a TA.

 

I always book on line - right through the airline itself.

 

Out of curiosity one time, I booked Delta first class from PIT to FLL and paid $580 per person round trip. I asked our TA what it would cost through her - $1100 per person for the same exact tickets.

wow...that's a pretty nice little profit there. And, yeah, I guess that, technically, Travelocity and the like are online TA's...but I don't know if most people really look at them as such, rathar than just a bargain shoppers online destination. :D
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marco

marco

Posted
Posted

Krazy kruisers: You mentioned you were "only interested in 1st class"

 

Were you planning on "paying" for 1st class, or using mileage points to upgrade?

 

1) 1st class fares do not fluctuate that significantly, so if you are "paying" the price "now" is probably going to be the price "then".

 

2) If you are in 1st class, "this" seat is just as good as "that" seat. ANY seat in 1st class would do just fine!

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Colorado Babe

Colorado Babe

Posted
Posted

Not true, my hubby called airlines to see how much it would cost to upgrade to First Class..Hubby was told $750 right now or wait until the night before ($250). I suggest calling the airlines first and see what they say...The only downfall of waiting until the night before is that all the FC seats may all be taken and you will have to stay in coach but for us, it is worth the wait.

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marco

marco

Posted
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When you "upgrade" to 1st class, yes, you pay the difference between what the coach fare is and the 1st class seat. If the 1st class seat is say, $1000 and you bought a coach seat for say, $500, you would have to pay the additional $500. If today, that coach seat is $250, and the 1st class seat is still $1000, now you have to pay an additional $750. "Upgrading to" and "buying" are not exactly the same. I have to travel on business later this year. I have been looking at airfares. WHile the coach ticket has fluctuated between $287 and $429, the 1st class ticket has always priced out at $1239.

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Krazy Kruizers

Krazy Kruizers

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  • Author
Posted

It has been years since we bought any coach seats and we have never up-graded.

Since we have no family, we figure we might as well spend everything on our selves. There is no guarntee how much longer we will be abl to travel.

So we figure after working all our lives, we might as well enjoy ourselves.

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OBX Bill

OBX Bill

Posted
Posted
It has been years since we bought any coach seats and we have never up-graded.

Since we have no family, we figure we might as well spend everything on our selves. QUOTE]

 

 

you can always send some to me.....or better yet take me along on your cruise. hehe

 

 

Bill

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marco

marco

Posted
Posted

Because between now and then, someone may actually buy, and pay the going rate for the 1st class seat. If you want to guanrantee it for youself NOW, they are going to charge you the difference between what you paid for the coach seat and what the 1st class seat would sells for. If it is the day before the flight, chances of someone buying and paying the 1st class seat price then are pretty slim, so.....you paying $250 more (the day before) is better for the airline than the seat staying empty and the airline making $0.00 additional money. Now, between now and your flight, they may (but doubtful) actually sell all of the 1st class seats, or other folk may find the sur-charge they are asking now, worth it and pay it, so the day before the flight, there might not be any 1st class seats left for the minimal additional charge of $250. I think the airlines feel, .......is it worth it to you now, for whatever price, to be sure you have that 1st class seat, or do you want to take your chances and wait 'till the day before" and......"is it worth it to us to wait and see if someone esle will pay the 1st class price, and if not, the day before, ya' we'll take $250 more, rather than $0.

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Colorado Babe

Colorado Babe

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Ok now I see..Well, we are going to take our chance and wait until the night before....Hubby's boss offered to pay the upgrade for us as a bonus to my hubby (upgrade three of us which would be $1500 round trip). Hubby doesn't want his boss to have to pay an arm and a leg for our upgrade as his boss has also volunteered to pay for all of our excursions as well (which is over $1500). Our friends just went to Hawaii and said that First Class was almost empty so they used their air miles to upgrade their inlaws...So, we shall cross our fingers and see if we get lucky..

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marco

marco

Posted
Posted

Only you can decide what is most worth while to you, but for PA to Tampa, for $1500, I would rather use that money for the on board account, treat yourself to some little bauble in a jewelry store in the islands, or for that price, probably pay for 2 pax for another 7 day cruise!

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