EZ Air price change before payment

[gargoyle999]

I have a question for someone who understands EZ Air. There is a line that fare and availability are not guaranteed until paid. I have just booked a flexible flight through EZ Air.

 

Does this mean that the price can change to whatever if I do not pay my airfare and cruise in full right away? I'm sailing in Oct so final payment isn't until July.

 

If I have to pay now to lock in my air I will as I really like the flights and what I would pay. But if I don't have to fork out the $5000 now I'll wait.

 

Thanks! :)

[caribill]

I have a question for someone who understands EZ Air. There is a line that fare and availability are not guaranteed until paid. I have just booked a flexible flight through EZ Air.

 

Does this mean that the price can change to whatever if I do not pay my airfare and cruise in full right away? I'm sailing in Oct so final payment isn't until July.

 

If I have to pay now to lock in my air I will as I really like the flights and what I would pay. But if I don't have to fork out the $5000 now I'll wait.

 

Thanks! :)

 

That's the way I understand it works.

[shepcookie]

Yes, that's what our TA told us. We ended up paying off our cruise early because we felt airline prices would only go up. It's a gamble either way, but with oil prices going up, we felt the chances were greater the prices would go up rather than stay the same or go down. Last time I checked, the prices had gone up about $100 for our flights.

 

Tammy

[dllyon]

Yes, That is the way it works, but.

I cruise in Oct also and I did the Restricted flight VS the Flexible flight, which I then paid for on-line right there and then in princess.com. Then I went into UA with the reservation number and picked my seats and upgraded to the economy plus seats.

And my cruise is not paid off yet, just the airline tickets.

So if you are sure those are the tickets you want do the restricted air and pay for them now. The restrictd air was also cheaper than the flexible

OH, I also have my reservation with a TA, she just told me how to do it either way, then I reserved the air myself

 

Thanks

[canadiansnowbird]

I am trying to find where it says that if you book Flexible Air that the fare and availability are not guaranteed until payment is made? (Which is at the time the cruise payment is due.)

 

I know that with the Restricted program the payment is required immediately at the time of booking and is not cash refundable.

 

With our cruise and Flex EZ air with Princess last fall SFO to SYD, our air price was untouchable with the other air carriers, and was not increased one $ from the quoted price. And in our case, the Flex was way cheaper than the Restricted at that time.

 

Snowbird

[SlyOldLady]

I've booked flexible air once and payed in full to lock in the price. The price lowered two times in the next few months and I got back on-line and re fared it both times to the lower price...worked awesome!

[dllyon]

I've booked flexible air once and payed in full to lock in the price. The price lowered two times in the next few months and I got back on-line and re fared it both times to the lower price...worked awesome!

 

I'm gald that you got lucky, but

I would not count on that all the time.

I just check my airfare in EZair, if I was to get it today it is more.

I paid 187 for my restricted ticket a person and it is now 235.

What I first did was book a flexible flight with ez-air. I took a couple days and looked around and decided 187 for my ticket was not bad and changed from flexible to restricted then. I did not want to pay 440+ for a ticket I knew I wanted. Glad I did, since teh price did go up.

With gas pricing going up, if you fine a good flight I would take it now.

I really don't think flexible/restricted air will be going down anytime soon. The airlines still has a hand in what these prices will be and Princess is not going to owe the airline more money than what was paid in to them.

[canadiansnowbird]

I've booked flexible air once and payed in full to lock in the price. The price lowered two times in the next few months and I got back on-line and re fared it both times to the lower price...worked awesome!

 

If you had paid in full, what did Princess do? Credit your cruise?

 

Snowbird

[gargoyle999]

Looks like I will be paying everything this week then. I think I got a good fare and I'm really happy with the flight times.

 

I flex was WAY cheaper for me for some reason. $925/pp total for MSP to PHL to VCE on the way out then FLL to MSP nonstop on the way home.

 

Restricted started over $2000 so I didn't even look close at those. To book the same flights direct with the airline would be $2480! :eek:

[cruiseluv]

I'm gald that you got lucky, but

I would not count on that all the time.

I just check my airfare in EZair, if I was to get it today it is more.

I paid 187 for my restricted ticket a person and it is now 235.

What I first did was book a flexible flight with ez-air. I took a couple days and looked around and decided 187 for my ticket was not bad and changed from flexible to restricted then. I did not want to pay 440+ for a ticket I knew I wanted. Glad I did, since teh price did go up.

With gas pricing going up, if you fine a good flight I would take it now.

I really don't think flexible/restricted air will be going down anytime soon. The airlines still has a hand in what these prices will be and Princess is not going to owe the airline more money than what was paid in to them.

 

Could you explain how do you go online and are able to book your flights through Princess? I thought it had to be done via your travel agent or with Princess on the phone. thanks for any info.

[caribill]

Could you explain how do you go online and are able to book your flights through Princess? I thought it had to be done via your travel agent or with Princess on the phone. thanks for any info.

 

Go into the personalizer for your cruise. When you bring up your cruise under your name you will see "Air Reservations". Just select that.

[caribill]

I am trying to find where it says that if you book Flexible Air that the fare and availability are not guaranteed until payment is made? (Which is at the time the cruise payment is due.)

 

 

Whether it is true or not, that is what it told me when I finished booking a Flexible Air reservation.

 

I did not see this elsewhere on the Princess web site.

[Quilter n Cruiser]

I find it is still confusing about E-ZAir flexible. If you choose the flex option and have a deposit on your cruise can you just pay for the air fare at the time of booking the flexible option and then pay the final cruise payment when due (maybe due several months later).? Has anyone done this? If you book the flexible option does that hold the price from that date to the date of final payment ?

[FunForUs]

I find it is still confusing about E-ZAir flexible. If you choose the flex option and have a deposit on your cruise can you just pay for the air fare at the time of booking the flexible option and then pay the final cruise payment when due (maybe due several months later).? Has anyone done this? If you book the flexible option does that hold the price from that date to the date of final payment ?

Yes, I find it confusing, too.

This is what I have been told by 2 Princess agents:

1. If you pay the air ahead to lock in the price, then you must also pay for the cruise, so you must pay for it all.

2. If you pay it all ahead of the cruise final payment date and need to cancel before the penalty phase you get a full refund for both cruise & air.

Can any fellow cruisers confirm or give a different statement on Princess policy. I am considering paying a couple of months before the final cruise payment to lock in the flex air, but want to make sure that if I need to cancel before the final payment date that I will get a full refund.

Thanks

[gargoyle999]

Yes, I find it confusing, too.

This is what I have been told by 2 Princess agents:

1. If you pay the air ahead to lock in the price, then you must also pay for the cruise, so you must pay for it all.

2. If you pay it all ahead of the cruise final payment date and need to cancel before the penalty phase you get a full refund for both cruise & air.

Can any fellow cruisers confirm or give a different statement on Princess policy.

 

This is correct (as I now know). You must pay for the airfare and cruise fare in full to lock in the airfare. I'll be paying mine in full this week, 4 months before final payment is actually due. You don't have to pay it before final payment but there is no limit to how much it could go up until you do. It also indicated availability was not guaranteed either. So you could get bumped off the plane entirely until you lock it in.

 

With flex fares you can make a change or cancel up until 45 days before departure! So even after the cruise final payment is due.

 

I like that I am also protected if the airfare happens to go down up until the 45 day cut off since I would just rebook at the lower rate.

 

This is the only cruise I have booked where this was available. They indicate that restricted should be cheaper than flex fares. But flex fares were much lower for me. The restricted fares are right around what I would pay to just book with the airline. Not sure why it is so much lower but that is why I'm paying off so early, to lock in the rate right now.

[FunForUs]

This is correct (as I now know). You must pay for the airfare and cruise fare in full to lock in the airfare. I'll be paying mine in full this week, 4 months before final payment is actually due. You don't have to pay it before final payment but there is no limit to how much it could go up until you do. It also indicated availability was not guaranteed either. So you could get bumped off the plane entirely until you lock it in.

 

With flex fares you can make a change or cancel up until 45 days before departure! So even after the cruise final payment is due.

 

I like that I am also protected if the airfare happens to go down up until the 45 day cut off since I would just rebook at the lower rate.

 

This is the only cruise I have booked where this was available. They indicate that restricted should be cheaper than flex fares. But flex fares were much lower for me. The restricted fares are right around what I would pay to just book with the airline. Not sure why it is so much lower but that is why I'm paying off so early, to lock in the rate right now.

gargoyle999, thanks so much for the information! Shirley

[Quilter n Cruiser]

Thanks Gargoyle999 you explained the optios more clearly than Princess. I have booked a restricted flight as I am fine with it and no desire to change. At the time the price was essentially the same as flexible, but didn't have to pay for the cruise fare until final payment due in about 3 12 months. I noticed there are times that the flexible is way better in price than the restricted.

[SlyOldLady]

If you had paid in full, what did Princess do? Credit your cruise?

 

Snowbird

As I recall, they credited my credit card. It was amazing watching the price fluxuate. In the end they were asking the original quote which was $400.00 more than I payed. The interesting thing was that the flexible air for my trip was quite a bit cheaper than the fixed price. Supply and demand I guess

[gargoyle999]

I think it is interesting that I have the flexible fare so I can cancel without penalty up until 45 days before travel. But the ticket is not issued until that 45 day cut off. I called to ask because I wanted to buy a choice seat with US Airways but can't until ticketed.

 

I paid everything in full today even though it is 4 months early to lock in the rate. But if it is not actually ticketed I assume that means the airline doesn't have my money yet.

 

So is it Princess that is taking on the risk of the fares increasing? Seems odd Princess would do that as it could go way up. I really don't know how flights that would cost me almost $2500/pp to book on the airline websites are only going to cost me $926/pp with EZ Air. And flights I can change or cancel as well.

 

I'd be interested to know where this "discount" is coming from. But bottom line is I really like the flights I got and am happy with the price, relatively speaking. ;)

[Astro Flyer]

I have considered eZAir & appreciate the informative postings in this thread. I found a FAQ on the Princess website about this program & here's the link if it could help anyone get a definitive answer:

 

http://www.princess.com/learn/faq_answer/pre_cruise/travel_transportation_faq/popup/eZAir_Information.html

[Quilter n Cruiser]

Thanks Astroflyer, but I have read that info several times and it just doen't answer all the questions. I think more info will be forthcoming as more people use E-Zair and share their experiences with it. The Princess info does not state that once you choose E-Zair flexible that the price will change and availability until you make full payment of cruise and air fare. So far it sounds like if you pay in full (cruise and flex air option) then you can rebook the air if it goes down in price, up to 45 days before the cruise.

[runner15km]

gargoyle999, thanks so much for the information! Shirley

 

Hello John & Shirley,

I noticed on another thread that you sailed on the Summit cabin 2160. I just booked this cabin. Can you give me your thoughts of this cabin.

 

Thanks,

Mike

[FunForUs]

Hello John & Shirley,

I noticed on another thread that you sailed on the Summit cabin 2160. I just booked this cabin. Can you give me your thoughts of this cabin.

 

Thanks,

Mike

Mike, sorry can't help as we canceled that cruise. Shirley

[FunForUs]

I think it is interesting that I have the flexible fare so I can cancel without penalty up until 45 days before travel. But the ticket is not issued until that 45 day cut off. I called to ask because I wanted to buy a choice seat with US Airways but can't until ticketed.

 

I paid everything in full today even though it is 4 months early to lock in the rate. But if it is not actually ticketed I assume that means the airline doesn't have my money yet.

 

So is it Princess that is taking on the risk of the fares increasing? Seems odd Princess would do that as it could go way up. I really don't know how flights that would cost me almost $2500/pp to book on the airline websites are only going to cost me $926/pp with EZ Air. And flights I can change or cancel as well.

 

I'd be interested to know where this "discount" is coming from. But bottom line is I really like the flights I got and am happy with the price, relatively speaking. ;)

I also paid everything in full a couple of days ago, which was 3 months early for us. Are you able to see the seat assignments on all of your flights? We have a mix of airlines. On Delta, we could select our flights on line. On SAS I had to call, but I am unable to verify the seats by pulling up the booking on line. I feel more comfortable when I can see the assignment on line.

[gargoyle999]

I also paid everything in full a couple of days ago, which was 3 months early for us. Are you able to see the seat assignments on all of your flights?

 

Interesting. I have US Airways and Delta. The US Airways allowed me to choose on the Princess site but Delta did not. So I went to the Delta website and chose my seats that way using the confirmation number I found on the Princess site for my booking. I also went to the US Airways website and changed my seats there.

 

Since we do not actually get our ticket until 45 days out maybe SAS isn't showing it for some reason related to that? :confused: