Choice Air: Helpful Information

[Andy]

One advantage of Choice Air not mentioned in this thread is the ability to book the air, but delay payment until cruise final payment. Choice Air calls this option Flex. My experience has been that the price for Flex is more than the price for the least expensive option, but the difference was not excessive. For example, our price for a one way trip from St. Louis to Barcelona was $575 using the least expensive option and $615 for Flex. Using Flex allowed us to lock in fares, but not have to pay until 75 days before the cruise. For those who are not 100% sure that their schedule will allow them to take a trip a year in advance, Flex gives the ability to cancel entirely, losing only the $25 per person Choice Air booking fee.

 

Hi Clarea !

 

Here is Troy's response :

 

Thank you for mentioning FlexFares. This option is ideal for guests that value the flexibility to cancel without penalties, but want the security of knowing they have flights booked - especially when booking their holiday many months in advance. It is another "peace of mind" component of ChoiceAir. While there are many carriers and schedules represented, not every scheduled flight offers a Flexfare option - and as you mentioned, the rates may be a little higher.

[maryann2]

Thank you Andy for this information. The one way prices to Europe are really good. I do think though that to be sure to catch the ship,as there are so many delays these days, is to fly the day before and Choice Air does give that option.

 

Now are transfers included with Choice Air?

[Andy]

Many thanks for the detailed info, much appreciated but I would like to know when this will be available in the UK. We keep hearing the European market is a growth area and more and more ships are sailing the Med so I think it's about time we had the ability to use Choice Air.

 

Hi Peteukmcr !

 

Here is Troy's response :

 

Great question Pete. Our UK Fly/Cruise Team is working on some exciting ChoiceAir enhancements that will make it a great fit for our UK guests who have traditionally preferred our "packaged air" programme. The plan is to make it available to our Travel Agency Partners in the UK early in 2012. Based on market reception, they will establish roll-out plans for a "DIY" model similar to the one deployed in America, later in the year.

[Andy]

Thank you Andy for this information. The one way prices to Europe are really good. I do think though that to be sure to catch the ship,as there are so many delays these days, is to fly the day before and Choice Air does give that option.

 

Now are transfers included with Choice Air?

 

Hi Maryann !

 

Here is Troy's response :

Transfers are available to purchase on the site when booking ChoiceAir. Guests who prefer to make alternative ground transportation arrangements may "opt out" of paying for transfers.

 

[suzyluvs2cruise]

Hi Clarea !

 

Here is Troy's response :

 

Thank you for mentioning FlexFares. This option is ideal for guests that value the flexibility to cancel without penalties, but want the security of knowing they have flights booked - especially when booking their holiday many months in advance. It is another "peace of mind" component of ChoiceAir. While there are many carriers and schedules represented, not every scheduled flight offers a Flexfare option - and as you mentioned, the rates may be a little higher.

 

I've booked more than one flight with FlexFares. Both time I booked I was told that the fare could go up as it's not paid for until final payment. Could you please clarify this with Troy?

 

Thanks for starting this great thread! :)

[Andy]

In a few months we are flying to Barcelona using Choice Air. I would like to hear Mr. Martin account of what happens at RCL end when there is a problem with air due to delays, misconnections, or cancelations. Does RCL act as an intermediary between me and the airlines? How does having a travel agent change things? Do I have to contact my travel agency first? One other question is what happens if the problems occur outside business hours?

 

Thanks,

Shak

 

Hi Shak !

 

Here is Troy's response :

 

Shak, Here are the details of how our Assured Arrival Service works:

 

If we are aware of flight disruptions ahead of time, we will attempt to contact the guest prior to them arriving at the airport to discuss alternatives. Often, the delay or cancellation happens while the guest is at the airport, or enroute. In this case, the guest needs to first check-in with their scheduled airline agent, advising that they are a Royal Caribbean guest and providing the required arrival time when asking to be re-accommodated to the ship. If the airline is unable to route the guest to the ship on time, we ask that the guest call our Emergency Travel Team, which is available 24x7 to address these situations. The team will evaluate all scheduled commercial airline service to get the guest to the ship at the original embarkation port - or next feasible port of call. In nearly all cases, we have been able to successfully get the guest to the ship to enjoy all - or most- of their cruise vacation. We typically will look for options as far as two days out, and we cover the cost (if any) of the airline ticket, hotel stays (if needed), and ground transportation. It is best for the guest to call us directly, rather than having their Travel Agent call on their behalf, since the situation is urgent - often quite dynamic - and decisions may need to be made on the spot. As other members have noted, Assured Arrival is a great service that does provide an element of "peace of mind", but it is not a substitute for Travel Insurance that also covers situations like trip cancellation, sickness, etc.

 

Also, as other members have suggested, if you can add another day to your vacation, it's a great idea for even more peace of mind, and the opportunity to spend time in your embarkation city. While our primary mission is to fix these situations - and we have a team that works very hard at making it happen - there are occasionally incidents where we are regrettably unable to do so.

[Andy]

I've booked more than one flight with FlexFares. Both time I booked I was told that the fare could go up as it's not paid for until final payment. Could you please clarify this with Troy?

 

Thanks for starting this great thread! :)

 

Hi Sue !

 

Thank you for your kind comments. It's much appreciated !

 

Here is Troy's response :

 

FlexFares do not go up between the time flights are selected and final payment.

 

[suzyluvs2cruise]

Hi Sue !

 

Thank you for your kind comments. It's much appreciated !

 

Here is Troy's response :

 

FlexFares do not go up between the time flights are selected and final payment.

 

 

Thanks.....glad to hear fares are locked in when selected. :)

[StarTrkGeek]

Hi Sue !

 

Thank you for your kind comments. It's much appreciated !

 

Here is Troy's response :

 

FlexFares do not go up between the time flights are selected and final payment.

 

Andy,

Why does RCCL prohibit the transfer of a reservation to a travel agent if airfare has already been purchased through Choice Air?

Alan

[Andy]

Andy,

Why does RCCL prohibit the transfer of a reservation to a travel agent if airfare has already been purchased through Choice Air?

Alan

 

Hi StarTrkGeek !

 

Sorry for the delay. Work was extremely busy over the past few days. Here is Troy's response :

 

Once ChoiceAir is added to a cruise booking, it has a systemic and process impact on our reservations and accounting functions. Systemically, we cannot make the transfer, and doing it manually is a lengthy process with multiple departmental hand-offs that can be error-prone, with potentially negative impact to our guests or Travel Partners. To mitigate any risk for the guest or our travel partners, our policy is designed to encourage making the transfer prior to adding ChoiceAir.

 

[demodawn]

Thanks so much for the info as I have been reading alot of differant points of view and glad to hear is "from the horses mouth"

[AF-1]

Andy, wow, thank you for all this wonderful info. I wish I knew about this the last two times I booked air thru Europe. I will use it the next time I cruise.

[dramaqueen4lyfe]

Just booked LAX to SYD great price and very helpful CS REP. Thanks for this thread with all the good info.:D

[Seatravelers]

Andy, could you please find out what has happened to the cost of the flights from BCN to US, one-way at the end of April, 2012. When we initally booked the Voyager TA, Choice Air had the one-way return air (to MEM) from BCN on April 30 or May 1 for less then $700, today it is $2900!!! Something can not be right. How were they able to offer it earlier for so much less? If it stays this high, we will cancel the cruise since it will cost us more to get home than 16 nights in a GS, ridiculous. Does Choice Air ever consider chartering a flight when prices are so outrageous? We have used Choice Air in the past and plan to do so again, but, we have never seen the prices change this drastically and wonder why? Thanks!

Marcia

[reverie4401]

Andy, this is a great thread and appreciate what you and Royal are doing to spread the word. I just checked ChoiceAir for my next cruise and it is competitive with available pricing on the alternatives. I understand that this service is available only for residents of North America.

 

My question would touch on two situations, 1) where cruisers already in International locations prior to starting their cruise, wishing to use ChoiceAir to get from one International location to an International Port, and 2) cruisers who are doing semi-B2B cruises from different ports. For example, an Eastern Mediterranean RT Cruise out of Rome, followed by a TA from Barcelona where the cruisers would need a one way fare from Rome to Barcelona. An example of situation one, would be someone traveling in Asia, say Japan and wishes to take a cruise out of Singapore. They would desire transportation from Tokyo to Singapore. In both cases, the traveler is from the US. Would ChoiceAir be available for these two situations? Thanks in advance. David

[Bflogal]

Andy,

Thanks for this terrific thread with all it's valuable info.

 

Is it possible to use ChoiceAir for an international flight and upgrade to Business class? If so, how do the fares compare to fares on an airlines site or, say, Travelocity?

 

All Posters:

Does anyone have experience with this situation?

 

Thanks,

Bflogal

[Andy]

Hi Everyone !

 

I've noticed some new questions. I will have the answers from Mr Martin as soon as possible.

 

I'd like to make a request. If a Member asks for comments or opinions, please refrain from responding. It's best if we have your questions answered directly by Mr Martin.

 

Thanks very much.

[Andy]

Andy, could you please find out what has happened to the cost of the flights from BCN to US, one-way at the end of April, 2012. When we initally booked the Voyager TA, Choice Air had the one-way return air (to MEM) from BCN on April 30 or May 1 for less then $700, today it is $2900!!! Something can not be right. How were they able to offer it earlier for so much less? If it stays this high, we will cancel the cruise since it will cost us more to get home than 16 nights in a GS, ridiculous. Does Choice Air ever consider chartering a flight when prices are so outrageous? We have used Choice Air in the past and plan to do so again, but, we have never seen the prices change this drastically and wonder why? Thanks!

Marcia

 

Hi Seatravelers !

 

Here is Troy's response :

 

Hi Marcia. You are right, that is a big jump, and sounds like something is not right. There could be an availability issue with the airlines. It is not uncommon for low fares to be closed off and then become available again. In doing a QuickFlight Search for your sailing, I found a refundable fare of about $725 including all taxes, fees and fuel. There was also a FlexFare option available for $765, that allows you to book, pay the $25 Non-Refundable Service fee (included in the price), and hold off paying the rest of the air until final payment of your cruise. Whenever you see something like that, which seems off, please call the ChoiceAir Support Desk and they will be glad to help you.

[Andy]

Andy, this is a great thread and appreciate what you and Royal are doing to spread the word. I just checked ChoiceAir for my next cruise and it is competitive with available pricing on the alternatives. I understand that this service is available only for residents of North America.

 

My question would touch on two situations, 1) where cruisers already in International locations prior to starting their cruise, wishing to use ChoiceAir to get from one International location to an International Port, and 2) cruisers who are doing semi-B2B cruises from different ports. For example, an Eastern Mediterranean RT Cruise out of Rome, followed by a TA from Barcelona where the cruisers would need a one way fare from Rome to Barcelona. An example of situation one, would be someone traveling in Asia, say Japan and wishes to take a cruise out of Singapore. They would desire transportation from Tokyo to Singapore. In both cases, the traveler is from the US. Would ChoiceAir be available for these two situations? Thanks in advance. David

 

Hi Reverie !

 

Thank you for your kind comments. It's much appreciated. Here is Troy's response :

 

David, guests that purchase their cruise from a U.S. or Canadian travel agency are eligible to purchase air through ChoiceAir. ChoiceAir is also offered to guests that purchase their cruise directly from a North America RCCL reservations office. This applies for all sailings and flight itineraries.

[Andy]

Andy,

Thanks for this terrific thread with all it's valuable info.

 

Is it possible to use ChoiceAir for an international flight and upgrade to Business class? If so, how do the fares compare to fares on an airlines site or, say, Travelocity?

 

All Posters:

Does anyone have experience with this situation?

 

Thanks,

Bflogal

 

Hi Bflogal !

 

I'm pleased to hear you are enjoying the wealth of information in this thread. Here is Troy's response :

 

While many tickets purchased through ChoiceAir are eligible for airline upgrades, ChoiceAir does not have its own upgrade program. Typically, airline upgrade initiatives are tied to frequent traveler status and are contingent upon the type of fare booked, with the least expensive tickets being the more difficult to upgrade. You may also want to check out the great business class fares on many of our international routes. In many cases, it may cost less than you think.

[Seatravelers]

Hi Seatravelers !

 

Here is Troy's response :

 

Hi Marcia. You are right, that is a big jump, and sounds like something is not right. There could be an availability issue with the airlines. It is not uncommon for low fares to be closed off and then become available again. In doing a QuickFlight Search for your sailing, I found a refundable fare of about $725 including all taxes, fees and fuel. There was also a FlexFare option available for $765, that allows you to book, pay the $25 Non-Refundable Service fee (included in the price), and hold off paying the rest of the air until final payment of your cruise. Whenever you see something like that, which seems off, please call the ChoiceAir Support Desk and they will be glad to help you.

 

Thanks so very much Andy and Troy! I was simply using the Choice Air website and never saw a FlexFare, etc. Will certainly call the Support Desk in the future when something like this happens again. On the great news side, after a heads-up from fellow cruiser on the TA thread, we were able to secure Choice Air tickets home from BCN last night for $554 per ticket! Win-Win on the Choice Air response and ticket! Thanks again for your time and effort on this thread.

Marcia

[Bette And Bill]

Andy - At this point in time - I understand that airport to hotel transfers are not available even when booking both through Royal. I was wondering if airport to hotel transfers were going to be offered in the future.

[CoachT]

ChoiceAir: Assured Arrival

 

RCCL is very interested in ensuring you get to your Cruise, and takes advantage of knowing your travel arrangements to monitor your flights, intervening when possible to avert delays due to airline schedule changes, delays, and cancellations. When they are unable to act pre-emptively, they will continue to work with the traveler and airline to find an alternate route - even on another airline - at no additional cost to the guest. This service includes getting the guest to the original embarkation port, or the next available port whenever it is practical.

Your contact needs to clarify this point.

 

If the airlines themselves impose additional fees, ChoiceAir is going to pass them on to the guest. The airlines ONLY guarantee to get you to your destination, they do not guarantee to get you their on time. Should you choose another route or even airline, the guest is going to be absolutely responsible for paying the difference. With planes flying 80% full, it is always recommended to fly in a day early.

[Andy]

Andy - At this point in time - I understand that airport to hotel transfers are not available even when booking both through Royal. I was wondering if airport to hotel transfers were going to be offered in the future.

 

Hi Bette And Bill !

 

Here is Troy's response :

 

Yes ! We just started offering Airport to Hotel transfers in San Juan, and are opening them up to a handful of additonal ports throughout August. Assuming a smooth implementation, we expect to complete the roll-out in September.

[Andy]

Your contact needs to clarify this point.

 

If the airlines themselves impose additional fees, ChoiceAir is going to pass them on to the guest. The airlines ONLY guarantee to get you to your destination, they do not guarantee to get you their on time. Should you choose another route or even airline, the guest is going to be absolutely responsible for paying the difference. With planes flying 80% full, it is always recommended to fly in a day early.

 

Hi CoachT !

 

Here is Troy's response :

 

With ChoiceAir and our Assured Arrival service, if the airline is unable to reaccommodate our guests so that they arrive at the original embarkation port - or next available port, depending on the situation - at no additional cost, we at Royal Caribbean International will arrange new flights, even using another commercial/scheduled airline service, at no additional cost to the guest. We do not pass on airline charges to the guests for disrupted schedules. There are situations when legalities (PVSA/Jones Act) or flight schedule/capacity issues prevent joining the ship, but it is our mission to get all of our guests to their cruise vacation, whenever we can. We certainly agree with the recommendation to fly in early, when our guests' schedules permit. It provides even more peace of mind, and a great opportunity to adjust to your destination while taking in the sites of your embarkation city.