BA scheduled flights on fly cruise

[Dressage Superstar]

Hi,

 

Does anyone know if you can pay at check in at the airport up upgrade your seat from world traveller to world traveller plus on a p and o fly cruise?

When we booked our trip on the Azura a couple of weeks ago they quoted £1100per person to fly world traveller plus as they only had an allocation of world traveller seats and I'd have to pay the whole fare!

 

Thanks,

Louise :D

[CRUISENSNOOZE]

Hi,

 

Does anyone know if you can pay at check in at the airport up upgrade your seat from world traveller to world traveller plus on a p and o fly cruise?

When we booked our trip on the Azura a couple of weeks ago they quoted £1100per person to fly world traveller plus as they only had an allocation of world traveller seats and I'd have to pay the whole fare!

 

Thanks,

Louise :D

Hi - we have also been put on a BA flight and can't get any info either. We can't even seem to book a seat in world traveller section. Also a bit miffed about having to go through customs etc and then retrieve our own luggage - never had to do that before. Oh well, will all be ok once on board and soaking up that sun!!! Roll on 1st March...

[Dressage Superstar]

Hi Keithnchris.

 

The bonus is with BA is that you can take 23kilos hold luggage and up to 23kilos in a small wheelie suitcase as hand luggage and also you don't have to pay for drinks like you do on the charter now. P and o did tell me they'd reserve our seats 3 days before if we phone them so maybe you could do that?

Louise

[HomelessBear]

Hi Keithnchris.

 

The bonus is with BA is that you can take 23kilos hold luggage and up to 23kilos in a small wheelie suitcase as hand luggage and also you don't have to pay for drinks like you do on the charter now. P and o did tell me they'd reserve our seats 3 days before if we phone them so maybe you could do that?

Louise

 

Wow! You'd be lucky to get 23Kg in the size of the hand luggage bag allowed! I also wouldn't want to try to lift that into to overhead compartment...I also wouldn't like to think that could fall out onto my head! LOL.

 

Personally, I would much prefer to buy a my own bottled drinks prior to the flight and carry them on, than to have the hassle of the scheduled flights versus the charter flight. I guess it depends on what you want though.

 

We recently had a scheduled flight as part of a cruise package (with Princess) and was originally told that I could not book seats until a few days before the flight. I figured that by that time there would be few if any "good" seats left, so I persued it, and eventually I managed to get a booking reference for the BA flight, and so booked seats about 3 or 4 months beforehand. I had to pay for them of course, but as I fret about where I will have to sit on a flight, it was worth it to me to know.

[scareyness]

Have just returned from Ventura. Had the option of Thomson flight with 23kg luggage, no customs etc or BA 23kg luggage plus hand luggage each. We chose BA as we prefer to fly with them and didn't want to worry about weight allowance and the flight time was slightly better for us.

 

The BA flight was not as good as we have experienced before, some of the stewardesses were quite surley. We were offered 1 drink, plus wine with meal. Previous flights we have had unlimited drinks. We requested another drink 5 hours into flight and were told they had run out of alcohol!! We were happy with leg room and I was able to take all I wanted to without worry about weight.:D Return flight delayed due to snow, offered 1 drink (I requested a bacardi and told they had none on board!!:eek:) Not overly impressed with flight in both directions. Since been told that in fact P&O have put a drinks limit on. I would prefer to have what I want and pay for it accodingly.

 

We had to collect our luggage at airport but it was pretty quick, it was then transported to ship and our cabin so no problem. Had to leave it outside cabin last night, as did everyone else. Customs was done on ship for all passengers, I thought it was well organised. Had to pop off ship between 8.30-9.30am to identify luggage, we went at 9.15 ours were the last 2 cases so took about 1 minutes! they then took luggage to airport and we did not see it again until retrun to Gatwick so it was no big hassle.

 

A number of people on the ship told us that the Thomson flight was nothing special either, 1 drink. Guess it is all down to P&O cutting costs.

 

With BA flight it was not possible to pre book seats as P&O brought a block of seats. It is £15 per seat each way with Thomsons! What a rip off!!! If anyone is not aware, it is possible to check luggage in the night before if you are close to Gatwick or staying there overnight. We stayed overnight, checked luggage in at 4pm day before and got our boarding cards, 2 seats together in centre isle with an empty one next to us. It was great not to have to queue early next day.:)

[CRUISENSNOOZE]

With BA flight it was not possible to pre book seats as P&O brought a block of seats. It is £15 per seat each way with Thomsons! What a rip off!!! If anyone is not aware, it is possible to check luggage in the night before if you are close to Gatwick or staying there overnight. We stayed overnight, checked luggage in at 4pm day before and got our boarding cards, 2 seats together in centre isle with an empty one next to us. It was great not to have to queue early next day.:)

Hi - thanks for all the info. We are staying at a hotel the night before the flight - arrive about 6pm. Just to clarify - are you talking about BA where we can book in cases the night before? I hope so as this would be such a help. Regards Chris

[scareyness]

Hi - thanks for all the info. We are staying at a hotel the night before the flight - arrive about 6pm. Just to clarify - are you talking about BA where we can book in cases the night before? I hope so as this would be such a help. Regards Chris

 

Hi Chris

We stayed in the Soffitel in North Terminal, have done a few times and its brilliant. Yes, it was the BA flight, I think we could check in 4-10pm. Then of course with such a good allowance with hand luggage you can keep stuff for morning, I take the 100ml bottles of toiletries, plus flip flops and swimsuit for arrival!!!:D

[Dressage Superstar]

Thanks for the info. Just out of interest how did it work regarding the BA flight coming home? Did they just seat you any where? Or could you attend a session on board where you go along and choose your seat like you used to be able to do when flying thomson?

[Dressage Superstar]

Thanks for the info. Just out of interest how did it work regarding the BA flight coming home? Did they just seat you any where? Or could you attend a session on board where you go along and choose your seat like you used to be able to do when flying thomson?

[scareyness]

No, we were just allocated our seats. But they were fine.

[marylizcat]

The other drawback with scheduled flights is that you get less leg room than on charter flights, 31 ins rather than 33 inches on Thomson and T Cook. I know it is only 2 inches, but every little helps! Definitely worth pressing for the charter flight with direct transfer from plane and more space as well.

[CRUISENSNOOZE]

Hi Chris

We stayed in the Soffitel in North Terminal, have done a few times and its brilliant. Yes, it was the BA flight, I think we could check in 4-10pm. Then of course with such a good allowance with hand luggage you can keep stuff for morning, I take the 100ml bottles of toiletries, plus flip flops and swimsuit for arrival!!!:D

Scareyness - Thanks for the info. With the dive gear etc we are taking, I think my hand luggage is going to be up to the max in weight!. We arrive at the airport at 6pm, so hope to book in then, so to save time the following morning.

Regards Chris

[NauticalMiss]

We always book flights separate from the cruise. This gives us more flexibility (on dates and re: upgrades at the airport). Also, have always found that most cruise lines charge over-and-above for flights. E.g. an economy return flight would cost c.£500 but P&O are charging an extra c.£800 each. They will argue that their price includes transfers to/from dock at the start/end of the cruise. But £300 worth of transfers? I don't think so!

[scareyness]

We always book flights separate from the cruise. This gives us more flexibility (on dates and re: upgrades at the airport). Also, have always found that most cruise lines charge over-and-above for flights. E.g. an economy return flight would cost c.£500 but P&O are charging an extra c.£800 each. They will argue that their price includes transfers to/from dock at the start/end of the cruise. But £300 worth of transfers? I don't think so!

 

How interesting, I didn't know you could do that. I will look into that next time for sure.

 

I must say that the transfers etc always make it very alluring, but given that you can always get taxis at the airport it seems you have to pay very dearly for all these 'extra services' from cruise lines. Thanks for that info.

[Dressage Superstar]

I tried to find out if you could book as a cruise only for these P & O Caribbean cruises as we have family in the airline industry who could've gotten us a bit of a deal. However on these there was only a difference of between £100-£200 per person off when you just book a cruise only, I think purely because they get such a good deal advance purchasing the airline seats. I have seen much better offers with Celebrity and Royal Caribbean cruise only, so maybe thats the route to go next time.

[NauticalMiss]

I have booked 'cruise only' with Celebrity, Cunard, Royal Caribbean and P&O, each time saving hundreds of pounds. I first started looking into it 5 years ago when Cunard were charging the same amount for BA World Traveller seats that BA direct were charging for WTPlus seats. We booked cruise only, then 4 months later got flat bed seats in a BA sale for just £250 more than Cunard were originally charging for World Traveller!! Last year we went with Celebrity (again cruise only) and paid for an upgrade at the airport. Cruise lines should give you the cruise; I'd recommend you shop around for the other stuff. Same thing with pre/post cruise hotels - DIY everytime. However, no savings by booking flights direct if you fly one way and sail the other. Airlines like you to book return flights. My son was flying to US and did not need a return flight. One-way flight from UK was £1,000+, return was £600. No brainer - book the return and don't take the second flight.

[FredChopin]

We are on a chartered flight with P&O soon and have been advised we can check in the day before. I am confused - surely there would be things you would use overnight that you would want to go in the hold - e.g. razors, toiletries, nightwear, etc.?

[BrianI]

On the P&O charter flights, there is no saving to P&O if you want "cruise only" as the plane still has to fly. Hence the minimal reductions for cruise only. It's different if you are doing a world cruise sector where scheduled flights are used and it may be cheaper to book your own. However if you miss the ship due to airline delays you are on your own. If you book your flights with P&O, any delays are down to P&O and its their responsibility to find you alternative flights or failing that to give you a full refund of your entire cruise. If you are doing your own flights factor in a few days in a hotel to minimise the risk.

Brian

[Denarius]

On the P&O charter flights, there is no saving to P&O if you want "cruise only" as the plane still has to fly. Hence the minimal reductions for cruise only. It's different if you are doing a world cruise sector where scheduled flights are used and it may be cheaper to book your own. However if you miss the ship due to airline delays you are on your own. If you book your flights with P&O, any delays are down to P&O and its their responsibility to find you alternative flights or failing that to give you a full refund of your entire cruise. If you are doing your own flights factor in a few days in a hotel to minimise the risk.

Brian

Recently cruised on Ventura in Caribbean. Two of the charter flights out on Friday 18 Jan were severely delayed due to snow and did not arrive until the folllowing day. The ship remained in Barbados overnight and the following afternoon to allow these passengers to embark and the order of ports were rescheduled to visit them all in a day less sailing. We lost a sea day but gained another day and an overnight stay in Barbados, which most thought was a fair exchange. If you privately booked flight had been delayed however the ship would not have waited for you.

[CRUISENSNOOZE]

We are on a chartered flight with P&O soon and have been advised we can check in the day before. I am confused - surely there would be things you would use overnight that you would want to go in the hold - e.g. razors, toiletries, nightwear, etc.?

Hi Fred - We will book our main suitcase in the day before and stay at a hotel overnight. What we do is run i.e. toothpaste down at home and when there is only enough for maybe 2 more goes each, I put it aside and start a new one. When we go on holiday, I use all the odds and ends and then can throw them away before we leave the hotel. This way I am not taking up weight or space. I have even been known to pour enough shampoo or whatever into a plastic bag and tie a knot in it to use at the hotel. I also keep underwear/nightwear which I would normally throw out to wear to hotel or overnight, so again don't need to take with me. This way my hand luggage is only part full and room to buy all toiletries at Boots when through customs for the cruise. This in turn leaves room in my main suitcase for all those extra pairs of shoes!! - only joking.... Chris

[scareyness]

We are on a chartered flight with P&O soon and have been advised we can check in the day before. I am confused - surely there would be things you would use overnight that you would want to go in the hold - e.g. razors, toiletries, nightwear, etc.?

 

Hi Fred

I check in our 2 suitcases. Also take a small case with all the shoes in, plus a holdall. The sizes are per BA allowances but they have no weight restriction :D. You are allowed to take small amounts of toiletries on board (under 100ml) these can be brought in ASDA, superdrug, boots etc. but need to be placed in plastic bags before packing. Doing it this way allows for use pre flight and also gives you some left if your bags have not been delivered when you get to the ship. You can get just about everything in small sizes now even shave foam, as long as the bottle holds no more than 100ml they will let you take them through. Just to be safe we always throw the razor blade away. In addition I also know that the Soffitel provides same fab toiletries so always have them to fall back on if needed.

[PORT ROYAL]

Hi Fred

I check in our 2 suitcases. Also take a small case with all the shoes in, plus a holdall. The sizes are per BA allowances but they have no weight restriction :D. You are allowed to take small amounts of toiletries on board (under 100ml) these can be brought in ASDA, superdrug, boots etc. but need to be placed in plastic bags before packing. Doing it this way allows for use pre flight and also gives you some left if your bags have not been delivered when you get to the ship. You can get just about everything in small sizes now even shave foam, as long as the bottle holds no more than 100ml they will let you take them through. Just to be safe we always throw the razor blade away. In addition I also know that the Soffitel provides same fab toiletries so always have them to fall back on if needed.

 

Hi there

We buy our toiletries in the Airport Duty Free after Security (Boots etc) - No weight or volume restrictions - This also goes for Sun Creams etc