Fares To Ft.Lauderdale+hotels

[topaz123]

Seems the biggest expense of cruising is not really the cruise but the airfare. Using the usual KAYAK, Farealert type sites. Any others I should check on fares to Ft. Lauderdale in the fall.? Any hotels offer a package to the port there?

[Daisyloo]

If you fly Southwest you get the best prices on their website.

[6rugrats]

Seems the biggest expense of cruising is not really the cruise but the airfare. Using the usual KAYAK, Farealert type sites. Any others I should check on fares to Ft. Lauderdale in the fall.? Any hotels offer a package to the port there?

http://matrix.itasoftware.com/ or the airline's webpages. I don't know what you mean by a "package to the port". Perhaps ask this question in the east coast departure forum?

[Zach1213]

If you fly Southwest you get the best prices on their website.

 

Mostly because there is almost nowhere else to buy them at besides directly with the airline.

[Twickenham]

Seems the biggest expense of cruising is not really the cruise but the airfare. Using the usual KAYAK, Farealert type sites. Any others I should check on fares to Ft. Lauderdale in the fall.? Any hotels offer a package to the port there?

 

I've never seen an air-hotel package I haven't been able to beat booking the individual components myself.

When are you travelling? Pricing can be very variable depending on dates.

[topaz123]

Thanks to all....Southwest seems the best fares, it's gettin pretty dicey to hunt for these low fares...it's got to be a real art!!!

[FlyerTalker]

Seems the biggest expense of cruising is not really the cruise but the airfare.

Perhaps for some cruises. Definitely not all, or even a majority of cruises, IMO.

 

From anecdotal input only, one might say that the on-board bar bill is the biggest expense.

 

it's gettin pretty dicey to hunt for these low fares...it's got to be a real art!!!

The idea that you have to "hunt" for low pricing seems to imply that you believe there is some correlation between the pricing website and the "deal". Yours is one of many questions on "where's the best place to buy air", thinking that it is the site that is the key.

[pbsteve]

looks like you cruise carnival, so check the price to FLL and MIA, keep in mind that it'll cost a total of 15 more per person to get transportation to the dock from MIA vs FLL (15 from FLL 30 from MIA) if you're cruising out of Fort lauderdale, but by checking both airports, you may find one is considerably less than the other. I'm lucky enough to live just north of chicago, so I can fly out of 3 airports, at the prices today for my cruise, it's cheapest to fly out of Ohare to MIA, and then FLL to milwaukee home, including ground transportation. I'm just waiting on Southwest to post prices through oct 5th to buy. Keep in mind not all airlines have posted their fall schedule yet, so Kayak won't show you thier prices, or even show them as an option.

 

I just did a search on matrix. Prices are about 40 bucks higher than kayak, unusual.

[topaz123]

Hey, were downstate Illinois. I usally toggle between ORD/ MIDWAY and IND/ Bloomington. Always lookin for the best deal. You know it might be the best to do a MIA fare and then pay the extra to FLL? I'll keep looking at fares for our Nov trip....thanks again...happy cruisin...Keep me posted ya find any great deals.

 

Ray

[thinfool]

If you have a day or two at each end of your cruise you could check Allegiant.

 

They have several connections in Illinois to Orlando for great pricing if you book early. It would mean a rental car both ways to FLL....but...you asked! :D

[kenish]

Two caveats about Allegiant. Flights on many of their routes are every few days. If your flight is delayed or cancelled, the next available Allegiant flight could be many days later. Since they don't have interline agreements with other airlines, you won't be rebooked on another airline's flight.

 

The other caution is Allegiant makes their profit from hotel and rental car bookings. They routinely drop service or routes to cities where the hotel and car revenue isn't profitable. Sometimes the drop is on very short notice, leaving people paying for expensive, last-minute fares.

[FlaGrl4Evr]

We booked our airfare early and actually used 2 different airlines for going and returning, to get the best rates and travel times. We got the best rate on AirTran for going and the best return time plus decent rate on SouthWest coming back. So do compare and don't be afriad to use two airlines. We are flying into FLL as the rates were SO much lower than flying into Miami from Indy.

 

Since we have a late afternoon arrival we did not want a rental car so we researched the heck out of hotels that had both a store to pick up last minute items and restaurants within walking distance. We booked early and got 2 suites at the Sleep Inn & Suites FLL for only $89 each using our AAA discount. The hotel is located right next to a 24 hr Walgreens and across from a Publix grocery shopping center that has a few restaurant choices. The hotel has decent ratings, a free hotel shuttle and a free hot breakfast. If you are sailing out of FLL they have a port shuttle for $5 pp. We are sailing out of POM so arranged with QLS for a 9am pick-up time. Some of the other shuttles services do not start pick-up until 10-11 am.

 

Good luck to you.

 

:)

 

 

 

 

 

.

[thinfool]

Two caveats about Allegiant. Flights on many of their routes are every few days. If your flight is delayed or cancelled, the next available Allegiant flight could be many days later. Since they don't have interline agreements with other airlines, you won't be rebooked on another airline's flight.

In our area (West Virginia) they are very dependable. One time (rare) the flight was cancelled due to mechanical problems that they could not fix. They put everyone in a hotel, meals included, flew in a new aircraft all the way from Las Vegas the next morning and took everyone to Fort Lauderdale.

 

The twice a week feature of their schedule is why I mentioned that the OP would need a day or two extra at the beginning/end of their trip.

 

The other caution is Allegiant makes their profit from hotel and rental car bookings. They routinely drop service or routes to cities where the hotel and car revenue isn't profitable. Sometimes the drop is on very short notice, leaving people paying for expensive, last-minute fares.

 

This has not happened in our area, in fact they have expanded their service from 9 months a year to 12. Not to say it cannot happen, but it can also happen with Delta (pulled out a few months ago), USAirways and any other airline.

 

I am not a cheerleader for any airline. Rather I advocate researching any and all sources that can serve a purpose....and then make an informed decision.

[topaz123]

Hoosiers...thanks for the double airline plan. And that hotel in FLL, sounds ideal. I had a suggestion from someone, that we book a flight to ATLANTA, and then book a plane to FLL. Double stop , but could save a lot on the fare structure. Keep the hints and ideas coming...appreciate good folks takin some time to help out. We had friends on Alliant, to SANFORD, FL ( Orlando ). They had a smooth experience,,,trouble is the time schedule is odd....leave on a Tuesday or Thurs, and come back on odd days,etc. But the fare was incredible...$89 each way on a 737 no less. Wow..that;s hard to top, even staying an extra day of hotel in Florida! All smiles to everyone!

[kenish]

I am not a cheerleader for any airline. Rather I advocate researching any and all sources that can serve a purpose....and then make an informed decision.

 

Fully agree w/ you. And, knowing that Allegiant (and Spirit) are known for pulling out of cities with less than a week's notice is something people need to know as part of the informed decision. You're correct that other airlines pull service from cities too. But it's usually with 3-6 month notice and they try to reaccommodate customers with alternatives that aren't available on smaller carriers like Allegiant. If everything goes smoothly, there are good deals to be had...but they are underpinned with a few risks. There have been several panicked threads over the past few years when people were left high and dry by Allegiant, Spirit, etc.

[ghulett]

...I had a suggestion from someone, that we book a flight to ATLANTA, and then book a plane to FLL. Double stop , but could save a lot on the fare structure...

Be careful with that suggestion as you bags won't be checked through to FLL on separate tickets. Unless you want the hassle of collecting your bags, re-checking them and going through security in Atlanta to save some bucks.

[USU_Aggie]

I am going to san juan but staying in fll along the way. It was much cheaper, and faster, for me to book four one way tickets. Try that.

 

I go

Eug to sfo to fll and stay in fll for 79$$$ that night

Then to sju.

Back to fll to sfo to eug.

 

 

Was 615/pp and 14 hours. Otherwise, was 740 and 19 hours.

[ducklite]

Perhaps for some cruises. Definitely not all, or even a majority of cruises, IMO.

 

Agreed. One of the exceptions would be to Asia or the South Pacific.

 

From anecdotal input only, one might say that the on-board bar bill is the biggest expense.

 

Or the spa. :eek:

 

The idea that you have to "hunt" for low pricing seems to imply that you believe there is some correlation between the pricing website and the "deal". Yours is one of many questions on "where's the best place to buy air", thinking that it is the site that is the key.

 

Greater Chicago to southern Florida has so much competition that I don't understand how it could be expensive--unless the OP is either not looking in the right places or being so rigid in their scheduling that they are backing themselves into a corner.

[ducklite]

I am going to san juan but staying in fll along the way. It was much cheaper, and faster, for me to book four one way tickets. Try that.

 

I go

Eug to sfo to fll and stay in fll for 79$$$ that night

Then to sju.

Back to fll to sfo to eug.

 

 

Was 615/pp and 14 hours. Otherwise, was 740 and 19 hours.

 

Keep in mind that if your flight home is delayed or cancelled and you miss the next one, well, basically you are screwed.

[USU_Aggie]

Keep in mind that if your flight home is delayed or cancelled and you miss the next one, well, basically you are screwed.

 

the FLL-SFO-EUG ones are tied together in both directions, so I don't need to worry about those. The only one I need to worry about is SJU to FLL, and I have a 5 hour layover that I left as a buffer.

 

 

Sent from my iPad

[ducklite]

the FLL-SFO-EUG ones are tied together in both directions, so I don't need to worry about those. The only one I need to worry about is SJU to FLL, and I have a 5 hour layover that I left as a buffer.

 

 

Sent from my iPad

 

Last summer I had a six hour buffer. My plane was seven hours late due to a mechanical problem. The only reason it didn't cost me a fortune was because the flight I missed was ticketed on the same carrier and I have top tier status on that carrier. Otherwise I would have been spending a lot of money to get where I was going.

[USU_Aggie]

Last summer I had a six hour buffer. My plane was seven hours late due to a mechanical problem. The only reason it didn't cost me a fortune was because the flight I missed was ticketed on the same carrier and I have top tier status on that carrier. Otherwise I would have been spending a lot of money to get where I was going.

 

I also have travel insurance that covers it

 

 

Sent from my iPad