Reasons not to book cruise air through cruise lines

[SantaFeFan]

You really don't know what you are talking about..

 

You and I agree. ;)

Edited December 18, 2013 by SantaFeFan

[greatam]

Have you ever purchased tickets from ChoiceAir?

 

No

 

And I wouldn't because you cannot read the fare rules in full. And since I am in the international logistics business, those fare rules mean a lot when I am sending clients or even myself overseas for conferences/food shows or any other kind of time sensitive situation (which would include a cruise).

 

And the other big drawback-if you cancel your cruise, your air may be NO GOOD. There are a lot of Choice Air tickets that are booked under vacation/cruise only package rates. Don't take the cruise, hope you can get reimbursed with your travel insurance.

 

Can't even use the residual value as you can with airline direct purchased tickets after you pay the change fee. Can't even use the ticket to take a land vacation with the same departure/arrival places on the same dates. Happened to a few people who actually posted on CC who were booked on Holyland cruises last year and when Egypt ports were cancelled, they cancelled their cruise. How many who have never heard of Cruise Critic did it also happen to?

[Shorex]

Beyond the Sturm und Drang, there is the question of exactly what "refundable" and "nonrefundable" means for a cruise air purchase.

 

When I buy a nonrefundable ticket directly from, say, Delta, and circumstances require me to cancel the trip, all those funds are not necessarily lost. If the original ticket price was higher than the change fee, there is residual value. Right now I have $800+ residual value from a nonrefundable, cancelled Delta ticket in my Delta "wallet."

 

If I buy a fully refundable ticket from, again for example, Delta, and cancel the trip, the full amount of the ticket is refunded directly to my credit card. Fully refundable tickets are hugely more expensive and must be carefully purchased. Most people (including me) have never purchased one.

 

Here's an example of the price differential of a DL multi-city, SEA-SIN, HKG-SEA coach ticket for this spring: about $1,000 lowest price, about $5,700 fully refundable. The refundable coach fare is about the same as the nonrefundable BUSINESS fare.

 

Now for the choice air use of "nonrefundable" and "refundable." I suspect the price differential is nothing like tickets purchased from the airline. So here are my questions for the choice air gurus:

 

1. Is there any possible residual value to a nonrefundable choice air ticket if cancelled? If not, it is not the same as a ticket purchased directly from the airline.

 

2. Can the purchased choice air ticket be used for a land trip if the cruise itself is cancelled? If not, it is not the same as a ticket purchased directly from the airline.

 

3. Everyone should realize by now that it is choice air, not the airline, that would refund a "refundable" choice air ticket. What are the implications of the description of "refundable" choice air: Refundable, Less restrictive fares, instant purchase, penalties may apply. Notice "less" restrictive, so there are restrictions. What are they? How do you find them? "Penalties may apply", what penalties? In what circumstance? Please -- enlighten us.

[greatam]

Now for the choice air use of "nonrefundable" and "refundable." I suspect the price differential is nothing like tickets purchased from the airline. So here are my questions for the choice air gurus:

 

1. Is there any possible residual value to a nonrefundable choice air ticket if cancelled? If not, it is not the same as a ticket purchased directly from the airline.

 

2. Can the purchased choice air ticket be used for a land trip if the cruise itself is cancelled? If not, it is not the same as a ticket purchased directly from the airline.

 

3. Everyone should realize by now that it is choice air, not the airline, that would refund a "refundable" choice air ticket. What are the implications of the description of "refundable" choice air: Refundable, Less restrictive fares, instant purchase, penalties may apply. Notice "less" restrictive, so there are restrictions. What are they? How do you find them? "Penalties may apply", what penalties? In what circumstance? Please -- enlighten us.

 

Our legal minds must have been reading the same case. I just posted why I wouldn't buy a Choice Air ticket and then you asked the question.

 

And again, unless you can read the ENTIRE fare rules or had the ENTIRE fare code, how would you even know what you are purchasing, what the restrictions are, whether the ticket had any residual value, etc. etc? Someplace on the Choice Air website, there is some info about "refundable". Those are generally higher priced tickets to begin with.

 

Since Choice Air OWNS the tickets, not the Choice Air customer, they merely resell them. And my AA rep told me just like old school cruise air, when the cheapest of the tickets are gone, they are gone. And the airline may or may not make available higher priced tickets. That is a function of the yield management gnomes. Nothing has changed-same old game except the cruise lines are saving 1000's of dollars in labor costs by allowing people to pick from the same "on the shelf" tickets on a fancy website that the air/sea dept had to do manually before.

[Twickenham]

Our upcoming cruise has me a tad nervous. We were rebooking our SWA tickets originally booked for Vegas, and the latest Friday night flight wasn't late enough (work has been testy lately about taking time off before scheduled breaks). SO our only choice is early morning Saturday getting into FLL at 1:15. Ship departs 4:30. Certainly not ideal. Considered some other options as well as insurance to cover a potential delay. BUT the next day we are in Key West--we can rent a car for $100 & be there in 4 hours. Guess that is our insurance;)

 

You will not be allowed to board in Key West, as this would violate the PVSA.

[fortinweb]

No

 

Then it's safe to say you are criticizing something you have no experience with? :rolleyes:

 

And I wouldn't because you cannot read the fare rules in full. And since I am in the international logistics business, those fare rules mean a lot when I am sending clients or even myself overseas for conferences/food shows or any other kind of time sensitive situation (which would include a cruise).

 

ChoiceAir is for cruise travel only. Tickets intended for your clients and for your travel to food shows and conferences are of no concern regarding cruise air issues.

 

And the other big drawback-if you cancel your cruise, your air may be NO GOOD. There are a lot of Choice Air tickets that are booked under vacation/cruise only package rates. Don't take the cruise, hope you can get reimbursed with your travel insurance.[/Quote]

 

Our friends canceled their cruise twelve days before sail date due to his health issues. Their cruise costs AND ChoiceAir ticket costs were fully reimbursed by their travel insurance, just as they would for cruise and air tickets bought separately.

 

Can't even use the residual value as you can with airline direct purchased tickets after you pay the change fee.

 

Sure you can. We had to change our plans due to work related issues. Fortunately it was before final payment so we could transfer the cruise fare to another cruise date without penalty. We had purchased our ChoiceAir tickets months in advance and changed our ChoiceAir tickets to that later date for a $150 per ticket fee, just like with any airline.

 

Can't even use the ticket to take a land vacation with the same departure/arrival places on the same dates.

 

True, but these are arranged through RCI's cruise air department, so they are only intended for use by RCI's cruise customers. If you cancel your cruise and decide to take a land vacation, you have invalidated the purpose for ChoiceAir to issue the tickets. ChoiceAir tickets MUST be linked to an active cruise.

 

Unlike some self appointed "experts" on this thread, I only know what I and my friends have experienced. I don't puff up my chest and claim to be the all knowing expert on the subject. I know what I have experienced - which is a hell of a lot more than what a couple of these so called "experts" are claiming, especially when they have no experience with the product.

 

From my PERSONAL EXPERIENCE with these tickets, I believe they are handled the same as any ticket I may purchase directly from the airlines.

 

At least I have real experience with CholceAir instead of biased opinions. :rolleyes:

Edited December 18, 2013 by fortinweb

[fortinweb]

All that shows is you are booked in economy in L category. Means absolutely NOTHING.

 

It is the numbers/letters AFTER the L that contain the RULES of your ticket.

 

As Slidergirl also posted, the full ticket info where it shows taxes also contains coding info which explains what type of ticket you have.

 

You generally have to get that info from ITA, KVS, SABRE or another GDS which is NOT available on anything I have ever seen from Choice Air.

 

The request to put the ENTIRE fare code or post the RULES of your ticket has been repeatedly asked by myself, Kenish, Flyertalker, Cruiser Bruce and others who frequent the cruise air board. It has never been provided IN FULL because it is generally NOT available.

 

We are all still waiting to see the FULL coding on Choice Air CHEAPEST tickets. Some of the higher priced tickets do include more info BUT those are "published fare" tickets available directly from the airline at generally the same price.

 

Slidegirl asked for ticket information. I posted the only thing I have to hopefully answer her question. If it did not, no reason to respond with such skepticism. I was only trying to help. :rolleyes:

[SantaFeFan]

All this back and forth between the doubters of ChoiceAir and people who have actual experience with that particular program motivated me to contact ChoiceAir customer support. I asked this question: "What are the full restrictions for the three different levels of ticket categories listed on the website?" The customer service rep told me that during the online air travel booking process, when an airline, air itinerary and preferred ticket category are selected, the restrictions will be displayed for review on the booking page prior to purchase. The rep said that the actual restrictions are dependent on the restrictions of the airline selected. They are identical to the restrictions we would be dealing with if we bought the tickets directly through the airline.

 

Before the doubters shoot the messenger, I am only passing along what I have been told by a person who should be the real expert on ChoiceAir issues - the ChoiceAir customer service rep.

 

I doubt whether this will change any minds, but I figured I'd at least try to provide relevant information.

Edited December 18, 2013 by SantaFeFan

[RickT]

SantaFeFan and fortinweb

 

You are both fighting a losing battle. The "experts" will beat you down.:eek:

 

I decided to block their posts to avoid this crap going forward

[swsfrail]

SantaFeFan and fortinweb

 

You are both fighting a losing battle. The "experts" will beat you down.:eek:

 

 

LOL! It appears that having a high post count is all that is needed to make someone an "expert". Both of the self proclaimed "experts" on this thread - and each has made certain we know how "experienced" they are - have post counts of 10,000+. Apparently, actual experience is not needed - only the number of posts!

 

I wonder what percentage of those thousands of posts are also based on biased opinion rather than fact. :rolleyes:

 

Based on the biased opinions they have posted on this thread I will from now on read any future post from these people with an elevated sense of doubt as to the accuracy of the content in those posts. :(

Edited December 18, 2013 by swsfrail

[Granny DI]

I posted this on another thread but thought my experience might help some of you make a decision.

 

We used Cruise Air on Nov 25 and Dec 8. We checked in online exactly 24 hours in advance for the Nov 25 flight. We were given boarding group # 5....which is the last group to board on United. Group #5 was asked to check their carry-ons to final destination just as we were boarding. Luckily we were first in line for group 5 so were able to take our carry-ons before they started checking all the bags in group 5. We had a 4 hour layover in Houston. This was changed after we purchased the tickets...was supposed to be 2 hours. It worked out for us because of the ice storm in Texas.

 

On our return, we packed our carry-ons to allow checking to final destination if need be. Sure enough group #5 had to check their carry-on luggage to final destination. Then there is the problem of a tight connection in Houston. The back of the plane was full of passengers from our ship who used Cruise Air. We begged to be let off first and then we all ran to our connecting gates. Don't know how many made it. We made it but were told the connection was too tight even though "legal". The other Cruise Air passengers also had boarding group # 5.

Will we use Cruise Air again? Maybe...depends on price and number of connections.

Edited December 18, 2013 by Granny DI

[boogs]

I posted this on another thread but thought my experience might help some of you make a decision.

 

We used Cruise Air on Nov 25 and Dec 8. We checked in online exactly 24 hours in advance for the Nov 25 flight. We were given boarding group # 5....which is the last group to board on United. Group #5 was asked to check their carry-ons to final destination just as we were boarding. Luckily we were first in line for group 5 so were able to take our carry-ons before they started checking all the bags in group 5. We had a 4 hour layover in Houston. This was changed after we purchased the tickets...was supposed to be 2 hours. It worked out for us because of the ice storm in Texas.

 

On our return, we packed our carry-ons to allow checking to final destination if need be. Sure enough group #5 had to check their carry-on luggage to final destination. Then there is the problem of a tight connection in Houston. The back of the plane was full of passengers from our ship who used Cruise Air. We begged to be let off first and then we all ran to our connecting gates. Don't know how many made it. We made it but were told the connection was too tight even though "legal". The other Cruise Air passengers also had boarding group # 5.

Will we use Cruise Air again? Maybe...depends on price and number of connections.

 

Cruise air for what cruise line, please? It appears they all have differing programs.

[FlyerTalker]

I'll toss out one data point for those to judge the experience level of this "expert".

 

Anyone else have over 2,500,000 BIS ('butt in seat") miles (not accumulated FF miles from whatever source, but actual miles flown), 30+ years of fare rule analysis and study, and formal academic study of aviation business and economics? Please step forward and identify yourself. BTW, Greatam, I know you far exceed those qualifications (though I won't speak to years for a lady's age). I ask if any of the other posters here have anything close to that experience.

 

And FWIW, that's flight experience greater than 1000 round-trips between Chicago and Miami. That would take a twice a year cruiser 500 years to experience.

 

As for post-count....who cares about that. It's the content that matters.

 

Maybe it's time to "Go Galt".

[YubaSutter]

Yes I do. My daughter-in-law is a travel agent for AAA. She books us consolidator tickets when appropriate. She also confirms that ChoiceAir does not use consolidator ticketing. Who better than a real live, honest to goodness, professional travel agent for a large, well established, highly respected travel agency to know the facts? I prefer to believe her than the opinion of an anonymous poster on CC.

 

As Sergent Joe Friday from the old Dragnet TV series famously said: "Just the facts, ma'am" :D

 

On the TV show Dragnet, Joe Friday did NOT say the line "Just the facts, ma'am"

 

http://www.snopes.com/radiotv/tv/dragnet.asp

[slidergirl]

To the poster who posted up their Lufthansa pass: That wasn't what I was asking for. You posted the boarding pass, not the ticket. The ticket will show much more than just that "L". By having just the "L", it just says you are in cattle class, not the entire story behind your ticket.

Another example of what we are looking for:

I took a trip in September. I used my mobile boarding pass, so I don't them available. But, on the receipt, it shows one way in "T" and back on "L". But, the fare details show:

FARE DETAILS: ...TA07A0NP …LA00A0UP

The ticket was purchased as a round-trip as a single purchase, yet see how the fare types are very different...

Those are what we are looking for, in addition to the T&Cs for the tickets.

 

Full disclosure: I haven't used CruiseAir. I did look into it before one of my cruises. But, the lack of clarity of what I was getting and an exact promise of what they (Princess) would do in the case of any hiccups just made me go in and do them myself. I'm used to do all my own bookings, from hotels to flights to private transportation since I first started flying for business back in the 70s. I like to be in control of all factions of my trips. If I book with a 3rd party, that isn't a possibility in many cases.

 

Does NO ONE who is supporting CruiseAir have their documentation? If not, we are chasing our collective tails and, in some cases, being downright nasty and rude.

Edited December 19, 2013 by slidergirl

[greatam]

Just a point of interest.

 

I just spent about 45 minutes "booking" various airlines for a TA in April. LAX to FLL, FCO to JFK. AND reading ALL the fine print.

 

While there is now more info on FARE RULES than there has been, they are very, very deceptive. They do address the endorsability issue in part-for the CHEAPEST tickets, you have to pay a change fee, a penalty(doesn't say how much), ticket must be annotated AND you may have to pay any upcharge for your ticket (Delta said no, AA said yes). These issues were both addressed with AA and Delta flights. This is definitely NOT the definition by any airline standard I know of as an endorsable ticket.

 

On the issue of re-routing, NOT allowed on AA, even the AA/BA combo. WAS allowed on Delta BUT with a change fee, again a penalty that didn't say how much and there MUST be availability in YOUR fare category (which doesn't mean business, first or economy-it means O, S, L, H or whatever. Might not be any seats left in that category. So you either buy a new ticket or you are STUCK with Delta.

 

So if you are flying LAX to Florida, your normal routing if you don't get a nonstop, would be LAX/DFW/MIA or FLL. BUT there are major thunderstorms in Dallas and flights are backed up all over the country. Happens all the time.

 

So you want to be re-routed via Chicago or even New York, then on to Florida. NOT going to happen with an AA ticket at any price and by the time you pay the change fee and a possible penalty on Delta, you darn close spent what you would for a new one way ticket. So what did you gain? And this would get really, really iffy trying to claim it on your insurance because so many policies have a MINIMUM time frame (most about 6 hours) that your flight must be delayed before you can claim the benefit. If the Chicago or New York flight left in 2 hours, the chances of you being able to reclaim your money would be very slim.

 

Now the one BIG difference I saw was if a two part flight involved Jet Blue for one of the legs. MUCH more liberal policies that applied to both the domestic AND international flight. Full endorsability and the change fee was $75 on a re-route.

 

The cancellation penalties for non refundable tickets were pretty steep. $100 to cancel on the CHEAPEST tickets, $200 to cancel on the REFUNDABLE tickets. Might as well kick in the extra $50 or so and at least get some residual value out of the ticket. BUT again, the residual value rules were very, very sketchy. Lots of airline acronyms so again, you have NO IDEA whether your ticket has ANY residual value unless you want to take the time to look up what some of those acronyms and abbreviations mean.

 

And to fully answer Shorex' question about REFUNDABLE tickets-the Delta flights were about $200 MORE than could be purchased on Delta direct as fully refundable. BUT you had to pay a $200 cancellation fee. So you lost about $400 on your REFUNDABLE ticket.

 

So I guess all in all, you better make sure that your domestic leg is on Jet Blue or you have less rights than on any airline direct purchased ticket.

[Granny DI]

Cruise air for what cruise line, please? It appears they all have differing programs.

 

 

My apologies....Choice Air not Cruise Air. Azamara offered "free" air as part of a promotion. We were going to drive but decided since it was "free" we'd take it. We used Choice Air last summer on Azamara as part of another promtotion. We booked business class and had no problems.

[greatam]

Then it's safe to say you are criticizing something you have no experience with? :rolleyes:

 

I'm not criticizing-just pointing out the downsides that most people have no idea about. And those downsides are a big reason why I would NOT use Choice Air.

 

 

 

ChoiceAir is for cruise travel only. Tickets intended for your clients and for your travel to food shows and conferences are of no concern regarding cruise air issues.

 

I specifically pointed out "TIME SENSITIVE" travel which is what a cruise is. Doesn't matter whether it is a food show, important business meeting, wedding or a cruise, those underlying FARE rules for any type of ticket could totally trash your plans if you have time sensitive travel.

 

 

 

 

Our friends canceled their cruise twelve days before sail date due to his health issues. Their cruise costs AND ChoiceAir ticket costs were fully reimbursed by their travel insurance, just as they would for cruise and air tickets bought separately.

 

Did I not SPECIFICALLY say "hope you can get reimbursed with your travel insurance."

 

And I did not state anything about a VALID reason that most insurance policies will cover (other than MAYBE some of the "cancel for any reason" policies).

 

Cancelling your cruise because ports are cancelled DID NOT allow people who had purchased Choice Air to get the residual value of their tickets after change fee NOR were they able to use the tickets EXACTLY as written for a land trip. A couple who had posted were allowed to move their sailing dates forward a year, hoping to see Egypt, but they had to pay change fees and the upcharge in fare. One person found cheaper tickets on her own rather than paying all the fees the cruise line wanted.

 

 

Sure you can. We had to change our plans due to work related issues. Fortunately it was before final payment so we could transfer the cruise fare to another cruise date without penalty. We had purchased our ChoiceAir tickets months in advance and changed our ChoiceAir tickets to that later date for a $150 per ticket fee, just like with any airline.

 

You merely made a date change. You did not attempt to use the RESIDUAL value on another ticket.

 

 

 

True, but these are arranged through RCI's cruise air department, so they are only intended for use by RCI's cruise customers. If you cancel your cruise and decide to take a land vacation, you have invalidated the purpose for ChoiceAir to issue the tickets. ChoiceAir tickets MUST be linked to an active cruise.

 

BINGO!!!! The mantra for those who believe in using Choice Air believe they are getting the SAME ticket as those issued by an airline. Guess that just ain't so because an airline could care less whether you are going on vacation, going to a job interview, going to visit a sick relative or anything else that is legal. But SOME of the Choice Air tickets have NO value UNLESS you go on a cruise. NOT like an airline purchased ticket in the least.

 

When you start booking 500-700 airline tickets per year for customers, employees and myself, then you can come back and me just how wrong I am. We have already booked over 200 tickets for customers and exhibitors for the Fancy Food Show in June in NYC. That's more than a lot of travel agencies book on a yearly basis. These people fly in from all over the world. We can't afford to have them STUCK in some airport and miss either the start of the show or the absolute "have to be there" date when we show up with their product and transfer it to the exhibition hall/exhibitor liason because we bought heavily restricted tickets that couldn't be endorsed or couldn't be re-routed or we didn't read and know the rules.

[greatam]

 

Does NO ONE who is supporting CruiseAir have their documentation? If not, we are chasing our collective tails and, in some cases, being downright nasty and rude.

 

Your question has been asked quite a few times all the way back to the "earthquake" cruise in 2010. Get a lot of L's, H's, N's but no real info.

 

One lady thought she had the info. It turned out to be her PRN and her fare class.

[swsfrail]

On the TV show Dragnet, Joe Friday did NOT say the line "Just the facts, ma'am"

 

http://www.snopes.com/radiotv/tv/dragnet.asp

 

So much for this ma'am having just the facts! :D

[SantaFeFan]

You merely made a date change. You did not attempt to use the RESIDUAL value on another ticket.

 

One thing the ChoiceAir customer service person also told me applies here. The value of an unused non-refundable ChoiceAir ticket can be applied to another ticket within one year of the original issue date, minus the usual change fee of the issuing airline. The value of a cancelled refundable ChoiceAir ticket will be refunded minus the usual cancellation fees of the issuing airline.

 

If you don't want to believe me, call them at 1-800-533-7803. They are available 24/7 to provide you with the facts about these tickets. :)

 

When you start booking 500-700 airline tickets per year for customers, employees and myself, then you can come back and me just how wrong I am. We have already booked over 200 tickets for customers and exhibitors for the Fancy Food Show in June in NYC. That's more than a lot of travel agencies book on a yearly basis. These people fly in from all over the world. We can't afford to have them STUCK in some airport and miss either the start of the show or the absolute "have to be there" date when we show up with their product and transfer it to the exhibition hall/exhibitor liason because we bought heavily restricted tickets that couldn't be endorsed or couldn't be re-routed or we didn't read and know the rules.

 

Yes, but none of them were booked through ChoiceAir, so you really don't know how that program actually works. You deal with 500-700 tickets to satisfy your business purposes, not a cruiser's purpose. Those two purposes are not the same.

 

I would never think of telling you how the purchasing process for business travel is since I have never had the need, and I am not an expert in the way these tickets are structured. But, you admit that you refuse to use ChoiceAir based on your assumptions, and yet you seem to feel you are an expert in the way this program operates. How the heck would you know if you won't even considered them?

Edited December 19, 2013 by SantaFeFan

[slidergirl]

One thing the ChoiceAir customer service person also told me applies here. The value of an unused non-refundable ChoiceAir ticket can be applied to another ticket within one year of the original issue date, minus the usual change fee of the issuing airline. The value of a cancelled refundable ChoiceAir ticket will be refunded minus the usual cancellation fees of the issuing airline.

 

If you don't want to believe me, call them at 1-800-533-7803. They are available 24/7 to provide you with the facts about these tickets. :)

 

Are you telling us that the CSA told you that the value of that ChoiceAir ticket can be applied to another airline ticket for a purpose other than to get you to/from another cruise? Like a land vacation? Like a trip to grandma's house?

Another canard…If it was a ticket purchased through the airline, the airline doesn't care how you are going to use that re-done ticket… If you can't book another cruise within that year, will you be out your ticket money (unless the particular insurance you bought will reimburse)?

Edited December 19, 2013 by slidergirl

[swsfrail]

Are you telling us that the CSA told you that the value of that ChoiceAir ticket can be applied to another airline ticket for a purpose other than to get you to/from another cruise? Like a land vacation? Like a trip to grandma's house?

Another canard…If it was a ticket purchased through the airline, the airline doesn't care how you are going to use that re-done ticket… If you can't book another cruise within that year, will you be out your ticket money (unless the particular insurance you bought will reimburse)?

 

I am officially through with slidergirl, greatam and shorex's attacks on anyone who doesn't think the way they do. You three need to learn that the world doesn't revolve around your opinions. Several people have repeatedly told you that these tickets are NOT consolidator tickets, but the same exact tickets that the airlines issue, and that ChoiceAir is acting just like a TA to secure those tickets for you, with the added benefit of providing assistance if problems come up with your travel plans. That you consistently refuse to acknowledge that some of us know what the hell we are talking about from experience, instead of your constant derision based only on your opinions, is in poor taste at best, and insulting at worst.

 

I don't need you three to tell me my daughter in law is a fool, or as slidergirl implied, "the lead TA for a crooked agency". I don't need you three to repeatedly imply that those of us who purchase ChoiceAir tickets are idiots.

 

You three should get together and buy each other a round of drinks to celebrate how you have lifted the level of stubbornness to a new height.

 

I have had enough of discussing this topic with closed minded people. Good bye.

[ducklite]

I am officially through with slidergirl, greatam and shorex's attacks on anyone who doesn't think the way they do. You three need to learn that the world doesn't revolve around your opinions. Several people have repeatedly told you that these tickets are NOT consolidator tickets, but the same exact tickets that the airlines issue, and that ChoiceAir is acting just like a TA to secure those tickets for you, with the added benefit of providing assistance if problems come up with your travel plans. That you consistently refuse to acknowledge that some of us know what the hell we are talking about from experience, instead of your constant derision based only on your opinions, is in poor taste at best, and insulting at worst.

 

 

 

I don't need you three to tell me my daughter in law is a fool, or as slidergirl implied, "the lead TA for a crooked agency". I don't need you three to repeatedly imply that those of us who purchase ChoiceAir tickets are idiots.

 

 

 

You three should get together and buy each other a round of drinks to celebrate how you have lifted the level of stubbornness to a new height.

 

 

 

I have had enough of discussing this topic with closed minded people. Good bye.

 

 

Experienced and savvy travelers will have a far more positive outcome if they book on their own as they know how to anticipate problems and how to proactively handle them rather than wait for the cruise line to scramble to find them seats. If I "own" my ticket I can be on the phone with the airline (or in some cases, online) and be rebooked before the cruise line is even informed of a delay. With very few empty seats these days, the early bird gets the worm--or last seat as the case may be.

 

Also for those who remain loyal to one carrier, booking through cruise air generally eliminates the opportunity for free upgrades, free bags, earning miles, and any number of other perks.

 

While it might give the once in a while traveler peace of mind (which may or may not be realized in the case of ir ops) the reality is that it is generally not the best option for many.

 

 

Autocorrect responsible for most typos...

[RickT]

Experienced and savvy travelers will have a far more positive outcome if they book on their own as they know how to anticipate problems and how to proactively handle them rather than wait for the cruise line to scramble to find them seats. If I "own" my ticket I can be on the phone with the airline (or in some cases, online) and be rebooked before the cruise line is even informed of a delay. With very few empty seats these days, the early bird gets the worm--or last seat as the case may be.

 

Also for those who remain loyal to one carrier, booking through cruise air generally eliminates the opportunity for free upgrades, free bags, earning miles, and any number of other perks.

 

While it might give the once in a while traveler peace of mind (which may or may not be realized in the case of ir ops) the reality is that it is generally not the best option for many.

 

 

Autocorrect responsible for most typos...

 

Using Choice Air I have had all the rights/privileges when booking an Air Canada flight as I would have if booked directly with Air Canada.

I have been able to select (and change) my seats.

I have been offered an upgrade (as a frequent AC flyer)

I have received my frequent flyer points

I have been able to deal with rerouting due to flight delays directly with Air Canada and Lufthansa without needing to get Choice Air involved. I have no idea if/how Choice Air would have helped because I didn't need to even get them involved.

 

The only thing I believe that I can't do by booking through Choice Air is to cancel the flight but that would be no different than if the flight was booked through a TA. Maybe not all cruiseline air is the same and maybe it's not even the same with other airlines but for me and Air Canada it was.

 

Maybe you don't deal with Choice Air but booking with them you can choose your Airline, specific flight and class of seat. In addition, my tickets booked on Air Canada with Choice Air have definitely not been consolidator tickets.

Edited December 19, 2013 by RickT