Europe Flights Sticker Shock

[ducklite]

We are coming home on 6/17 but my husband is always complaining that he is too warm.

 

It will be in the upper 50's at night, low 70's during the day. Open the window.

Edited September 2, 2014 by ducklite

[dancinman66]

Yes should not be too bad at all that time of year

 

 

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[klscaz]

It will be in the upper 50's at night, low 70's during the day. Open the window.

 

Ha! I would be just fine but he is like a furnace. I am constantly freezing--in the car, cruise ship cabin etc. just so he can be comfortable. You have no idea...

[kenish]

It would be nice to have a washer/dryer. I'm surprised by how many hotels and apts. do not have air conditioning.

 

The US is only 5% of the planet's population but consumes 25% of the world's energy. I'm not a bleeding-heart environmentalist by any stretch but travel makes it obvious how much energy we Americans consume on A/C, dryers, big SUV's, big screen TVs, etc. even compared to 1st world peers. "Rough it" with hundreds of millions of Europeans, that's why we travel, right??? I'm pointing a finger at myself too! :)

Edited September 2, 2014 by kenish

[TruckerDave]

The US is only 5% of the planet's population but consumes 25% of the world's energy. I'm not a bleeding-heart environmentalist by any stretch but travel makes it obvious how much energy we Americans consume on A/C, dryers, big SUV's, big screen TVs, etc. even compared to 1st world peers. "Rough it" with hundreds of millions of Europeans, that's why we travel, right??? I'm pointing a finger at myself too! :)

 

 

pffffffffffttttt My idea of "roughing it" is a Hampton inn instead of a Hilton. Give me my A/C and wifi.. :D (and i live in Houston where the blast furnace is still in full effect. :mad: )

Edited September 2, 2014 by TruckerDave

[Texas Tillie]

pffffffffffttttt My idea of "roughing it" is a Hampton inn instead of a Hilton. Give me my A/C and wifi.. :D (and i live in Houston where the blast furnace is still in full effect. :mad: )

 

+1, Dave!!!!! From a fellow Houstonian, just returned from London and a UK, Ireland cruise and stayed in a hotel in London WITH air conditioning and a cruise ship that's fully air conditioned. Some of these tree huggers need to spend a summer with us! :eek::D:p

[Amerryscot]

I'm surprised by how many hotels and apts. do not have air conditioning .

 

It wasn't invented 300 years ago.

[ducklite]

The US is only 5% of the planet's population but consumes 25% of the world's energy. I'm not a bleeding-heart environmentalist by any stretch but travel makes it obvious how much energy we Americans consume on A/C, dryers, big SUV's, big screen TVs, etc. even compared to 1st world peers. "Rough it" with hundreds of millions of Europeans, that's why we travel, right??? I'm pointing a finger at myself too! :)

 

Just a little note--a 60" LED TV uses less energy than a 27" tube style. That said, we still have mostly tube styles and are only replacing them as they die. Actually we've taken a few freebies from friends who replaced their working tubes with LED. The trade off to less power is more unnecessary stuff in landfills.

[ducklite]

Ha! I would be just fine but he is like a furnace. I am constantly freezing--in the car, cruise ship cabin etc. just so he can be comfortable. You have no idea...

 

You won't be in your flat during the day, you open the window at night and it's 58 degrees out--far cooler than any A/C would make it. If he wants it colder than that, book him on a freighter to Antarctica and enjoy your cruise in comfort.

[ducklite]

pffffffffffttttt My idea of "roughing it" is a Hampton inn instead of a Hilton. Give me my A/C and wifi.. :D (and i live in Houston where the blast furnace is still in full effect. :mad: )

 

Why would you use A/C when it's 58 degrees out?

[chefchick]

+1, Dave!!!!! From a fellow Houstonian, just returned from London and a UK, Ireland cruise and stayed in a hotel in London WITH air conditioning and a cruise ship that's fully air conditioned. Some of these tree huggers need to spend a summer with us! :eek::D:p

 

 

Wow, what happened to Southern hospitality? :rolleyes:

[Texas Tillie]

Wow, what happened to Southern hospitality? :rolleyes:

 

I added 3 emoticons. How many would it take for you to realize that it was a joke?

[Amerryscot]

+1, Dave!!!!! From a fellow Houstonian, just returned from London and a UK, Ireland cruise and stayed in a hotel in London WITH air conditioning and a cruise ship that's fully air conditioned. Some of these tree huggers need to spend a summer with us! :eek::D:p

 

Non-sequitur

 

Why should people living in a sensible place follow the practices of those living in an impractical place?

[Texas Tillie]

Non-sequitur

 

Why should people living in a sensible place follow the practices of those living in an impractical place?

 

Please see my post above yours. It was a joke. However, I do take exception to your statement that I live in an impractical place vs. your sensible place. At least the cost of living in my impractical place is only 50% of your sensible place. :eek::D:p

 

P.S. For those with no measurable sense of humor, please note the emoticons!

[Amerryscot]

Please see my post above yours. It was a joke. However, I do take exception to your statement that I live in an impractical place vs. your sensible place. At least the cost of living in my impractical place is only 50% of your sensible place. :eek::D:p

 

P.S. For those with no measurable sense of humor, please note the emoticons!

 

Cost of everything; value of nothing

 

Nothing could ever drive me to live in Hyoutston, not even the McMansions.

[chefchick]

I added 3 emoticons. How many would it take for you to realize that it was a joke?

 

Oh, so if I called you an "Ugly American" but followed it up with a dozen smiley faces then it's not an insult?

 

But what do I know, I'm just a humorless tree hugger :eek: :rolleyes:

[Texas Tillie]

Please, please, please, folks, this is a cruise forum. No need in being so sanctimonious if you feel that someone has stepped on your toes. Let it go!

 

P.S. Note, no emoticons as I'd quite serious about the above comment.

[TruckerDave]

Please, please, please, folks, this is a cruise forum. No need in being so sanctimonious if you feel that someone has stepped on your toes. Let it go!

 

P.S. Note, no emoticons as I'd quite serious about the above comment.

 

 

MANY people who post on this board lack a of sense of humor. Lighten up folks, it is ok to laugh once in a while....stop taking everything so serious. :rolleyes:

[chefchick]

Please, please, please, folks, this is a cruise forum. No need in being so sanctimonious if you feel that someone has stepped on your toes. Let it go!

 

P.S. Note, no emoticons as I'd quite serious about the above comment.

 

I totally agree with you that the inherent problem with a public message board is "intent" can be misinterpreted, but when someone merely suggests that as Americans our over consumption of energy could perhaps be curtailed on a European vacation ala "when in Rome" and they are then labeled a "tree hugger", it was obviously meant insultingly (emoticons or no emoticons) and in my opinion, was rude. I also don't consider it sanctimonious to call someone out on their behavior when it's warranted.

 

And if that's what constitutes a joke in Houston, then "bless your heart" as you might say, you just don't get it. Honestly, if you had just left those 2 words out, the whole context would have seemed more lighthearted (which was your apparent intent) and not like a drive by attack dressed up with smiley faces.

 

I wasn't trying to stir up a bee's nest. I thought that maybe you didn't realize how you sounded, but now I will "let it go".

[travelplus]

I'm going on a cruise from Athens that ends up in Rome. I just booked the tickets for my Father and I on LUfthansa via Expedia. We're paying $1300 all in with the best flight schedules. You need to weigh out the flight times as well. Sure we could have saved $50 per passenger and we would have arrived Athens at Midnight but we felt the extra $50 to get us in at 5 PM was worth it and best of all its on Lufthansa.

 

I hate to break it to you but flights today are $1500 for summer. You could try a Consolidator that we used to Brazil in April Air Values(http://www.airvalues.com).

 

They can save you money. If you see an airfare now for $1200-$1300 book it as they can change. For instance the same flights we chose now for the November Cruise jumped $200. So we got it just in the nick of time.

 

A lot of people say the airfares can drop and this is true some of the time but most of the time the fares will go up as the cheaper inventory drops. Also be aware that most airlines will charge you to pre-reserve your seats. We opted not to pay the $35 per passenger.

 

Lufthansa is better than the US Airlines in Coach as they offer Individual TV Monitors, Better Meals and a Full Bar of complimentary beverages. Their planes are clean and we can fly on the Airbus 380 from SFO.

 

We are fortunate to live 40 minutes from SFO and at SFO customs is a breeze compared to Atlanta or New York JFK. Other itineraries had connections via these cities and we avoid them like the plague especially as winter draws near you never know a November snow storm can close the airport down.

 

In my opinion its not worth cancelling an entire trip due to a $200 airfare. You can save by using Hotwire for your hotels.

 

Sometimes you can save money if you fly on one flight and your husband flies on another. Also see if you can leave from airports within a 30 mile range. Look for +- 3 Days on the search. Be sure to arrive at least the day before your cruise if not before. Tuesdays and Wednesdays and sometimes even Saturdays and Sundays are good days to fly depending on the season.

 

Play around with the various options. You may end up with a 12 hour layover in a place like Frankfurt use it to your advantage and tour the city. At Frankfurt Airport you can take a shower for $8 per person and then go into the city via the train and enjoy a nice lunch before heading back.

 

If money is your object then you pretty much don't have any say in therms of the flight schedule.

 

For us having the flight to Frankfurt going with one change of planes is better than going on three planes(which I have done before). Figure out a plan of action and keep actively searching. When you find the best fare then book it and don't look back.

 

Hope this helps. Please keep us posted on your findings.

[travelplus]

Again, the mindset of most Americans seems to be US, UA, Delta and AA. And those prices are generally higher than looking outside the box.

 

I can't remember which one or two of the Middle Eastern airlines were running a sale (I get a lot of emails from all the Middle Eastern airlines) but very recently there have been a couple of sales to/from both Munich and Milan to LAS for around $800. I'm sure the Munich email was Etihad and I know Emirates is now flying direct into Milan from JFK. Vegas is hurting and they have been offering a lot of very special deals to encourage Middle Easterners and Asians to come to Vegas. But you won't find those deals on US, UA, Delta or AA.

 

And of course the old budget standbys of Aer Lingus, Icelandair, Air Transat and Condor. And the new Norwegian Air is quoting prices through March of about $350 each way from LAX to FCO. Some of these airlines don't have their schedules completely open for a one ticket flight yet. And some you have to "piece" the individual segments together.

 

But I know for a fact you can book Aer Lingus from JFK to Dublin right now for May, then book separate tickets on Aer Lingus from Dublin to Rome, call the airline and have them put the two pieces together as one flight. Just the way their website works-has nothing to do with the flights.

 

Just have to look outside the box. As Ducklite posted, getting a fully furnished flat instead of a hotel room is a way to beat the high prices in London. Out of the box thinking will save you a lot of money.

eat

 

Exactly Greatam I have found flights on the European carriers for the same or a tad bit more than US,Delta, American etc. I prefer flying on the European airlines such as Lufthansa or Air France that offers more in Economy Class. I love connecting via Frankfurt or Munich on Lufthansa as opposed to JFK or Washington DC.

 

When the fare is so close between the US and European carriers I'll pick the European carrier and earn miles with the US carrier. I'm very careful to see that the Lufthansa flight is not operated by United. I also make sure there is enough connecting time between my flights.

 

For instance you could fly on Air India from New York-Paris or EL AL from JFK-LHR. You really do have to think out of the box to find the best deal.

[LEtue]

It has been awhile since we have had to purchase tickets for Europe.

 

We are looking to leave LAS (Las Vegas) on 5/15/15 for FCO (Rome) and return on 5/29/2015.

 

The best price with decent connections is about $1,450. YIKES!! Is this normal or should the rate go down a bit if we wait until Nov or so to purchases?

 

We were only expecting to pay about $1,200 each.

 

We may have to scrap this cruise if the air prices stay this high and just do Alask next Jun or Jul instead.

 

Don't know if you're still shopping for airfare but I can tell you that RT in and out of Milan and using the train to Rome can be a lot less. Just checked your dates and it is about $1200 RT. If you monitor the fares you may catch a sale for even a bit less.

 

My friend in TX and I are headed to Rome next month and we both caught fare sales on American - at different times. My fare from Tampa to Rome with one stop in Phily came in at $848 and hers from Austin was $936. We were prepared to go through Milan though - just to add to the adventure :) Airfare from NY to Milan is usually low too if you can combine it with a RT from LAS. Look at all of your options including driving to LA?

 

R/T from LAX to Rome is $873 on Nowegian Air but I don't know anything about them :confused: There is a stop in Copenhagen going and Stockholm coming back that would give you an overnight in each and maybe some time to see some of the city?

 

Good luck finding something that works for you!

[b_cruise]

Travel plus,

 

Are you not a bit hesitant to book long flights with connections via Expedia? I used to book through Expedia and Orbitz, and after reading some people having very difficult experiences( never happened to me), I am too worried to go through a third party booking site.

[roothy123]

Travel plus,

 

Are you not a bit hesitant to book long flights with connections via Expedia? I used to book through Expedia and Orbitz, and after reading some people having very difficult experiences( never happened to me), I am too worried to go through a third party booking site.

 

I'm curious about this: What, and how often, have you read that people are having difficult experiences with third party booking sites? I have found good flights on Kayak, but you're kind of scaring me a little!

[zoncom]

Agree with Travelplus. I always get best pricing from Lufthansa. They go everywhere on time with best economy seats and service. Never use domestic lines. Have you checked with O? They can get most all lines.Usually at savings.