Airfares to Europe...OMG!!!

[sunsetbeachgal]

Just starts thinking about a cruise in Europe in May. Then checked the airfare...OMG! We cruised in Europe both in 2013 (roundtrip ticket was around $900 due to a Princess EZAir special) and last fall and our roundtrip ticket was $1,200. Both of these trips were into one city and home out of another. Just checked for air today for Southampton departures, and a simple roundtrip London ticket was over $1,700!

 

With the price of oil so low, I am shocked by this and we now don't plan to cruise in Europe this summer unless something gives.

 

Am I missing something?? I would also assume the cruise lines may have trouble filling the ships with the air fares this high.

Edited January 8, 2015 by sunsetbeachgal

[Go-Bucks!]

Have you ever considered flying Icelandair? I fly them to Europe everytime I go. They're always the cheapest, have great service, and you can stop and stay in Iceland for up to 7 days (at no extra cost) if you'd like. Iceland is a fantastic country! Their flights go out of several US cities and into many European cities. Check out icelandair.us.

 

I did a fake booking with dates in May and Economy was $1,013. Economy Comfort was $1,509 and Saga (business) class was $2,158. Economy Comfort is just like Economy (3-3) but they don't seat anyone in the middle seat. Saga class is a 2-2 configuration and the seats are like our domestic first class (not lie flat). We got a free upgrade to Saga a couple months ago and it was wonderful. All their planes are 757's.

[baggal]

Airfare is based on supply and demand not the price of fuel. Now that the value of the dollar is stronger against the euro and the GBP, its become more reasonable and affordable for Americans to travel in Europe than it has been in recent years. More demand for flights to Europe, and thus higher airfares.

[cruisequeen4ever]

I know; it's terrible! For us, the airfare would be higher than the cost of the cruise!! :eek: We may not cruise Europe this year as a result.

[Cedricandsophie]

Last year we cruised out of Venice in July. From Chicago the cheapest fare on Alitalia was 1300 a person times 7! This year we are taking family on a cruise through Norway flying in and out of Copenhagen in June. The fare for 7 of us is just over 1000. Unfortunately with the economy improving and more people flying there is no way airlines will decrease fares.

 

 

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[furb]

My in-laws ended up flying to New York, taking three back-to-back cruises on Cunard through Europe and Russia back to New York for less than the airfare it would have been to fly to London to start a single cruise there.

[Loonbeam]

Also, look how much of the fares are taxes and surcharges. Those are fixed costs...

[Shogun]

Hi All

 

Please please do not pay these high fares,

That way Princess ships will not be fully booked, and Princess will have to put their Europe cruises on sale, so we will get cheap cruises.:)

Yours Shogun

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[tjwa]

Yes I would agree with that.:)

[waltd]

I wish Princess and Cunard would coordinate their transatlantic cruises so you could do a spring cruise on Princess and do a return on Cunard. Lately nothing works.

[knippsel]

Also, look how much of the fares are taxes and surcharges. Those are fixed costs...

The "surcharges" are supposedly "fuel surcharges". If the airlines can negotiate some future fuel contracts at these current prices some might actually lower the fuel surcharges. Hoping, but not holding my breath.

[sunsetbeachgal]

Shogun,

 

I think you may get your wish!

 

Some good ideas presented, thank you. Also will keep my eye open for sales. I still think cabins will be more difficult to fill with these airfares, and all of the cruise lines including Princess seem to have quite a bit of capacity in Europe this summer.

 

It is a waiting game!

[DrivesLikeMario]

I feel your pain. :( We paid just over $5,000 for prem. economy when we booked last September for next August.

 

Just flying to FLL from So. Cal. is pricey enough. Europe is a real costly endeavor. With the Euro and GBP falling in value, you'd think air prices would too. They may - wait until late February and maybe things will be better.

[fishywood]

UK has some of the highest airport surcharges in the world.

A $500 difference between a multi-city round trip to the continent and a straight round-trip to LHR is merely average.

'Tis true when flying from any part of the world to Britain vs. the rest of Europe.

 

Personally, whenever I have cruised out of Southampton I have always budgeted a few days pre/post cruise in London. Cost of lodging and meals can make the airfare seem inconsequential. My advice is to fully price cruising out of Copenhagen, Barcelona or Venice at the same time and decide if the higher cost for cruising out of London is worth it to you. (To me, it always will be).

Edited January 8, 2015 by fishywood

[Loonbeam]

I did a test quote from PHL to FRA. $1400 ish, $700 of which was fares, $144 taxes, $430 airline charges and $130 fuel charges (I rounded). It's that $430 + $144 that won't go anywhere.

 

The "surcharges" are supposedly "fuel surcharges". If the airlines can negotiate some future fuel contracts at these current prices some might actually lower the fuel surcharges. Hoping, but not holding my breath.

[Jim Avery]

We also are skipping Europe due to insane airfares. 2 years ago we did R/T ATL/LHR in lay flat Biz on Delta for $1,800 per person.

[signora]

Try WOW Air: it's a new Icelandic co. I priced Boston-Rome, via Rekyavik (sp) and it was $800 RT pp! In July, no less. But it was a dummy booking--we're looking to go in 2016. Check it out.

[Maddle]

LHR is notorious for absurdly high airport taxes. Can you get to Southampton via another airport? Is Gatwick as expensive for you? Could you fly into Ireland, or Northern Ireland and take a ferry? (although those are not inexpensive either - still, it's an adventure.)

 

Maddle

[Iamcruzin]

Hi All

 

Please please do not pay these high fares,

That way Princess ships will not be fully booked, and Princess will have to put their Europe cruises on sale, so we will get cheap cruises.:)

Yours Shogun

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Or Maybe since they won't be filling the ships in Europe they can send a ship to New York so I can do a 9 or 10 day Caribbean cruise during the late Spring or Summer and not have to pay airfare at all.

[Cruise Junky]

Maybe look at different routing. I'm finding Vancouver to Paris for $1000 in May and London for $1200 Canadian

 

 

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[Colo Cruiser]

I am looking at about $2000 for our Emerald Med cruise in August, its ridiculous. :(

[Shogun]

Hi All

Southampton has a small airport, you could USA to Iceland to Scotland then into Southampton, or in Amsterdam then Southampton loads of big airports in Europe fly smaller planes into the south of England,

Go to Paris and take the train to Southampton

 

Or use another London airport like Luton

 

Yours Shogun

 

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[Merlinite]

we just paid $1,700+ to South America. Asia and the Pacific rim are mismo. don't even ask about down under... so it ain't just Europe :(

[nutensteve]

We paid $1735.00 per person last year to fly Alitalia from Los Angeles to Athens via Rome in Premium Economy. Expensive but it only had the one stop but I would never fly Alitalia again.

[generichandle]

W are flying Cincinnati to Amsterdam RTin April, and its prox $1,250/per. See

occasional 'deals', but this one give us flexibility with 3 more flights before

we run out of options should there be a problem. Our ship's 1st stop is in

Portugal 4 days later, so we need leeway. Still, doesn't seem too out of line

with expectations.

 

Doug