Flights from the Uk to the US

[Thascales]

Hi 

we are looking at doing a fly cruise to the Us from the Uk probably with NCL or Royal Caribbean. 

Anyone any experience of flying to New York, Vancouver or Anchorage from the Uk? 

Which carriers are used, transfers, connecting flights etc. Any info would be helpful as we had a very negative experience  flying from London to New York last year and don’t want to repeat it. 

[Globaliser]

1 hour ago, Thascales said:

Anyone any experience of flying to New York, Vancouver or Anchorage from the Uk? 

Which carriers are used, transfers, connecting flights etc. Any info would be helpful as we had a very negative experience  flying from London to New York last year and don’t want to repeat it.

 

I've flown from the UK to New York a couple of dozen times. Each time, I've picked the airline that was right for me in the relevant circumstances, from cheapie charter to Concorde. I even once flew Laker, but that was only in the opposite direction. And for a short flight like New York, there would have to be some outstandingly good reason to choose a connecting itinerary, given the extra time, hassle and risk that involves.

 

If you don't want to repeat a bad experience, then perhaps you could tell us what you chose, what happened, and what was wrong with it. Some bad experiences can be avoided by careful choice and management, and some (probably most) bad experiences are just bad luck.

 

If what you really mean is what airline will the cruise line put you on, then unless you are given a choice then the answer is usually "the cheapest". And that means the cheapest that the cruise line can negotiate with the airline for its block booking, not the airline that would be cheapest for you if you were to pick your own flights.

[Thascales]

Thanks. The issue with BA economy was the size of seats and poor service. I wouldn’t fly long haul with them again so wondered what alternatives might be available. 

[Globaliser]

50 minutes ago, Thascales said:

The issue with BA economy was the size of seats and poor service.

 

Were you in a 787 (which, on BA, would have been to Newark)? That's one of the few aircraft in which the size of seats in economy is a real problem. As an illustration of what I mentioned, if that was the problem then you have your answer: don't fly economy in a 787.

 

Across other aircraft types on all airlines, the differences in economy seat size tend to be rather more marginal. A more generic solution might be premium economy, which can sometimes be as cheap as chips to New York.

[Zach1213]

5 hours ago, Thascales said:

Thanks. The issue with BA economy was the size of seats and poor service. I wouldn’t fly long haul with them again so wondered what alternatives might be available. 

 

As mentioned above me, do keep an eye on the type of aircraft in relation to what you flew. BA generally fly the 747-400 between JFK and LHR, and I haven't found those to be too bad in economy...or at least, any worse than anyone else. The 787s are, generally, not very comfortable in economy across the board on all airlines (though of course there are exceptions). Airline can vary drastically between the aircraft in their fleet, and even sometimes within the same aircraft type (which is nothing short of frustrating).

[CruisingAlong4Now]

To the OP:  NYC to London (about 7 hrs) is usually considered a short flight for frequent international/intercontinental flyers.

 

Also, you mentioned flying to Anchorage & Vancouver for your cruise. Do you need to fly to NYC for a reason other than your cruise?  

Edited April 26, 2019 by CruisingAlong4Now

[Gardyloo]

I've flown to all three destinations from/to London, numerous times each, although the Anchorage flights were long ago when British Airways stopped in Anchorage on its way to Asia (as did many European and Asian airlines due to flight restrictions over the old USSR.)  Nobody flies nonstop from the UK to ANC at present, although there are some summer nonstops from other places in Europe including Germany and Iceland.  If you want to fly to Anchorage from the UK, you have numerous choices for where to change planes, including Newark, Atlanta, Chicago, Minneapolis, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle as well as Vancouver. 

 

There are four carriers serving Vancouver with nonstop service to/from London, Air Canada and British Airways from Heathrow, and Air Transat and Westjet from Gatwick (both ostensibly "budget airlines" but the savings might or might not be significant.)  And of course there are five or six airlines that fly nonstop between New York (including Newark) and London daily.   

 

In general, economy seating space is going to be fairly consistent among the major airlines.  It's also worth noting that it's almost as far from New York to Anchorage as it is from London to New York (and farther if you change planes in Atlanta) so if you're stopping on the east coast en route to/from Alaska, just be prepared for even tighter seating and (probably) a lower standard of in-flight service for the domestic flights across North America than you'll have on the transatlantic segments. 

 

The type of plane does indeed matter; while 787s have been configured with pretty tight economy seating by many airlines (it's not the manufacturer who sets up the seating plan, it's the airline when they order the planes) one benefit of the 787s is that their construction technology allows for higher air pressure in the cabin, which reduces fatigue and dryness on long flights.  

 

BA now use Airbus 380s on their Vancouver flights, and in fact BA are retiring their 747s, so by the time you sail you might or might not be on a 747; as far as I know BA are the last airline to use them on London-NYC.

 

One other thing on transatlantic flights - they're a lot longer westbound than eastbound, due to prevailing winds.  From the UK to the west coast of North America, flight times are often an hour longer (sometimes more) than the return portion.  Most eastbound flights from North America to Europe occur overnight, which is a good thing or a bad thing depending on how well you "sleep" sitting up.  Obviously going with premium economy or business class is preferable, and it's also worth noting that the peak summer cruise season tends to be when business class seats over the Atlantic are at their cheapest, while economy prices are at their highest, due to a falloff in actual business travel.  Ironic, but that's the airline business for you.  Figuring out airfares is beyond the ken of anybody who didn't graduate from Hogwarts.

 

You might look here for business-class deals during the summer - https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/premium-fare-deals-740/ .  You might find something tasty.

[Thascales]

Thanks - that’s really helpful. Very much appreciated! 

On another note, is Anchorage worth a two night visit?

[wowzz]

In reality,  all economy seats are pretty much the same. If you want more space, either book an emergency exit row,  or travel in Premium Economy. Both will cost more, especially PE, but at least you will be guaranteed more space. And for the shortish hop to New York, exit rows might be sufficient.

Although I can understand you not wanting to fly BA again, one bad experience should not deter you from using them again. One if the advantages of using BA, or VS is that you get the security of EU compensation if your flight is delayed, plus, in BA's case, plenty of spare 'metal'should your scheduled aircraft go technical.

As I am sure you are aware, be sure to plan to arrive at least 24 hours before your cruise starts.

Edited April 26, 2019 by wowzz

[Zach1213]

48 minutes ago, Thascales said:

Thanks - that’s really helpful. Very much appreciated! 

On another note, is Anchorage worth a two night visit?

 

Meh...you'll find stuff to do, but if you're doing more around Alaska, that's where your enjoyment is really going to come from. Anchorage is largely just a city that happens to be in Alaska.

[fbgd]

If you flew BA economy in anything but a 787 then that's bog standard. You'll have to upgrade to premium economy or an extra legroom type product such as United Economy Plus or American Main Cabin Extra for a small supplement.

 

Anchorage isn't particularly exciting. I used it as a base when I visited Alaska (not a cruise) and stayed there the night I arrived and at the end of the trip. Other than that you don't have to travel too far to find much more interesting things in AK. I rented a car to drive south to Seward and north to Denali NP. Driving in Alaska is very easy.

[Gardyloo]

2 hours ago, Thascales said:

Thanks - that’s really helpful. Very much appreciated! 

On another note, is Anchorage worth a two night visit?

Absolutely, particularly if you're coming straight from the UK (via whatever transfer point) as a 9-hour time change and near-24 hour daylight (depending on the month) can mess up your internal clocks big time.

 

If you're cruising south on NCL or RCL, you'll be sailing from Seward, around 100 miles south/east of Anchorage (served by road and rail.)  Kenai Fjords National Park is accessed by tour boats from Seward, and you'll see more wildlife and spectacular tidewater glacier scenery in a day excursion than you'll probably see on the whole cruise, so arriving in Seward a day ahead of your cruise departure is a very good idea.

 

There are interesting places to visit in Anchorage itself, such as the Alaska Native Heritage Center, or with a hire car you can visit some terrific nearby destinations as day trips.  Google Independence Mine, Eklutna cemetery, Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, and Alyeska aerial tram, to mention a few.

 

Look at the West Coast Departures and Alaska (Ports of Call) boards for lots more information and discussion.

Edited April 26, 2019 by Gardyloo

[Alaskanb]

Icelandair also flies to Anchorage and offer no-charge stopovers if you would enjoy a little time in Iceland. 

Where in the UK do you want to fly from -- we typically use Manchester as it is closest to family.