NCL Air - good or bad idea?

[zitsky]

I have done one NCL cruise and am considering another.  NCL is offering $99 air packages.  I normally make my own air arragements and/or work with a TA.  If using NCL, do they pretty much tell you what you get even if it is inconvenient (leave early in the morning, or have 2 or more stops).  Do you have any input into what flights they book for you?

[zqvol]

10 minutes ago, zitsky said:

I have done one NCL cruise and am considering another.  NCL is offering $99 air packages.  I normally make my own air arragements and/or work with a TA.  If using NCL, do they pretty much tell you what you get even if it is inconvenient (leave early in the morning, or have 2 or more stops).  Do you have any input into what flights they book for you?

 

You pretty much get what they give you unless you pay a deviation fee. You can probably do just a s well flying out of RDU by booking on your own.

[Nola26]

NCL has full control over when and which carriers. That said NCL states they work to limit trips to one connection. 

 

For us price was key, $399rt Newark to Barcelona.  We don't have our flight details yet as we are 63 days out. Based on what they've indicated for our routing we won't be on one of my preferred Airlines, but still with a big 3 US carrier with a single connection. 

[Gpeeps]

I just called NCL about this very thing.  They said you can have preferences such as flying in the day before departure for a deviation fee of $25/person. Flights are booked typically 30-60 days out, can be any carrier, any time of day.  We may try it this time and see how it goes, seems like a good deal for us, and we are fortunate to be flexible for this particular trip.

[Nola26]

1 hour ago, Nola26 said:

NCL has full control over when and which carriers. That said NCL states they work to limit trips to one connection. 

 

For us price was key, $399rt Newark to Barcelona.  We don't have our flight details yet as we are 63 days out. Based on what they've indicated for our routing we won't be on one of my preferred Airlines, but still with a big 3 US carrier with a single connection. 

I forgot to add we are departing a day early so we have paid the $25pp deviation fee. I booked our hotel and intend to use a taxi to our hotel and then to the ship the next day. We will fly home at the end of the cruise and will use the NCL arranged transfer directly to the airport, $25pp. 

Edited June 30, 2019 by Nola26

[farjar]

2 hours ago, zitsky said:

I have done one NCL cruise and am considering another.  NCL is offering $99 air packages.  I normally make my own air arragements and/or work with a TA.  If using NCL, do they pretty much tell you what you get even if it is inconvenient (leave early in the morning, or have 2 or more stops).  Do you have any input into what flights they book for you?

We are using a $99pp NCL air package on our up coming Alaska cruise.  Our original flight to Vancouver is a perfect non-stop flight on Air Canada.  Our original return from Anchorage was a 14 hour, overnight, 2 layover nightmare.  After calling the air travel department our return trip is now on a perfect 7 hour, one connection flight on Alaska Air.  We are very pleased with the FINAL itinerary.

Edited June 30, 2019 by farjar
more clarity

[pkittyqueen]

We're using the service when we go on the Joy out of Vancouver in October. We paid $149 for what would've been an almost $600 dollar round trip flight. We just got our flight details today and we are still 98 days out. Flying from Reno to Seattle, Seattle to Vancouver on Alaska Airlines. From what we've heard, Alaska Airlines is a highly rated airline. Plus, since we're flying through Norwegian, the ship won't leave without you should anything go wrong. We're flying in a day early to explore Vancouver a little. 

[Budget Queen]

59 minutes ago, pkittyqueen said:

. Plus, since we're flying through Norwegian, the ship won't leave without you should anything go wrong. We're flying in a day early to explore Vancouver a little. 

With you flying in the day prior,  you built your own cushion in.   BUT,  you are very mistaken,   the ship most certainly WILL leave without you.   

[pkittyqueen]

4 minutes ago, Budget Queen said:

With you flying in the day prior,  you built your own cushion in.   BUT,  you are very mistaken,   the ship most certainly WILL leave without you.   

Not necessarily. I've seen people flying in the day prior and their connecting flight gets canceled. Anything can happen to anyone at anytime. 

[newmexicoNita]

We are happy so far with the free or reduced air. As I have posted a few times on another thread, we do not have our exact flights yet (still over 3 months out) but do know where we are connecting so can pretty well figure it out. We have an early morning but not too early morning flight with one connection, which we expected. No, we have no choice unless we choose to go a day earlier which, for the first time in years we are not going to do this. For what we are paying we can't complain.  

[Jasonmom]

Like some of the others I can't comment as to how things turned out because our trip isn't till 9/29/19.   What I can comment on is that the price is great.  We were trying to book on the cheep thus looking at inside rooms.  We ended up upgrading to balcony to get the offers of reduced air and 3rd person free (we also got the other perks included in this last offer).  We ended up only paying $91 more for the room and it now includes free air for 1st two passengers and 3rd passenger is only $199.

 

So $91 and that includes airfare (plus offered perks).

 

I would highly recommend people looking to book on cheep look at upgrading to get perks such as 3 passanger is free in room and free / reduced air.

 

Remember the fare they quote does not include luggage fees.