Airfare inlcuded

[ChildofGod]

Last year my husband and I were fortunate enough to find a cruise where the airfare was included in the price. Does anyone know of any deals like this that are available at this time?

[Bruin Steve]

Beware the "Free Airfare" deal...

You know the old truism "There is no free lunch"?

Well, there really is no free air either...

 

That said, we are taking a cruise this summer with "Free Air"...

 

Oceania is advertising deals as "2 for 1, Free Air"...

Of course, it really isn't...You get what you pay for...and you pay for what you get...

"2 for 1" is based on the "brochure price"...which is actually exactly twice as high as they really expect to be charging people...

As to the "Free Airfare", when I booked, they offered me a "credit" of $1099 plus taxes per person if I chose to do my own air rather than use their "Free Air"...

 

So, my cruise fare of $7398 for one person, $0 for the second and Free Air really equates to a fare of $2600 per person plus $1099 per person for air...

 

Adding in taxes, airport and security fees et al, the $1099 airfare really comes out to $1373 per person...(Flights are LAX to Istanbul, Venice to LAX)...As a comparison, I priced the same route on Expedia and Travelocity for the same dates, and, throwing out the one lowball rate which would have necessitated at least two stops in each direction and a 20 hour layover at Heathrow on the way home, the best I could find was in the $1650+ per person range...

 

So, the "Free Air", though not exactly free, was still not a bad deal...

 

BUT...Don't ever think anyone is giving you something for free...They're not crazy...they're in business to make money...

[ChildofGod]

We were on the Mariner of the Seas in a large balcony room in Oct. of 2005. Per person, including airfare and transfers, we paid around $1,000. That was a 7 day cruise and as I said, that included the transfer from Orlando to Port Canaveral. I thought that was a GREAT deal!

[snowmouse]

How did you guys find these packages? Were these offers through RCI, a travel agent, or internet? I am looking for a Med trip for 6 people, summer '07 and would love to find an air inclusive.

[heartofamerica]

We were on the Mariner of the Seas in a large balcony room in Oct. of 2005. Per person, including airfare and transfers, we paid around $1,000. That was a 7 day cruise and as I said, that included the transfer from Orlando to Port Canaveral. I thought that was a GREAT deal!

We did a Thanksgiving cruise on the Serenade of the seas out of San Juan...airfare (from Kansas City) and cruise (E1 Cabin) was $1,260. Pricing airfare alone out of KC, I couldn't find anything less than $700. So I think I got a great deal.

[nurseone]

We're crusing out of San Juan and usually air from DFW to San Juan round trip runs about $750. Sometimes you can find deals of around $500-550 but not always. Royal Caribbean had an air special on our cruise and the air was only $399.00 - great price and good prices for the cruise also. We're really happy, Flights, room in San Juan one night, highest level oceanview room, all taxes etc. 11 day cruse 8 islands for just under $2,000 each. You just have to watch and when you see a good deal jump on it. We booked this one 15 months out.

[ChildofGod]

How did you guys find these packages? Were these offers through RCI, a travel agent, or internet? I am looking for a Med trip for 6 people, summer '07 and would love to find an air inclusive.

 

We found this on the RCL site. We booked it in July 2005 for the Sept. cruise. I guess RCL was trying to fill up the ship. I have found pretty good deals on the Mariner out of Port Canaveral. Check the RCL site and look at dates in Oct. I have been on several cruises that time of year and enjoyed good prices and great weather. I do check the sites alot and I guess we just got lucky or blessed as I like to think.