Tips for reasonable one way flight back from Rome to US for a TA cruise

[emeraldcity]

It's not the same world it was two years ago. I did what you did ... and shopped around for airfare bargains. And I got sucked in by the folks recommending TAP for my October 2020 Greek isles cruise on the Rhapsody, followed by the November 2020 TA on the Allure. So I booked Cleveland to Venice with them and got a great price ... about $650 as I recall. Leave Cleveland in the morning and land in Newark with a number of hours to kill until my overnight flight to Lisbon. Then a few hours to change planes and arrive in Venice late morning. So we booked a non-refundable hotel for three days before our cruise on the Rhapsody.

 

And then covid happened. And Europe shut down. I got a notice that my flight to Newark was a couple hours earlier in the morning. And then I got a notice that my flight to Venice was moving back TWO DAYS. I called about cancellation and the best they would offer was flight credit that had to be used up by one year from the date of booking (Feb 8, 2021). It was already pretty clear there wouldn't be much reasonable chance of travel to Europe by then. So I waited it out, hoping they would have to cancel and I could get a refund. Meanwhile the hotel voluntarily refunded me the full amount of the booking since travel to Europe was restricted. I hadn't expected them to and I deeply appreciate the gesture.

 

Another month  passes and I get another change ... TAP now plans to strand me in Lisbon another day ... meaning it's now questionable that I would have even made the ship if the original plans still been feasible. So I went back to TAP and argued that a three-day change should certainly qualify for a refund, particularly since the cruise was now cancelled due to covid and Americans still couldn't realistically expect to fly to Europe anyway. I got nowhere.

 

My travel friends booked with Air2Sea. They got no-hassle refunds.

 

I advise you to book Air2Sea and keep checking back. They will adjust the price lower if it drops before final payment. I know because I have three cruises I have booked the air with them in the coming months ... and I have already gotten one price drop and one change to a non-stop flight that recently became available. If you find a deal you think is worth the risk before final payment, you can always drop the air booking from your cruise arrangements.

 

Somebody needs to benefit from my $650 "bargain".

 

[emeraldcity]

5 hours ago, tottenhamfc said:

I just booked Air2sea and I am totally confused as to how this actually works. I see so much conflicting info that it becomes very confusing. This is the first time I have used them. I will give you my details.

booked Van to LAX on a refundable with fees. Presumably that means if I cancel. The fare direct with the airline was cheaper than the price from Air2sea because they book fares that are refundable. Presumably if the cruise is cancelled. Now I assume we pay at final payment date. What happens if the cruise is cancelled, is it an auto refund? What happens if the airline cancels the flight and they have to switch you to another? Are you price protected? I also see people

saying if the price drops you can cancel and rebook. Its all over the map. Maybe I am not understanding its intentions. Please give me more concise info to help my lack of understanding. Thanks.

Yes. If Royal Cancels your cruise, they will refund the total cost of the airfare. And if the price of the flight drops, or if you see a more attractive option with better flight times, they will make the changes for you, as long as it is prior to final payment. The only tough part is that the phone lines tend to be jammed. I've waited as much as an hour and a half before someone came on the line. I think I've memorized their marketing blurbs by now.

[tottenhamfc]

Emeraldcity thanks for that. Helps me a lot. I like to have my own control over resos but with this pandemic it is better to err on the side of caution.

[lovesthebeach2]

7 hours ago, emeraldcity said:

It's not the same world it was two years ago. I did what you did ... and shopped around for airfare bargains. And I got sucked in by the folks recommending TAP for my October 2020 Greek isles cruise on the Rhapsody, followed by the November 2020 TA on the Allure. So I booked Cleveland to Venice with them and got a great price ... about $650 as I recall. Leave Cleveland in the morning and land in Newark with a number of hours to kill until my overnight flight to Lisbon. Then a few hours to change planes and arrive in Venice late morning. So we booked a non-refundable hotel for three days before our cruise on the Rhapsody.

 

And then covid happened. And Europe shut down. I got a notice that my flight to Newark was a couple hours earlier in the morning. And then I got a notice that my flight to Venice was moving back TWO DAYS. I called about cancellation and the best they would offer was flight credit that had to be used up by one year from the date of booking (Feb 8, 2021). It was already pretty clear there wouldn't be much reasonable chance of travel to Europe by then. So I waited it out, hoping they would have to cancel and I could get a refund. Meanwhile the hotel voluntarily refunded me the full amount of the booking since travel to Europe was restricted. I hadn't expected them to and I deeply appreciate the gesture.

 

Another month  passes and I get another change ... TAP now plans to strand me in Lisbon another day ... meaning it's now questionable that I would have even made the ship if the original plans still been feasible. So I went back to TAP and argued that a three-day change should certainly qualify for a refund, particularly since the cruise was now cancelled due to covid and Americans still couldn't realistically expect to fly to Europe anyway. I got nowhere.

 

My travel friends booked with Air2Sea. They got no-hassle refunds.

 

I advise you to book Air2Sea and keep checking back. They will adjust the price lower if it drops before final payment. I know because I have three cruises I have booked the air with them in the coming months ... and I have already gotten one price drop and one change to a non-stop flight that recently became available. If you find a deal you think is worth the risk before final payment, you can always drop the air booking from your cruise arrangements.

 

Somebody needs to benefit from my $650 "bargain".

 

Sorry that happened and you had to learn that $650 lesson. I have always booked thru Air2sea for that reason. When our September 2020 Arctic TA was finally cancelled, we just waited it out knowing we would get our refund. We got the cruise fare and air2sea refund. 

[Biker19]

8 hours ago, emeraldcity said:

Yes. If Royal Cancels your cruise, they will refund the total cost of the airfare.

Some of this may depend on the airline and the type of fare booked - don't think it's a blanket refund for all.

[lovesthebeach2]

1 hour ago, Biker19 said:

Some of this may depend on the airline and the type of fare booked - don't think it's a blanket refund for all.

Or maybe I just got lucky due to Covid. The airline was Delta.

[emeraldcity]

2 hours ago, Biker19 said:

Some of this may depend on the airline and the type of fare booked - don't think it's a blanket refund for all.

As I recall, my friends who were refunded were booked on Norwegian Air.