NCL Preferred Airlines

[BoozinCroozin]

We booked the BOGO airfare deal for our cruise. Now the big unknown of which airline and flight times. Just curious if NCL has preferred carriers or it is just a crap shoot out there for best fares.

[hallux]

I believe they use United, Delta and American for domestic US routes.  

[Hadacareer]

Also klm

[BoozinCroozin]

I have looked at available flights from my airport and the prices. Making the assumption the return flight needs to be noon or later, I would have to pay over $700 each. The lowest fares going down are flights at 5AM. I would love to be on one of those. Gives us the early afternoon to rest and then explore NOLA in the early to late evening.

 

I should have also stated that this is for domestic US flights into NOLA.

Edited September 3, 2021 by BoozinCroozin

[Seanair]

My experience last month doing the airfare was that we all ended up with middle seats all in different rows.  Your mileage may very in getting seats moved around.  Easier to do if you don't mind paying an up-charge to pick your seat, otherwise its hit or miss if you can find alternative seats when things open up a week before your flight.  We were on American. (Boston-FLL)

[aubreyc1988]

My American flight was marked as flexible fare and I was able to choose any of the "included" seats. So I believe it was main cabin ticket, not that basic lowest fare from American. 

[Fun4Us2013]

NCL originally booked us with straight thru flights to Rome. Then it was changed to BA flying thru Heathrow.  We had to pay a lot on line to get seats together. Otherwise BA says you have to wait till 24 hours  before flight time to pick seats (for free). Disnt want to take a chance on having to sit in the middle by myself for 8 hours. Also its almost impossible to get thru to BA as they tell you everyone's busy and just call back.  Click. 

[Shellbelle28]

I recently received notice of the flights NCL put us on for my upcoming cruise and I was pleasantly surprised (and relieved!).

The travel is SEA to LAX and we are on United with non-stop flights. I thought the return flight they gave us departed a little late in the day so I had a look at the United schedule and saw that NCL booked us on the only non-stop flights for the day, so I was actually happy for that. 

I was also able to use the reservation number provided by NCL to add the trip to my own United mileage account, use our mileage status to go up a category and choose our seats, as well as see options for purchasing further upgrades. 

[dogdoc2002]

We're considering a cruise for next year on NCL. Do you know if you can request to fly in a day early? We'd be coming from the upper midwest in November/ December, so we always worry about weather cancelations that time of year

[hallux]

6 minutes ago, dogdoc2002 said:

Do you know if you can request to fly in a day early?

Yes, and this is detailed in the terms of the promotion...

[dogdoc2002]

53 minutes ago, hallux said:

Yes, and this is detailed in the terms of the promotion...

I don't see it when I look, and have five back twice. Even when I click for me info, all it says is second guest flies free. When I do a mock booking, it doesn't give me an option of departure date. Maybe it's because I'm on a mobile device, maybe I'm just looking in the wrong spot. But not there when I click for more info on the promo

[victory2020]

23 hours ago, Fun4Us2013 said:

NCL originally booked us with straight thru flights to Rome. Then it was changed to BA flying thru Heathrow.  We had to pay a lot on line to get seats together. Otherwise BA says you have to wait till 24 hours  before flight time to pick seats (for free). Disnt want to take a chance on having to sit in the middle by myself for 8 hours. Also its almost impossible to get thru to BA as they tell you everyone's busy and just call back.  Click. 

Same here. Originally direct to Rome(Alitalia was the only option) then it changed to go through Dallas on AA. It's because Alitalia no longer has a direct flight from LAX. Coming back it's BA through London.  I was able to book my seat on BA coming back for free, I believe I had to call NCL to do it.

[julig22]

3 hours ago, dogdoc2002 said:

I don't see it when I look, and have five back twice. Even when I click for me info, all it says is second guest flies free. When I do a mock booking, it doesn't give me an option of departure date. Maybe it's because I'm on a mobile device, maybe I'm just looking in the wrong spot. But not there when I click for more info on the promo

 

Air service standards

https://www.ncl.com/air-service-standards

"Guests can deviate their travel dates by arriving up to two days prior to embarkation and up to two days after disembarkation with or without a hotel package purchased through Norwegian Cruise Line."

Promo T&C:

https://www.ncl.com/termsandconditions/promotions

"Deviation requests up to 2 days pre/post cruise will be credited $25 USD per person per deviation for guests 1 and 3-8 on the reservation. No other deviation requests will be permitted."

 

You would have to call NCL or your TA/PCC to arrange for the deviation, once the cruise is booked.

 

[MrsTocko]

Call NCL and ask for a Deviation.  You can deviate up to 2 days before or after your cruise.  It is around $25 per person each deviation (used to be fee, but i think it is now a credit - I have no clue) - so if you deviate before and after it is $50 per person.  Any transfers that were automatically added when you use NCL for airfare, will be removed (of course always double check your reservation)

 

I have 2 airfares currently booked with NCL:

4/22/22 - One Way from Vancouver to San Diego (we board in San Diego, our home port) - currently the "route" is showing on reservation, but not the flights  - still too early - 

 

6/30 - Round trip to Europe - not making any changes to that one with a 10ft pole - when we booked we got the air for $300 each - no way I can get it cheaper anywhere than that, and paying to upgrade my seats will be worth it at that price.  I deviated on this one to LAND in London on 7/1 - knowing it will take about 24 hours (time difference+flight time) to get there - I am figuring that we will fly on 6/30.  we are returning 2 days after end of cruise.

[torringtonwyo]

we are booked on the ncl epic nov 20 transa cruise rome to ny our flights still unclear leave the 19 denver i think through Canada over night arrive rome 11/20 anyone same

[hallux]

Thanks for posting that @julig22  I've Googled those terms so much to post here that they're in my recent search history and the first suggestion when I start typing 'NCL'

 

It should also be noted that you have a restriction as to when you can request the deviation - you can't request it with less than 75 days until the cruise departs.

[brad0576]

10 hours ago, dogdoc2002 said:

We're considering a cruise for next year on NCL. Do you know if you can request to fly in a day early? We'd be coming from the upper midwest in November/ December, so we always worry about weather cancelations that time of year

You can choose to go up to 2 days early and up to 2 days later than the cruise.....

[dogdoc2002]

10 hours ago, julig22 said:

 

Air service standards

https://www.ncl.com/air-service-standards

"Guests can deviate their travel dates by arriving up to two days prior to embarkation and up to two days after disembarkation with or without a hotel package purchased through Norwegian Cruise Line."

Promo T&C:

https://www.ncl.com/termsandconditions/promotions

"Deviation requests up to 2 days pre/post cruise will be credited $25 USD per person per deviation for guests 1 and 3-8 on the reservation. No other deviation requests will be permitted."

 

You would have to call NCL or your TA/PCC to arrange for the deviation, once the cruise is booked.

 

Thank you so much! 

[BoozinCroozin]

When we just booked, we deviated one day at the beginning. Because you don't get flight choices, we could not fly in on a Fri. Wife and daughter have school. I looked at AA and Delta which fly from my airport to NOLA. They have a ton of very early morning flights. The others get in later than I would hope, but I would take whatever they give us. We now have to wait to book a hotel until we know flight times. I don't want to pay $250 just to get in at 11PM when I can get a hotel by the airport for $100.

[Hadacareer]

Just got this from KLM. 

 

Sorry, all flight segments for this booking are cancelled.

 

Looks like NCL has switched us to AA - Orlando to Rome (through Atlanta) now at 90 days from sailing..

[jtdlmc]

On 9/4/2021 at 8:05 AM, dogdoc2002 said:

We're considering a cruise for next year on NCL. Do you know if you can request to fly in a day early? We'd be coming from the upper midwest in November/ December, so we always worry about weather cancelations that time of year

As others have said, you can request a deviation of up to 2 days on either end.  You get a $25 credit for doing so.  Because the 2nd person is flying free on this promotion you only receive the credit for one person.  If you deviate on both ends of the cruise you will see a credit of $25 for each end ($50).  Many of the NCL agents are not aware of this and tell you you have to pay an extra $25 so if that’s the answer you get, keep calling back or ask for a supervisor.  

[Fun4Us2013]

On 9/4/2021 at 10:45 AM, victory2020 said:

Same here. Originally direct to Rome(Alitalia was the only option) then it changed to go through Dallas on AA. It's because Alitalia no longer has a direct flight from LAX. Coming back it's BA through London.  I was able to book my seat on BA coming back for free, I believe I had to call NCL to do it.

We called too but NCL said we were on our own. Called AA and was told have to call BA. they charged us for seats . You are lucky