EZ Air when you have back to back cruises

[jajsmom]

I've been checking airfare prices using EZ air using a round trip starting before the first cruise and returning the day of the last cruise.  When I log in and actually book these tickets, it only allows me to do one way tickets.  That ends up costing me over $2000 more than booking a round trip.  Is there any way to book as a round trip through EZ air when I have back to back cruises booked?  Thanks.

[Arizona Wildcat]

3 minutes ago, jajsmom said:

I've been checking airfare prices using EZ air using a round trip starting before the first cruise and returning the day of the last cruise.  When I log in and actually book these tickets, it only allows me to do one way tickets.  That ends up costing me over $2000 more than booking a round trip.  Is there any way to book as a round trip through EZ air when I have back to back cruises booked?  Thanks.

Call them.

[jajsmom]

Will do that after the holidays.  Just wondering if I was missing something online.  Thanks.

[iamaqt2]

Why even bother with EZ Air?  Book direct and control your booking if something goes wrong.  Recent reports are EZ Air is NOT backing their guarantee.

[donswife]

How long is each leg, and do they start and end in the same port? Do they have different booking numbers?

You should be able to change  the date in the search boxes, to either extend the first trip or arrive early for the second trip to get the days you want. I've never tried it for a b2b, but I've arrived early for a cruise. 

[caribill]

If your B2B is booked as two cruises, then on the first segment you would normally book flights to the ship and on the segment segment book flights to return home. If under a single booking number, then your would book both to and from the ship.

 

Normally it should not make a difference in pricing if only booking one direction in each booking as the prices listed are what Princess has negotiated whether one way or round trip. I am surprised you are seeing different pricing for the same flight when looking one way or as part of round trip.

 

But as someone above suggested, you can book a return on the first segment later than disembarkation day and make it the date you want to return home from the second segment. No need to call Princess to do that.

 

Pricing for International flights are usually significantly lower than if you booked directly with the airline. Prices for domestic flights usually are about the same as booking directly with the airline.

 

A major benefit of using Princess Air is that if your plans change earlier than 45 days before the first flight, you can change or cancel the flights at no charge if you booked the flex fare. Can't do that with the airline unless you are buying first class or business class tickets. And if Princess cancels the cruise after you have paid for the flights, booking with Princess Air gets you a complete airfare refund.

 

Another benefit is if Princess is late in getting to port (hours or days), Princess will arrange new flights home for you if you have used Princess Air. Otherwise, you are on your own.

 

[pmCruiser]

I encountered this exact problem about 2 years ago.  And, after many frustrating emails and conversations with Customer Relations where I referred to this as the Back-to-Back Penalty, I finally got a representative that would work with me and give me the (lower) round-trip price.  But, as I said, it was a time-consuming and frustrating process with no guaranteed result.

[jagoffee]

8 hours ago, jajsmom said:

Will do that after the holidays.  Just wondering if I was missing something online.  Thanks.

When are your cruises?  If you wanted to book RT on a B2B, you will need to wait until the return flights for your second cruise are available.  

 

I have also noticed at times that you do not get the best pricing if you book as soon as flights are initially available.

 

did you confirm that two one ways cost more than a RT by trying other dates?  .  

[justafem]

What I've done is adjust the start or end date of flying in.  

 

I have a similar B2B in April.  Start date is April 11, end is April 23.  If I book them as one way flights it's 2x the round trip.  So I go into the April 16 cruise and adjust the fly in date to April 11.  Then I get the round trip price.  Simple as that. 

[Steelers36]

9 hours ago, jajsmom said:

I've been checking airfare prices using EZ air using a round trip starting before the first cruise and returning the day of the last cruise.  When I log in and actually book these tickets, it only allows me to do one way tickets.  That ends up costing me over $2000 more than booking a round trip.  Is there any way to book as a round trip through EZ air when I have back to back cruises booked?  Thanks.

Hi.  You didn't say where flying from/to, so it is difficult to see where the issue might be.  For domestic travel, the pricing shouldn't make any significant difference.  Even for international, it might be fine since with EZ-Air we don't pay the huge penalty for booking 1-way that the airlines whack you with (they pretty much charge a round trip price for a 1-way flight). 

 

I agree with all the good points on advantages of EZ-Air that @caribill mentioned above in Post #6.  If your total voyage is not too long, you may be able to book a round trip by extending departure date on voyage 1 or flying in real early relative to voyage 2.

 

I also don't know if you are trying to fly the same airline both ways.  I was not overly concerned with which airline(s) we flew to/from Europe this Fall.  Our trip was much too long to book a round trip flight from either end of the total trip.  I just wanted to be sure I was booking a decent business class section and reasonable travel route/time.

 

I found it a huge advantage to be able to book separate one-ways.  I could monitor prices and change or re-book flights independently when price dropped.  Prices did not necessarily move in tandem for outbound and return (also > six weeks apart). 

 

In the end, we ended up on different airline than the initial bookings - just one airline change.  I made SEVERAL re-bookings using self-serve EZ-Air in the Cruise Personalizer.  In the end, we had the lowest possible business class fare for the dates we were flying in/out. 

 

I wouldn't worry too much about what may appear to be high price right now - not knowing your route - as things can and do change.  But perhaps you can book a round trip ticket by using suggestions provided.  I would still monitor flight options between now and 60 days out and see if there is a better deal. 

 

PS - Our flights ran smoothly and we had a single connection each way to/from Europe.  I suppose I should stay out of casinos, because both airlines substituted inferior equipment for the overseas leg (going and coming back), such that we got their older business class section instead of the spanking new one that should have been.  It was like a fluke change for that one day out of the schedule.  What are the chances I ask???  Anyway, any seat in business for overseas beats coach.

 

[gottagocit]

Here’s a lesson we learned the hard way in 2019 that you should be aware of. 
 

When you book a r/t under the first voyage the insurance coverage for cancellation and interruption as it relates to recovering airfare cost will apply ONLY for the first voyage. What I mean is that if on your second voyage you have say a death in the family back home and have to disembark and return home early, then your return flight cost you have paid will not be reimbursed. However if the return flight is attached to the second voyage the cost is recoverable in that case.
 

This also affects the total payout cap for any type of cost recovery for any claim as the recovery limit is established by the total cost of that voyage and it’s associate flights with easy air.  

This may not ever happen to you or to us again for that matter but it is something you should know when booking. 

I think you will Princess’ contracts with airlines prevent them from applying a large penalty for two one way flights vs a r/t. The cost may not a little more but should be fairly close. 

 

[DallasGuy75219]

16 hours ago, donswife said:

How long is each leg, and do they start and end in the same port? Do they have different booking numbers?

You should be able to change  the date in the search boxes, to either extend the first trip or arrive early for the second trip to get the days you want. I've never tried it for a b2b, but I've arrived early for a cruise. 

As I recall from my Mediterranean B2B this summer, the outbound flight for the first leg and the inbound flight for the second leg were both grayed out because the bookings were linked as a B2B, so I was forced into separate bookings unless (presumably) I called EZAir.  But I got a pretty good deal, and the inbound and outbound flights were on different airlines, so I wasn't too concerned about getting a lower round-trip price.

[jagoffee]

Jajsmom, which two cruises are involved?

[jajsmom]

Wow, thanks for all of these thoughts.  We are doing a BTB in Australia next year, both round trip out of Sydney.  As DallasGuy75219 mentioned, our cruises are linked, and the return of the first cruise and the  outbound of the second cruise are greyed out. The two one ways come to about the same price as the round trip directly through the airline.  But it is significantly higher than the round trip price I get from looking at the first cruise and putting in the dates that we actually need to fly (not logged in to my account.)  That's interesting about the insurance not covering the air for one cruise and not the other.  Is that even if you use the Princess Platinum insurance?

I was under the impression that if we booked through EZ Air on International flights, our rates would usually be lower than if booking on our own. Both cruises have had flights open for round trip bookings. Caribill, good points that I will take in.  I'm thinking I may have to call EZ Air after the holidays.  And I agree it is good to have the flexibility to book each as a one way flight.  Except when it costs $2000 extra.

[gottagocit]

1 hour ago, jajsmom said:

 ……Is that even if you use the Princess Platinum insurance?….

Yes. The ‘rule’ is the same regardless of the coverage level. Just think of it this way. 

The things you pay for under the first booking are the only things covered by the insurance you purchase for that voyage. And those things you pay for under the second booking are all that are covered by the insurance for that voyage. 
So if your second voyage is ‘interrupted’ only the items bought under that booking are covered with the interruption clause of that voyage. This is how it was explained to us after much frustration while trying to make a claim. Ironically our trip in 2019 was down under as well. 
Also should you have to disembark due to an interruption and purchase new one way flights back to the USA you can get reimbursed for the lost days of your voyage, hotel stay to catch flight next day etc, meals and the new flight home HOWEVER the limit you will be paid as reimbursed losses is the total cost of that voyage booking cost.
In other words our new unexpected one way flight home cost almost as much as our original booking and we received nothing for our hotel, food cost, rental car home from New Orleans after funeral for DW’s mother because the original flight was not booked on that voyage and therefore did not count toward our coverage limit. 
All of this is not intended to tell you how to plan your flights but only meant to make sure you knew what their rules are and you can decide how to proceed. 
Chris