Flying Tips for Canadians doing a Transatlantic from Europe to US

[Boxersma2]

We are doing a Rome to Orlando transatlantic next year and we are wondering what is the best way to arrange flights. Is it better to book a multi city flight or just do a one way to Europe then another from USA to Canada? Also is there any special requirements for Canadians flying back to the US from Europe? I’ve been searching the boards to find any answers but haven’t had much luck so any help or advice anyone can offer is much appreciated. 

[LHT28]

I would do the multi segment  but you could also check  2 separate tickets for pricing

 Some cruise lines have good deals  for air on TA  but read the fine print

 By next yer you may require a ETIAS

https://travel-europe.europa.eu/etias_en   

not implemented as of yet

Cannot think of any requirements  to the USA

 

[Fouremco]

I'd consider both options and check the pricing differences. One of the potential benefits of purchasing separate tickets is that you could use two different airlines. For example only, you might find that Air Canada is your best bet for a flight to Rome, but Porter is better for your flight home from Orlando. For flights to Europe, also consider booking the flight through your cruise line. You could check too for your flight home, but I find that there's less of a benefit than for flights to Europe.

 

32 minutes ago, Boxersma2 said:

Also is there any special requirements for Canadians flying back to the US from Europe?

Assuming that you mean "for Canadian cruising back to the US", no, there are no current special requirements.

[Grayce]

We have done several transatlantic cruises starting from Barcelona.  Both times it ended up better to book separate flights.  We used AirTransat to Europe and have used Air Canada and Westjet from USA to Canada.  

[Boxersma2]

Thanks so much for your replies! I appreciate your insight! 😊😊😊

[Ex-Airbalancer]

Check with your cruise for their airfare 

with Celebrity/RCL they do have some good deals and book you multiply airlines 

I would check with google.ca/flights 

Edited September 5, 2023 by Ex-Airbalancer

[luvinthecruiselife]

6 hours ago, Boxersma2 said:

We are doing a Rome to Orlando transatlantic next year and we are wondering what is the best way to arrange flights. Is it better to book a multi city flight or just do a one way to Europe then another from USA to Canada? Also is there any special requirements for Canadians flying back to the US from Europe? I’ve been searching the boards to find any answers but haven’t had much luck so any help or advice anyone can offer is much appreciated. 

Not quite sure exactly what you are asking but here it goes - what do you mean by multi-city.  We are going next month to Rome - vancouver to toronto, toronto to Rome. Return florida direct to vancouver.  Booked at the same time.  If vancouver had direct to Rome we would take it.  We travel with air canada.

[neeuqdrazil]

I've done a number of transatlantics, and have done two options - had the cruise line book my flights, and booked my own flights on separate tickets. The advantage of having the cruise line book your flights (especially the flight to the start of the cruise) is that they're then responsible for getting you TO the cruise if something happens and the flight is delayed/cancelled. 

 

When I booked my own flights, the connection to the cruise wasn't as important, as I was spending a week in London prior to boarding, so a delay wouldn't impact embarkation, and for the flight home I was able to save an absolutely obscene amount of money by flying Porter instead of WestJet.  

[Fouremco]

12 hours ago, luvinthecruiselife said:

what do you mean by multi-city.

OP is referring to an open jaw booking, where you fly out A to B but return C to A.

[LHT28]

1 hour ago, neeuqdrazil said:

 The advantage of having the cruise line book your flights (especially the flight to the start of the cruise) is that they're then responsible for getting you TO the cruise if something happens and the flight is delayed/cancelled. 

 

 

That is  a misconception

The cruise line have no control over the flight  they are the same as you booking your own ticket

if there are no seat on the next flight  then you are not going anywhere

[rodndonna]

11 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

That is  a misconception

The cruise line have no control over the flight  they are the same as you booking your own ticket

if there are no seat on the next flight  then you are not going anywhere

 

I could be wrong (thankfully has not been an issue ..knock on wood) but I "assumed" they had more leverage than I would by myself to get me on a different airline if that was an option, at no additional cost to me (maybe I am dreaming)

 

I do go back and forth and what is better.

 

We typically book with Air Canada and have had good experiences with using their "daily flight outlook" to rebook our flights earlier or later when there is potential for the flight to be disrupted (typically weather).  I actually don't know if I book with AC through the cruiselines, can I use that service to rebook pre-emptively. 

 

[LHT28]

18 minutes ago, rodndonna said:

 

I could be wrong (thankfully has not been an issue ..knock on wood) but I "assumed" they had more leverage than I would by myself to get me on a different airline if that was an option, at no additional cost to me (maybe I am dreaming)

 

 

We have  had a disruption via   a cruise line  booked flight   but  BA  took care of us  so no need to call the cruise line

Other cases  we have been lucky 

When we have done charter flights for  AI resorts it was taken care of by the  tour company  so not  a problem

 

My first stop if the flight  was changed while at the airport would be the airline    but maybe the cruises  have some magic wand to get you on another flight  the same day 😄

[rodndonna]

2 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

 

 

My first stop if the flight  was changed while at the airport would be the airline    but maybe the cruises  have some magic wand to get you on another flight  the same day 😄

 

Sometimes the weather here  (say Toronto)is fine .. but the "airplane" is delayed coming in due to weather (in say Calgary). In that case, not sure if the cruise line could move us to Westjet if it ws an option? The other big unknown is "getting to the next available port" .. will it use any airline to get us to the next available port (assuming you miss embarkation) ... ???

 

I am pretty dubious of what really happens ... and assume it is just one of those things you don't really know until it happens - much like insurance coverage....

 

[LHT28]

27 minutes ago, rodndonna said:

 

Sometimes the weather here  (say Toronto)is fine .. but the "airplane" is delayed coming in due to weather (in say Calgary). In that case, not sure if the cruise line could move us to Westjet if it ws an option? The other big unknown is "getting to the next available port" .. will it use any airline to get us to the next available port (assuming you miss embarkation) ... ???

 

 

Depends on the next port

If you are to embark in a US port  & the next port is a US  port  ..not a chance of  embarking 

If a foreign port  then  there is a chance

 

 Yes it is not worth stressing about   it may never happen LOL

 

 

[rodndonna]

2 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

Depends on the next port

If you are to embark in a US port  & the next port is a US  port  ..not a chance of  embarking 

If a foreign port  then  there is a chance

 

 Yes it is not worth stressing about   it may never happen LOL

 

 

 

For sure, no point in stressing about it.  We are typically cruise "day of" risk takers .. and in the end when something happens (which inevitably it will) you just have to go with it.

 

That being said, I have no idea whether I actually reduce my risk booking air through the cruise line or if that is an illusion and could actually just be adding more potential hassle (if I have to coordinate through them) for nothing. 

[Ex-Airbalancer]

11 minutes ago, rodndonna said:

 

For sure, no point in stressing about it.  We are typically cruise "day of" risk takers .. and in the end when something happens (which inevitably it will) you just have to go with it.

 

That being said, I have no idea whether I actually reduce my risk booking air through the cruise line or if that is an illusion and could actually just be adding more potential hassle (if I have to coordinate through them) for nothing. 

It will easier to get your money back for your cruise booking air though the cruiseline if the airlines screw up or weather delays 

[rodndonna]

34 minutes ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

It will easier to get your money back for your cruise booking air though the cruiseline if the airlines screw up or weather delays 

 

Do they say they will refund your cruise if you can't make it as a result of air issues?  I didn't think so although would be nice 🙂

 

I think in the end, if (when) it happens , we find out what really happens 😉

 

[Fouremco]

56 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

Depends on the next port

If you are to embark in a US port  & the next port is a US  port  ..not a chance of  embarking 

If a foreign port  then  there is a chance

 

 Yes it is not worth stressing about   it may never happen LOL

 

 

I'm curious as to why there would be difficulty embarking at a US port downstream if you missed the initial US embarkation. 

[Ex-Airbalancer]

39 minutes ago, rodndonna said:

 

Do they say they will refund your cruise if you can't make it as a result of air issues?  I didn't think so although would be nice 🙂

 

I think in the end, if (when) it happens , we find out what really happens 😉

 

Our Travel agent has had clients get refunds when they could get passengers to the ship 

[LHT28]

50 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

I'm curious as to why there would be difficulty embarking at a US port downstream if you missed the initial US embarkation. 

Something to do with PVSA 

I guess if you are going to disembark in a foreign country  it may work to board in the next US port

 I have read where people could not board in the next US port  & had to wait  until the ship was in a foreign port 

 I have not tested it  😉

 

 

[LHT28]

15 minutes ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

Our Travel agent has had clients get refunds when they could get passengers to the ship 

They got  a refund of the cruise  or just the air portion??

[Fouremco]

1 minute ago, LHT28 said:

Something to do with PVSA 

I guess if you are going to disembark in a foreign country  it may work to board in the next US port

 I have read where people could not board in the next US port  & had to wait  until the ship was in a foreign port 

 I have not tested it  😉

 

 

Under the PVSA, a passenger can't embark at a US port, then disembark at the next port if it is in the US. But I've not read anything that would preclude embarking at the next port if they missed embarkation at the first port.

 

For example, if you miss embarkation in Miami and the first port stop is Key West, I believe that you could embark there. On the other hand, if you do board in Miami and decide cruising isn't for you, you can't just quit the cruise in Key West.

 

I too have not tested either of these scenarios. 😉

[LHT28]

I remember  a few years back a lady missed her flight from Austin to NYC   & could not board until the ship hit Halifax  on day 5   of a 10 day cruise

Not sure what happened   whether her  insurance kicked in as it was  weather related

 

I hope I never have to test  it out  😉

 

[Ex-Airbalancer]

33 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

They got  a refund of the cruise  or just the air portion??

The cruise 

[rodndonna]

47 minutes ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

Our Travel agent has had clients get refunds when they could get passengers to the ship 

 

I wonder if they had insurance that kicked in for those cases or was it just having FlightEase (or equivalent)?

 

I kinda envisaged if it happened (and couldn't get to any further port) that maybe getting my flight refunded and maybe some FCC (if the cruise line felt generous) and then maybe something from our Credit Card Insurance, although that caps pretty low at $1500/pp .

 

Really hoping not to find out though.....