Air program- LAX to Detroit

[canuck101]

We chose the free airfare deal in the past & got good flights overall but this time we have connecting flights on each leg & they have us flying back to Detroit from LAX the day we depart from the ship at 11:59PM!!!! not arriving home until 9:30 on the Monday morning. Like really. I researched other flights & for a measly extra amount we could have had better or direct flights. I wish they would offer us the option of paying for that. Anyways, now we have to buy a tour ($149 each) to fill the day in LA & still wait over 6 hours at the airport before flying out & take another day off of work. I'm not happy. We're from Canada so $300US is $400 for us. I think I'll reconsider using their air program on the next cruise. Anyone else experience this?

[ldubs]

I'm not clear on which cruise air program you are using.  

[CruiserBruce]

It is widely discussed that cruise line airfare more about the cheapest airfare the cruise line can get, not the most convenient for the passengers. 

[mom says]

It might have helped if you had mentioned which cruise line you are complaining about. Or better yet, posted on that cruise line's forum.

Perhaps next time you will research flights and prices before making the decision to sign up for the  cruise flight option. Cheap or "free" ( not really) does not equate to convenient or optimal. But it may be a case if penny wise and pound foolish.

[donaldsc]

Unless there is a real difference in cost I always pick  my own flights and for me decent connections and flights are always more important than saving a few bucks.  I will admit that you do have to spend a bit of time to find the best options and sometimes the connections that the the airlines try to initially route you by are not the best ones for me.  My go to site for flight research is Google aIr.  I do not book them on Google Air but I do my research there.

 

DON

[klfrodo]

Sorry to see you're experiencing this.

A little too late but, cruise line flight purchase is not the same as if you are buying directly. It's not like, hey I need to travel from LAX to DET and then they look it up and go buy the tickets for you. No, they negotiated a year or so in advance to buy a block of tickets, negotiated the price and the restrictions. Then, when they find a customer like you, they look in their pile of agreed upon tickets for your route and then assign you that reservation.

 

You can find more information here. The thread is old but still has value.

 

[canuck101]

18 hours ago, ldubs said:

I'm not clear on which cruise air program you are using.  

Norwegian

 

[clo]

21 hours ago, canuck101 said:

Anyways, now we have to buy a tour ($149 each) to fill the day in LA & still wait over 6 hours at the airport before flying out

This isn't the main point of your post but why do you have to do those things. 

[navybankerteacher]

22 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

It is widely discussed that cruise line airfare more about the cheapest airfare the cruise line can get, not the most convenient for the passengers. 

We’ve used “cruise air” (or whatever it is called) on booking one way trans-Atlantic flights for trips to Europe (UK and Italy) with the line we are coming home on. So far: Celebrity, Cunard and HAL.  In each case we were able to pick airlines and flights and book ourselves -but only after we had paid cruise fare in full.  It was still the best way to book one way air.  It is obvious that if you leave it up to the cruise line to do the booking they will find the cheapest - usually inconvenient times and often requiring changes.  Being able to pick airline and flight made it definitely worth paying cruise fare earlier rather than later.

[ldubs]

18 hours ago, canuck101 said:

Norwegian

 

 

Thanks.  I've only booked air through Princess and was able to select specific flights.   Apparently Norwegian is different.   I assumed you inquired about changing flights with the airline (not Norwegian) and it was a no go.   Too bad.  

 

Enjoy the Los Angeles excursion.  Who knows, maybe you guys will be "discovered" and become huge Hollywood celebrities!  🙂