Off cruise topic would value advice on flight choice

[Kapeluza]

If you can go through Continental, they have the best service I have ever experienced. I took a flight from Houston to Barcelona with Continental!! I would take it again in a heart beat!!

About Vegas, I stayed at the Bellagio last May. It was awesome [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif[/img]!!! I recommend the breakfast buffet. If there is something you need to try, it is the Bellagio breakfast buffet!! Well from my experience, I had a suite looking out to the strip and the foundtains. I swear this hotel is beautiful and soooooo elegant. If you have a change don't settle for less!!! Stay at the Bellagio, you will never experience anything like it!!! They have an art gallery with Andy Warhol exhibition, I mean it is just beautiful and so are the pools!!! (The monorail was working fine)
The fountains are playing ever 20 mins I think, don't miss out on it!!! Have fun!! We are going in May again!! Good luck!! [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]



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[Kapeluza]

About Barcelona, beautiful city!! Don't forget to go to the Contemporary Art's Museum designed by Richard Meier (famous architect) and also you cannot miss the German Pavilion built in 1929 for the World's Fair by Mies Van de Rohe (another famous architect. I can easily name a dozen! But you cannot by under no cirumstance go to Barcelona and not go see the works of the great Antonio Gaudi!! These buildings would be La Sagrada Familia, Parque Guel, etc etc Frank Gehry's Olympic Fish (the only one of the kind) I swear Barcelona is booming with amazing architecture!
Also don't forget to visit Las Ramblas very nice!!! Be prepared to be amazed!! When I first arrived to the Barcelona Airport, I was in awe to see how many people lit up their cigarettes inside the airport with signs all around stating "NO SMOKING".



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[Seaside2358]

Just read on LasVegas.com the new monorail was to have opened in March...Looks pretty nice. They needed something like that to ease the congestion...

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[john&kelly]

JO
I have a suggestion which may be worth looking into. Why don't you consider flying int o New York City, and then booking JETBLUE for a direct flight to Las Vegas? JetBlue is a terrific airline ( I think you can book the flight for about $100 each way per person. JETBLUE has wide leather seats, TV at each seat, and friendly staff. I haven't worked out the cost of your whole itinereary, but I guarantee it's worth looking into in terms of cost and convenience.
John

Brilliance- Mediterranean- Venice
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[vacation elaine]

thanks, Kapeluza, for the Barcelona flight idea.. I will check it out. Our TA has reserved flights through RCI for now but is looking at other options and has those flights as a back up. I had not thought of Continental. Also, thanks for the Barcelona ideas..we are staying at a hotel close to Las Ramblas. We can't wait!


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[Grandma Dazzles]

I think either choice of airlines would be good -we've traveled most of the transatlantic carriers and always had good service and/or flights.

Just returned two weeks ago on NW via Amsterdam from England (price was cheaper) using either NW or KLM through Amsterdam to Detroit. Excellent flight and service. Whichever you decide, make sure you have plenty of "connecting" time - we have found that baggage, security, customs, immigration, etc. all take their toll time-wise. We would have not made the "legal" connection for our on-going flight in the U.S. had we listened to the airlines (all of them). They don't seem to take into consideration the "new" delays with security, bags, etc. and that not everyone can literally run through an airport. All of the airports anymore require a fair amount of walking - give yourself plenty of time between your transatlantic and on-going flight to Las Vegas. We were very glad that we allowed ourselves extra connecting time - and we're familiar with the airport in Detroit. The arrival process went smoothly, but when a couple of flights arrive almost together you're talking several hundred people to clear through. Enjoy your trip.

[Ms Jo UK]

Thanks for all your advice.

To PMCC1998 We are allowing 2 hours between flight connections - will this be OK, I presume our luggage will be checked through, On previous flights to other destinations we have cleared Immigration at first stop, although our luggage has been checked through to final destination. Do you know if this still the case.

To Mark_K you were right Mark prices only go up after having chosen the ideal flights we had to wait until today to check with employers to ensure we could have the dates we wanted on returning home I have found the prices have now jumped £200 each on our ideal flight. We can still go on the dates we wanted but just not at such great times. So we will be booking the flights tonight.

Vacation Elaine
You were so kind in your response to me I will give advice on Barcelona as soon as I find a minute or two to put my Barcelona hat on.

Thank you all for your help with accommodation, I think I will need to look at this more carefully, but we only have 10 days until we fly out to the Maldives for a two week vacation so I need to put some energy into that at the moment, oh yes and I need to do some work in between reading these boards, planning vacations,so that we can actually pay for them.

You have all been

Until we sail explorer
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[Bob M.]

Why not just take Virgin from the UK right to Las Vegas, do a One-way on Delta to Mia/FLL then fly Virgin back home from MIA.

It might be cheaper???

Bob M.

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[trishaloo]

I talked to a friend last night who had just got back and she said the monorail is supposed to operational by May. They stayed at the Imperial Palace which is an older hotel but also has a great location. They were remodeling but the construction is finished according to her. I think they've now started the remodel on the Flamingo. Have to agree, though if there's anyway to swing the Bellagio (even for a night or 2 of your stay), it's an amazing place. We had a standard room that overlooked the fountains. They have a week-end seafood buffet that is the best.

Trish

[Grandma Dazzles]

Regarding your baggage - our flight a few weeks ago was as follows: We left Leeds/Bradford in England, flew to Amsterdam, then Amsterdam to Detroit, Detroit to Green Bay. Our baggage was checked from Leeds/Bradford to Green Bay. However, and this is the important one that took the time - we had to claim our baggage in Detroit (even though it was checked all the way through). We had to personally take it through customs and then give it back to the airline.

I believe you have to clear U.S. customs where you first land in the U.S. - even if your bags are "checked" through. We have done the same coming back from the Caribbean - had to clear customs in Miami.

We picked up our bags in the usual way, wheeled them to the hughe "customs hall" went through customs and U.S. immigration. The lines were long and it took over an hour. We then turned the bags back in to the airline and went to get our connecting flight.

Hope that helps with your planning.

[sgttami]

Just have to say that I have stayed at the Flamingo every time I've gone to Vegas since 1979..last time was this past July and it has undergone some upgrades but most of all we choose it for the fact that it is centrally located and easy to get to everything on the strip..even on foot. It's a quick ride to the airport..5 to 7 minutes. We had comps for our nights so it only cost $55.00 total for our 4 night stay, but even without, it was only $55.00 a night this past visit.
Can't help with which flight to book but Las Vegas airport is one of my favorite for being organized....

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[Ms Jo UK]

Hi Everyone

Just had to thank you all again for the advice you are all great people.

The trip is on, the flights are booked, it will be Delta via Atlanta, date had to change from 12th September to 21st as the prices were going up £200 each quicker than I could do the bookings. I am so excited i could burst, how will I cope with this feeling through until September for this trip and EOS for November it is just too much exitement for a girl to manage.

Thanks and happy cruising.

Until we sail explorer
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[vacation elaine]

good for you! seems like a long time away ...but you just have to get busy on those websites for LV and start planning [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] that will help!!


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Voyager of the Seas, February 29,2004
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