Booking Your Own Air

Tips To Smooth The Waters When Making Your Own Air Arrangements

CRUISE GUIDE

Used to be one telephone call did it all. Decide on your cruise vacation, phone your travel agent, and the entire package, from airline tickets to luggage tags, was all taken care of.

While many travelers still prefer the total air/sea bundle, more passengers are choosing the cruise-only option, giving themselves added flexibility. The call to the travel agent still secures the desired cruise tickets, but the passenger often takes responsibility for booking the air arrangements and getting to and from the ship.

Not so long ago, almost 70 percent of cruise passengers took the air/sea package while only 30 percent went the independent route, said Jennifer de la Cruz, a spokesperson for Carnival Cruise Lines, "And now it's just the opposite."

Reasons for this reversal, according to cruise-line representatives and travel agents, can be found in today's economy and technology. Some experts cited the proliferation of frequent-flyer programs, especially those where people accumulate additional air miles through their credit cards. Some consumers simply want the flexibility of planning their own pre- or post-cruise vacation, so they handle their own arrangements.

Many travel-industry professionals also noted the rise in Internet use, which allows computer-savvy web surfers to take advantage of consolidators' deals and price-cutting competitiveness. Michele Smith, a spokesperson for Royal Caribbean International, said that the "e-commerce industry gives consumers more control over the way they spend their money, and there's a lot more competition for that value."

If you're one of the growing majority who decides to go it alone, some cruise-line representatives and travel agents have offered some hints to smooth out the turbulence you might encounter making air arrangements.

* If you travel on the day of embarkation, take the earliest flight possible.

Allow plenty of time for airline delays, traffic in the city of embarkation, difficulty getting transportation, and unexpected problems (such as lost luggage and the time it takes to file a claim). A Princess spokesperson said the recommended guidelines for each cruise are "based on the individual ports, and thus will vary by port," but a cruise-line representative will be able to provide this information based on a passenger's specific schedule. Make sure your travel agent checks with the cruise line before you book your flight.

* Better yet, travel the day before embarkation and spend a leisurely evening.

Those people who must fly a long way and lose hours through multiple time changes should consider flying the day before and checking into a hotel the night before the cruise. Similarly, those people coming from a northern climate who might be affected by winter weather are advised not to take a chance flying on the day of embarkation. "If I paid $10,000 for a cruise and I'm going to Europe or Ft. Lauderdale, I would certainly fly the day before. A $70 hotel room is a pretty cheap insurance policy," said Brian Clement, director for Holland America Line's air/sea and documentation department.

* Make sure you have the cruise line's phone number with you and inform the line of any delay.

Most cruise lines include a toll-free number in your documents. If you missed your flight or are experiencing problems, call the cruise line to inform its personnel. While the line is under no obligation to help a cruise-only passenger, "We may be able to intervene on your behalf and get your ticket transferred, or find an alternative flight. If we can resolve your problem, we will," said Carnival's de la Cruz. She noted that Carnival is averaging 800 calls a week on its travel hotline, including those "experiencing flight delays, guests who are stranded somewhere, and people who are lost driving to the pier." While the cruise line won't hold the ship just because you're having problems, it might hold the ship if you're pan of a large group that's on its way, said Royal Caribbean's Smith.

* If your flight is delayed because of weather, deal directly with the airport personnel to get on another plane.

The most important thing is to get on another flight and get on it as soon as possible so you don't miss the ship. The best way to do that is with the airport staff, who have the power to put you on another flight or even get you a seat on another airline. Always work with the airline personnel first. "You're right there, you're in their face," Holland America's Clement said.

* If you miss your ship because of the airline's mechanical problem, it might take responsibility.

The airline might get you to your first port-of-call at no cost to you if the delay was caused by a mechanical problem, according to Captain Lew of Cruisevip.com, a California-based cruise agency. On a flight to pick up an Alaskan cruise, he got to the airport only to discover the "whole engine was on the runway." He said he "went to the airline staff and complained to them and they had money for this purpose and they did reimburse me."

* Inform yourself about the airline and route you're taking.

If you're on an air/sea package and your scheduled airline is on the verge of a strike, the cruise line will instigate an alternate plan to get you to the ship. If you're going cruise-only, however, it's up to you to find out how you're going to get there in the event of such an occurrence. In addition, you should be aware of weather conditions that could affect your travel plans, as well as the flight's general on-time record, and plan accordingly.

* Know the rules about baggage tags.

Carnival's de la Cruz recommends putting your cruise-line tags on before you check your bags so that if they get lost, the airline will know where to send them. Others recommend that cruise-only passengers wait until they're at the pier to affix the baggage tags so that it doesn't inadvertently get mixed in with the air/sea passengers' luggage and get taken to the ship without your knowledge. This information can be found in your cruise documents, so be sure to read the detail carefully.

* Investigate travel insurance.

All the experts strongly recommend buying travel insurance. If you encounter travel problems or miss the ship, the right insurance will cover the cost of getting you to the next port-of-call and reasonable expenses until you can catch up with the ship. While insurance (and whether to get it through the cruise line or an independent organization) is "an individual matter, I always recommend it," said Alan Charin, president of Onacruise.com of Plantation, Florida. (Travel insurance was discussed in detail in the April 2000 Cruise Travel.)

* Weigh the benefits of purchasing transfers from the cruise line.

Often, transportation from the airport to the ship is as simple as hailing a cab and dropping your luggage off at the pier. Other times, however, purchasing a transfer from the cruise line is a better alternative, making sense financially, and increasing the comfort level. Passengers arriving in a foreign country with a different language and a different monetary system might feel more secure using the cruise line's system. "I recommend it, especially for first-time passengers," said Jim Antista, president of The Cruiseman, a North Carolina-based travel agency. "It's just one less thing to worry about."

In addition, people flying long distances on routes that have fewer flights might find a lengthy delay between their arrival and the ship's embarkation time. In this case, those who are air/sea guests of the cruise line and those who have purchased the transfers may find that the company has procured a hospitality room in a hotel for passengers to relax and enjoy refreshments, said Kristin Carlson, spokesperson for Crystal Cruises.

* Bring a carry-on bag with you.

This advice relates to all cruise passengers, not just those who have made independent arrangements, but was emphasized by both cruise-line representatives and travel agents. Cruise-only passengers will drop off their luggage with the stevedores at the pier, often forgetting that it could be hours until it is delivered to their cabins. Onacruise.com's Charin suggested you pack a swimsuit, sunscreen, medication, a paperback, "whatever you need for the first few hours."

* Don't book your return flight too early.

Most cruise lines provide guidelines about when to schedule your return flight. Again, this depends on the port, how far it is from the airport, and what the traffic conditions are. But Royal Caribbean's Smith noted that there could be delays caused by the immigration and customs procedures, or other unexpected situations, so the later in the day you schedule your flight, the better.

* Consider taking the ship's city tour on the day of debarkation.

If you've booked a late afternoon flight, the prospect of dragging your luggage to the airport and sitting for hours may not be very appealing. Many ships offer a variety of city tours, usually from two to four hours, that end up at the airport. A typical Holland America tour for passengers debarking in Ft. Lauderdale is designed for people who have flights leaving after 2 p.m.--it allows passengers to load their baggage onto the bus; it gives them a tour of the city; and it drops them off at their airlines' terminals for not much more than the price of a regular airport transfer.

* If you have the time, add a day at the end of your cruise.

By spending an extra day in the port of debarkation, you won't have to compete with all the other arriving cruise-ship passengers attempting to get to the airport, and you'll get a chance to enjoy the day in your last port, said Royal Caribbean's Smith. Added travel agent Charin, "People who come into places like Europe or Alaska don't get to see the [embarkation/debarkation] city. You can turn your last day into an additional destination."

Delaying your return can also be beneficial if you're returning from your cruise on a charter flight to an originating/terminal city, like New York or Miami. The Cruiseman's Antista recalled returning from a Caribbean cruise on a charter to Florida. The charter was four hours late and everyone missed their flights home. The guests who had the cruise line's air/sea packages from their gateway cities were put up in a hotel, but the rest of the passengers were on their own.

Booking your own transportation can give you the flexibility and the potential for savings. But "where there's savings, there's risk," said Cruisevip.com's Captain Lew. And where there's risk, the perils can be minimized by knowledge.

COPYRIGHT 2000 World Publishing, Co. (Illinois)
COPYRIGHT 2001 Gale Group