Know the advantage of taking air with cruise is that it becomes their responsibility to "get you to ship". However, booking one's own air might make for smoother trip connections and time. Does anyone have any strong feelings either way? <BR> <BR>Trying to get some idea of what flights might be like for the Crown Princess Scandinavian Russia cruise, I looked at air for next summer, realized that Copenhagen is not a direct flight from JFK. What happens at that mid-flight stop? -- Amsterdam, Brussels, London are some of the choices. Do we need to collect our luggage and go through passport control & customs? Or are the bags shipped through (same airline) and we simply go to the next gate? How long is adequate time -- 1 hour, 2 hours? Would love time for a good cup of coffee -- if booked through cruise line with cruise, is it your experience that they do or don't have you running madly between gates or simply don't care? <BR> <BR>Does Princess usually book one on the same line for both legs and return? <BR> <BR>Also, brochure says they meet you after customs -- for our land tour of Italy & Spain this was after we had gotten our luggage and gone through passport & customs. Is it the same for a cruise? For the Carribean on RCCL we never saw our suitcases until they arrived at our cabins, more than once after the ship had left port! <BR> <BR>Any hints, suggestions? Booking our own at this time would only save about $100 so $$ are not the primary concern -- <BR>Thanks

I read an article recently in Conde Nast Traveler about how cruise lines are not obligated to get you to the ship just because you purchased air through them. I will try to find it and post it. The only advice I can give you is to fly down at least a day or two before your cruise to make sure there are no problems (regardless of who you book with). Copenhagen is a great town and spending an extra day will be fun plus it will relieve stress about getting to the ship on time. <BR> <BR>You will love northern Europe! I loved the Russian ports.

I couldn't copy and past the article but here is the link: <BR> <BR>http://www.concierge.com/traveler/om.../cruise28.html <BR> <BR>It is part of Conde Nast magazine's ombudsman column. It is definitely worth reading.

Teresa: I read the same column and was as surprised as you to discover that booking air with cruise did not guarantee they would go out of their way to get you there. Just booked an Alaska cruise with a travel agent who's been doing this for decades. She was very surprised to hear about this, and said she has never had a case of a passenger missing the ship when the cruise line booked the air. She urged me to book air through the cruise line (holland america). After I learned that the cost and flights would be about the same, I opted to take her advice. <BR> <BR>Anyone else had any experience with this? Missed the ship even though you booked air through the cruise line?

I know of people who have. It wasn't as drastic of a measure as the article but they missed the first 2 days of their cruise. After hearing stories of people who have missed their plane and lost their luggage - I have strongly recommended to people (especially those flying long distances or during winter months) to fly in the day before. You will not regret it. <BR> <BR>I have booked my own and gone through the cruise line. I normally pay deviation if I go through the cruise line. I really don't think it matters as far as catching the ship or not if you booked through the cruise line or not. <BR> <BR>If you have connections and your flight is delayed - definitely call the cruise line and let them know. There are also good chances that if you are going to a common cruise port (miami, fort lauderdale, san juan) - there are other cruisers on your plane.

Holland America arranged our air for an Istanbul to Rome cruise. We connected in Frankfurt. There was only 45 minutes between our flights. HAL insisted this was a legal connection. I assumed they would schedule responsibly, and was extremely disappointed in them. Believe it or not, we did make the flight to Istanbul, although our luggage went on the next flight. The pilot had a bus waiting to take us to the terminal, and we even went in the back way!! HAL was very misleading. They said if we missed the flight, we would be able to go on Air Turkey. Found out later, all of their flights were completely booked. We would have not been able to get there on time. We are taking RCCL Northern Europe in the summer. We are going 2 days prior. I don't trust them either.

<BR>Here is a travel agent's advice: <BR> <BR>One is fairly safe booking their own air here in the states. That is, if it is not over any school holiday, spring break, major holidays, tornado season, snow belt areas, etc. <BR> <BR>If there is a question, fly out the day before and stay in a hotel. <BR> <BR>If you are flying to Alaska or any foreign destinations definitely buy the cruise line air. The cruise line will book many of their passengers on the flight you are taking. If there is a delay they will hold the ship. <BR> <BR>Also, on European sailings the major cruise line will charter planes. When they charter planes it is, quite often, a direct flight. <BR> <BR>For MHS ...... for only $100 extra book with the cruise line. Also purchase the Princess transfers if you do not know how many miles to the port. <BR> <BR>Paul

We almost had a disaster in April. My parent and 8 other families booked air through Princess to Fort Lauderdale. They gave them a connecting flight through Atlanta that arrived in FLL at 4:30pm for a 6:00pm departure. The trip was booked over 18 months in advance and Princes did not book flight until 30 days prior to departure. Needless to say there were delays that day and the ship waited for 1 hour and was about to push back when they arrived. Then my family was treated rudely by the ground crew at Princess while they checked in. The people at the check in kept telling them to hurry up or the ship would leave. After hearing this for the tenth time, there were a lot of tears. There was a family with two children who were scared to be left behind. There is no guarentee that the ship will wait for you. Be forewarned. My other advise is to book your own airfare domestically, we traveled to FLL the day before and stayed at the Amerisuites for less than the air fare from the cruise line. Who wouldn't want an extra day at the beach and a $200.00 savings.

I stopped buying airfare from the lines years ago. Since they do not guarantee that they'll get you to the ship on time I see no advantage to using them. Instead, I always fly in the day before the cruise and here are the advantages: <BR>1. It's always about $100.00 cheaper airfare than the lines offer. <BR>2. I do get hurded by the cruise line rep thru the airport and then on to a bus <BR>3. I spend a relaxing day in port instead of waisting my first day on the cruise by getting out of bed at 3 a.m. <BR>4. I don't have to sit on that bus for 20-30 minutes waiting for it to fill up (I just get in a cab and off we go) <BR>5. I don't pay for that bus at $20 a person, I just pay the cab drive $20 for everyone in my party. <BR>6. When I get to the ship I pull up and tip the men at the dock and I'm off to the ship instead of waiting for one bus driver to unload everyones luggage before I get mine. <BR>7. I book the flight and times I want and always book direct thru. This avoids flights at odd times and with one or more stops. <BR>8. I then avoid the nightmare of using their bus system to get back to the airport, etc. Again, I step off the ship and into a cab and I'm on my way to the airport and a flight time thats reasonable to get back home (such as 1:00pm instead of 6;00 with a 5 hour wait at the airport) <BR>Hope this helps. <BR>

Greetings All, <BR>My experience is, if you can save a significant amount ($) book with the cruise line, but ask for a flight a day or two before the ship leaves. I've never had a problem doing this and it really reduces the stress of "making the departure". Most departure points provide some interesting diversions. <BR> <BR>Cheers <BR>

<BR>I agree with Susan, book your own air one day prior. Even if you don't want to take an extra day off work, just book a flight in the evening. You may get to your hotel late but then you won't have to get up early to catch the early flight the cruise books. For international flights this will not work and at times, the cruise line can be the cheaper way to go. I can tell you first hand, several cabins on my Alaskan cruise were empty as all the passengers on a flight from Dallas were delayed due to thunderstorms. I was told that even tho they had booked thru the ship line they would not be joining us. Lucky for me I was able to upgrade my cabin. One more suggestion: carry the two largest suitcases you can onboard. Rarely am I on a ship were I don't hear of someone who didn't get their luggage. And never pack all of one thing in any one suitcase, for example, all your shoes may not make it. Good Luck!

The savings for booking your own air can be greater on overseas flights. The air that Princess quoted for our Crown Princess crossing last april was $800; we got our own for a little over $400 (plus the cost of our own transfers).

<BR>For the passengers that missed the ship due to thunderstorms. This can also happen to one that books his own air. Here is the difference ...... the cruise line will get those passengers to the next port at no charge. <BR> <BR>FYI transfers are included in the price of cruise line air with one exception ..... Princess. <BR> <BR>I believe anyone who attempts to purchase their own air to Europe to connect to a cruise ship is foolish unless they are flying in the day before. No matter what the cost. Just think for a couple of minutes what would happen to you if you missed your ship and you are in a foreign country with all your luggage. <BR> <BR>Paul <BR> <BR> <BR>

Thanks to all of you who responded. You did open my eyes about the cruise line responsibility if plane is late, etc. Paul, the same thing would happen if you were flying in for an independent tour. Europe, unlike USA, has fantastic train network and then there's always their domestic air too -- do your homework via web/TA first; know how to get TVG train, for example from Paris to Amsterdam to pick up ship; in my case I guess it would be a ferry or connecting flight to the next Scandinavian port. <BR> <BR>Have decided to do own air going a day early (which gives us at least 4 flights after ours to still make the ship) and to avoid 24 hours of hassle (getting off ship; waiting around airport for early evening flight -- to much time there & yet too little with baggage to do anything) we are staying an additional night before the flight home. <BR> <BR>Thanks again -- especially for that Conde Nast article and the Newark SAS info. We will be going out of Newark rather than JFK, only a 30 min difference to reach EWR.