I am planning a cruise with HAL this October to the Med. We will be leaving from Rome and ending up in Venice.HAL airfare is 1719 Canadian dollars at the present time. I realise that arriving and departing from different cities is costly but couldn't I do better booking my own air? I will be flying out of Toronto and would like to arrive in Rome a day earlier than the cruise.Any advice or thoughts on the subject would be appreciated. Thanks,Debbie

Hi Debbie,<BR><BR>Since you are going a day in advance you do not have to be concerned with missing the ship. Just keep in mind the cost of cab to the ship and back to the airport. It may be quite an expense. The transfers are included in the HAL cost.<BR><BR>Of course if you are getting the hotel on your own and not through the cruise line you will have to pay a $35 to $50 (U.S.) air deviation fee to get the compimentary transfers from HAL.<BR><BR>A travel agent should get you all the info you need.<BR><BR>Paul

There are 2 ways of looking at cruise line air add-ons.<BR><BR>One way is to look at the basic fare only. Even with an open-jaw, you ususally can beat the fare.<BR><BR>The other is to look at the basic fare and consider the difference insurance. If anything goes wrong, the cruise line will be responsible for you if you purchase from them, if not, you're on your own.<BR><BR>The issue of transfers are usually minor in dollar terms. In agrivation terms, that's your call.

I usually book my own air when I cruise out of Miami, FLL, LAX or Vancouver.<BR><BR>In your situation - I would book the air through the cruiseline. To have an open jaw and in Europe - it will just be easier for you to go through the cruiseline. I can't see the cost being that much more. Even if it was $200 more, I would still go through the cruiseline. I would pay extra and do a deviation so you know your flights.

Debbie- I AWLAYS use frequent flier points for European travel and cruise-<BR>When we went to the Med, we fle into ROMA and out of NICE-- We came in a day early....We did our own airport transfers from the airport to hotel in ROme- COST was approx $35 w/a limo service.<BR>We stayed overnite at the hotel and we USED the CRUISE LINES BUS TRANSFER SERVICE to the PORT-- their ROUNDTRIP transfer service COST the SAME as taking the 2 taxi/limos would have cost...If I had to do it over again, I would do MY OWN transportation from hotel to port in ROME ( email me for the limo service name and addy) as the limo service was a Mercedes with A/c and in a station wagon with lots of room with an English speaking Italian driver)..On our drive into Rome, it was so relaxing and peaceful...<BR>Our ride to the port WITH the CRUISE LINE ( and YES,you can PURCHASE TRANSFERS with the CRUISE LINE even if you do YOUR OWN AIR) was like being on a bus with sardines and was cramped....<BR>Just email me-my addy is real.

Debbie---forgot to answer your original question....You can PROBABLY get much CHEAPER air on your OWN...have you r travel agent check with CONSOLIDATORS for cheaper tkts.....

I booked my own Airfare when I did Celebrity out of Barcelona and finishing in Turkey. I saved money but am not sure it was worth it. I was on my own getting to and from the ship to the Airports and after all was said and done it might have been better to use the cruselines air. It is definitely NOT cheap to book air to Europe if it doesn't land and depart from the same city.

debbie,<BR>Have you checked what the fare would be flying into Rome and out of Venice yet? I've been checking fares from LAX into Dusseldorf and returning from Vienna. The fares are only slightly higher (less than $100) than if I were to fly roundtrip LAX-DUS. Of course, it will vary depending on your city pairs, but don't automatically assume that the fare is much higher just because it's an open jaw itinerary.