Canadian Cruisers

[MillbrookMom]

Do you fly? or drive to Florida? Can you offer any advice on why you do what you do, which airline? costs, etc? Thanks.

 

[Lollipop's Mom]

You should head to the transportation and Canadian boards. You will get tons of info there!
We are Canadian, but have to fly - we are on the west coast!

 

[DutchsMommy]

Definately check out our very own Canadian Board! We live in Toronto and always fly...driving that far makes me shudder to think about it LOL. We always fly out of Buffalo. MUCH better deals. In fact Southwest is having a great sale right now, depending on when you are planning on flying.

The only suggestions I have for flying from Canada are Sunwing - it seems the earlier you book there the better the deal - and possibly using Airmiles via Westjet although that can be a pain sometimes.

An example related to cost - the 3 of us are flying out of BUF Jan 21 for $485 USD total. I just saw SWA had the same dates for $450 but we're already booked on Air Tran (these are both direct flights). Westjet, even with their 'sale' (insert here) was over $1000. Paying 1/2 the price for driving 2 hours is a pretty good deal for me. Also, we find customs at the border in the car WAY better/easier than in the airport. When you fly from the States you only have to go thorugh the security line and then you are on your way - and the line generally moves really fast. BUF airport is also very small and easy to navigate.

 

[Belle1997]

The prices out of Toronto are outrageous. We fly ouot of buffala. We get a hotel with park and fly. They drive us to the airport and pick us up afterwards.

The taxes alone at Toronto are more expensive than buffalo. We flew buffalo and back with not real deal on southwest for 580 US. But just last year we flew for $360 total cost that is for 2 people there and back.

 

[mommasita]

Fellow Canadian.

Well, we both work for Canadian airlines, so we fly either one of those. I agree, the prices here are . Have you tried airtransat, they have some good rates sometimes.

Otherwise go the your closes neighbouring US city. It really is much cheaper. Friends are flying jetblue for 4, all taxes 840. Direct flights. We are in Montreal, and they are leaving from Vermont, so it is about 1:15 minutes away, but very much worth it. Here it is around 1600 for the same. Our taxes are the thing.

 

[AverysMommy]

FLY from Buffalo - I have done the drive and it was very long (Thank God for the TV in the van) but you come off the cruise so tired that you will definately NOT want to do the 2 day drive home

 

[binky1]

We fly out of Syracuse - only a 2 hour drive and 1/3 the cost of flying out of Ottawa - well worth it IMO.

The drive - way too long....

Cheers,

 

[TonytheWop]

Fellow Canadian.

Well, we both work for Canadian airlines, so we fly either one of those. I agree, the prices here are . Have you tried airtransat, they have some good rates sometimes.

Otherwise go the your closes neighbouring US city. It really is much cheaper. Friends are flying jetblue for 4, all taxes 840. Direct flights. We are in Montreal, and they are leaving from Vermont, so it is about 1:15 minutes away, but very much worth it. Here it is around 1600 for the same. Our taxes are the thing.

I disagree with the flying since these quoted amazing rates of $840 for 4 are in low season and if you have school age kids that is a problem. If you are going to fly on spring break or during holidays ( Xmas, Easter ) or summer holidays...the rates in U.S. border towns are comparable to our own . I've seen rates of over $700 per person at spring break and that is from Vermont. We are a family of 5 and that would amount to over $4000 canadian

Sorry but I drive and share the driving with my wife and thanks to the dvd screen in our van we are quite comfortable and save over $3000.
Also, if you are staying a few extra days in Florida you would need a rental so tack on another $400-$600 to the $4000 flying cost.

As you can see, we are saving over $3500 which means that every 2 years we can take another Disney cruise with our savings.

 

[drag n' fly]

We always fly as it is 3000 miles from our house. It is a a easy 22 hour drive to Disneyland however. Unfortunately we are not even close to a US departure city so that is not an option for us either. We usually put aside 3500.00 for flights and hope for a seat sale. P.S. In February when we bought our flights for our upcoming trip, they were 50% cheaper to fly into Tampa also. That is why Busch Gardens is our first stop.

 

[smye1stdisneycruise]

I agree with the flying out of buffalo! One can usually get early direct flight for around 220.00 us per person taxes in. Our family paid $209.00 per person in Nov.2007 and 225.00per person just this past september. Hope this helps!

 

[maryrego]

We have done both
If we get cheap flights usually out of BUF (or this trip ROC 3 return tickets for $450) otherwise we drive

After our honeymoon we did immigration on board @ 6am then hit topsiders left the ship at 7am and hit the highway we were home in Brampton @ 2am

 

[TaniaU]

We always fly as it is 3000 miles from our house. It is a a easy 22 hour drive to Disneyland however. Unfortunately we are not even close to a US departure city so that is not an option for us either. We usually put aside 3500.00 for flights and hope for a seat sale. P.S. In February when we bought our flights for our upcoming trip, they were 50% cheaper to fly into Tampa also. That is why Busch Gardens is our first stop.

We're flying into Tampa too because it was so much more expensive going into MCO. Have no idea how we're getting to the port or where we'll stay, but I've got 70-some days to figure that out

I found $350 flights the day they released the dates and am kicking myself for hesitating because I wound up paying double that a couple months later. Lessoned learned; book flights as soon as you possibly can and then look for better deals later.

 

[WishingMom]

I'm in NL, so we don't have a choice but to fly. I'd want to get there as quick as I could anyway!! :0)

 

[nokidz]

We just got back from a 7 night Western Cruise. We always drive down and back. Usually straight through. It takes us between 22 and 23 hours to go from Wasaga Beach Ontario (about 1.5 hours from TO) to St.Augustine FL. We prefer the drive as we split it between two drivers. On our way home we always tend to scope out different side routes and browse the country side. Never know what you will see.....

 

[ubermama]

Fellow Canadian living in Manitoba

We really have no option but to fly unless we want to spend a week in the car round trip. I'd never make it. We always fly, sometimes WestJet but mostly NorthWest. We've paid anywhere from $450-$700. each. This year however the flights are crazy. $968.00 with WestJet. This cost of the flight alone is making un rethink going this year. That plus the terrible exchange rate on the dollar. We have looked into driving down to Grand Forks and flying out of there. Never thought we'd have to resort to that but it may be the only way to go.