Flying to Europe for Med. Cruise

[NHdisneylover]

So is it safe to say that most folks don't book airfare through DCL? Is it for financial reason or the flexibility of picking it yourself, or something else?

Thanks in advance

Both

 

[sayhello]

So is it safe to say that most folks don't book airfare through DCL? Is it for financial reason or the flexibility of picking it yourself, or something else?

Thanks in advance

Another vote for both!

Sayhello

 

[Kirbo]

I just checked flights for us and was totally shocked by the prices! The one-way tickets were strikingly more expensive than round-trip (we're doing the TA and then the first Med). We already signed up for Disney Air. It's getting us to Galveston, then the boat, then home and it's $1174 each. That includes transfers. I was hoping that when flights were released we'd be able to find better prices. Cheapest flights from BCN to home are $995 roundtrip. That doesn't include getting us to Galveston or our transfers. It's on Air Canada. The cheapest one-way is $936 on Icelandair. The next cheapest is $1757 on multiple airlines .

We're spending more on the flights than on the three weeks of cruising! Wow.

Good thing it's going to be so much fun!


ETA That was just looking at www.kayak.com

 

[woody73]

So is it safe to say that most folks don't book airfare through DCL? Is it for financial reason or the flexibility of picking it yourself, or something else?

There are two advantages of booking flights through a cruise line. One is if there is a problem getting you to the port in time, they will fly you to the next port to get you onboard.

The second is if there is a problem such as a natural disaster while you are on board, they will assist you to make other arrangements for your return flight. We were on the Disney Magic 2010 eastbound Transatlantic when the Iceland ash clouds caused hundreds of flights to be canceled in Europe. Those who booked air through DCL received flight assistance while onboard. Those who didn't received a memo with the airlines' phone numbers.

On the flip side, flights booked through a cruise line typically do not have the best flight times, connections, or seat assignments. That's often a tough pill to swallow for people who like to plan in advance.

Woody

 

[stlouismickey]

We did the Med cruise last year and I don't think the airline mattered to us as much as when we got there. We flew United on miles through Germany. I think getting to Barcelona on Thursday (left Wednesday) was nice so we had plenty of time to tour on Thursday night and all day on Friday. It also put a built in cushion in case something went wrong with our flight.

 

[*Flower*]

We are flying Delta to Barcelona next June, but basically it is to use FF miles for 2 tickets. We are arriving 2 days early to get adjusted to the time, but also to allow time for our luggage to catch up with us in case it gets lost. I do not want to start out my vacation stressed.

We flew Delta to Barcelona on award tickets last September to catch the Magic for the WBTA. The OOP price was $80 per ticket because we upgraded to the 'extra leg room' seats. That cost $40 per ticket. The bad news was there were big plastic boxes bolted to the deck that took up all of our 'extra' leg room.

The good news was that as we were in those seats- they were kind of considered 'business' class, and we ended up with a LOT of free alcoholic beverages between Atlanta and Barcelona.

The crew was amazingly nice also, and kept asking if they could get us more doubles to drink! That's only the second flight that I've ever slept pretty well on.

Enjoy your cruise!!

 

[asemaria]

[QUOTE

The good news was that as we were in those seats- they were kind of considered 'business' class, and we ended up with a LOT of free alcoholic beverages between Atlanta and Barcelona.
[/QUOTE]

Sounds great!

We are always in the "find cheap airlinetickets" mode since we LOVE WDW and live in Europe (Sweden). We always buy the airfair 11 month out because you can get only 1 stop instead of 2 for the same price.

Worst experience? : United Airlines, uncomfortable seats, everything looked old, monitors didn't work and not so nice staff (and the plane was laaaaate) SAS : old planes, and old seats.

Best? : Air Canada was very comfortable and the kids loved the entertainment, lots to choose from. Nice staff
Lufthansa: seats ok, entertainment just ok, but the staff OMG DS 7 got sick on the plane and they were great! They helped us with everything and got us to a doctor at Frankfurt airport. DS got an IV and the Lufthansa staff was great with helping us with getting us to our plane in time.

Mediocre? : the rest, Delta, AA,

When we are cruising in the Med in June next year we are happy that we only get to buy tickets within Europe

 

[DL1957]

[QUOTE

The good news was that as we were in those seats- they were kind of considered 'business' class, and we ended up with a LOT of free alcoholic beverages between Atlanta and Barcelona.

Sounds great!

We are always in the "find cheap airlinetickets" mode since we LOVE WDW and live in Europe (Sweden). We always buy the airfair 11 month out because you can When we are cruising in the Med in June next year we are happy that we only get to buy tickets within Europe [/QUOTE]

If you are on the June 15 cruise please join our meet thread.

 

[jel0511]

Couple friends and I are planning to go on the Med. cruise out of Europe and we've set up the cruise part just need to find the best way to get there as cheap as possible. Two questions:
When is the best time to book flights to Europe?

What airlines to avoid? I saw some cheap airlines like Air Berlin and Turkish Air that give great deals I just want to make sure we get there.

Thanks,
Cameron

didn't read the whole thread, so you might already have an answer. We're going to the Med next summer and just booked our air. We also went to the Med in 2010, so I had a good idea on what I wanted to pay. We paid just under 1,000 a ticket in 2010, so I was trying to keep the fare the same for next year. We ended up paying 1017 per ticket, not too bad IMO. It wasn't worth waiting, since that's around what I was willing to pay. For summer travel that's about the best you're going to do, 1000 per person, based on my prior experience.

 

[duckman17]

didn't read the whole thread, so you might already have an answer. We're going to the Med next summer and just booked our air. We also went to the Med in 2010, so I had a good idea on what I wanted to pay. We paid just under 1,000 a ticket in 2010, so I was trying to keep the fare the same for next year. We ended up paying 1017 per ticket, not too bad IMO. It wasn't worth waiting, since that's around what I was willing to pay. For summer travel that's about the best you're going to do, 1000 per person, based on my prior experience.

What airline are you flying?

 

[jel0511]

What airline are you flying?

US Air out of PHL

 

[fsugirl333]

Thanks everyone, I think we will book ourselves. We want to spend a few days in Barcelona before the cruise anyways.

 

[StephenKay]

Hi there,

We live in the north of Scotland and have travelled numerous times across the atlantic to WDW and also to europe and Barcelona to pickup DCL cruises, many of the airlines such as BA/Virgin Atlantic are good however all airlines can go badly wrong. Please dont make the mistake I did last year for the WBTA, due to work commitments for my wife and I we travelled from our home and flew south to London and overnighted at a local airport then flew to Barcelona the next day, the baggage was checked through although didn't arrive. So basically we had no clothes only what was in our carry ons and some of my medication. We had a huge fight at the check in because I didn't want to set off as it seemed hopeless to me to do the journey, in the end we boarded after DCL ran us to a supermarket to get emergency clothes. Unfortunately the place didn't have much and another 3 couples were in the same situation having used delta and air berlin, in fact 47 people were affected. We did get our bags back days later in Maderia and thanks to some friends it didnt totally ruin the cruise, although we are scared for life.

The moral of the story is please spilt your clothes between bags and remember to overpack medication using any airline and give yourself at least a day or preferably 2 days in Barcelona before departing. If I were you I would use BA.

 

[collectoraholic]

I've been looking at flight options for us for the past few days for our June Med Cruise. We'll be flying from Houston to Barcelona and I'm hoping to fly on Swiss Air, as they are one of the Star Alliance partners w/ United and my husband and I are both Platinum FFs on United, so hopefully that will help us to get upgraded. Having to do a little shuffling b/c if I book on Swiss from IAH to BCN, it puts us on United flights. But if I do it thru their multi-flight booking, I can route us thru Chicago and get us on the Swiss Air flight for the overseas portion, which is what I want. Found a *decent* price, so I'm waiting on my husband to get home so we can discuss it.

 

[debsters41]

I've been looking at flight options for us for the past few days for our June Med Cruise. We'll be flying from Houston to Barcelona and I'm hoping to fly on Swiss Air, as they are one of the Star Alliance partners w/ United and my husband and I are both Platinum FFs on United, so hopefully that will help us to get upgraded. Having to do a little shuffling b/c if I book on Swiss from IAH to BCN, it puts us on United flights. But if I do it thru their multi-flight booking, I can route us thru Chicago and get us on the Swiss Air flight for the overseas portion, which is what I want. Found a *decent* price, so I'm waiting on my husband to get home so we can discuss it.

If it will help 'sweeten' the deal... Swiss gives out a piece of chocolate at the end of each flight and sometimes gives premium ice cream after dinner!

 

[disneyholic family]

on the flip side, i have to be in the US for my october conference in orlando followed by my 4 night dream cruise..
i still haven't bought an airline ticket...

my fear of flying slows me down....once i buy it, i know i actually have to get on that plane..

eventually i'll buy something...whatever seat is still available to get me to the other side of the atlantic

 

[asemaria]

[/QUOTE]

If you are on the June 15 cruise please join our meet thread.[/QUOTE]

I am on June 8 cruise, but thank you for thinking of me.
I have already joined "my" meet thread. Now to think about FE-gifts

 

[DisneyOHFan]

If you are on the June 15 cruise please join our meet thread.[/QUOTE]

I am on June 8 cruise, but thank you for thinking of me.
I have already joined "my" meet thread. Now to think about FE-gifts [/QUOTE]

Yippee!!!1

 

[collectoraholic]

If it will help 'sweeten' the deal... Swiss gives out a piece of chocolate at the end of each flight and sometimes gives premium ice cream after dinner!

S~O~L~D~!

I love me some chocolate and ice cream!

Even though we'll have to make 2 more stops if we do the flight route to get us on Swiss Air, I think we're going to do it. One b/c of what everyone here has said about them and their service. & Two b/c we can fly from BCN to Zurich and stay for a few days to tour around Zurich and then fly home and it will only add a few hundred dollars to the total cost of the flights (IAH to BCN) to do it. So this weekend we're going to research to make sure that we'd really want to go to Zurich (can't imagine why we wouldn't want to tour there) and then see about getting our tickets!

Thanks everyone!

 

[woody73]

. . . we can fly from BCN to Zurich and stay for a few days to tour around Zurich and then fly home

In May we traveled through Switzerland for over two weeks and loved it.

We like the chocolates at Laderach, which has many shops. Link

If you stay in Zurich, I recommend a day trip to Lucerne (Luzern). It's only one hour by train.

Woody