? About Fly & Cruise Package

[dheller97]

We arranged our cruise through Expedia and opted for the DCL fly & cruise package. Since we are east of the Rockies, we fly out same day as ship departure. Will be flying from Omaha, NE but no flight info yet. Any experience? Seems like this would make a very late arrival and little time to book any reservations for services or excursions.

Thank you!
Dean

 

[goofytwo]

You won't get any flight info until your docs arrive. We used Disney flights the first time but you are at their mercy about arrival times at the port. This time we booked our own flights (for MUCH less $) and we know that we will arrive at MCO when we want to (10:00 am) if all goes well.
Hope this helps.

 

[vgaskin]

We did this our first trip and used Travelocity but used Disney's Air. You get your docs later, right at 2 weeks before. I was able to call 3 weeks prior and they called Disney and told me my flight times. Chances are, they will not be direct flights, ours were not. They were on US Air. Our flight cancelled and we got in 12 hours after we were supposed to. We were on the land/sea so luckily we just lost a day at WDW. Make sure you purchase travel insurance, even though Disney booked your air, they won't reimburse you if you don't get insurance. You can get it from someone else, but just get it. We were supposed to be in at 10 am but got in at 10 pm instead. We are booking our own this time.

 

[ElaineMc]

I always book airfare independently. It would have cost me $450.00 more to do it with a package deal and that's for only two people. I also like to chose my own airline, my own flight times and my own routes. Maybe I'm a control freak but I like to plan things instead of having someone do it for me. I'm sure it will be fine for you though as a lot of people do packages.

 

[Lloyd Dobler]

When you book your air through the cruise line, they make your reservations 30 days prior to departure. At this point, you can call and get your flight numbers, and then call the airline to book seat assignments.

While I do think it's much more convenient to have them book everything, I now go with my own air, as it's much cheaper. Flying from the west coast, they now want $550pp for air and transfers. This includes a night at the Hyatt. I can book air for about $200pp, the Hyatt for between $99 and $129, and transfers for $49pp. That works out to about $300pp if we do it on our own.

If you're more 60 days out, you may be able to cancel the air portion, book your own flights, and just pay for the transfers.

 

[mowanda]

We booked through Disney and used their fly and cruise package. Our airfare was about 320.00 pp. I really feel that we could have booked cheaper and got in earlier. We flew out of Baltimore the same day as the cruise sailing, and got to the port around 1:30 PM. When we go again, hopefully in 2005 on the Verandah and Rae Birthday Cruise, we will book our own air and probably go in a day early. After reading many threads on this board it seems advisable to go in a day ahead. That way you are on the ship at least by 12:30 or 1:00. Hope your cruise is as magical as ours was, it was the best vacation I have ever had. Can't wait to go again.

Brenda

 

[dheller97]

Thank you for all of the tips. I'll probably just leave things as they are since I'm a first-timer and don't know what to do or what to expect. That way if a blizzard hits South Dakota or Nebraska on Jan 31, it sounds like it's their problem to get me to the ship once I make it to the airport.

Thanks again,
Dean