Disney Air

[peachygreen]

Question - can you cancel air booked through DCL up until your PIF date?

With the way airlines are increasing prices on airfare, I'm wondering if locking in a rate now (1-1/2 years out) and then if you do get a better deal you can cancel is a decent option? Will dropping air effect your cruise price? You'd only be dropping the air price right?

 

[Anal Annie]

Yes, you can leave the "cruise air" on your ressie until your PIF date. I did that on our first cruise until I could shop it for myself. Ended up saving several hundred pp by booking on own...but it doesn't hurt with the way air is priced these days if you want to have it on there for now. Just be sure to cancel it before your PIF date if you find better on your own.

 

[kcashner]

In general yes, but you'll need to carefully check the dates. Some cruises have air cancellation dates that are different than the penalty date or PIF date for the cruise. (don't you love it) This happens on some of the specialty or European cruises.

But yes, you can book air thru DCL to lock in the price, and then continue to price out the air price on your own. If you get a good deal, you cancel the Disney air. If not, you have a decent price locked in. Do remember that your DCL price includes transfers. No, you do not "get the transfers free" as one CM tried to tell me. They are built in to the price of the airfare package!

 

[PoopDeckPappy]

Note that direct flights are not guaranteed. So take that into consideration when shopping on your own. You might see more expensive flights but if they are only slightly higher it may be worth it to know you have a direct flight.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Question - can you cancel air booked through DCL up until your PIF date?

With the way airlines are increasing prices on airfare, I'm wondering if locking in a rate now (1-1/2 years out) and then if you do get a better deal you can cancel is a decent option? Will dropping air effect your cruise price? You'd only be dropping the air price right?

Right. I did just add DCL air to my Easter 2012 & Nov 2012 cruises just in case airfares are crazy high by then. The Nov week is a very popular vacation week up here and right now the best price I can find to return home is $279 pp one way while any other weekend is about $115.
If I find something better, I can drop the air and the cruise fare stays the same. Since it doesn't increase my deposit amount, I have nothing to lose as long as I cancel in time.

 

[kcashner]

Note that direct flights are not guaranteed. So take that into consideration when shopping on your own. You might see more expensive flights but if they are only slightly higher it may be worth it to know you have a direct flight.

Not only are direct flights not guaranteed, they are not generally used by DCL even when available. DCL will assign you to the flights that they can get the cheapest (based on what they have to pay the airlines). It doesn't even matter that YOU could book a direct flight cheaper than one with a stopover.

The problem with DCL air is that you get what gives THEM the best deal, not what works for you. Still, I totally concur with booking it now to lock in the price. You can see what you can find as the dates near.

 

[Anal Annie]

And if you DO add the DCL air I would periodically go out on the website & check it as it can change in price too. The air for our Med cruise started out between $1,800 - $2,000 from the DC area airports...several months ago they lowered it to just over $1,300. Still more than what I was able to book on my own but they DID adjust it once.