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There's no way to tell if a particular sailing will drop or increase in price. If they cost is something you're willing to pay right now, book it. If it's too high, then wait....but the price may never drop! It's the risk you take.
We never use the cruiseline's air...we book our own.
Same with us - we always book our own air. I prefer getting there the night before. Our next cruise will be out of NOLA and we wanted to see the city before it becomes Atlantis so we'll head there at least 3 nights early.
I, too, usually book my own air. But having recently booked Baltimore-Shangha and Singapore-Baltimore, I must caution that not everyone is capable of doing this. You really have to be careful because various discount sites are only interested in pushing tickets. Once you buy those nonreimbursable fares, you are locked in. If you miss your plan due to bad connections, it's your problem since you bought a specific flight. You may be able to catch the next flight, if you are lucky. But the carrier may also demand that you buy a new ticket!
In this case I bought the tickets directly from Delta.
Having said this, I must hasten to add:
-- I have used discounters on more than a dozen cruises without any problems.
-- I have used Princess's air arrangements on a South America cruise and HAL''s on Pacific. In both cases they offered the cheapest abd fastest connections. I know that many people do not want to even consider cruise air. I see no reason to avoid that option.
The bottom line: Whether you buy your own, or let a travel agent or cruise line do it, you have to watch like an eagle. If you spot connections that are too tight, you must insist that they be changed. My experience is that cruise lines try to satisfy a customer because they want a happy customer.
book a spring trans-Atlantic at this point or wait for the rock-bottom prices on these overserved routes after the final payment deadline?
If you waited, how would you handle air? I don't think cruise air can be bought after the final deadline, and ordinary fares are shockingly high.
The cruise in question is HAL.
Do not assume the rates will drop all that much after final payment dates. This is a misconception many have and even if they do drop, the air can put you over the top. Most lines will honor a lower price, as long as it is prior to fnal payment: many will give upgrades or OBC if the rates do drop at the last minute.
Nita
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Pros and cons
