Custom Air Arrangements

JoeyandDavid · December 30, 2007

I want to know if when making custom air arrangements thru the cruise line.. do i have to specify the same air lines coming and going.. for example:

American airlines has a non stop from LAX to SJU going ...but no non stop flights on return and Delta has a non stop let say coming back but layovers going.... can i combine the two to make one flight arrangement

Dan · December 31, 2007

You certainly can on your own. Not sure about through the cruise line. If you do custom air, you have to pay the airfare difference anyway, so I'd seriously investigate booking on your own.

Joanandjoe · December 31, 2007

You'll have to ask the cruise line, Joey. It depends on what the line uses for that particular itinerary; so even the experience of someone on the same cruise line may not be helpful. For our Med cruise on Windstar in 2004, our custom arrangement through the cruise line was a nonstop from JFK to Nice on Delta going to Europe, and a nonstop home from Lisbon to Newark on TAP. So for us, we not only had different airlines,. but different NYC area airports.

JoeyandDavid · December 31, 2007

You'll have to ask the cruise line, Joey. It depends on what the line uses for that particular itinerary; so even the experience of someone on the same cruise line may not be helpful. For our Med cruise on Windstar in 2004, our custom arrangement through the cruise line was a nonstop from JFK to Nice on Delta going to Europe, and a nonstop home from Lisbon to Newark on TAP. So for us, we not only had different airlines,. but different NYC area airports.

Joe thanks .. let me ask you...did you request the flights or were they assigned?

JohnG · December 31, 2007

With custom air you can specify anything you like: specific airline, specific flight, class of seating, etc. You pay the custom air fee and any price differential between what they would provide under their blocked air and what you request. You also get confirmation right away, not 30 to 60 days before the cruise.

JoeyandDavid · December 31, 2007

With custom air you can specify anything you like: specific airline, specific flight, class of seating, etc. You pay the custom air fee and any price differential between what they would provide under their blocked air and what you request. You also get confirmation right away, not 30 to 60 days before the cruise.

John Thanksas always for the information..... I guess the only way to find out what it will actually cost us is to call my TA or the Cruiseline directly.... :thumbup: I just like ot know what the answers are BEFORE I CALL...lol i know funny huh

Joanandjoe · December 31, 2007

Joe thanks .. let me ask you...did you request the flights or were they assigned?

We requested specific flights--that's what custom air is for.

RNSANE · December 31, 2007

I have seldom done cruise line air. Most of the time, I've found I can do better on my own. But, if you're doing custom arrangements, you should be able to specify what you want. Since I haven't used that service, can you choose your own seats, etc? That would be most important to me.

JoeyandDavid · December 31, 2007

I have seldom done cruise line air. Most of the time, I've found I can do better on my own. But, if you're doing custom arrangements, you should be able to specify what you want. Since I haven't used that service, can you choose your own seats, etc? That would be most important to me.

I assume once you have a booking number you can make or adjust you own seating assignements...

Air fare becomes available February 6ish.. so I will be able to price it completely out at that point...

As always you guys have all contributed to the thought process.. thanks a bunch...

Joanandjoe · January 1, 2008

Except for Southwest Airlines, I can't recall ever being unable to choose seats (not that the choice is always very good). On the two occasions that we used cruise line custom air (JFK-Nice and Lisbon-EWR one trip, EWR to Montreal one way for the other trip), , we were able to choose our seats on all flights.