I have a question for the Canadian cruisers out there. When my hubby and I book our cruise it is usually around Aug/Sept. We usually pay quite a bit, I am talking $3500.00 CAN for our cruise and air. Some friends of ours from Virginia payed $500.00 total for her and her hubby to go on the same cruise booking a week in advance. Do most Canadains find that we seem to pay a little more due to the flight not the cruise its self. Or do some of you do the same and book closer to when you want to leave. I just booked our second cruise a couple of months ago and we are taking two of our kids...costing us $4600 US total. yet my American friends are booking closer to the due date yet again. Or am I just the fool that pays an outragious amount of money on our vacation????
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Cruising beats Island get aways any day!
Hi, I am not sure we pay alot more.(cruise only) We booked on The Miricle, 2 out side rooms, Dec. 4th.
Ca $ 4500. With the conversion always seems more.
Last year we drove down. Extra 3 days each way plus food,gas,hotel.
This year I tried too book flights out of Toronto. It worked out to close to CA $ 4000. for 6 flights. Where it has been great is that we are now flying out of Buffalo and have paid only CA $ 990 , A huge savings there.
Hi,
We are paying .5000 for four of us thr week after Christmas. Two cabins, an inside and a balcony. This is everything, flight, cruise, night at hotel and Insurance. I think it is the air that gets us. I haven't been able to get air for less than 550 American for each personFrom Winnipeg to Tampa. Oh well what can you do$ I saved a bit by putting bits down on the cruise when our dollar was good.
Brenda
I have cruised 3 times on Carnival and have my 4th booked for Feb. I never book a "package" through a travel agent. I deal directly with an agent from Carnival. Yes, if you book "last minute", there are deals out there, just look in the paper each week in the travel section, but I am not prepared to do that (I need to know where and when I am going). However, that being said, I book at least 8 months in advance. Cruise prices are like the stock market - supply and demand. If it is a popular cruise, the prices go up, if the ship is not fully booked, the prices go down. By booking directly with Carnival, they always match the lower price. So, I book in July, (Feb. sailing) pay a $500 (US) deposit which is fully refundable, do a guarantee cabin (I dont know my cabin number until I arrive, just the category), and dont have to committ until the end of November when I have to either cancel or pay up. I shop carefully for airfare, checking the rates daily until I find a good deal. Airfares also change daily, and if prices drop, they will give you a credit. It has always worked well for me. In the past 3 cruises, I have received an on board credit twice (once for $400 and once for $150... helps pay for the gratuities/pictures !!) and once received an upgrade from an oceanview to balcony. Not bad.... And twice, I have received a credit for the airline tickets (they do not refund, just give you a credit toward the next flight). When you book with a travel agent, once the initial paperwork is done, they dont have any incentive to keep checking the prices to try to get you a reduced price / credit. I am booked on the Liberty for Feb 4th. It is almost sold out, and the prices have increased. So, little chance of an upgrade or on board credit this time !!! But, I keep checking the prices and if there are any changes, I call the airline or Carnival, and they will adjust my pricing. Just some food for thought from Lindsay, Ont. !!!!!!
Cdncruzer, Are you flying out of Toronto, I should qualify my post, That was 6 seat, online that were match by TA . Flying from Buffalo - total price taxes in $990 versus $3000 ++ out of Toronto Mostly tax!!!
Wow, think I am going to book my cruises through you cdncruzer! You find great deals. I too book well in advance for the fear of not finding a flight. That is just it, the cruises, I can find great deals online but the flights are the real cruncher! I live in northern Saskatchewan so i have to drive 4 hours no matter what to the airport and then fly for 6 hours just to get to the local of where the cruise is leaving. I looked up what the prices would be for just the cruise its self then booking flights seperately for us and I scratched that idea. I am talking $1200.00 pp for a family of four going...don't think so. I booked with a cruise site out of the US and compared to local travel agents here I am paying about $1000 less so I cant really complain to much. I guess it is a little bit comforting knowing that I am not the only one that has to pay quite a bit for a vacation. I am going on the Liberty as well, but on Feb 12th. Have a great cruise everyone.
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Cruising beats Island get aways any day!
We(2 adults,2 kids) often fly out of Seattle(about 2 1/2 hr.drive) to save quite a bit of money-esp. the taxes, Airport Improvement Fees,etc.
We booked through a USbased online cruise agency about 9 months in advance, guarantee and were magically upgraded to the best OV(Spa deck).(The price was US1832 for a QuadInsideGuar. for Jan./05 7 day)
As the other poster said, check the airline prices almost daily. One night I just happened to check-after checking the previous night-and the price had dropped significantly and only stayed lower for a couple of days then. I woke up my husband and we booked the SEA-MIA-SEA nonstop for US278/pp! Way cheaper than flying our of Vancouver!!
Also you could try the Cruise Compete feature here at CruiseMates-being cautious, asking questions,etc. before booking.
We used Travelex that has a kids(<16yrs) free insurance.Cost us US95 for the 4 of us for cancellation insurance, with only basic medical though. I have Out of Country coverage through work.
If any other Cdns. have some money-saving tips, please share!!
Enjoy your cruises Canadian cruisers! I sometimes wished we lived closer to Florida so we could cruise cheaper, but after all their hurricane problems- No thanks!!
Brenda in Vancouver
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NCL Jewel March 14/08(Southern Caribb.)VALOR Jan. 7 /07(Western Caribb. again!)
VALOR Jan/05-our first family cruise was great!
As we all know, we pay premium prices flying in Canada. I can go to Miami or Ft. Lauderdale at 1/3 the price of flying to Vancouver !!. Sask would be a tricky place to fly from... Not too many options. At least with me in Ontario, I have more options. I can fly out of Toronto on any major airline, Canadian or American. I can also drive 2 hours more and leave from Buffalo. I also like sailing from south Florida, as I have the option of flyinging into Miami or Ft. Lauderdale, whichever is cheapest. But overall, yes we Canadians do pay more (sigh)... but well worth it. I hear the Liberty is fabulous.... cant wait.
Yes it is tricky to fly out of Sask. funny thing is we are flying out of Edmonton Alberta cause it was cheaper..still a 4 hour drive though...hate winter driving. When we booked our first cruise we did it through a local travel agent and got a good deal as opposed to some of our friends that took the same cruise later.... I find that the cruises are cheap just the flights. That is what makes the trip so costly. Even though we Canadians pay a little bit more it nothing stops me from booking my vacation. Never thought of flying to the closest US airport and then booking a flight from there to Florida...would probably be a whole lot cheaper. None the less my trip has been booked...everyday is a learning experience so today I have been educated on finding flight deals thats all!! Us too, we can not wait to see the Liberty, have read some great reviews on the ship. We are taking two of our kids for their first cruise cant wait to see there faces when they see the ship...come to think of it this is their first time flying too....Have a great trip!!
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Cruising beats Island get aways any day!
Hi - like Brenda we too try to fly out of Seattle wherever possible - the savings are tremendous. Flying out of Canada there is gst, pst, fuel surcharge, airport tax and airport improvement tax - we don't even use air miles because all the taxes end up costing more than thte actual flight out of Seattle - tax in.
Another perk - driving across the border is a heck of a lot easier than going through customs at the airport. we go across the line for "cheap cheese" once a week - so the border guards all know us.
So less hassle, less money - win win situation.
The exhange rate is pretty good right now but a couple of years ago - it seemed we could add on another 50% to make up the difference - that was harsh!
We can also park at the airport in Seattle - and get the room thrown in for the night - for about the same price as parking at the Vancouver airport. Makes it even more restful and we get to shop before the trip as well - bonus!!!
Jennifer- I always heard about the Cdn. 'cheeseheads' going across the line for cheap cheese!! Yes, I forgot about the price of parking near YVR is about the same as hotel&parking in Seattle. Do you have a favourite place to stay&park near SEA???? And no custom lineups IN the YVR airport. One time they were starting to board the plane by the time we got through the long YVR US custom lineup!!! Just hit the border at the correct time and you are through fairly quickly.
Brenda
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NCL Jewel March 14/08(Southern Caribb.)VALOR Jan. 7 /07(Western Caribb. again!)
VALOR Jan/05-our first family cruise was great!
We paid approx 3500 Canadian for our trip in february this is the first time we are flying down we usually drive and spend a week in florida post cruise. Our flights were $366 C each Luckily we have the advantage of flying out of Detroit since we are just outside of Windsor.
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Next up Elation Aug 23 '10
then the Miracle again Feb 7,2011
Miracle '10
Holiday '09
Legend '09
Triumph '08
Valor '07
Triumph '06
Fascination '04
Legend '03
Brenda - we just check on line and see who is offering the best deal. Red Lion has one night and parking for 14 days for just $149. There is one in Renton as well - can't remember the name - but it worked out to about $100 for the night and two weeks parking - can't beat that.
I don't like YVR - it's hard to navigate - and as you say - the lines are horrendous.
We also recently discovered BigLots in Bellingham - what a great place. It's sort of like our Liquidation World - only cleaner Then there's Ross and Dress Barn - real clothes - for real women tee-hee!
We also live in Canada. We booked a cruise for March, but paid for that and we are flying out of Minneapolis. We are going to book online for the flight because it is cheaper even with the exchange. You can usually book for about $250-300 per person round trip online. If you have an airport in the states that is close to you, it might be better for you to drive there and fly out.
We are booked on the Valor for January 8 2006. We booked through cruise compete and paid $564.00 US per person for a 4A guarantee. We live in Ottawa but drive 3 hours to Syracuse to fly to Fort Lauderdale. Our flight is costing us $197.50 US per person. When converted to Canadian it is about half the price of flying out of Ottawa. The best price we could get in Ottawa for the cruise was about $975 Canadian cruise only. We are two couples and this is our fourth Carnival cruise which we have booked in the same manner. By the way, we received our cabin assignments and have been upgraded to a 4E.
Canadian cruiser question?
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