As one of the many changes recently announced at Southwest Airlines
, the airline began offering customers the ability to book cruises with the airlines’ partner, World Travel Holdings:

“We’ve heard from our customers that cruises were of interest to them, and our new partnership with World Travel Holdings gives customers access to all major cruise lines”

This is not abnormal for an airline to offer cruise packages. A quick perusal of each of the major US airlines’ websites will reveal that they offer on each of their sites a dedicated page to book flights and cruises together in combined holiday packages.

Interestingly, if one were to research the web pages of major cruise lines. They would find a similar option where each of the cruise lines offer on their booking sites an option to reserve the cruise as well as connecting flights in one complete package.

Alaska_Cruise_(15112230006)

Why is this? Why do airlines and cruise lines partner together in this way? What advantage does it provide the airlines and cruise lines and what benefit does it provide to customers? In this article, we take a quick look at the collaboration between airlines and cruise lines to briefly analyze the pros and cons of booking an entire cruise package with either partner in this air-to-sea connection.

A little history

Some Simple Flying
readers may remember the days when there was an airline that was called Carnival Air Lines. This airline, as the name suggests, was directly linked to the well-known Carnival Cruise Line. The point of the airline was to connect passengers from places in the United States to destinations such as the Bahamas. Where customers could then connect to their Carnival cruise.

The story is much longer, as Carnival Air Lines strayed from its initial roots and began to offer scheduled services. This put it in direct competition with other airlines and in that regard it succeeded for a little while before disappearing under PANAM II. However, this story explains a little why airlines and cruise lines work together.

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It’s about logistics and revenue

There are a limited number of seaports with cruises as compared to airports able to connect passengers to a cruise. In most cases, it is necessary to connect customers from different parts of the country to seaports around the world. While it is difficult for cruise lines to run their own airlines, they benefit by working with airlines to draw customers from places where there are no seaports.

N665JB_JetBlue_at_SAN

Photo: Mertbiol | Wikimedia Commons 

Likewise, by presenting passengers with the opportunity to book a cruise from somewhere where cruising may not be as easily accessible, the airlines essentially add new destinations to their network. Cruises, in many ways, become a type of destination on the airlines’ network.

In the case of the larger airlines with a greater global network, or as a part of one of the major airline alliances, more cruise options are made possible to more customers. Travelers in the United States may be able to book a Mediterranean cruise or customers in Europe are offered the flexibility to easily reserve an Alaskan cruise.

TUI Boeing 737 MAX Departing Manchester

Photo: Bradley Caslin | Shutterstock

In the end, both parties benefit from this partnership and add additional sources of revenue. By working together, the airlines and the cruise lines can offer customers a one-stop shop in which airfares and cruises can be reserved together. By partnering together, cruise lines and airlines mutually benefit from each other’s products, which in turn produce additional sources of revenue.

Ensuring customers are able to make it to their cruise

TPG notes that one of the advantages of booking a cruise and airfare together with an airline or cruise line is that the companies will do everything possible to connect passengers’ flights to the departing ship if the airline is at fault for causing a delay.

It is inevitable that customers coming from all over the United States to a single ship at port may possibly run into flight delays or cancelations in other parts of the country. In theory, when booking the airfare as a package deal, it works as a form of insurance.

Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-790(WL) aircraft is airborne as it departs Los Angeles International Airport, Los Angeles, California USA

Photo: Philip Pilosian | Shutterstock

If a customer runs into a flight delay or cancelation, the airline or cruise line will work to get the client on the next flight available to the departing seaport. Additionally, if a customer’s flight delay results in them missing the boat, the company may work to get the customer booked on a flight to the next port of call (if it’s possible).

To entice travelers to jointly book their airline ticket with the cruise, some cruise lines offer customers a credit that can be used on board the ship.

Additional loyalty points and perks of combined packages

When Southwest Airlines announced its cruise partnership with World Travel Holdings, the airline advertised that its Rapid Rewards
customers would be able to earn additional frequent flier miles by booking cruises and flights together. American Airlines
answers the question, “Why cruise with us?” on their web page:

  • Customers earn miles and loyalty points toward
    AAdvantage

    status

  • Frequent fliers can earn double miles for every $1 spent
  • AAdvantage credit cardmembers earn 3 miles per $1 spent
  • A cruise can be booked today and paid for later
  • TAmerican offers a 110% Best Price Guarantee – If the traveler finds a lower price on another website within 48 hours of booking on American Airlines Cruises, the airline will refund them 110% of the difference
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Photo: American Airlines

Interestingly, Delta Air Lines
advertises almost the exact same perks, including the 110% guarantee. United Airlines
advertises that customers booking their cruise through United can earn up to 45,000 additional miles. JetBlue
says that customers who book a cruise with them will also enjoy additional flight perks such as priority boarding, a free carry-on, and a free drink.

The airlines are not the only ones encouraging combined air and sea packages. For example, Royal Caribbean advertises that its Air2Sea program:

“Makes getting to your cruise a breeze”

The cruise line notes that booking both the airfare and cruise together provides customers with the lowest fare guaranteed, an easier reservation process, assured arrival and complete flexibility with a preferred airline, as well as an Emergency Travel Team that will work with airline partners to do everything possible to get customers to their cruise.

Virgin Atlantic Airbus A350 Landing In Malta

Photo: InsectWorld | Shutterstock

A look through the different cruise lines’ various websites also reveals that they advertise additional loyalty points for repeat customers who book the airfare and cruise together. It must be noted though, that not all cruise lines offer all of these perks and may have limited flight choices, so doing some research beforehand is necessary.

Keep in mind that cruise lines may add additional change fees in addition to the typical airline charges.

A few cons to booking a combined package

There are a few possible negatives to booking a combined air and sea package. The greatest complaint that some folks raise is that it may limit the choice. Whereas a traveler may be able to book their airfare with any airline when booking the airfare independently, a combined package limits these choices to the airline and its partners. For those who desire to control the details, this may be a problem as opposed to those who prefer to sit back and let someone else handle everything.

KLM Cityhopper E175

Photo: Longfin Media | Shutterstock

In addition to limiting airline choice to one airline, there is also the possibility that the included airfare may actually be more than if a person booked their air tickets independently. When booking the airfare and cruise separately, it may be possible to fly with a competing airline at a cheaper airfare and reduce the overall cost of the trip.

On the other end of the spectrum, it is possible that a passenger may not get the perks they would like to utilize for their vacation. Depending on the type of booking, a traveler may lose out on additional options to upgrade. As Cruisecritic states:

“If you fly frequently and have status with a particular airline, booking an air package is almost a guarantee of the lowest fare class ticket, which moves you down the upgrade list, not up. In addition, your ticket might not be upgradeable even with miles or money.”

Again, all of this depends on the type of cruise package a traveler selects, so if upgrading is important, one may need to be a savvy shopper that is willing to pay a little more. If a higher class of travel is desired and utilizing an upgrade preferred, the customer may want to choose a different package with more flexibility instead of the cheapest rate. The details are in the fine print, so a little research is required. If unable to find what they like, customers are encouraged to research the cost of booking the air fare and cruise separately.

Summary

Airlines and cruise lines often partner together. Most major airlines have a webpage dedicated to booking flights and cruises together. When all is said and done, they often share a mutual arrangement that allows both entities to increase their revenue and expand their market share.

By working together with the airlines, a cruise line may be able to attract customers from all over the world to a single cruise. Airlines, on the other hand, benefit by moving holiday travelers to seaport cities that may not necessarily draw as much revenue independent of the cruise lines. Both entities benefit so much from this arrangement that they are willing to offer perks to travelers who utilize this service.

United Airlines Boeing 737-924ER (N66897) taking off from Los Angeles International Airport.

Photo: Philip Pilosian | Shutterstock

Customers may also benefit from this arrangement, by having more cruise options available to them. Additionally, they may rest in the assurance that the airlines and cruise lines will work to ensure they make it to the ship. Also, airlines and cruise lines often reward passengers who book a package trip with additional loyalty points, guarantees, credit onboard, and even additional flight perks.

On the other hand, for those individuals who desire to control all the details, it may seem as though many options have been stripped away in a package deal. The key point that all travelers need to remember is that good research is critical to ensuring they get what they want. Some folks may be happy to select the lowest price and leave the details up to the airline and cruise line. Others may want to select everything independently and plan out the timing, class of service, and price themselves.

A Lufthansa Boeing 787 Dreamliners

Photo: Kevin Hackert | Shutterstock

Ultimately, the airlines and cruise lines work together, because they both benefit from the additional revenue they earn through their collaboration. It’s a match that seems to work pretty well for them and, if Southwest’s recent addition of cruise packages may seem to indicate, it’s a pairing that may continue for quite some time.

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