Remarks on Travelmole show Costa's new partnership with no-frills carrier Ryanair has gone down like a lead balloon in some quarters.
There are questions about Ryanair's ability to deliver passengers to the port in time - on a cruise-only deal the ship is not under any obligation to wait for guests (no matter who the carrier) - and fears about the high price clients will pay for baggage.
I have never flown with Ryanair and freely admit I have no intention of doing so because I hate the whole low-cost model of having to pay for everything as a separate item. I like to know the price so I can decide if it's OK or not. Easy.
There is also the small issue of having to get to Stansted Airport on the nightmare-ish M25, when British Airways' wonderful Terminal Five is less than 30 minutes away.
But I gather from figures given to me by Sinead Finn, Ryanair's director of commercial revenue, that a lot of people do fly with Ryanair.
Whether they enjoy the experience or not is another question of course, and I guess they don't from all the negative remarks I've heard about the airline. But they go anyway. On that basis, people should have no issue about flying with Ryanair to join their Costa cruise.
Then there is the issue of luggage. Most cruise passengers do like to take the kitchen sink, it's true. But hang on. Costa's UK managing director Marco Rosa made it clear they were after professional young new-to-cruise passengers - people not wedded to their traditions (or their sink) - but who presumably can afford to pay for hold luggage if necessary, especially if the flights really are so cheap.
Alternatively, why not manage on their 10kg hand luggage for a week? I regularly go on a week's cruise with hand luggage only and look smugly at people struggling with bags they can't carry and getting nervous when their luggage does not appear on the carousel.
Of course a lot does depend on the cruise line. Remember, this is not formal P&O, but informal Costa. When I was on Costa Victoria in the Gulf last month, Gala evening (the formal night equivalent) brought out some people wearing black tie, others in slacks and jumpers.
All mixed and mingled together - and there were no dirty looks or chav accusations by the black-tiers. Simply, on Costa if casual floats your boat, that's fine by everyone. And if that's what you like, hand luggage works just fine.
I'd just rather carry my bags onto a BA flight.
Jane Archer
Comments (2)
I am against the deal with Ryanair, as are many on my discussion board. I feel that the deal will cheapen cruising to a degree but there are going to be problems with baggage limits too. Even new cruisers take way too much with them. I guess a 7 night cruise would be OK but anything longer would be a nightmare.
Having cruised aboard Costa Allegra last year, cruising aboard Classica this year for 16 nights and then doing the 33 night homeward repositioning on Costa Allegra next year from Singapore to Savona, I really don't think longer cruises would suit Ryanair limitations. I would not be too impressed if I ended up flying back from Savona with Ryanair, if being honest.
Ryanair are also advertising the longer cruises, such as the Far East etc, so they are not just for the Med cruise market.
It remains to be seen how this deal pans out, but from what I have heard/read, it will need to prove its worth alot.
Incidently, I refuse to fly BA, cannot stand the firm nor do I want to fly via Heathrow. I book my flights through Costa and so far it has been KLM and/or Air France and I have not had any reason to complain. Schipol and CDG have come up in leaps and bounds in recent years, Air France uses 1 terminal at CDG now and it is faultless, so Heathrow will need alot to catch up on efficiency, cleanliness and courtesy.
Posted by Ally Jones | February 21, 2009 4:18 PM
Posted on February 21, 2009 16:18
The Ryanair flights do, of course, apply only in Europe as the airline doesn't fly long haul (yet!) but whether for three or seven nights, I'm afraid it's not for me. As for BA, well I'm all for people refusing to fly with them. Their fares go down to become more attractive and become so much more affordable. I'm also all for people staying away from T5. Makes it so much more pleasant! Interestingly, Air France is the only airline - apart from El Al - that has managed to lose my bags. As for my last long-haul KLM flight? Awful food, resentful service and TV in the ceiling with films no one had heard of. And the icing on the cake? They cancelled the connecting flight from Schiphol to the UK. No thanks.
Posted by Jane Archer | February 21, 2009 5:46 PM
Posted on February 21, 2009 17:46