Have You Ever Taken a Red Eye?

[funat55]

I'm from California and always fly in at least a day ahead when departing from the East Coast. I love flying Jet Blue but the flight I'm looking at leaves at 9:30 pm the night before and arrives in Florida at 6:00 am on Sat. morning, the day of the cruise. Has anybody ever done this flight before? Is this cutting it too close? And what will I do from the time I arrive until I can I board the ship? I will save money by not having to book a hotel on Friday night, but is it worth it?

[CyberTag]

We took a redeye from California to Florida before we had kids and were exhausted the day we arrived. I couldn't do it now with kids.

[JLC@SD]

I'm from California and always fly in at least a day ahead when departing from the East Coast. I love flying Jet Blue but the flight I'm looking at leaves at 9:30 pm the night before and arrives in Florida at 6:00 am on Sat. morning, the day of the cruise. Has anybody ever done this flight before? Is this cutting it too close? And what will I do from the time I arrive until I can I board the ship? I will save money by not having to book a hotel on Friday night, but is it worth it?

 

We did this.....once.......and now never again. I can not sleep on a plane, I'm 6' - 4" and we both arrived exhausted and we were ready for bed that evening at 5 pm. And if you arrive at 6 am you will have 5 hours until you can board, while they disembark the previous cruise.

[gonzo1124]

Unless you can sleep on a plane (I can't), don't do it. I have take the red eye from Las Vegas to FL and felt like crap the next day.

[RetireeWannabee]

not worth it.

 

A couple weeks ago I got up Monday at 3 am to catch a 5:20 to be at my destination at 9 am to enjoy the day before conference started at 6 pm. Different situation that included having a place to sleep (that I didn't need, went to bed around 9 pm night before)

 

In your case, NOT WORTH IT! Spend the money on a hotel room and come in at a normal hour day before. Will be more enjoyable and good use of cash.

[HappiTravels]

I agree with the other opinions that you have received. We took the red eye home from San Diego and we got home around 10am and fell into bed and slept for the rest of the day and that was at the end of my vacation. It wouldn't be fun to start out your vacation wiped out.

[GXmanDC]

I only take red eyes when I absolutely have to, usually for work and I must to be in another city the very next day. They are rough. Normally I have no problem dozing off during a flight, but on red eyes it never fails that I sit awake most of the trip. Years ago red eye flights had row upon row of empty seats. Now even the red eye flights are packed, every seat and overhead compartment filled.

[cb at sea]

It's not "cutting it too close"....you should have plenty of time before you can even think about boarding the ship...but you will be tired.

I've only done a red-eye twice...once, because it was booked that way...and the 2nd time because of a delayed flight....no fun either time! Hubby can sleep anywhere, but I CANNOT sleep sitting up, surrounded by people I don't know...miserable!

[Cuizer2]

I'm from California and always fly in at least a day ahead when departing from the East Coast. I love flying Jet Blue but the flight I'm looking at leaves at 9:30 pm the night before and arrives in Florida at 6:00 am on Sat. morning, the day of the cruise. Has anybody ever done this flight before? Is this cutting it too close? And what will I do from the time I arrive until I can I board the ship? I will save money by not having to book a hotel on Friday night, but is it worth it?

 

I did it once and didn't like it. I was even in first class so I could have the room to relax. But I arrived tired and would not really recommend this if the first day is a port day. If the first day is a sea day, then you can sleep late and it is workable.

[miched]

We used to fly in the day of the cruise and went thru the cruise line. we don't do either anymore.

 

When you book thru the cruise line you get what they want to give you and that includes times that are not the greatest and also connectors. The other is getting there on the same day of your cruise will leave you exhausted to where you cannot really enjoy that first day.

 

We now book our own flight, go in the day before and with the money we save it usually pays for the nights lodging.

[noche_caliente]

We did this to San Juan in January and never again. We were so exhausted. Add to that the stress of travel caused me to have a migraine, and then sleep through most of our first day... not so fun :( We did do a great local tour in San Jan and were on the ship at 11:30, but I wouldn't do it again - I'd rather do a late-night flight and then stay at a hotel - it would make the start of the vacation much more enjoyable!

[funat55]

Wow everyone, thanks for the quick responses. Looks like maybe I'll go flight shopping at Southwest. All your comments are very much appreciated but my 5 year old grandson will be in our travel party and he still needs a nap and gets grouchy when he doesn't get enough sleep. I want everyone to be rested for the first day, so I think I'll look at earlier flights and find a nice hotel the night before the cruise.

[dj80colo]

I wouldn't do it, unless you can sleep on the plane. My DW and I have been on two cruises out of Rome. Both times we had a one stop from DEN to London, then on to Rome. We left about 8:30PM both times, and slept most of the way. Felt refreshed and didn't seem to be hit by any jet lag.

 

We still did fly in a day early...just to be safe! :):)

[joejo]

I have done it twice before for cruises and it was horrible. I felt exhausted and crappy - not a nice way to start a vacation! I wouldn't even attempt it with my kids in tow.

[megr1125]

Wow everyone, thanks for the quick responses. Looks like maybe I'll go flight shopping at Southwest. All your comments are very much appreciated but my 5 year old grandson will be in our travel party and he still needs a nap and gets grouchy when he doesn't get enough sleep. I want everyone to be rested for the first day, so I think I'll look at earlier flights and find a nice hotel the night before the cruise.

 

Most of jetBlue's flights from the left coast to the right coast tend to be red eyes...I've done them on a number of occasions, but not for a cruise. Time wise, it's OK...but you'll be exhausted, especially with a little one.

 

You can probably priceline a 3.5 or 4 star hotel at a decent price if you want to save money. check biddingfortravel and betterbidding dot com for assistance, and there is a sticky about PL at the top of the forum.

 

You will be much happier getting to FLL the day before, even if you don't get in early...at the very least you'll be well rested for your cruise

[PhoenixCruiser]

Wow everyone, thanks for the quick responses. Looks like maybe I'll go flight shopping at Southwest. All your comments are very much appreciated but my 5 year old grandson will be in our travel party and he still needs a nap and gets grouchy when he doesn't get enough sleep. I want everyone to be rested for the first day, so I think I'll look at earlier flights and find a nice hotel the night before the cruise.

 

Agree, keep researching! No one is happy when they don't get enough sleep.

 

Flying these days is not fun, long lines for every step of the way and then the occasional (lol) delay. Fly in a day early, get a good night sleep and your actual vacation will start on a good note :D

 

Good luck!

 

###

[Nebr.cruiser]

We don't take redeyes, except one 22 hour flight to Thailand, because normally they are not offered from our home airport (Omaha), but we have had the equivalent in driving/flying time.

 

We're about 2.5 hours from the airport and many flights leave at 6AM. So we either have to go to Omaha a day early, stay near the airport and get up at 4, or leave home about 2:30 AM to get to Omaha in time. Invariably if we do this neither of us can sleep before the early departure and we end up basically being awake for 36 or more hours.

 

This isn't too bad if we get to the port city a day early--we have time to recover. The one time we did it the day of the cruise (never again), we were so tired by the time that we got on the ship that we slept from about the time muster drill was over until morning, basically missing the first day--even dinner.

 

So my advice is don't do this unless you have no other choice. You'll probably be ok timewise, for boarding, but you will feel so wiped out you won't enjoy that first day--maybe even the first couple of days. If you can sleep well on a plane, it would help.

[charliegirlac]

We take night flights to get from home (Australia) to the US as the flight is so long. We can generally get a couple of hours and not feel too bad. But last year we took the red eye from LA to Florida and it was horrible - those planes and seats are not meant for comfortable over night sleeping. We were exhausted when we arrived and vowed never again!!!

[Craving A Cruise]

Flew from California to Florida on a Red Eye...ONCE....never again! :eek:

 

Cruiseline booked it for us, now we know better, they met us at the airport, brought us to a hotel and booked a day room for us for a couple of hours then brought us to the ship around 2pm. We were exhausted!!!!! Not sure if it was a lack of sleep combined with time zone changes, but we missed the first 2 days of our cruise because we slept so much!!

 

IMHO, I would suggest flying out at least a day early! :)

[swcruise]

Did a redeye yesterday with work and was exhausted when I got home. Up at 4 am and not back until 9pm.

 

I think if it's a holiday you will feel tired, but as you are starting a vacation it is not as crappy as a work day. But if you had a different later option or an option the previous day that is within your price limits, I think that would be better all round

[andrzej5914]

Always a red-eye when I travelled for business. No problems.

 

Have a nice full dinner before your flight, no alcohol, take 2-3 Tylenol PMs (or some prescription sleeping pills if you can get them) before you board. It helps to be in first/business class.

 

I never had problems with sleeping. Next thing I knew we were at the destination. Fully rested but in need of a shower, I would walk over to the business lounge, grab a light snack and use the shower room.

 

Ready for whatever the day had in store for me. ;)