should I fly in the day before?

[RWolver672]

Definately fly in a day or two early. Not only are you taking a chance of missing a flight or flight delays, but if you fly into Orlando, you have at least a 45 minute drive to the port if there is no traffic. At certain times of the day, it could take a whole lot longer, depending on traffic or accidents, etc.

[Name Of The Game]

We get terrible winters as well and don't plan vacations during those months at all, but if we did we definitely would fly in the day before! We do now anyway.

[Halya50]

We are going on our cruise in the middle of December, we are from Pa where the winters are usually harsh. I'm dibating on if we should fly into port canaveral the day before our ship leaves just in case our flight is delayed. I have this fear that if we fly into florida the same day the ship leaves, there is a huge chance of our flight being delayed due to weather and then we miss the cruise....am I being crazy?

 

Should I chance it and fly in the morning of our cruise? Or should I play it safe and fly in the day before? If we come the day before we are then adding an extra expense to our vacation, is it worth it? What does everyone else do? If it waasnt just before the holidays I probably wouldnt be so worried, but it just seems as if flights get delayed/canceled more in around the holidays.

 

Absolutely fly in the day before. Last year on our first cruise we had the worst storm of the season, the day of the cruise, flights were cancelled and delayed everywhere. We were lucky, we had flown in then day before, enjoyed a relaxing day at the hotel. If we had not come in earlier, we would have missed our cruise.

Just think of the added expense as a type of insurance...

Have an amazing cruise.

[nealstuber]

Another yes Vote here - especially into MCO where there are so many great things to see and inexpensive lodging and car rentl options.

 

There are great options for one way car rentals to and from the port so you can make the most of your extra day or two.

 

We'd recommend a visit to downtown Disney the night before, A hotel halfway down the B-line, and a morning on Coco-Beach. Not a teribble idea to travel back on Sunday and see the Space center after disembark on Saturday.

[lady_cruiser]

We are going on our cruise in the middle of December, we are from Pa where the winters are usually harsh. I'm dibating on if we should fly into port canaveral the day before our ship leaves just in case our flight is delayed. I have this fear that if we fly into florida the same day the ship leaves, there is a huge chance of our flight being delayed due to weather and then we miss the cruise....am I being crazy?

 

Should I chance it and fly in the morning of our cruise? Or should I play it safe and fly in the day before? If we come the day before we are then adding an extra expense to our vacation, is it worth it? What does everyone else do? If it waasnt just before the holidays I probably wouldnt be so worried, but it just seems as if flights get delayed/canceled more in around the holidays.

 

I don't fly because I am lucky enough to first, live in the South and second live near both ports I cruise from but I think you answered your own question. You have harsh winters and know first hand that flights can be delayed. Think of what is more expense; flying in the day before and adding a hotel stay pre-cruise or missing your cruise altogether?

 

Fly in the day before and get a good night's sleep knowing that if the flight was delayed, you will wake up right where you should be.

[marshhawk]

FLY IN THE DAY BEFORE! Even when we drive, we get in the day before, or two days before, just to be able to relax and in the event we forgot something we can pick it up before the cruise. The purpose is to relax right? So eliminate all the worries and "what if's" and get there the day before!

[CorbinCatFan]

Fly in the day before!

 

We've lost 1 1/2 days on a cruise playing catchup when our flight the day of the cruise was canceled. (The crew decided to take the day off.:mad:)

 

The day before the cruise, we had a flight that was to leave at 6:00 AM with an arrival of 3:45 PM be delayed due to weather. We finally made it to the hotel at 11:30 PM.

 

Anything can happen, even your luggage can be delayed. I always make alternate traveling plans to avoid that "lost" feeling.

[golfadj]

 

 

Need I say more?:eek:

 

Charlie

 

This is why they say a picture is worth a 1000 words.

[capndinghy]

Whoever said there was no such thing as a stupid question . . . was Wrong.

[98Charlie]

The fact of the matter is that every year there are snow storms that wreak havoc with the airports up north. Even the southern states get the domino effect of planes not arriving and passengers stranded waiting for continuing flights.

 

We've also found at times less expensive flights to the cruise port when travelling a day early. Helps pay for the hotel.

 

Charlie

[manmtnmike]

Hi,

 

Here's a different reason for voting "day before":

 

My DW had issues with motion-related dizziness, and once had a migraine after going from the airplane motion to cruising motion . She very rarely gets migraines...

 

Somehow the change in equilibrium was not a problem when flying in a day before, allowing for "return to normal", before the wave affect of cruising.

 

Mike

[Tapi]

Should I chance it and fly in the morning of our cruise? Or should I play it safe and fly in the day before? If we come the day before we are then adding an extra expense to our vacation, is it worth it?

 

Unless you're physically unable to, DEFINITELY fly in the day before. Bite the bullet, spend the money on a hotel room and have some peace of mind.

 

We're only driving 5 hours for our next cruise and we're still headed there the day before. Too many things can go wrong. We'd rather play it safe, spend the night at a hotel, and wake up the next morning refreshed and relaxed knowing that we're only ten minutes away from the port!

[Mrs. Squirrel]

We not only fly in the day before, but take an early AM flight the day before . We also book non-stop whenever possible.

 

Almost missed a cruise taking a late afternoon flight the day before. Departure from Indy was delayed long enough to miss our connection in Atlanta. Spent the night at the airport, as all hotels in vicinity booked due to an enormous convention. Flight available the next day didn't get us into Tampa until the afternoon-way too close of a call! Were so exhausted from lack of sleep and stress that 'nap' turned into missing the entire first day and night's activites!

[flamingolover]

PACruiser02

 

I am also from PA and I always fly in the day before the cruise. It is so much less stressful and then you are really in the right frame of mind to board that ship and enjoy your vacation. You can find a reasonable priced hotel that is worth the extra peace of mind.

 

Lucky you ... I have to wait until May for my next cruise. Think of me up here in cold, snowy PA when you are lounging on that pool deck in sunshine.

 

Have a great time!

[Gil40]

We are flying in to Fort Lauderdale the day before and leaving one day after the cruise.

[themerle]

We always fly in the at least the day before and just relax!

[makeup face]

Flying from LAX to Miami in January....taking a red-eye at 11:55pm Saturday. I'm changing plane in Atlanta and picking up my cabinmate....I should be in Miami by 10:30am Sunday. It was very important for me to NOT change planes anywhere there is snow. Although Atlanta is know for weather delays...the storms pass through fast.

[jakoblovesships]

Big fan of day or two before!:) We live in florida and still try to stay close to the port the night before!

[lmwilken]

We had a winter cruise a couple years ago....we flew in a day early from Chicago. We had problems with weather, luckily we got out, but our luggage didn't! We waited at the airport until 1am hoping it would come in, finally we gave up and some guy that worked for Princess (his name is John) found it and got it to the ship on time! We are still very thankful for the nice deed that guy did and it totally made our cruise!

 

Long story short....FLY IN EARLY!!!!!

[NEMMRRC]

We are going on our cruise in the middle of December, we are from Pa where the winters are usually harsh. I'm dibating on if we should fly into port canaveral the day before our ship leaves just in case our flight is delayed. I have this fear that if we fly into florida the same day the ship leaves, there is a huge chance of our flight being delayed due to weather and then we miss the cruise....am I being crazy?

 

Should I chance it and fly in the morning of our cruise? Or should I play it safe and fly in the day before? If we come the day before we are then adding an extra expense to our vacation, is it worth it? What does everyone else do? If it waasnt just before the holidays I probably wouldnt be so worried, but it just seems as if flights get delayed/canceled more in around the holidays.

 

Fly in the day before.

[LHP]

We fly in the day before (always)...in fact we DRIVE IN the day before...even if it is just 6 hours to New Orleans or Mobile !!!

 

I know that sometimes the situation just does not allow someone to fly in (or drive in) early....but if the situation does allow...I would do it.

[westview1]

Definitely fly in the day before. Our first cruise we drove through a snowstorm to get to LGA. What should have taken 1.5 hrs took me almost 3. The driving was horrible, the only thing that kept me going was knowing that I was going to be on a cruise that day. Other passengers from the northeast had worse stories than us. Some were stuck on the runway wondering if they were going to make the cruise. We are flying into Tampa 2 days before our next cruise because we don't want to chance it again.

[LHP]

Flying from LAX to Miami in January....taking a red-eye at 11:55pm Saturday. I'm changing plane in Atlanta and picking up my cabinmate....I should be in Miami by 10:30am Sunday. It was very important for me to NOT change planes anywhere there is snow. Although Atlanta is know for weather delays...the storms pass through fast.

 

The last huge flight delay that hubby had a few months ago was at Atlanta.

 

Reader's Digest Condensed Version

 

He arrived 2 hours early for 1PM flight......got home after MIDNIGHT (it is a little over 1 hour ~with the time change~ from Atlanta to Memphis)

 

and the ONLY reason he got home then was because there was ONE seat left and he got it ... because he is a diamond/platinum/flies every week medallion thingy.....

 

The next option was to get home at 4PM the next day .......

[cuyahoga11]

Flying from LAX to Miami in January....taking a red-eye at 11:55pm Saturday. I'm changing plane in Atlanta and picking up my cabinmate....I should be in Miami by 10:30am Sunday. It was very important for me to NOT change planes anywhere there is snow. Although Atlanta is know for weather delays...the storms pass through fast.

 

Except for the time we were on the tacmac in Atlanta for 5 hours

[rdytocruz]

If I fly in the winter I always allow two days early just to be sure and not to be so stressed about missing the ship. It is a mini vacation and you don't have to spend a lot to do it. Takes a big worry off me.