should I fly in the day before?

[czechgal]

after 2 HORRIBLE experiences with weather delays in Atlanta in summer and winter, I avoid Atlanta if at all possible. They have the worst on-time record.

I think the other reason I dislike their airport is the distance between terminals and how slow the tram seems. We nearly missed our flight to Hawaii because it took 20" to get from terminal A to terminal D. ANd we were delayed anyway from our original flight. So an hour between flights is NOT enough in Atlanta! ;-) (Small commuter flights are gated in different areas than the larger planes for longer flights.) WHat a nightmare.

[snow bunny]

Living in the middle of Canada means you have to fly in the day before to many Florida airports. Flights typically do not arrive until after the cut-off time to be on board the ship. We are flying in two days early and leaving the day after disembark to allow us a less stressful vacation and more fun time in Tampa.

 

Snow bunny

[SMSACE6]

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.

 

Most definitely I would suggest flying in the day before. I dont like leaving things to chance, and there are just too many things that can cause delays these days.

 

Just think also, that when you get to Florida and to your hotel, you can have a relaxing evening and dinner, then a leisurely trip to the ship the next day. I think its a much more relaxing experience, and you can get some great deals on Priceline and similar.

 

Whatever you choose, I wish all goes well and you have a great vacation.:)

[SMSACE6]

Living in the middle of Canada means you have to fly in the day before to many Florida airports. Flights typically do not arrive until after the cut-off time to be on board the ship. We are flying in two days early and leaving the day after disembark to allow us a less stressful vacation and more fun time in Tampa.

 

Snow bunny

 

And I agree with you on the two days before thing, especially from anywhere in Canada. My parents left Ottawa a day before their cruise last February, got into a huge mess in New York with their connection, missed connection and couldnt get another flight out of NY next day to make their cruise. Then when they decided to return home, it took two more days to get a flight back to Ottawa. Their bags were missing for a week!!!!!:eek: Need I say more? I think I also will plan for two days in Florida or wherever the ship sails from, from now on. It would be a like a mini vacation before the cruise.:)

[Lake Erie Sailor]

Here is just one example why we fly in the day before. We were to leave out of small regional airport in January, left the house at 5:30am. Plane's wheels were frozen to the ground, so about 12:30pm we are in a van driving by our house to go to Detroit to catch a plane. (We had planned to be in Jacksonville before lunch and drive down the coast to Port Canavarial, stopping at one of the beaches for lunch along the way.) We had to run to catch our plane in Detroit, layover in Atlanta and didn't get on the road in Jacksonville until 6:00pm (just in time for rush hour). Now the drive down the coast does not sound so appealing.:eek: We got to the La Quinta in PC (nice inexpensive) at 9:30 that night. The next morning we get lost trying to find the rental car place and find Melbourne airport. If we had known the right questions to ask, we probably could have gotten rerouted straight to Melbourne and missed the long drive down the coast.:mad: The good thing is had a great weather for our cruise.

 

So OP, you might want to check the prices to fly into Melbourne airport (the day before :D) and have a great cruise.

[98Charlie]

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.

In addition to the other glitches that have been noted about ATL, if the plane you are changing to comes from the north and is delayed....your plane is delayed.

 

Charlie

[blondi_21]

We're going on our cruise end of Jan and we're flying in a day before our ship sails. It's better to be safe then sorry and worry that you wont make it on time.

[Starfire_rules]

We try and prefer non stop flights. So if we have to travel to Minneapolis, so be it.

[graphicguy]

Along the same lines, but different question. Don't want to start a whole new thread to ask.

 

As my countdown clock stipulates, I'm cruising on 12/26 on the Freedom. Going a day early, of course is flying in Christmas Day. Although this is a family cruise (sisters and their spouses, nephews), my family is coming in the day of the cruise (different city that has flights scheduled to arrive in FLL about 10:00 a.m. Cruise leaves at 4:00. So, they have a little bit of a cushion.

 

But, my son and I fot a good Hotwire deal at the Westin Diplomat Resort. While it will be nice to spend Christmas with my son, doing so in the hotel room isn't very appealing.

 

I'm all for people spending time with their families. As such, I don't expect any restaurants, stores, or businesses to be open. So, the question is, where to eat? Where to go? What to do on Christmas Day in Ft Lauderdale?

[petro772]

To the OP: Yes. ;)

[kiwi121210]

Now all of you have me scarred to fly in on the day of the cruise, but we do just have to go from Atlanta to Miami. It's a Sunday morning and there are 5 flights out that morning, so I sure hope that we are okay! We live over in Alabama and with the time change we gotta leave around 2:30 am to catch our flight with the drive. We are leaving our three kids home with their grandpa, so that's why I don't want to leave on Saturday. I will admit that I am a little bit nervous now!

[Tapi]

Now all of you have me scarred to fly in on the day of the cruise, but we do just have to go from Atlanta to Miami. It's a Sunday morning and there are 5 flights out that morning, so I sure hope that we are okay! We live over in Alabama and with the time change we gotta leave around 2:30 am to catch our flight with the drive. We are leaving our three kids home with their grandpa, so that's why I don't want to leave on Saturday. I will admit that I am a little bit nervous now!

 

Hello:

 

I'm an airline pilot who lives in Atlanta. My best piece of advice is: LEAVE THE DAY BEFORE YOUR CRUISE! Don't be fooled by "there are 5 flights out that morning". If something goes wrong with your flight, they just don't displace passengers on later flights to accomodate you. You will get to fly either on your originally assigned flight (if it doesn't cancel), or whenever there is an open seat on another flight (which, considering that flights going to south FL are always chronically full from Atlanta, it could mean having to wait until your ship has already sailed off without you). If your flight is cancelled or delayed, it will leave you, (along with the other 175 passengers on your flight) fighting for the 2 or 3 seats that might be open on the next flight...

 

Just this morning, we pulled a three hour delay. Yes, it was a beautiful clear day, BUT the temperatures dropped below freezing, and we had to de-ice. The line was LONG. To make things worse, the APU (Auxiliary Power Unit) which provides air and electricity to start engines and provide heat was not working. That meant a maintenance delay as well while the mechanics deferred the APU. Then we had to wait for an external air cart so that we could start engines. I can't imagine how I would've felt if I had been a passenger trying to catch a cruise ship this morning...

[dprg644]

Definitely yes. You can get a hotel room on Priceline for 50 to 75 dollars for a 3 star. WELL worth the peace of mind. Plus you get a day in Florida vs a day in snowy PA in December which is worth hundreds to me.

 

Yes DITTO.... Plenty to see and do a d the peace of mind is well worth it. I fly in the day before no matter time of year or location. Just too much can happen or go wrong.

[gapearl]

Another vote here for flying in the day before. I'm an airline employee and you don't even want to hear some of the stories I have about cruise passengers that have cut it too close. Even if you did fly in the day of, you will be tired by the time you get to the ship after waking up at the crack of dawn, passing through airports, jetlag, etc. You can get a room on priceline for about $50. Fly in the day before and sleep in on embarkation day. That way you'll be well rested and ready to start your vacation, not tired and stressed from coming straight from the airport.

[gapearl]

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.

 

I'm an Atlanta based flight attendant and I live in Atlanta. ATL does get snow 2-4 times between January and February, so don't think it doesn't snow here. Because we get such little snow here, the airport isn't as equipped as airports in the north to handle it. I once sat on a plane at the gate for over an hour in snow, then we had to de-ice the plane (line for that was about an hour), and then you still have to get in line for take off. That's about a 3 hour delay. That 10:30 arrival is now 1:30 at best. The ATL airport is a hot mess with ANY kind of bad weather. Yes, the storms sometimes will pass fast. However, if we get storms with lightning for even just 30 minutes, the airport will more or less shut down (for safety reasons) and then tries to play catch up for the rest of the day. That means the majority of flights are delayed. Delays at the ATL airport are as common as blinking, even on a clear day. Also keep in mind that your flight from LAX could have a delay, which could cause you to miss your ATL connection. If it won't cost you an arm and a leg for you to change your flight to the day before, you should seriously consider doing so.

[Mekamax]

We now always fly in the day before and yes it is well worth the money. I don't know why but we have always had fun in the port city the day before. I don't know if it is just happy to be there and not stressed because the flight is over and the ship is coming in right in front of the the hotel windows?? :eek::D We always take the first flight the morning before. Check in early to the hotel and enjoy running around the "city" and eating out and enjoying the sites. In LA we toured the Queen Mary and had a ball and in Miami we went to the Bay City Market area (not really sure on that name) and enjoyed all the boats and had lunch and did shopping for stuff we couldn't carry on the plane with us and enjoyed watching all the ships leave out of the port lit up that night. Really pretty. Our hotel room over looked the port in Miami and we were able have a wonderful view. It is worth every penny to fly before and you will have lots of fun!

[lowbass]

Because of your cruise being in the winter and you living in PA I would say fly in a day early. Now other than that, the airlines are good at getting you where you need to be at the right time. I'm not like most of these people here who stress at the drop of a hat about every little thing. And flying in 2 days ahead of your cruise??? Why in the world do you need to relax that much to go on vacation to relax???

 

We have always flown in on the day of our cruise on the earliest flight available. But this has been in the summer and odds are the weather will not be that bad. Bad things do happen, but not all the time. And any way, if you buy vacation insurance I think that will cover you for most if not all of your money lost. If that happens you'll just take your vacation at home.

 

So do what makes you feel comfortable and gives you peace of mind. Flying in early will not hurt but if the east coast has snow storms like last winter, even flying in 2 days early might not be enough.

[makeup face]

I'm an Atlanta based flight attendant and I live in Atlanta. ATL does get snow 2-4 times between January and February, so don't think it doesn't snow here. Because we get such little snow here, the airport isn't as equipped as airports in the north to handle it. I once sat on a plane at the gate for over an hour in snow, then we had to de-ice the plane (line for that was about an hour), and then you still have to get in line for take off. That's about a 3 hour delay. That 10:30 arrival is now 1:30 at best. The ATL airport is a hot mess with ANY kind of bad weather. Yes, the storms sometimes will pass fast. However, if we get storms with lightning for even just 30 minutes, the airport will more or less shut down (for safety reasons) and then tries to play catch up for the rest of the day. That means the majority of flights are delayed. Delays at the ATL airport are as common as blinking, even on a clear day. Also keep in mind that your flight from LAX could have a delay, which could cause you to miss your ATL connection. If it won't cost you an arm and a leg for you to change your flight to the day before, you should seriously consider doing so.

 

I'm not new to flying...and yes it may snow in Atlanta. I have a 2 hour layover in Atl...which will allow me some time. And I"ll have six 1/2 hours to get to Miami once I get to Atlanta. I'm not concern...half the time I fly red-eye. The other half I fly in a day or two early. It just depends if I want to check out the debarkation city or not, Flying Delta...I expect delays.....but thamks for the info:)

[Tapi]

I'm not new to flying.... And I"ll have six 1/2 hours to get to Miami once I get to Atlanta. I'm not concern...half the time I fly red-eye...Flying Delta...I expect delays.....but thamks for the info:)

 

 

As GaPearl mentioned, if we get a storm move through, even if it's for 15 minutes, all of a sudden you're looking at 4-5 hour delays in ATL. It happened to me just last week. I was supposed to finish my work day at 6pm. Didn't get home until midnight.

 

If the general public knew all the behind the scenes and all the possible things that could go wrong, they would NEVER, EVER fly in on the day of departure.

 

And it's not "Flying Delta". It's flying through Atlanta that will get you in trouble, no matter what airline...

[racegrrl]

Four cruises so far, and for two of those we flew down the day of and both of those flights were extremely stressful (unavoidable work schedules didn't allow us to leave a day early).

 

Our very first cruise we were to leave Midway Chicago at 7:30 am as a bad wind & snowstorm was coming in. We were the last flight they allowed out of the airport that day. I was so stressed during de-icing that they would change their mind and not let us leave!!! Not worth it! The second time was an ice storm that broke up just enough to let our flight leave. You should have seen the line of standby passengers trying to get on our flight because everything before ours had been cancelled.

 

Now, if we cannot fly down the day before, we aren't booking that particular cruise. It is not worth the stress.

[makeup face]

 

As GaPearl mentioned, if we get a storm move through, even if it's for 15 minutes, all of a sudden you're looking at 4-5 hour delays in ATL. It happened to me just last week. I was supposed to finish my work day at 6pm. Didn't get home until midnight.

 

If the general public knew all the behind the scenes and all the possible things that could go wrong, they would NEVER, EVER fly in on the day of departure.

 

And it's not "Flying Delta". It's flying through Atlanta that will get you in trouble, no matter what airline...

 

Okay......this will be my 12 cruise, I have flown the day(s) before four times in different cities. The other times I have taken a red-eye from LAX with no problem.....or embarked at Long Beach. Can there be delays...yes!! Will there be delays....maybe. But by arriving in Atlanta at 7:09am....I have 9 hours to get to the ship. For me...I don't see the need to fly in a day ahead.....but that's my opinon...and thank you for your;)

[MiamiSpartan]

Definitely yes. You can get a hotel room on Priceline for 50 to 75 dollars for a 3 star. WELL worth the peace of mind. Plus you get a day in Florida vs a day in snowy PA in December which is worth hundreds to me.

 

Agree.

I've had cruises delayed due to the number of people trying to get in from snowy Chicago (over 300 guests plus the entertainment...)....

Usually they will not delay the trip....they'll just leave without you...

Do you really want to risk it?

[kyrisong1]

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've been on Glory twice, when she was at Port Canaveral.

First off I would never chance coming in the day of the cruise, too many delays with airlines, and malfunctions. A blizzard in ND could delay your flight or even cancel it, day before is a no brainer for us.

First time we took a taxi to the hotel by the port, it's 125.00 taxi ride:eek:

Second time we were wise and rented a car at the airport, returned the car the day of the cruise at the rental place by Port Canaveral and they shuttle us to the port, much cheaper and easy!!!

Good luck on your cruise and enjoy!!!!

Raddison is next to the port and you can watch the ship come in while you eat breakfast!!!

Cheers, Carole

[98Charlie]

• Royal Caribbean has 22 ships.
  
• Carnival has 21
  
• Princess has 17
  
• HAL has 15
  
• Celbrity has 11
  
• NCL has 11
  

That means roughly 200,000 passengers make their way to the cruise ports every week. If ½ fly that's over 5 million flights taken by cruise passengers annually. Most of them make it to their destination with time to spare.

 

We've flown to cruises 29 times now. Even the flights that have been "day early" ones have always been on time enough to have made it to the port if they had been "same day" flights.

 

Still we fly a day ahead whenever possible and always during the snow season. Just because the odds are against us being delayed and "it's never happened to us" we're not taking the chance.

 

Now coming home is a different story:p

 

Charlie

[richbum]

Definetly yes fly in a day ahead. We live in Maine, and cruise in January...there is no way that I would chance missing the ship. Not only that, it adds an extra day of warm weather to your vacation, and reduces your stress level. Have a wonderful cruise!!:D