Flying. Same Day. OMG... The HORROR!!!!!!!!

[blonde1981]

I could use some postive stories too, seeings as this is exactly what we are doing on our upcoming, first time cruise!!

 

We fly into San Juan, and NOT a direct flight! May the flying gods be with us that day :D

 

I will post how successful (or not) we were on my return lol

 

We had to do this last year as our cruise left on Saturday and there was not a flight leaving Houston late enough to make it in to San Juan on Friday night. We took the first or second flight out Saturday morning and we were fine. If we had taken a mid morning or afternoon flight we would have been screwed as there were delays in either Houston or Miami I remember hearing.

[blonde1981]

Thank goodness for the body scanners! With two metal knees, I set off the security alarms. If not for the 5 seconds of anonymous nudity in the body scanners (lol), I'd be phsycially assaulted by some woman in a uniform wearing rubber gloves (Orlando didn't have the body scanner once...oh the horrors).

 

However, I'd much prefer no body scanners and no physical assaults. The wanding from the uniformed woman was just fine.

 

I have never been selected for the full body scanners. My husband though is always selected. I would have much preferred teh 5 seconds of nudity than the physical pat down performed in the Orlando airport last September in front of the world to see. Apparently their metal detectors are set so sensitive that an underwire bra will set them off and wands were not an option for some reason. :eek:

[Sandy Sails]

You can either request to go through the scanners or get in the line for one. There's just something about Orlando, huh...

[blonde1981]

You can either request to go through the scanners or get in the line for one. There's just something about Orlando, huh...

 

My experience with the scanners is that you are chosen for them - no option to choose to go through it. There isn't any profiling going on there at all..... :rolleyes:

[cruiser1956]

I actually prefer to fly the day of the cruise. I live in AZ so we normally don't get snowed in or anything. I have flown to LA, Seattle, Galveston, New Orleans, Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, and San Juan, and never missed a ship. My new travel companion has informed me that this is too stressful, and prefers to fly in the day before. To me, having to unpack at the hotel, wander around, try to sleep, get breakfast, repack and transfer to the ship the next day is far more stressful, but, to save an argument, I will do it his way from now on.... Seems like a waste of a good vacation day. I would even prefer a red-eye flight to all that.

[Keith1010]

Don't fly in the day of the cruise.

 

Keith

[Mapleleafforever]

We've flown in the day of the cruise for 4 out of 6 cruises and haven't even come close to being late for a cruise.

[cruzegurl104]

Awesome!!! That's great to know so many ppl do have success :)

[cruzegurl104]

Don't fly in the day of the cruise.

 

Keith

 

Seriously?!?!

 

You've posted this exact same thing like 5 times!!

 

Geesh... We get your opinion. It never changed.:o:rolleyes:

[DMickey28]

Our last two cruises we flew in the day of and love doing it. Just like anything it's a calculated risk but for us it was the right decision both times. This last time we flew JetBlue, non stop from Boston to FLL. Plenty of options after us if something happened as ours was the first flight of the morning. Now that was for an April, non vacation week trip. Again calculated .... Would I do that in the middle of January, February or even December .... Probably not as the risk for snow and other delays is much greater.

 

I will however only do non stop from a major airport with other options as back up and probably only as dh and I. With the kids we will go earlier. Our flight got us in at just after 9am ... Plenty of time to get other flights.

[betsyl]

We almost always fly in a day in advance but for some reason, I decided we didn't need to do it for our upcoming cruise in Hawaii. And I wasn't stressed about it until I started reading this thread:D We're flying from DFW to SJC 2 days in advance to visit my D&SIL; then from SJC to Honolulu on Alaska Air non-stop on cruise day, hopefully arriving at 10:30 a.m. Our ship is docked in Honolulu over night, we have cruise insurance, so even if the flight is waaaaay late, we should be OK???

[ronrythm]

Seriously?!?!

 

You've posted this exact same thing like 5 times!!

 

Geesh... We get your opinion. It never changed.:o:rolleyes:

How do you think someone gets to over 40,000 posts? Keep posting the same thing over and over.:D

Over a decade ago we flew into San Juan PR from LAX for our cruise. We let RCCL (that's what they were then) handle the flights. They scheduled us the red eye to get to San Juan about 11 am day of, ship to sail at 4. Whoops, big storm tied up lots of planes. Sat an extra couple of hours in St. Louis. We barely made it to the ship in time for dinner..... Yes they held the ship as so many people were late..... and we had LATE seating.:eek: Finally sailed about midnight.

That said, for my Alaska cruise in July, I am flying in day of. I have agreed to do some things the day before and it's either day of or no cruise. For once I bought travel insurance.

Enjoy

Ron

[cruzegurl104]

How do you think someone gets to over 40,000 posts? Keep posting the same thing over and over.:D

Over a decade ago we flew into San Juan PR from LAX for our cruise. We let RCCL (that's what they were then) handle the flights. They scheduled us the red eye to get to San Juan about 11 am day of, ship to sail at 4. Whoops, big storm tied up lots of planes. Sat an extra couple of hours in St. Louis. We barely made it to the ship in time for dinner..... Yes they held the ship as so many people were late..... and we had LATE seating.:eek: Finally sailed about midnight.

That said, for my Alaska cruise in July, I am flying in day of. I have agreed to do some things the day before and it's either day of or no cruise. For once I bought travel insurance.

Enjoy

Ron

 

Ahhhh, should have known, I guess. Boy, I've got a long way to go then:D

 

Thanks for sharing'

[Langley Cruisers]

Seriously?!?! You've posted this exact same thing like 5 times!! Geesh... We get your opinion. It never changed.:o:rolleyes:

 

How do you think someone gets to over 40,000 posts? Keep posting the same thing over and over.:D

 

 

Wow, both of you... rude much? Yikes. I didn't know there was a limit to how often we can post something here on the boards. I thank you for clearing that up for me. :) :rolleyes:

 

.

[cruzegurl104]

Wow, both of you... rude much? Yikes. I didn't know there was a limit to how often we can post something here on the boards. I thank you for clearing that up for me. :) :rolleyes:

 

.

 

Umm, no, not really rude at all. He has posted the same. Exact. Thing. On this thread numerous times. I wasn't upset, I was thinking, ok! Enuff all ready, I get your point. :)

[sjb317]

I'm willing to bet the majority of people on any given cruise fly in or drive in the day of the cruise just as the majority of people do not read CC.:D The few times we've done it have been the busiest & longest lines at check in, which tells me we were arriving at peak arrival time, the times when the flights get in. I prefer to come in the day before but sometimes, that's just not possible. The times that we have done it have worked out well. Haven't missed a cruise yet!

 

Sherri:)

[cruzegurl104]

I'm willing to bet the majority of people on any given cruise fly in or drive in the day of the cruise just as the majority of people do not read CC.:D The few times we've done it have been the busiest & longest lines at check in, which tells me we were arriving at peak arrival time, the times when the flights get in. I prefer to come in the day before but sometimes, that's just not possible. The times that we have done it have worked out well. Haven't missed a cruise yet!

 

Sherri:)

 

Thanks Sherri!

[joe6666]

Winter time snow summer time thunder storms. Anything can happen.

 

But post #2 by the airline pilot said it all.

[ronrythm]

Wow, both of you... rude much? Yikes. I didn't know there was a limit to how often we can post something here on the boards. I thank you for clearing that up for me. :) :rolleyes:

 

.

Lets see, keith1010 has repeatedly posted the same single sentence, with no explanation, that ignores what the OP asked for. And we're the ones being rude?:p

Back to my story. We're sitting at dinnner that night after finally making it to the ship. Another couple comes in about 30 later and sits down with us. They too had just made it to the ship and came straight to dinner. The female has a copy of the Cruise Compass and she is already complaining, "There's not as muc to do here as Club Med." Complains the whole meal. Just got to the ship. Yikes. On the way out, we stopped by the Maitre d'. He moved us to a table of retirees from New Orleans Bell Telephone. I know your thinking, retirees group, falling asleep boring. Wrong! They were the most fun group of people! Always with something fun to say or do. Meanwhile everytime I saw the other couple, she was complaining.

Moral of the story:

Even if it starts bad from running late, it may end awesome:)

Enjoy

Ron

[Garn]

I think I've read all of the posts and I'm pretty sure that despite many stern warnings not to fly that day, and a number of close calls, not a single poster has missed a cruise by flying in the same day. I'd say the odds are in your favor that you'll be fine.

[marci22]

We almost always fly in a day in advance but for some reason, I decided we didn't need to do it for our upcoming cruise in Hawaii. And I wasn't stressed about it until I started reading this thread:D We're flying from DFW to SJC 2 days in advance to visit my D&SIL; then from SJC to Honolulu on Alaska Air non-stop on cruise day, hopefully arriving at 10:30 a.m. Our ship is docked in Honolulu over night, we have cruise insurance, so even if the flight is waaaaay late, we should be OK???

 

Read your policy. It will say how many hours the flight has to be delayed in order to be reimbursed.

[cruzegurl104]

I'm willing to bet the majority of people on any given cruise fly in or drive in the day of the cruise just as the majority of people do not read CC.:D The few times we've done it have been the busiest & longest lines at check in, which tells me we were arriving at peak arrival time, the times when the flights get in. I prefer to come in the day before but sometimes, that's just not possible. The times that we have done it have worked out well. Haven't missed a cruise yet!

 

Sherri:)

 

Lets see, keith1010 has repeatedly posted the same single sentence, with no explanation, that ignores what the OP asked for. And we're the ones being rude?:p

Back to my story. We're sitting at dinnner that night after finally making it to the ship. Another couple comes in about 30 later and sits down with us. They too had just made it to the ship and came straight to dinner. The female has a copy of the Cruise Compass and she is already complaining, "There's not as muc to do here as Club Med." Complains the whole meal. Just got to the ship. Yikes. On the way out, we stopped by the Maitre d'. He moved us to a table of retirees from New Orleans Bell Telephone. I know your thinking, retirees group, falling asleep boring. Wrong! They were the most fun group of people! Always with something fun to say or do. Meanwhile everytime I saw the other couple, she was complaining.

Moral of the story:

Even if it starts bad from running late, it may end awesome:)

Enjoy

Ron

 

LOVE it!!!!:D

[Thecat123]

To add to the chaos...

 

I not only had flight issues to Barcelona for a med cruise...BUT...when I landed NO luggage!!!! :eek: Another cruised saved because I flew in 3 days early. Luggage caught up with us the next day. Now that was an OMG moment!

 

Patty

 

Had the same on one flight thats why we now go one day early

Wouldn't like to go on a two week cruise with the clothes I am standing in

Seen a few people on cruises where their luggage hasn't caught up with them

[skandls]

For us left coasters - most of the flights are red eyes. I did that twice both times the first day of the cruise was a total waste. I was too tired and jet lagged to enjoy that day and part of the next. Getting to the departure port one day ahead - allows me to board the ship ready to have a good time.

[MAHA]

WE have not flown in on the day of the cruise. We have driven to Bayonne from between Baltimore and Washington twice on the day of the cruise.

 

With that said, since you cannot fly in early, please make sure you have cruise travel insurance so if your flight is cancelled or delayed and you miss the cruise, you will be covered finacially.

 

Mary Anne