Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

Another reason to fly in a day early

aprilivy

By aprilivy,
in Carnival Cruise Lines

Recommended Posts

aprilivy

aprilivy

Posted
Posted

We are always at the airport WAY before anyone else on our flight - we take a very early one on the same day as the sailing.

Traveling to Seattle to leave on an Alaska cruise on the Miracle seemed just right for someone celebrating several recent Miracles, but this trip almost didn't happen.

We left the house at 5:00 a.m. for a 7:45 flight - a 20 minute ride from the house to the airport. 4 miles from home we decided to stop and pick up a sandwich to take on board...started driving toward the highway. DH changed lanes, but somehow hit something - BANG! To this day we're not sure what he hit, but think there was a curb that separates the lane from one merging in from the other direction. He kept driving while I panicked saying "we need to stop and check for damage" he finally pulled over as we entered the entrance ramp to the highway. (it's dark out)

I check the front tire - and it's FLAT.

So, what to do?

We backed up the entrance ramp of the highway (I directed traffic around us in the dark) and around the corner into the 7/11. We are both in our 60's and DH is disabled....we decide to see if the tire will hold air. It doesn't because there's a huge hole in it. We tried the change the tire but I realized it wasn't going to happen when DH was unable to operate the jack and asked me to do it. I finally went to the gas pump and asked someone for help - and he came to our rescue.

It is now after 6:00.

About 4 miles down the road (now on the highway) traffic is stopped dead on the other side of the hill...I am driving now as DH is too upset and I don't drive in the dark. Finally got to an exit and travelled down the service road past the wreck.

We finally arrive at the airport and park - I am panicked and it shows - so someone on the shuttle with us checks our flight from their phone and says we'll be fine - plenty of time.

The shuttle driver takes us to our gate and we get upstairs for the check in at 7:12 just a little more than 30 minutes before we are scheduled to leave.

We have difficulty with the check-in (we don't fly much) and an American Airlines person comes to assist us - she punches some buttons and says - You're too late to check in for this fight and directs us to gate 20 (we're at 3 and DH is having trouble walking) because "maybe" they can override the system. Finally get down there and are attempting to check in baggage and she says "You're too late" - we explain what happened and she says "You were checked in on the kiosk, but why did you cancel it?" (Those are the buttons that first agent was punching). She does finally check us in, but now we have to go thru TSA security and then walk back to gate 3 for our flight.

Line is long...we ask about how long it will take to go thru the line and they tell us we should be fine for our flight - "we're very efficient".

About 15 minutes into the line - I ask if there's any way we can move to the front since our flight is boarding now...."no that would be a security breach"...soon I hear "last call" for boarding for Seattle. 10 minutes more and...

I'm next to go thru the security check when I hear our names over the loud speaker. Then, my hands show gun powder residue (probably something off the tire is more likely) and I have additional scrutiny....I explain to the TSA agent that they are calling our names now...they tell me I'm clear and say "RUN"....I ask if there's a cart or anything they can call for since my DH is not going to be able to run. He waves me off saying not to worry about him.

Third call for us...

I have my plastic baggie with liquids in my hand and a carryon dragging behind me, but I start running.

\As I go everyone I see with a walkie talkie I ask if they can call for help for us because "they're calling me on the loud speaker" - everyone looks at me with their mouth open, but no one helps.

I hear "Mrs. SM and Mr. LM - please come immediately to the gate - we are closing the door" and I can see the gate. I start waving my hand in the air and yelling - Oh God - please wait - please wait for us....and they are yelling back...RUN!

I get to the gate and they ask "Where's LM" I say he's disabled, but trying to go as fast as he can...."can you see him"?? Yes, Yes - there's his hat.

They grab everything out of my hands and now the precious medications are taken from me as checked baggage and they send me to get on the plane.

As I walk down the aisle I'm apologizing to everyone "We had a flat tire" "We left the house nearly 3 hours ago for a 20 minute drive" "I'm sorry"

 

I'm seated...and finally I see DH coming down the aisle. He isn't even in the seat when the plane starts back up....

 

I'm a white knuckle flyer - that day - when those wheels lifted up - I was more relaxed than I had been for 3 hours.

 

Next cruise we drive or fly the night before.

(could we have boarded a later flight and still made it - yes, there was a later one - but it was an overbooked flight and we had family also coming into Seattle to cruise with us and they were relying on us to help them navigate to the ship)

 

Seems like the ship was appropriately name....

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Richjoxyz

Richjoxyz

Posted
Posted

We fly from the west coast to the east coast for most cruises. I usually fly in TWO days early. I could just see us arriving late at a hub like Dallas or Atlanta, miss our flight, be forced to spend the night to catch the morning flight and then be rushing to the cruise ship.

 

No, not me, I am giving myself an extra day to reduce the possibility of missing the ship.

 

Flat tire, who would have thought...

Link to comment
Share on other sites
jimboridesmtb

jimboridesmtb

Posted
Posted

I need to show this to DH, he thinks I'm too cautious wanting to fly in a day prior to a cruise. With winter weather I am too scared to predict weather. Now I'm anxious about our Nov. cruise because we don't have an extra day in case of traffic. I feel so bad for what you went through. I hope the cruise made up for your rough start.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
PCHENG

PCHENG

Posted
Posted

I always fly in at least a day early, and sometimes a couple days early if the embarkation port is some place I had never been to. My last cruise on the NCL Dawn, we flew into Tampa from Atlantic City, and my wife realized during check-in that she had forgot to bring a government issued letter extending the validity of her Green Card (which was in the process of getting a new card). We can still check-in for the domestic flight to Tampa, and we managed to get the Tampa field office of INS to issue her a new letter after we landed. Good thing we flew in early Friday because the field office is closed on Weekends. If we had found out about the missing letter on Sunday, we most likely would have missed the cruise.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
cruise_girl2002

cruise_girl2002

Posted
Posted

Wow! what a story! I have only flew in the day of the cruise once, I wasn't stressed, I was flying and cruising with a coworker. I guess back then (this was 9 years ago, I was turning 21, this was a cruise for my 21st) I didn't think about it. We have driven from Ft.myers (visiting my grandparents when they lived there) to Miami or tampa for a cruise, but always gave plenty of time.

 

Now days, with the dreaded terrible Chicago ohare airport being my nearest airport, I ALWAYS fly in a day or 2 before the cruise. It can be a clear sunny day, and you could be delayed hours because of Air traffic. not to mention, rain...delay. snow..forget it! lol

Link to comment
Share on other sites
dolphin2012

dolphin2012

Posted
Posted

Gosh im sooo happy yall made it for your flight!! your story made me feel like i was running right with yall! The older we have gotten we also try to go a day early.. we had a car break down in florida and no one had the steering part for three days!! things happen! people who dont travel dont realize how much stress is in the planning and getting there... once im on the ship--- no worries!!! im not driving!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
minnesotamamafish

minnesotamamafish

Posted
Posted

You said you checked if the tire would hold air. The nozzle for filling the tire with air could be where the gunpowder came from. It could have been used previously by a hunter (or even a criminal?::eek:) It's worth noting for others headed to the airport, who might also get additional scrutiny after filling their tires with air. It may be unlikely, but may depend on the time of year or location of the gas station.

 

So glad you made your cruise! Hope your future flights are uneventful and relaxing!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
cherbear4000

cherbear4000

Posted
Posted

Glad you made it! I used to live in Ohio and had to fly to all my cruises. I would fly in the day before if possible, but I did have to fly in the morning of a few times. It was very stressful. I had a couple of close calls (connecting flight cancelled, delays, etc).

 

One tip for those flying in the morning of. Check in for your flight online at home and print your boarding pass at home instead of waiting in line at the airport. This also allows you to give your checked luggage, if you have it, to the person outside collecting the bags. It saves a ton of time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ATHENA3

ATHENA3

Posted
Posted

I’m glad you made it for your flight. We always take a limo service into the airport Boston, but this makes you think of problems that could accrue on the way. I’m sure the limos have more going to and from that could help in that case. But this makes me more thinking about flying the morning of a cruise to maybe the day before, also it could be a plane delay or cancel flight, weather,ect.

Thanks for posting and hope you have or had a great cruise.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
prattmom

prattmom

Posted
Posted

We only have to drive half an hour to the port and almost missed it one time when I hit a curb and popped a tire. Had to unload everything from the back of the car to get to the spare... First cruise. I never cut it that close again...

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...