Go down night before or day of?

[sprite]

:confused: Hi everyone - we've got our cruise and flight booked already and we'll be coming down the day of the cruise, which is out of FLL. Our flight gets in at 12:00 and I think the ship is leaving at 5:00. I'm worried about missing the cruise so I'm wondering if we should spend the extra $200 it will cost us to fly down the night before and $100 for a hotel.

 

Would like to hear your thoughts.

[johnql]

It depends upon your level of tolerance for stress. It also depends on the time of year that you're flying. During the winter, for instance, snowstorms could easily delay or cancel your flight. Thunderstorms can also badly disrupt air travel. I myself would go down the day before. It would be far less stressful. Plus, you'll have a chance to get a good night's sleep and a leisurely breakfast before heading to the pier for embarkation.

[lindajmac]

We always cruise in January or February, and we are from New England, so never one to chance it we always fly down the day before. Coming home we fly home the same day, but never going down. If you arranged your air fare through the cruise line (we don't) then they will at least make every attempt to get you to the cruise. Friends of ours from the same town, made arrangements thru the cruise line, so when a storm hit new england and the planes couldn't get out until the next day, the arranged for a charter to fly them to Puerto Rico, to wait for the cruise ship to meet them there. Just don't like to take any chances.

Linda

[sprite]

Oh yeah - we'll be cruising on 9/3 - prime time for a nasty hurricane.

[Cotton]

Then you'd be better off coming in the day before the cruise!:)

 

I drive to ports, so don't have to consider that, BUT I usually cruise the first week of September. No problems so far, but you never know.

[balanceok]

Our Rule #2 of cruising is to always fly in the day before departure. It is a very relaxing process and I thoroughly enjoy the evening before without worrying whether our flight will be delayed.

 

(Rule #1 - relax and have a great time.)

 

:D :D :D

[jerseygirl3]

Here's another vote for arriving a day early. We're cruising in mid-September, and I'm considering moving our flight up so we arrive two days early. Right now we're scheduled to arrive one day before, but with the way the weather has been going so far this summer, I'd feel safer arriving two days early.

[Bequia]

Day before, nuff said! ;)

[laughoutloud]

One more thought- last time we left from MIA we got in a day ahead- good thing we did... the airline lost my bag and only was able to locate/ deliver it to my hotel during the night...imagine: a female on a cruise w/o her luggage!:eek:

[vicocala]

I have a five hour drive, but decided to drive in the night before. It will be less stressful, not having to get up early and make the trip, as well as hopefully protecting against any car trouble, unforseen situations, etc.

 

I picked up a nice room in the Fort Lauderdale area at almost half price thru priceline which may help you on the expenses side.

[michmike]

just read a post yesterday on another thread where poster related flying in the day of and experiencing maintenance issues with planes enroute and got to the ship with only 15 min to spare..

 

that's no way to start a vacation.. we always fly in the nite before.. why tempt fate?

[Sunrunner3]

Its always nice to arrive the day before, don't want to chance nasty weather or mechanical problems with aircraft. :)

[marco]

If you flying on a non-stop, and there are a couple of alternative flights they could put you on if there is a snafu, not a big problem, other than the stress level. Looking at it from another perspective, usually, if we fly to Fla the day of the cruise, we are on a "crack of dawn flight", which means getting up VERY early, driving, parking, shuttling, schlepping, it's a tiring day. If you go the day prior, you can take a later flight, have a leisurely evening, get up at a reasonable hour and transfer over to the ship to be one of the first on. It makes for a much more relaxing embarkation, and you can start enjoying the ship's ammenities earlier and not feel as frazzled as you would after just flying in.

[sprite]

Thank you all for your votes to go down the night before but unfortunately we won't be able to change. We have made sure our insurance covers us if we miss anything.

 

Keep your fingers crossed for us that nothing will go wrong!!

[famoussd]

save yourself a headache and fly out the day before..

[geoherb]

We like to fly down the day before, but if you've already booked your flights and it would cost a lot of money to change them and you have good insurance, don't worry. Lots of folks fly down the day of their cruise and make it. We've done it several times from North Carolina to New York City, to Florida, and to San Juan.

[mrg0433]

We usually take ten day late Fall cruises out of Boston and New York because we are located within 4 hours drive of New York and 1 hour from Boston. We could always drive to NY a day early if weather looked ominous. I figure the money we save on airfare and hotels can be added to the extra days on the ship. I really enjoy late Fall cruises. Next year we are sailing for Thanksgiving from NY to the southern Caribbean. Our west coast family will be meeting us onboard. Sure beats having a house full of relatives for eleven nights. I did read someone posting CC about loving cruising out of NY during a snowstorm when everyone else was stuck in airports. Cruises seldom get canceled. Flights on the other hand....

 

In February we drive to Florida for the month. We will be taking a 7 day cruise out of Miami while we are there. I wouldn't want the anxiety worrying about getting to Florida on time if I were flying. With a car, you have the option of leaving a day early to avoid a storm.

[surrocruiser]

I was forced due to scheduling to fly down the day of our cruise. It's a direct flight we go in the last week of September. I did not purchase insurance b/c a friend of mine said there was no reason for it. (I still wasn't sure I agreed) but time got away and we are now past final payment. Can I still get insurance at a reasonable price?

[mrsbunder]

We'll be going on a HAL cruise this Dec., which departs on Sunday the 11th. I've always flown down the same day in the morning (I always cruise during this same time of the year), and have been fine each time. I live in the Boston area, so snowstorms are a definite threat. This past April, we went to Cancun and the plane (Delta) was delayed due to generator problems, causing us to miss our connections. Although the time constraint of catching a cruise ship wasn't the issue, it planted the seed of mechanical problems, whereas before I mainly thought of the snowstorm issue. If I were to go on Priceline to find a room in FLL for the day before, is there a certain neighborhood I need to specify to be near the pier? If we go down the day before, I want to take my husband to Las Olas, etc., so I'd want to be somewhat centrally located. Any input on hotels via priceline is greatly appreciated.

[laughoutloud]

Rachel,

Yes, you can still get travel insurance. It will cover cancellations for medical reasons, jury duty, a terrorist act, & airline delays. They will pay for lost or delayed bags, as well as med. expenses & emg. evacuation. The only thing that will not be covered is a pre-existing condistion, since you already put down payment. Look up travelsafe.com:)

[jerseygirl3]

Rachel, yes, you can still purchase insurance. Go to http://www.insuremytrip.com and get a quote. You can purchase it right online...very easy. They will email you policy.

 

We like Travelex Travel Lite policy. It has primary coverage (meaning they will pay first for medical treatment, you don't have to submit to your own medical insurance) and it is usually the most reasonably priced.

[lilmsonry]

Can you tell I am excited for 1st cruise.....THREE DAYS before cruise!! It's really funny and pathetic all at once. We are driving to Galveston, actually staying in Pasadena, TX 1st night, then Galveston on Beach 2nd and 3rd nights. So, am I the leader of the pack on this? :)

[Cruisin' Chick]

Why risk missing a moment of the cruise?!

[BMW325]

Sprite, What cruise are you on leaving 9-3 out of Ft. Lauderdale? I am on the Empress of the Seas leaving 9-3 for Key West and Grand Cayman. Same one?

Because of work reasons, we have to flydown the morning of 9-3. Flight leaves Pittsburgh at 7:30AM and arrives in Lauderdale at 9:56 so I think we will be OK. Even if there are some delays, I hope there is plenty of time to get us there.

[sprite]

We'll be going on the Caribbean Princess on 9/3 for a 7-day eastern Carib. We'll be leaving BWI at 8:30 but our flight isn't getting in until 11:50 (have a quick stop to make in Jacksonville) so we'll have a 4-hour window. Luckily the airport is only 10 mins. from the cruise port!