Close but Doable

[karlamarie]

Our friends are leaving Denver flying to Ft. Lauderdale to meet the ship. They will arrive at 1:00 p.m. They will be met by Princess and taken to the pier. I don't see any room for error and personally would go a day ahead. Has any one gotten to the airport with so little time to spare? They said Princess planned this out and will get them there one way or another. They ask me to post this and see what has happened to others. Any one done this?

[cherylandtk]

If they booked their air through Princess, they have Next Port Protection, which means Princess will fly them to the next legal boarding port if things go very wrong. The website says the last allowable flight arrival time is 90 minutes before departure, so assuming the usual 4 pm departure from FLL, that would be 2:30.

 

I agree with you about arriving the day before, and if their flights go reasonably well, they will be onboard. BUT, tell them not to dawdle between the gate and baggage claim, find the rep as soon as they get to baggage claim so s/he knows they are there, pack enough clothes in their carryon to get through two or three days without their main luggage, and put the Princess day-of-travel emergency number into their phone contact list now.

 

And to answer their question, yes it happens. Sometimes they have to abandon their main luggage and let the rep sort it out while they jump in a taxi to the port and get on just in time. Sometimes the ship waits, sometimes not. Sometimes they get that day in FLL anyway, along with a day (or two) in St. Somewhere until the ship arrives, and if they booked their own air, they get to pay for all of that themselves.

[karlamarie]

Thanks for the info. Exactly what we talked about. The cruise is in April so no heavy snow to worry about in Denver.

[Colorado Coasty]

Thanks for the info. Exactly what we talked about. The cruise is in April so no heavy snow to worry about in Denver.

 

No heavy snow in Denver in April? Don't count on it.

[karlamarie]

I know nothing about snow. Born and raised in Arizona. Shouldn't have said that! Lived here for all of my 71 years. :)

[Pam in CA]

It probably won't matter whether there's snow if their plane is arriving from Chicago where it might have been snowing. Weather delays anywhere, including fog in LA, has a snowball (couldn't resist) effect.

 

Even though Princess made the reservations, that is no guarantee that they'll make the ship. Yes, Princess will make every effort to get them to the ship but that's sometimes not possible. Hope they have insurance.

[MGAfhc]

We've done it with a flight scheduled to land at 2:00 and a connection at LGA, after a 2 day snow delay. Nervous, yes, but everything went well, landed 10 minutes early, luggage first off the carousel and a taxi outside the door. Normally we arrive 2 days early. It seems to me that Princess insurance gives next port protection up to $500 even if you didn't book the flight through Princess.

 

But I still wouldn't recommend it.

Edited October 26, 2015 by MGAfhc

[cherylandtk]

Coasty is right, LOL. Colorado has had snow recorded in every single month. April actually gets some doozies and is one of their snowiest months with an average of 9". You'll have to come back on here in May and let us all know how your friends fared with their travels. :D

Edited October 26, 2015 by cherylandtk

[CruiserBruce]

Is their next port outside of the US? If so, do they have passports with them?

[karlamarie]

Thanks everyone. Mu DH is from South Dakota and says they can have snow any time. I just wasn't thinking. We talked about everything but the weather. They are nervous enough. Yes, they do have insurance but don't want to miss three days of the cruise. I'll let you know how this went!

[stoneharborlady]

No heavy snow in Denver in April? Don't count on it.

 

 

We have had well over a foot of snow in western Pa in the middle of April, not a regular thing, but it has happened.

 

Being flown to the next port would not satisfy me, I want the WHOLE cruise, I would always fly in the day before.

Edited October 26, 2015 by stoneharborlady

[karlamarie]

Yes, They do have passports. Thanks.

Edited October 26, 2015 by karlamarie

[WISH84]

Our friends are leaving Denver flying to Ft. Lauderdale to meet the ship. They will arrive at 1:00 p.m. They will be met by Princess and taken to the pier. I don't see any room for error and personally would go a day ahead. Has any one gotten to the airport with so little time to spare? They said Princess planned this out and will get them there one way or another. They ask me to post this and see what has happened to others. Any one done this?

 

We lived in Denver for eight years. In all of those years we never flew out the day of. Always the day before. There are just to many variables... even if they were flying in the dead of August.

 

We flew once the day of. Flew from Tulsa to Miami, through Dallas. No weather issues whatsoever. However flight was still two hours late and we arrived to the pier at 3pm for a 4pm departure. I was never in such need of drink!!

Edited October 26, 2015 by WISH84

[geoherb]

Is the flight direct? Even if they make it, there's a chance their luggage won't. We met a family from Texas on one cruise who did not receive their checked luggage until we reached St. Thomas. Our luggage was delayed on that same cruise--but we stayed overnight in a hotel. The airline delivered it to our hotel during the night.

[Working 2 Cruise]

That would be way too close for comfort!!!!! If there's any type of delay, they will miss the ship.

 

Can they not reschedule the flights arriving at least a few hours earlier?

[Cruisin' Chick]

We have had well over a foot of snow in western Pa in the middle of April, not a regular thing, but it has happened.

 

Being flown to the next port would not satisfy me, I want the WHOLE cruise, I would always fly in the day before.

 

I feel the same way. Every day of a vacation is precious to me and the idea of stressing out over a flight (mechanical problems, weather problems, anything that might delay or cancel a flight) would drive me crazy. Just because the cruise line isn't concerned doesn't mean your friends shouldn't be.

[shredie]

Seems like if only one thing goes wrong, they're doomed. ;)

[ar1950]

Even with Princess air doing the flight portion there have been other tales of folks missing the ship. They seemed to have all eventually make it to the ship somewhere, but, still missing part of the cruise.

Living in Denver for 29 years before moving to Arizona we have more than once seen a blizzard in April. Bad enough to close the airport for a good portion of the day a couple of times, btw. If I were in your friend's shoes I might re-think the current air arrangements. Good luck to them whatever they do.

[riclop]

Thanks for the info. Exactly what we talked about. The cruise is in April so no heavy snow to worry about in Denver.

 

You must be kidding.

[scott4020]

Our first ever cruise the flight was cancelled the morning we got to the airport because of a mechanical problem. It all worked out in the end and we got to the port in time but I swore I would never go through that stress again.

 

We have arrived the day before ever since and have enjoyed a nice stressless departure day.

[JF - retired RRT]

We live 2 hours from San Pedro (drive time, not fly time) and we usually stay in a hotel near the port the day before.

DH can't handle the stress of worrying about a freeway closure/accident/etc.

[lovetosew]

Just yesterday after much thought had our TA change our Princess EZ Air from a 1 hour layover in Dallas FortWorth to a 6 hour layover in Miami for our cruise on the Star Princess out of Santiago in Feb 16. We are flying from Raleigh. I just did not want to trust the Dallas weather in February. Now all I have to worry about is a late Feb ice storm in North Carolina. Ha!

[YesIAmAPyr8]

If you get to FLL on schedule, the port is almost within rock-throwing distance from the runway.