sndral Posted August 30, 2016 #1 Share Posted August 30, 2016 (edited) On August 6 I booked my first RCI cruise & my first cruise in 15 years. I did it on the phone and purchased airfare using Air2Sea. Then I started reading here:confused: The flights booked were an overnight direct from SFO to FRA w/a 70 minute layover in Frankfurt & then off to Venice arriving 12:30 w/ the ship leaving at 5pm that day. I was concerned about the short layover in FRA as my vague recollection from the one time I connected there before was that the airport was huge. So I started tracking my flight to figure out gates & whether I could deplane & board the Venice flight in 70 minutes. What I discovered was that for the last 14 days the SFO flight has arrived in FRA on time only twice, 7 times it arrived so late that the connecting Venice flight had already left, for the other 5 late arrivals actually making the connection looked dicey. I checked for later flights - there was one arriving at Venice mid afternoon and one arriving at 8 at night. I decided the wisest thing to do was to fly in a day earlier - the RCI Air2Sea person tried to talk me out of it citing the 'guarentee' to get me to the ship on time or to catch me up to the ship - but it seemed to me it was worth the change fee and ultimately he rebooked the flights & I now arrive in Venice the day before my cruise. Now I'm wondering if while I was at it I should have rebooked the Venice flight for the later mid afternoon one and given myself a longer layover given the SFO flight's frequent late arrivals - but I don't want to pay another change fee. Was I right to change flights & arrive the day before sailing? Am I ok w/ the tight connection to Venice now? Even if I miss the original connection there are 2 later flights that day & 2 the next day which could get me into Venice in time to board for the 5 pm sailing. Edited August 30, 2016 by sndral Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iluvit! Posted August 30, 2016 #2 Share Posted August 30, 2016 Absolutely the right thing to do. I think most of the people on these forums fly in a day early. You will be sure to make the ship, and will have extra time in Venice! Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarea Posted August 30, 2016 #3 Share Posted August 30, 2016 You are certainly better off than before. How much would it cost to make the change to a later Venice flight to give yourself more connection time? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LEtue Posted August 30, 2016 #4 Share Posted August 30, 2016 I think you made the right decision to go a day early. I guess coming home wouldn't be as critical although it is always nice to get home as planned. What surprises me is that they even offered a flight that arrived same day! I thought that coming from the US - they only offered flights that arrived the day before. Maybe your first day aboard is an overnight stay in Venice? If so, I would have been okay with the first flight. I will be comparison shopping for flights to Venice in 2017 and although I have never used Air2Sea yet - I am interested to see what flights are offered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Havingfun2010 Posted August 30, 2016 #5 Share Posted August 30, 2016 I would never, never arrive the same day with an international flight. Booking through the cruise line is the right thing to do, but I would only fly the day before. International flights, if missed, or late are not easily able to rebook like domestic flights. You can be delayed hours, if not overnight. I had an international flight that I arrived at final destination 7 hours late. I was rerouted several times, and my luggage was followed 24 hours later. No, it was not a cruise, and although annoying, it wakes you up to what can happen, and with a cruise, you don't have flexibility. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarea Posted August 30, 2016 #6 Share Posted August 30, 2016 ... my luggage was followed 24 hours later..... The luggage is what I'd be concerned about with the short connection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sndral Posted August 30, 2016 Author #7 Share Posted August 30, 2016 (edited) ...Maybe your first day aboard is an overnight stay in Venice? If so, I would have been okay with the first flight. I will be comparison shopping for flights to Venice in 2017 and although I have never used Air2Sea yet - I am interested to see what flights are offered. The ship sails (how wonderful it feels to type that) at 5 pm that first day, so no overnight in Venice that first night - first port of call Dubrovnik the next day - I looked at how hard it would be to join at Dubrovnik & decided it looked like a challenge. Regarding the Air2Sea, I'd priced flights on kayak the day before I called to book the cruise & the price they offered was actually a few dollars less than kayak had. The initial change fee was quoted as $250, but after I said to do it it actually worked out to $97. The luggage is what I'd be concerned about with the short connection. Perhaps I should stay in a hotel close to Marco Polo Airport that night, in case I need to return to collect my luggage. I'll certainly pack my carry on w/ that in mind. I have 3 nights in Venice after the cruise already booked at a hotel in Venice proper so that new night pre cruise I'm mostly interested in what'll be most convenient. Edited August 30, 2016 by sndral Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biker19 Posted August 30, 2016 #8 Share Posted August 30, 2016 Perhaps I should stay in a hotel close to Marco Polo Airport that night, in case I need to return to collect my luggage. The Courtyard was nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Cruizers Posted August 30, 2016 #9 Share Posted August 30, 2016 In the limited times I have booked our International flights, I have always given ourselves 2 to 3 nights pre cruise as i feel it maybe the last time we will ever got there so want to see as much as we can. Next August w will be flying to Copenhagen and will arrive 3 days before our sailing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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