How early do you you usually fly/drive in before the ship departs?

[CarnivalCreed]

Hey all,

 

I'm headed to the Southern Caribbean on the Fascination on March 5th but will be arriving there on the 2nd. How often do you give yourselves time to explore the city of the port before setting sail?

 

 

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[GUT2407]

Hey all,

 

I'm headed to the Southern Caribbean on the Fascination on March 5th but will be arriving there on the 2nd. How often do you give yourselves time to explore the city of the port before setting sail?

 

 

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I live about a 2 1/2 hour drive from my port and am in Sydney about once a month, so exploring isn't a priority, but I always try to go down the day before.

[easyboy]

Usually a day before. 3 days max if first time on the port and depending on sites to visit.

 

 

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[tgirl25]

I do like to get in the day prior if possible, day of I just feel too rushed but have done it successfully several times. Sometimes I come in a few days early but is dependent if I can get the time off or want to explore that port. Galveston I really had no desire so just came in the morning prior and saw enough, Orlando I have been many times and have a late flight out so just getting in the eve prior. However my 1st cruise was out of Orlando and I stayed by Disney and spent 2 full added days before the cruise... I hve also done that after staying a couple added days in Seattle Wa after an Alaska cruise to spend time with a GF that lived in the area. Just don't like flying in same day, just feel like I am tempting fate

[chesterbear]

Honestly it depends on the port. The closest one to me is Auckland and if I was cruising from there, I would head up the same day. It's about 2 hours away.

 

I've lived there and go up there for work from time to time so I don't feel the need to explore it.

 

My first cruise is going from Sydney though and it takes about 7-8 hours to get from home to the port. I wouldn't do it in a single day. Due to having family in Sydney and my refusal to go on any immediate family holidays to the Gold Coast I'm flying in 4 days beforehand. [emoji3]

 

 

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[PattBenatar]

I drive from Minnesota to Miami, so with the weather in early December I always give me 2-3 extra days, so I don't have to hurry. I drive for 8-10 hours and am done for the day. I arrive 2 days+ to drive around and explore. Last year I drove to the Keys and it was amazing. I loved the drive.

 

I drive solo, but if I had another driver it would only take me a day and a half non-stop but who wants to stress out and worry about the roads or traffic. So earlier the better.

 

I do the Cruise and stay at the Hilton (airport) and walk right on the ship once I get there. Its the only way to go.

[Cruisin 4 Ever]

We always fly in the day before. We drove one time to Baltimore but it was a 9-10 hour drive so we arrived the day before. I don't usually go more than one day ahead. I'd rather take a longer cruise than spend several days in any port.

[Bookbug53]

Always at least the day before. Sometimes 2 nights before depending on the area.

[KPfromCT]

We usually fly in just one day prior. This next cruise will be our first out of Port Canaveral so we MAY go down 2 days early and spend a day at Disney.:D

[sparks1093]

We just got off the Fascination and had a great time. We got there the day before but too late to really do anything. We did stay the day after the trip and did a post-cruise excursion to see at least a little of San Juan before leaving.

[caribsun]

It varies, as short as 5 hours or 1-3 days before or after cruise.

[tatt2ed]

At minimum we arrive a day prior and depending it could be as much a 3. For example our med cruise was 3 days in athens pre (not enough) and 3 days post in barcelona (no way near enough). PR we are doing 4 days post since this is our second time there. So many variables but more vacation and less work is a great starting point !

[Micahs Grandad]

We usually drive and plan to get into port city day before the cruise.

[A&Jfamily]

It depends on the cruise, and our schedules but as a general rule, we like to fly in the day before. But on a Sat/Sat, like our upcoming Magic trip, because of DS college exam schedule, that isn't possible. We leave at 5:45 am and are due in about 10:45 to Melbourne. Crossing my fingers and praying that there are no issues, because it is not the type of thing that insurance will cover at any remotely reasonable cost.

 

Next Christmas, our cruise leaves on a Monday out of NOLA. As none of us have visited the city, I hope to fly in Friday night and have the weekend to explore.

 

For you, on this trip, I would be starting my trip ASAP!

[CJHAN]

Im 8 hour away from our nearest port and i normally do 1 day ahead and sometimes two if i want to do something in that port

 

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[amydresh]

We are going on our very first cruise in Jan out of NOLA. We've never been there. We are driving from WI and plan to arrive in NOLA early afternoon the day before the cruise. It's not going to be much time to explore, but it will have to be enough as we can't get more time off of work and the kids are already getting out of school for the cruise. If we feel we didn't get in enough exploring we may stay for a few hours after getting off the cruise.

[Bookworm1985]

It depends on a couple factors...mainly if I have the time off work to take the extra days. I usually get in the day before and stay a day after. For my next cruise to Alaska, I am getting in early Saturday morning and the cruise leaves Tuesday.

[asalligo]

Most of the time, I have no interest in exploring the port, but I always want to be close to the ship the day before the cruise, so I always arrive the day before. Frankly if I have time to be there earlier than that, then I have time to take a longer cruise.

Edited November 22, 2016 by asalligo

[srlafleur]

Completely depends on the port. Florida? Eh, been there, done that, so day before. I would even risk morning of (we live in MA, with plenty of air options available), dependent on the season.

If the port is of interest to us, well, that depends on the vacation time (and money) available. I try for at least a full day to explore after a day to recuperate from jet lag, so I guess that would be 2 nights prior.

[d12j28]

We almost always go two days before. Tampa we do a day at Busch Gardens. Miami a day at the beach. NOLA a day on Bourbon St. Port Canaveral we stay on Cocoa beach and have friends in the area.

[maldenmusic]

WE drive in one to three days prior depending on what we want to see.

[LadyBeBop]

It actually varies.

 

Our first cruise was out of San Juan. Midnight departure from the port; we flew in that afternoon. We didn't know we should really get there the day before. However, the cruise line (Princess) took care of air arrangements.

 

Our second cruise was out of Tampa. Sunday afternoon departure, and we drove down. We got to Florida by Thursday, and we just spent Thursday, Friday and Saturday exploring NW Florida, a part of the state that isn't travelled much. Very interesting. Fell in love with Tarpon Springs.

 

Our third cruise was out of Port Canaveral. Sunday afternoon departure, and we drove down. Due to work, we could leave until early Saturday morning. Left about 1:30 AM and got to Orlando about 15 hours later. Spent the night near the airport, and we drove the remaining 45 minutes to the port the next day.

 

Our next cruise is out of Port Canaveral, and we are flying. Saturday departure; we will probably fly in on Thursday. Unsure what airport (probably Orlando).

[summersigh]

We're always in the port city at least the day before the cruise departs ...

 

BUT ... if we were sailing out of somewhere cool (like Boston or New Orleans) we'd probably go a couple of days early to allow at least one full day for sightseeing before departure day.:)

[OCruisers]

If we are going out of Charleston, we leave home the morning of the cruise. :)

[jdemps]

Normally one day out of Miami or Long Beach. 3 days, at least, if we leave from New Orleans. It just depends on how fun the port city is for us.