Will I miss my return flight?

[LH25]

Tony, good for you for asking for advice and taking it! Enjoy the cruise.

 

I do think I read here too much, after having a dream that I was trying to change airline tickets last night, and in the dream kept telling my husband he needed to get packing since our plane left in two hours...:rolleyes:

 

We aren't even flying to our next cruise, we're taking Amtrak the day before.

[catl331]

... you will likely need a passport to join the ship in the next port (depending on where it is

Grand Turk, but he only has 18 days until the cruise ...

[Flatbush Flyer]

Tony, where are you flying from on embarkation day? If you experience any weather or mechanical delays and miss the ship, you will likely need a passport to join the ship in the next port (depending on where it is - I'm not familiar with the itinerary).

 

 

 

I really hope it goes well for you.

 

 

 

Always worth mentioning that folks should never fly (nor, in many cases, drive) to an embarkation port on the day of departure. Often, this is equally good advice for disembarkation and hoping to make a same morning flight.

 

Beyond mechanical and a host of other issues, Mother Nature can be so unpredictable.

 

For example, weather in SoCal today is as was predicted in long range forecasting -somewhat windy but no precipitation. LAX "SHOULD" be OK.

But, just hours ago, new devastating Ventura County wildfires closed the 405 freeway north of L.A..

 

Though we hope and pray for containment (will not be easy with the Santa Ana winds), these fires may very well head south towards San Diego. Even if the LAX airport ops or Long Beach/San Pedro port ops are not directly impacted (at least for now), anyone relying on any kind of ground transportation in that area may be in for very very very long delays.

 

Naysayers will suggest that, like the mechanical or other delay/interruption issues, the chances of a devastating natural event are slim on YOUR planned travel day. But, in reality, on any given day you could easily meet with a missed embarkation and face "catch up" costs that far exceed a hotel/meal tab for one or more pre-cruise days at your embarkation location.

 

 

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[Alberta Quilter]

Grand Turk, but he only has 18 days until the cruise ...

 

In Canada, we can get a passport within a few days if we pay extra for the expedited service. I thought I had read that Americans can also get expedited service; can they? If the OP does experience a delay, misses the ship, and doesn't have a passport, he could be spending his cruise in Fort Lauderdale. That would be way more expensive than the extra charge for expedited service for a passport, I would think (based on the charges here in Canada).

[Flatbush Flyer]

In Canada, we can get a passport within a few days if we pay extra for the expedited service. I thought I had read that Americans can also get expedited service; can they? If the OP does experience a delay, misses the ship, and doesn't have a passport, he could be spending his cruise in Fort Lauderdale. That would be way more expensive than the extra charge for expedited service for a passport, I would think (based on the charges here in Canada).

 

 

 

We renewed US passports several months ago. We did expedited and express. Turn around time door-to-door between CA and PA was about 7 days.

 

 

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[catl331]

We renewed US passports several months ago. We did expedited and express. Turn around time door-to-door between CA and PA was about 7 days.

But can a first passport be done as quick as a renewal?

[TAD2005]

No passport ??? I sure hope this guy doesn't miss the ship in one of his foreign ports and needs to fly to the next port with no passport. That ain't gonna happen. He will be stuck on whatever island he is on until the US State Department can arrange for a temporary passport. It is insane to leave your home country without a legal way to travel by air. Yes, on cruises that are round trip to a US home port, they still allow you to go with just a birth certificate and ID. But the chances you take could cost you 10-fold the cost of a passport. And if you get in any legal trouble in a foreign port (too much booze, car accident, robbery) the local authorities are not going to be too happy seeing just a birth certificate (that you left on the ship). Always carry a photocopy of your passport when you are off the ship, or a passport card if you have one.

[TAD2005]

If you live near a major US city, you can make an appointment and go, in person to the passport office, and apply for an immediate passport. You will pay expedited fees, and you may have to stay overnight, but all of that would be far cheaper than either missing the ship in FLL and having to fly to Grand Turk, or missing the ship in a foreign port. You can easily get a passport in 18 days, you just have to start the process immediately.

[Straitlover]

So I changed my flight to 10pm on the 31st. I don’t know what I’ll do with 15 hours in FLL, but it was the cheapest flight they had and the only one after 9am... only costed $72.00

 

 

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See if you can find out if HAL offers Luggage Direct (Express???) to the FLL airport. If they do, pay the extra and your luggage will be sent to the airport and you won't have to deal with it for the day. If they don't offer it, you can cab/Uber it to FLL and use Bags to Go to hold your luggage.

 

You could rent a car for the day and drive around. There is the Sun Trolley that you could take back from the airport to the downtown area (http://www.suntrolley.com/). I think it ends at 5 PM, so you would need to cab/Uber back the airport . There's also the Water Taxi (http://watertaxi.com/). You could buy a day pass and ride it up and down to various stops. With it being NYE, I bet there'd be lots of stuff going on at the various restaurants and such.

 

If you don't want to do the Water Taxi for the whole day, there are several guided cruises. We did the Carrie B cruise (http://www.carriebcruises.com/). I'd also look on the Ft Lauderdale Tripadvisor forum. I bet there are all kinds of interesting tours/excursions you could do.

 

EDIT: I looked it up, and the Luggage Direct does not work with Spirit, so that's a no-go. You could still do the Bags to Go at the airport.

[qe2]

You can leave your luggage at the airport ( Bags to go) $7 per bag, I think and take public bus 1 to Las Olas. It's about a 20 min ride and costs $2 ( exact bills) . There are lots of restaurants there and a water taxi stop. Just be sure to get back to the airport before the luggage storage facility closes. It's at 5:30 as I recall.

 

I'm not sure that Holland Amerca will let you board without a passport. Check with them and find a place to get one expedited if necessary.

[Homosassa]

 

I'm not sure that Holland Amerca will let you board without a passport. Check with them and find a place to get one expedited if necessary.

 

Once again, it is a closed loop cruise on the Eurodam (it helps to read the thread before posting). No passport needed for US citizens.

[KroozNut]

Tony, they will deny you boarding the Eurodam unless you have a passport. Your cruise is going to foreign countries. So you need to get a Passport ASAP. Otherwise you will forfeit your cruise and if you didn't buy insurance you will get not refund.

 

Not true... From HAL's current KBYG (bolding is mine):

 

"U.S. citizens on closed-loop cruises: U.S. citizens on cruises in the

Western Hemisphere that originate and terminate in the same U.S.

port are required to have proof of citizenship such as a valid U.S.

passport or a government issued birth certificate combined with a

government issued photo I.D."

[Storylady]

Not true... From HAL's current KBYG (bolding is mine):

 

"U.S. citizens on closed-loop cruises: U.S. citizens on cruises in the

Western Hemisphere that originate and terminate in the same U.S.

port are required to have proof of citizenship such as a valid U.S.

passport or a government issued birth certificate combined with a

government issued photo I.D."

I found this on the government website about Close Loop Cruise.

 

"HOWEVER, it is possible that one or more of the Caribbean Islands on your itinerary, does require you to have a passport to enter their country. In that case, it is very possible that the cruise line will require you to have a passport to board, even if it is not a U.S. requirement."

I hope he is on the Eurodam's 7 day cruise only!

Edited December 7, 2017 by Storylady

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

I would take a HAL tour that drops you off at the airport. That would use up some time and be a nice way to end your cruise. They are usually about 4 hours - the Everglades one is fun.

[KroozNut]

I found this on the government website about Close Loop Cruise.

 

"HOWEVER, it is possible that one or more of the Caribbean Islands on your itinerary, does require you to have a passport to enter their country. In that case, it is very possible that the cruise line will require you to have a passport to board, even if it is not a U.S. requirement."

I hope he is on the Eurodam's 7 day cruise only!

 

I think he is, as that is what he said..

[KroozNut]

I found this on the government website about Close Loop Cruise.

 

"HOWEVER, it is possible that one or more of the Caribbean Islands on your itinerary, does require you to have a passport to enter their country. In that case, it is very possible that the cruise line will require you to have a passport to board, even if it is not a U.S. requirement."

I hope he is on the Eurodam's 7 day cruise only!

 

But what you originally said, is that OP would be denied boarding at embarkation without a passport, which is totally untrue.

[Storylady]

I think he is, as that is what he said..

Then he should be okay as long as he doesn't have an emergency in the Bahamas and has to fly home. It was really unclear what cruise he was actually on. Hopefully, he will get a passport before his next adventure.