Why leave home day(s) earlier than embarkation?

[Flatbush Flyer]

1 hour ago, evandbob said:

If it makes you feel better, by all means get to the port area days in advance so you won't miss the ship.  If you have connecting flights, or a long car drive, by all means go to the port a day or two early.  If you have anxiety or excess worry, please arrive at least 36 or 48 hrs ahead of embarkation.

 

However, when I lived in NY, I flew non stop down to MIA or FLL the early morning of over 35, maybe 40 cruises, mostly with 1 piece of carry on luggage with no problems whatsoever.  I have seen cruisers at my departing airport (LGA or JFK) whose flight got cancelled on Friday trying to get a seat on my confirmed flight Saturday morning and weren't able to.........don't know if they ever made it to their ship, but I did!

 

I totally resent the OP's comment that anyone who does this is CRAZY!

So, Friday flights can be cancelled but not Saturday ones???

Based on your reply, perhaps "illogical" might have been a better choice than "crazy." Being "lucky" is not a good reason for dismissing the multiple delay/interruption challenges in contemporary transportation (air or otherwise).

[CPT Trips]

Seems like PP's point is that there is no guarantee that one will get on a timely flight the next day if you were booked on a flight that is cancelled.

[Flatbush Flyer]

1 hour ago, CPT Trips said:

Seems like PP's point is that there is no guarantee that one will get on a timely flight the next day if you were booked on a flight that is cancelled.

And that is why we generally fly in at least 3 days prior (having picked cruises greater than 3 weeks with interesting new or favorite embarkation ports). We even go 2 days earlier for Swamplandia, which holds zero appeal for us.

 

Evandbob's failed logic doesn't recognize that the same thing can happen to them on Saturday as had happened to folks who tried to fly Friday.

 

What has  significantly changed with air travel when compared to more than a decade ago is that a cancelled/missed flight may mean a rebooking delayed for at least an additional day. So, even flying in a day early can mean missing a cruise.

 

One of the few "silver linings" of my original post, which concerned almost not being able to get to the airport, is that there was enough of a pre-cruise buffer so that we could rebook something leaving up to two full days later and still get to Rio in time for embarkation. That is no small consideration when a 3 to 7 week cruise is at stake. 

Edited February 10, 2019 by Flatbush Flyer

[Krazy Kruizers]

We always fly in 2 - 3 days early.  We don't have direct flights to anywhere anymore.  And we don't live close yo the airport.

 

So we have to stay at a hotel near the airport to begin our first flight which is usually around 7:30 AM.  Then plan on a layover.  We usually get to the embarkation port around 2 or 3 in the afternoon.

 

To get back home -- same routine -- stay over night -- get that first flight early in the morning -- layover -- then get off the plane, go pick up car and stay at a hotel before driving home the following day.

 

Not easy flying anymore with so many cut backs in flights thus so little to choose from.

[ldubs]

Awwwww, I kept saying don't reply, don't reply.... but I just can't stay away.  hahah

 

I live about an hour away from SFO.  The weather here is mild and roads don't shut down due to storms.  I would not dream of spending the night near the airport because I was afraid of missing a flight.   

 

Have done several morning of 380 mile drives to San Pedro to pick up a cruise.  Many in convoy, which is fun. 

 

We have made many flights that arrive on embark day from the west coast to Europe.  If we have a reason to visit prior to the cruise or don't like the flight connections we will go early.   

 

If it preys on your mind and you are more comfortable going early, then by all means.  Each to his/her own.   

[ldubs]

Huh, though I was editing my earlier post but instead did a duplicate post.  Oops.  

Edited February 11, 2019 by ldubs

[Flatbush Flyer]

2 hours ago, ldubs said:

Huh, though I was editing my earlier post but instead did a duplicate post.  Oops.  

Like you, I kept saying "don't reply" to your recent post. But.....

 

While it is true that SF Bay Area drivers face far fewer storm related local road closures traversing highways like I-80 than do folks on I-80 near Truckee, we are often plagued by bridge delays/closures for all sorts of reasons ranging from vehicular accidents to commuter bottlenecks to police actions to high winds.

 

On any given day (like the one first mentioned in this thread), a bridge crossing/closing can cause delays from a few minutes to several hours (like approx 4 for the folks stuck on the R-SR bridge last Thursday). The worst one for us was a few years ago when that same bridge closure (combination of weather/accidents) prohibited our return from Larkspur to Point Richmond and required our driving north to Novato and a detour on CA-37 to I-80 West to get back to our exit on I-580 (from the opposite direction). Bottom line (including the traffic congestion): Two hours instead of ten minutes.

BTW, one only needs to dial 511 to see just how often SF Bay Area bridges are SNAFU. And just wait to see what the Bay Bridge will face when a new Warriors stadium event conflicts with something occurring at PAC Bell Park.

 

As for staying overnight at SFO pre-flight: While not required, we often do this for early morning flights since we prefer not to rise at "zero dark thirty" nor to fight AM commuter traffic. And any seasoned SF flier knows that, during foggy summers in particular, getting off the ground on time is far easier in the early AM (when your plane has been sitting there overnight).

 

Again, as originally posted: had we (or our driver) been in that backup of cars in the picture posted, our cost in airline change fees alone could have easily dwarfed what many folks here on CC pay for a short cruise from Swamplandia. And, without the several days pre-cruise buffer for international routing, that delayed airline rebooking could easily have meant missing the ship.

Edited February 11, 2019 by Flatbush Flyer

[CPT Trips]

nevermind

Edited February 11, 2019 by CPT Trips
Avoiding mud

[Flatbush Flyer]

1 minute ago, CPT Trips said:

"Swamplandia" . . . nice slur.

Hardly a slander.

There is a terrific long time bestseller book titled Swamplandia, which tells a very interesting story of truly down-to-earth Florida. I just adopted the name out of affection.

 

That said, we have been to South Florida so many times that it truly does offer nothing to grab our attention anymore.

[evandbob]

On 2/10/2019 at 11:56 AM, Flatbush Flyer said:

So, Friday flights can be cancelled but not Saturday ones???

Based on your reply, perhaps "illogical" might have been a better choice than "crazy." Being "lucky" is not a good reason for dismissing the multiple delay/interruption challenges in contemporary transportation (air or otherwise).

Thanks for changing your original pejorative statement.  With about 35 early morning flights to seaports, I would say my success rate of 100% was more logical than "illogical".  If you just want to think of it as "lucky", then you may want to give me a grand or two that I'll use on the Conquest's premier casino cruise next week and you can get back a share of my "lucky" winnings.  (Now that I live in SWFL, I'll be doing the 2 hr drive to FLL that morning.)

 

I'll posit that the majority of cruisers, driving or flying,  arrive at the ship's terminal port the morning of embarkation.  And 100% of cruisers who use a cruise line to arrange their flights arrive on embarkation day.

 

It is mainly on CC that flying in days prior to a cruise has developed a fashionable cachet.

[ldubs]

Pretty easy to come up with endless what-ifs.  What I can say is for literally 43 years I have been flying in and out of SFO for both business and pleasure.  I have had flights cancelled, but never missed one because I arrived at the airport late.   Just use some common sense.  Going to be driving to the airport during commute hours?  It doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand extra time will be needed.  Giants playing at home?  Same thing.   Whole bridge closures?  Doesn't happen very often, but if it does take another route -- there are several.   Even the OP's narrowly avoided catastrophe had several alternatives.  In fact, everyone who uses one should check with their car service to make sure there are reciprocal agreements with other drivers for just such situations. 

 

But again, if someone obsesses over all of the bad things that could possibly happen I sure won't criticize them for going early.  

[Flatbush Flyer]

5 hours ago, ldubs said:

Pretty easy to come up with endless what-ifs.  What I can say is for literally 43 years I have been flying in and out of SFO for both business and pleasure.  I have had flights cancelled, but never missed one because I arrived at the airport late.   Just use some common sense.  Going to be driving to the airport during commute hours?  It doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand extra time will be needed.  Giants playing at home?  Same thing.   Whole bridge closures?  Doesn't happen very often, but if it does take another route -- there are several.   Even the OP's narrowly avoided catastrophe had several alternatives.  In fact, everyone who uses one should check with their car service to make sure there are reciprocal agreements with other drivers for just such situations. 

 

But again, if someone obsesses over all of the bad things that could possibly happen I sure won't criticize them for going early.  

Just like "insurance" policies, risk aversion (i.e., true "common sense") is unnecessary until it's necessary. To each his own.

[sparks1093]

On 2/10/2019 at 2:33 PM, Flatbush Flyer said:

That is no small consideration when a 3 to 7 week cruise is at stake. 

 

On 2/11/2019 at 5:17 AM, Flatbush Flyer said:

our cost in airline change fees alone could have easily dwarfed what many folks here on CC pay for a short cruise from Swamplandia. And, without the several days pre-cruise buffer for international routing, that delayed airline rebooking could easily have meant missing the ship.

When one is embarking on such journey's as you undertake adding extra time into getting there makes sense. What you continually overlook is that your travel patterns aren't those of the typical cruiser, most of whom are only able to take that short cruise from Florida, NYC, Galveston, etc. Yes, it makes sense to go to the port early, as early as ones circumstances allow, but to follow every bit of advice you give is beyond the means of many people and doesn't mean that they lack logic, common sense or sanity. It means that they are making do with the resources they have, which pale in comparison with the resources that you have.

 

17 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Hardly a slander.

There is a terrific long time bestseller book titled Swamplandia, which tells a very interesting story of truly down-to-earth Florida. I just adopted the name out of affection.

 

That said, we have been to South Florida so many times that it truly does offer nothing to grab our attention anymore.

You may mean it as a term of affection but it sure doesn't come off that way.

[ldubs]

I was on a Rio cruise this time last year.  I'm not sure of the dates this year but the Rio Carnival is like NOLA Mardi Gras times 10!   Much craziness!!  

Enjoy.   

[LuckyStar]

On 2/7/2019 at 5:23 PM, Flatbush Flyer said:

The pic below is why!

 

Normally, not only do we fly in to the embarkation port 2 or more days early, we also head to the airport a day early.

For us, staying in a hotel near SFO before a flight day is a pleasure since there are so many great restaurants in the little nearby town of Burlingame.

 

But, for our cruise out of Rio next week and our flight leaving tonight at 8 pm, we decided to have our regular driver pick us up after lunch for a leisurely drive to SFO that seldom exceeds 1 hr.

While waiting for him, we decided to turn on the TV only to see "breaking news: Bridge Closed Due To Falling Debris."

Oh-Oh 😳😳😳

 

Fast forward: Fortunately,  our driver was coming from a different direction (this time!) and  we could get to the airport with time to spare IF everyone else who was screwed by the bridge closure didn't decide to head the same way. And get there we did.

 

The point of my post: A time buffer for arrival at the embarkation port may not be enough. Had the bridge been on our route this trip, we might have had to miss our 8 pm flight. The good news: another first leg flight (to our connection in Panama City) after midnight has space and would allow the original connection. The bad news: $300/person + fare difference. 

 

Trip insurance? Of course. But, if the midnight flight turned out to be full, that would start the whole row of travel FUBARS: Next flight is tomorrow night, town car picking us up in Rio sitting there, possible hotel cancel as a "no show"......

 

Anyone on CC who suggests that not having flight, connection and days to embarkation time buffers is "no big deal" is CRAZY.

 

i need a Margarita.

Well, labeling anyone crazy for their travel plans is wrong.  We all have our limits.  Many do not have the time to travel ahead.  People do the best that they can for their circumstances.  

[squick64]

I always go a day early unless it's a major international trip. However, in the winter, there may be a benefit to going even earlier because of winter travel problems (not locally but coming from and going to other places). For the next Star Trek cruise, I'm doing 2 days early because it's so important and anxiety inducing, even though it's not in the winter. 🙂 I'll hang around the hotel--it doesn't matter.

[GUT2407]

We will take any opportunity to start out holiday early.