When do I just give up and drive?

[cb at sea]

If an airline changes your schedule by more than 90 mins., you may cancel and rebook with ANY airline without penalty.  I'd risk it...driving thru the NE is a PIA!

[FlyerTalker]

2 hours ago, cb at sea said:

If an airline changes your schedule by more than 90 mins., you may cancel and rebook with ANY airline without penalty.  I'd risk it...driving thru the NE is a PIA!

 

Not true.

 

It completely depends upon the airline and their particular terms & conditions, along with their customer service policies.  In addition, depending on the fare rules of your ticket, it may not be good for any flight other than one specifically ticketed, especially if it is a bulk/consolidator/negotiated fare.

 

Now some airlines may allow you to cancel and get a refund, each with their own specific policies.  But to claim that this applies to any airline and any ticket is disingenuous at best and an outright fabrication at worst.

 

[sverigecruiser]

11 hours ago, ed01106 said:

If my cruise leaves on a Sunday, I will fly Saturday, otherwise I book my air thru the cruise line. Only cruise  I ever missed I had a Saturday flight  for a Sunday cruise.  Massive snowstorm on Friday night cancelled all Saturday flights.  I should have tried to move my flight on Wed or Thursday to Sunday, because I knew the storm was coming. On Saturday morning when the airline officially cancelled the flight every thing for Sunday was already fully booked.  Had I booked for Sunday originally I would have not missed the cruise.  So you never know.

 

I agree with you that you never know.

 

It's a bigger risk to book the flight the same day as the cruise but as you said, it's not always the best thing to do that.

 

Personally if the flight is long I prefer to fly at least 3-4 days before the cruise and that give me more time and options in case something happen.

[sverigecruiser]

11 hours ago, Eskylady said:

 Sverigecruiser.  Well, two things come to mind that make taking that extra day one that deserves some contemplation.  First of all, I’m a nurse and staffing safely requires that I can’t (none of us can) take time where there won’t be adequate coverage, and secondly, I used up the majority of my vacation time while I was nursing my mother before she passed away.  Still, I would like to enjoy my time off and me and my family need some healing time...so that day in the big scheme of things isn’t going to make or break me.  I just want to do what makes the most sense and keeps the stress level as low as possible.  Ahhh....the beauty of a vacation.  Take care all. 

 

If I was a nurse and it wasn't possible to get adequate coverage for that extra day I shouldn't book a cruise. My stress level should be much higher if I should book the flight for the morning of the cruise. I can enjoy my time off without a cruise so for me a cruise should not be an option under thoose circumstances. 

[sverigecruiser]

11 hours ago, clo said:

Does that mean you wouldn't travel or you wouldn't go on cruises.

 

I should not go on cruises. Or cruise from a port closer to home so no flight was needed. 

[Mike981]

About twenty years ago in February, I can't remember if it was our first or second cruise, we flew the same day from Minneapolis to FLL. We got stuck on the tarmac in Minneapolis. They de-iced the plane and then had to plow the runways again and in that delay, they had to de-ice the plane again. I don't remember how long, but I do remember our shuttle bus was not full in FLL, but everyone was stressed out about making the ship.
We did make it, but as others have said it is quite a strange feeling at the terminal with it being so empty. After that incident we fly in a day early.

[ed01106]

5 hours ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

I should not go on cruises. Or cruise from a port closer to home so no flight was needed. 

 

5 hours ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

If I was a nurse and it wasn't possible to get adequate coverage for that extra day I shouldn't book a cruise. My stress level should be much higher if I should book the flight for the morning of the cruise. I can enjoy my time off without a cruise so for me a cruise should not be an option under thoose circumstances. 

 

5 hours ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

I agree with you that you never know.

 

It's a bigger risk to book the flight the same day as the cruise but as you said, it's not always the best thing to do that.

 

Personally if the flight is long I prefer to fly at least 3-4 days before the cruise and that give me more time and options in case something happen.

Your advice is absolutely ridiculous.  

 

Most working people don’t have 3-4 extra days. If you have the time, great for you but advising others not to cruise because they don’t is down right stupid.  

 

Detroit to New York is a short direct flight in which many flights are flown so one canceled flight should still allow for getting to the port.

 

Plus if you buy air travel thru the cruise line they work very hard to make sure you don’t miss the flight.

 

New York is literally the closest port to Detroit so your advice to pick a closer port is ignores the facts.

 

 

Edited July 17, 2019 by ed01106

[sverigecruiser]

19 minutes ago, ed01106 said:

 

 

Your advice is absolutely ridiculous.  

 

Most working people don’t have 3-4 extra days. If you have the time, great for you but advising others not to cruise because they don’t is down right stupid.  

 

Detroit to New York is a short direct flight in which many flights are flown so one canceled flight should still allow for getting to the port.

 

Plus if you buy air travel thru the cruise line they work very hard to make sure you don’t miss the flight.

 

New York is literally the closest port to Detroit so your advice to pick a closer port is ignores the facts.

 

 

 

I didn't adviced anyone to fly in 3-4 days before the cruise. I said that that's what I prefer to do. The advice to fly in the day before is very common here and I have probably seen it hundreds of times here on cc.

 

Fact is that I shouldn't cruise if I had to fly in the same day so with no close port and no possibility to fly in early I shouldn't cruise.

 

I have talked to lots of working people who fly in a few days before the cruise so lots of people can do that.

[clo]

7 hours ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

I should not go on cruises. Or cruise from a port closer to home so no flight was needed. 

So you'd do other types of travel, just not a cruise.

[sverigecruiser]

1 hour ago, clo said:

So you'd do other types of travel, just not a cruise.

 

Yes.

[Hlitner]

Since the OP is talking about the annual Regal repo cruise from Brooklyn to Ft Lauderdale.....catching u to them ship is not a good option.   We do enjoy that itinerary (done it 4 times).  Also consider that parking in NYC or EWR is pretty expensive.  Flying into LGA is the best option with EWR and JFK not quite as good.  Given the number of flights arriving by noon we would b comfy with an early morning flight.

 

Hank

[evandbob]

While it is almost gospel here on CC that cruisers should fly in at least a day early for a cruise, the majority of pax arrive the day of the cruise by flying or driving to the port that morning.  I sense that many posters here on CC mention details like pre cruise hotel, cabin type, loyalty status, etc., just to brag a bit.  I do it myself at times.

 

I am sometimes surprised at the level of emotional distress some posters evince about contemplating a same morning flight as the cruise departure.  But to each their own, whatever makes you comfortable.

 

I've flown in the morning of a cruise several dozen times from NY to Fl non stop with carry on luggage and never had an issue.

 

Now that I can drive to FLL, Tampa, and MIA in about the same 2 hrs or so it used to take flying from NY, I start my drive around 8 AM and arrive in plenty of time.

 

The OP should do whatever they are comfortable with, but if it were me, I would take the first non stop flight out of Detroit to LGA the morning that the cruise leaves.

[sverigecruiser]

4 hours ago, evandbob said:

While it is almost gospel here on CC that cruisers should fly in at least a day early for a cruise, the majority of pax arrive the day of the cruise by flying or driving to the port that morning. 

 

Is this something you know as a fact or something you just believe? 

 

I do think that at least in Miami it's very common to fly in early. When we ask for assist to get a cab on embarkation day the standard question is "to the port or to the airport?". 

[Ombud]

On 7/16/2019 at 1:27 PM, sverigecruiser said:

If I couldn't have one more day of vacation and fly in the day before I shouldn't cruise.

 

People are different, and that is a good thing, but if I were in that situation I shouldn't cruise.

Wow just wow. Most in USA don't get a long vacation leave. Swedes are lucky if they do but 1 week to start up to 3 weeks max is standard here (2 weeks for a lot of private sector employees). Now leave a few days for unscheduled emergencies, most years I was only willing to travel for a week. 

 

OP:

I am taking the nonstop red eye for my next cruise flying from SFO to Miami arriving at 7:30 am 🤞. If there's an issue, bc I bought the flight / transfers / insurance, Princess will cover 'reasonable' meals + up to $500 per night for the 2 nights hotel + fly me to Charleston SC + reimburse me for 2 nights missed onboarding refundable OBC. And the Princess rep coordinates it all. Works for me 😊

 

Anyway that's what they said when my SFO to LHR was delayed 12 hrs last year. AA was able to rebook me and I made the ship. But Princess was reassuring nonetheless 

[evandbob]

23 hours ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

Is this something you know as a fact or something you just believe? 

 

I do think that at least in Miami it's very common to fly in early. When we ask for assist to get a cab on embarkation day the standard question is "to the port or to the airport?". 

 

It's certainly anecdotal evidence, based on the number of cruise passengers I've encountered throughout the airports that morning, on my plane, and those waiting at the various luggage carousels and for the shuttle buses and taxis to the ports.  As well as talking to other pax waiting to board at the cruise terminal, on the ship itself, and at my dinner tables.

 

For this ex NYer, flying from NY to MIA or FLL was like taking a shuttle bus. Barely time to take a nap even.

[sverigecruiser]

4 hours ago, Ombud said:

Wow just wow. Most in USA don't get a long vacation leave. Swedes are lucky if they do but 1 week to start up to 3 weeks max is standard here (2 weeks for a lot of private sector employees). Now leave a few days for unscheduled emergencies, most years I was only willing to travel for a week. 

 

 

I know that it's very different, I have a brother who lives in the US.

 

In Sweden everyone with a full time job has at least 25 days of paid vacation.

 

 

[happy cruzer]

When you have hard requirements such as work related ones, you have fewer options. I would get the best i.e. earliest non stop flight.   Have your travel insurance policy that covers flight issues.  Then stop worrying, the worst is that you miss the cruise and probably vacation in NYC.  Things can go wrong on any vacation. 

[Ombud]

On the Regal Princess NYC to Fl via Caribbean they put you up in NYC or St Martin for 3 nights until you board. Not bad IMHO

Edited July 19, 2019 by Ombud

[SRF]

On 7/16/2019 at 7:00 PM, cb at sea said:

If an airline changes your schedule by more than 90 mins., you may cancel and rebook with ANY airline without penalty.  I'd risk it...driving thru the NE is a PIA!

 

Yes, you can rebook on any airline.

 

AT THE PREVAILING FARE.