Help with Flight home ?? Sydney-Houston

[chelllll]

It’s so awesome to wake up and see that my fellow cruisers have been digging even deeper to give me the clearest picture possible. You all are simply amazing, much appreciation to you all. I do agree that my last day especially with a child in tow I do not want the extra stress so I will pay an extra night to avoid said possible stress because your right at the end of the day all the unknowns are out of my control. Thanks again!!🙏🏼😃

[The_Big_M]

12 hours ago, By The Bay said:

What happens if the weather, ship issues or a man overboard delays arrival. These are events that have delayed ships arrivals into Sydney before. I know the chance of it happening on a particular cruise, yours, is minimal but is it worth the hassle.

 

So has a Qantas management shutdown that took flights out of service for 3 days. Should you not book til 3 days later because of that? Same with flights knocked out from some places for 3 days because of volcanoes, or September 11.

 

In my view you should plan for what's normal, then have e.g. insurance to cover you for the exceptional like the above. But as said if you have the luxury of time and cost isn't an issue stay on. In normal circumstances the time above is fine.

[The_Big_M]

9 hours ago, GUT2407 said:

Yep looks like I missed an hour. Still double, but even more stressful.

 

Except there's no need to be there 3 hours early when check in only opens then. 2 hours is comfortable and they accept up to 1 hour. Hence ample time in normal circumstances. 

[The_Big_M]

7 hours ago, GUT2407 said:

These are Princess recommendations I can’t seem to find anything similar it RCCL

 

Sydney

Embarking Passengers
For voyages that depart from Sydney, the latest flight arrival for international flights is 
3 hours and 30 minutes prior to ship's departure.

Disembarking Passengers
For voyages that arrive in Sydney, the earliest flight departure for international flights is 
5 hours after ship's arrival.

 

Which matches here. Ship arrives 7 a.m. Flight departs 5 hours later.

[Chiliburn]

5 hours ago, chelllll said:

It’s so awesome to wake up and see that my fellow cruisers have been digging even deeper to give me the clearest picture possible. You all are simply amazing, much appreciation to you all. I do agree that my last day especially with a child in tow I do not want the extra stress so I will pay an extra night to avoid said possible stress because your right at the end of the day all the unknowns are out of my control. Thanks again!!🙏🏼😃

It’s a common question here on this forum.

Even though a couple disagree,it’s best to stay that extra night. The time and money you’re spending whats a extra couple hundred bucks to make it good.

If you tell us your hotel,I’m sure you can get better advice from this forum.

[lyndarra]

6 hours ago, The_Big_M said:

 

Except there's no need to be there 3 hours early when check in only opens then. 2 hours is comfortable and they accept up to 1 hour. Hence ample time in normal circumstances. 

This has been and will continue to be my experience flying out of SYD.

[jland]

The flights from Sydney to Houston via SFO leave Sydney at 2pm, this would definitely allow adequate time. I appreciate we are all different but when we get off a cruise we are on cloud nine, a night in a hotel always seems such a let down.

[Chiliburn]

1 hour ago, jland said:

The flights from Sydney to Houston via SFO leave Sydney at 2pm, this would definitely allow adequate time. I appreciate we are all different but when we get off a cruise we are on cloud nine, a night in a hotel always seems such a let down.

Well put the shoe on the other foot.

If you were getting of a cruise in Galveston and had to make a afternoon flight back to Sydney.Would you stay a extra night in Houston.

 I would, probably a few nights.

[The_Big_M]

15 minutes ago, Chiliburn said:

Well put the shoe on the other foot.

If you were getting of a cruise in Galveston and had to make a afternoon flight back to Sydney.Would you stay a extra night in Houston.

 I would, probably a few nights.

 

For me, it would depend. If say it was a one way cruise and I hadn't seen the city, or preferably that I was doing further travels with the cruise just a part of trip in the middle sure.

 

But if in this scenario where:

1) I'd spent tourism time in the city before, so didn't need more

2) there was ample time to meet the flight, even meeting the conservative times that the cruise lines set

3) there appear to be budget and time constraints

 

I'd have no hesitation heading back same day, and have done in the past.

 

I can understand staying on if you have the luxury of free time especially but for many people that is not the case.

[muddles@sea]

Our cruise back from NZ was slow due to high seas,  and couldn't dock til 9.30 due to ferry traffic and waiting for the pilot. Many passengers could not make their flights.  We didn't disembark til after 10.30.

I wouldn't risk it. Have the extra day in Sydney and fly out the next day. 

[Chiliburn]

37 minutes ago, The_Big_M said:

 

For me, it would depend. If say it was a one way cruise and I hadn't seen the city, or preferably that I was doing further travels with the cruise just a part of trip in the middle sure.

 

But if in this scenario where:

1) I'd spent tourism time in the city before, so didn't need more

2) there was ample time to meet the flight, even meeting the conservative times that the cruise lines set

3) there appear to be budget and time constraints

 

I'd have no hesitation heading back same day, and have done in the past.

 

I can understand staying on if you have the luxury of free time especially but for many people that is not the case.

 not taking in time constant,which the opp doesn’t seem to have .

I my mind the money and effort to travel to the other side of the world ,You May as well make the best of it .not rush back to the other side of the world.

 

So I was to do a cruise out of Galveston. I would Land in Houston,hire a car for a few days and  do a loop. Drop the car off in Galveston,do the cruise.

pick a car up for a few days from Galveston and do a loop,then drop the car of in Houston.

 I wouldn’t fly in and straight out.

[SinbadThePorter]

5 minutes ago, Chiliburn said:

I wouldn’t fly in and straight out.

 

If I was flying half way around the world, I would be staying on for as long as possible too.

 

But the question was whether it was possible to catch a noon international flight home on the day of the cruise return.

 

I still think the answer to that is, yes. Easily.

 

All sorts of things can go wrong, with the cruise, the flight, the taxi, the train, disembarkation or even walking across the road, but bad luck is the reason you buy insurance. Under normal circumstances it is entirely reasonable to catch a noon flight without stressing about it.

 

There is no one correct answer to this, it all depends on personal circumstances.

[Chiliburn]

8 minutes ago, SinbadThePorter said:

 

If I was flying half way around the world, I would be staying on for as long as possible too.

 

But the question was whether it was possible to catch a noon international flight home on the day of the cruise return.

 

I still think the answer to that is, yes. Easily.

 

All sorts of things can go wrong, with the cruise, the flight, the taxi, the train, disembarkation or even walking across the road, but bad luck is the reason you buy insurance. Under normal circumstances it is entirely reasonable to catch a noon flight without stressing about it.

 

There is no one correct answer to this, it all depends on personal circumstances.

Well the actual question was, should we book an extra night and fly out the next day?

 

So sinbad you’re a man of the world.  If someone did miss their flight from bad planing Would insurance cover all expenses .

 I heard some bad reports lately,insurance companies are using any excuse to get out of paying.

[jland]

1 hour ago, Chiliburn said:

Well put the shoe on the other foot.

If you were getting of a cruise in Galveston and had to make a afternoon flight back to Sydney.Would you stay a extra night in Houston.

 I would, probably a few nights.

My understanding of the original post was the person was flying into Sydney, cruising, then flying out of Sydney. When we cruise and the departure and arrival port are the same, we always do any land trips before the cruise. To each their own. I thought the op was asking whether or not  they could make a particular flight, maybe I have that wrong.

[jules_goldcoaster]

Not the actual original question - but a suggestion for the day you arrive and feeling jetlagged.  After dropping off your bags at the hotel, grab a ferry from Circular Quay to Watsons Bay - nice ferry ride with beautiful views of the harbour.  Then grab fish and chips (a definite Aussie must - also need to do a meat pie sometime) from Doyles right off the pier and sit on the sand and people watch.  There's beautiful walks too.  Low key, minimal stress and then hop back on the ferry for hotel check in later in the day.  Enjoy your visit - you will LOVE Sydney.  

[SinbadThePorter]

55 minutes ago, Chiliburn said:

Well the actual question was, should we book an extra night and fly out the next day?

 

Implicitly there were two questions. Is there enough time to catch the flight, if not, should I stay an extra day? The second question was conditional on the first.

 

"My question is when we return to disembark the only flight out of Sydney back to Houston leaves at 11:55 am, I am worried that would not be enough time to disembark, go through customs, collect bags grab a taxi and so on... Should we book one more night in Sydney and fly out the following day?"

 

55 minutes ago, Chiliburn said:

If someone did miss their flight from bad planing Would insurance cover all expenses .

 

Bad planning or bad luck? Ask them. Before paying any money to an insurance company ask them to explain the written conditions should you miss your flight due to a late cruise arrival. Or for any other reason. A late cruise is not the only reason someone might miss their flight, even should they stay an extra day. If you don't get a good answer, go elsewhere. It's surprising how so many people don't ask enough questions before handing over money.

Edited December 31, 2019 by SinbadThePorter

[By The Bay]

Would not the excess due for a claim out-way the cost for a nights accommodation?

[SinbadThePorter]

1 hour ago, By The Bay said:

Would not the excess due for a claim out-way the cost for a nights accommodation?

 

Probably, but it's not the comparative costs, it's the risk costs.

 

If we assume there is a 1% chance of missing the flight, then there is a 99% chance of making it.

 

So if you stay an extra day, you are paying for a hotel to cover that 1% chance, not a 100% chance.

 

If you did the same cruise 100 times, you would end up paying for 100 hotel nights even though it would actually be necessary for only one night. Only there is no way to know which night. That's where the right kind of insurance comes in, to cover the costs of that one event.

 

That said I have no problems with the OP's choice, which is quite sensible. It's just that making that flight on the same day is also a sensible choice.

[The_Big_M]

5 hours ago, Chiliburn said:

 not taking in time constant,which the opp doesn’t seem to have .

I my mind the money and effort to travel to the other side of the world ,You May as well make the best of it .not rush back to the other side of the world.

 

So I was to do a cruise out of Galveston. I would Land in Houston,hire a car for a few days and  do a loop. Drop the car off in Galveston,do the cruise.

pick a car up for a few days from Galveston and do a loop,then drop the car of in Houston.

 I wouldn’t fly in and straight out.

 

Not sure they don't have it. Many Americans only have 2 weeks leave, so it makes it tight to travel internationally.

 

Also, the fact they asked the question means it's a concern that they may prefer to avoid, hence I think it's reasonable to put realistic impacts rather than personal preferences. Sure, as said personally, if you have the time and money, make it leisurely. But they're not available to all.