first cruise with Celebrity - can't fly in day before, no rooms?

[dreday3]

Hi,

 

We booked to cruise on April 6 2024 with Apex, but now because it's Easter week (Easter Sunday before) we can't find a room for a Friday arrival.

 

Any suggestions? Rebook dates? Fly in morning of? Any other area to stay in and take Uber to Port?

 

thanks for any help!

[TomTN]

Huh!

Are they booking rooms 2 years out?  What city?  

Week after Easter? Shouldn't be a problem.

Many hotels are not booking that far out.

Edited June 6, 2022 by TomBeckCruise
unclear

[drakes2]

3 minutes ago, dreday3 said:

Hi,

 

We booked to cruise on April 6 2024 with Apex, but now because it's Easter week (Easter Sunday before) we can't find a room for a Friday arrival.

 

Any suggestions? Rebook dates? Fly in morning of? Any other area to stay in and take Uber to Port?

 

thanks for any help!

Its 2 years away and sure to be many hotel cancellations. I would hold off.  Don't fly in day of cruise unless time change in your favor.

[DCPIV]

Check back in about 10-11 months or so.  Most chains only book a year or so in advance.

 

If you do want another city, there's Miami, but that's not necessarily a better place to be.  On a Saturday morning, you're probably looking at 45-60 Uber ride to Port Everglades from downtown Miami.  Still, if I'm sailing out of FLL, I'd prefer to stay there.

 

As for flying in the day of, well, you'll get all sorts of opinions about that.  Personally, we prefer to come in the day before just to get the "travel" part over and done.  The good news about flying into FLL is that it's a stone's throw from the port, so you do eliminate pretty much any concern about traffic (but the actual traffic heading into the port does get heavy on Saturdays).

[Denny01]

Assuming the OP is talking about FLL, I agree that Easter isn’t the reason the hotels aren’t available, it is being almost 2yrs away. I’m waiting until 11mo prior for the hotel I know I want in Amsterdam to open for reservations. That is pretty ‘normal’ for many hotels and chains.

 

I’d stick with flying in prior, not the day. Although FLL is ‘close’, it isn’t the traffic that could cause you being late, it is the flight in being late or changed, etc. It is happening so much lately. Who know about ‘24.

 

And there is always the option, although more expensive, to use Celebrity hotel stays for prior arrivals. Done that only when went to Buenos Aires. Learned better ways (cost savings and finding a hotel nearer where we wanted to explore) after that.

 

Den

 

[dreday3]

Thanks everyone! I'm just excited I guess! 😁

 

I also found an AirBnb 3 minutes from port that will do well too.

 

I'll look closer to trip.

[ellsbells3032]

Most hotels don't open for bookings til 12-18 months before. No way they are sold out 22 months ahead. They're just not open yet. Relax. 

[SHIP TRAVELER]

Just some input, now is too soon.  We booked the Marriott Courtyard Plantation for a Sunday (Easter stay) before a Reflection Trans Atlantic in 2022. Many people stay home for Easter and business people are not staying in hotels.  It is not the greatest hotel in the world but it has an airport shuttle and is next to a mall area with a Total Wine and places to eat.  You don't say what part of the country you are flying in from or what major airport access you have if things go wrong.  Right now LOTS of flights are being cancelled because of lack of flight crews to staff them.  We live in Texas and sometimes chance a flight to the West Coast same day because the time change works in our favor.  We are close to DFW airport and would look at how many later flight options we would have to still make the ship if our flight is cancelled.  We no longer fly in the same day heading to Florida because the time change squeezes our options so much.  I think you will be able to find a hotel if you check the Cruise Critic East coast port guide.  Good Luck

[CTSandy]

We stayed at a Hampton in Plantation in August 2021.  Nice property, had a shuttle available to port for a fee - I think it was $10 pp.  we didn’t use this service, drove to port and parked in the garage.  It was less than 10 miles to port.

[Lastdance]

11 hours ago, dreday3 said:

Thanks everyone! I'm just excited I guess! 😁

 

I also found an AirBnb 3 minutes from port that will do well too.

 

I'll look closer to trip.

It is easy to want things done early, but hotels have a different schedule, unless it is Super Bowl!

[Jim_Iain]

I have to agree with Den about bookings not being open for bookings 2 years out.   Like airlines many hotels don't open booking prior to a certain period. 

 

I've sailed during Easter week and booked one year out with no problems (a refundable booking with no payment until 48 hours prior to arrival)     Prices were very high and about a week before the cruise I was able tor cancel and re-book at a price about 30% lower for the same hotel and room type.

[neverlaysup]

On 6/6/2022 at 7:25 AM, dreday3 said:

Hi,

 

We booked to cruise on April 6 2024 with Apex, but now because it's Easter week (Easter Sunday before) we can't find a room for a Friday arrival.

 

Any suggestions? Rebook dates? Fly in morning of? Any other area to stay in and take Uber to Port?

 

thanks for any help!

Most hotels only book 300-365 days in advance, be patient.

 

[gfkcruiser]

Showing sold out as not open for booking.  Happened to me as I was seeking rooms too far in advance. 

[cruisestitch]

Does Celebrity even offer pre cruise hotels in Fort Lauderdale?

[DCPIV]

2 hours ago, cruisestitch said:

Does Celebrity even offer pre cruise hotels in Fort Lauderdale?

Yes, many.  We looked at it when they were running the PUP promotion because we were sailing out of FLL earlier this year.  In the end, it just made more sense to use loyalty points than it did to pay $200-300 just to pick up some CC points.

[jelayne]

Cruise line pre cruise hotels generally are more expensive that booking it yourself.

There are so many hotel options around the ports, many with shuttles to the ports it easy and cheaper  to find a hotel yourself.