I know it is repetitious, but---

[Ships R Great]

---I can't find other threads that were on this subject.

 

Can we make a 10:40am flight out of Long Beach, CA airport getting off the Summitt after Hawaii? We really want to fly JetBlue. They only have two flights. This one and another around 7:00pm (that would get us into D.C. in the wee hours). Do you think we could possible make it?

[clopaw]

On our sailing in March, you could have made it because everything went well. However, others did not have the same experience, and debarkation was seriously delayed on some sailings. How much of a gambler are you?

[patrioticgirl]

Hi Ships!

I think you'd be cutting it close with any flight before noon. Since we originally had a flight back into D.C. at 12:30 P.M., I made note of the returning voyages this past season. Many of them had passengers disembarking later than anticipated. When I checked to see if air arrangements were available through the cruiseline, we'd been told not to book any flight before 12:30 so I was a bit worried that we might be taking a chance.

For our voyage on April 9th, we arrived at the pier around 10:50 A.M. and found that passengers were still disembarking well past then. When we returned on the 23rd, we were an hour and a half late arriving in San Pedro. We had a 7:40 appointment time for immigration, which was moved to 9:10. Even though we reported as directed, we ended up waiting in line for two hours to clear the ship. Flights were at 12:40 and 1:15 P.M. out of LAX, and we just made it to the airport. The people on the earlier flight were given priority status on the shuttle we'd booked, and they barely made the flight, even without any traffic or airport security check delays. I believe LAX and Long Beach airports are about the same travel distance from the pier. Numerous people on our sailing had flight prior to noon and had great difficulty trying to reschedule because most flights were solidly booked. The later flight might be less stressful, especially if the disembarkation process has not been streamlined a bit more than it was this past season. If I was redoing the voyage and had the flight choices you've mentioned, I think I would play it safe with the later flight. Hope this helps!

[JuneauWhatIMean]

I don't know what time your ship comes in, but the airport is really close to the dock and it's a very small airport. Catch a cab, get to the airport in about 12-20 minutes, (depending on traffic), check in, cruise through security, climb the stairs, you're onbaord. Have fun! :p

 

Long Beach airport is waaaaaaay closer than LAX.

 

Patrioticgirl- Is an immigration clearance required when returning from Hawaii? This seems strange but then a lot of things seem strange to me these days. ;)

[Drew B]

Long Beach airport IS much closer and smaller and faster and better in every way than LAX. You'd stand a very good chance of making the flight, provided that X lets you be in one of the first groups to disembark (they should if you have the early flight).

 

Good luck either way.

[chessbriar]

Yes the ship still has to clear immigration. Not only does it make a brief stop in Ensenada after Hawaii, foreign port, but not everyone on the ship is American. Both crew and passengers have to go through immigration. Because of those factors, it must clear immigration

[Ships R Great]

Thanks, everyone, for your answers. I think we will play it reeeeaaaaallllllll safe and stay over for the night and fly back on the next day. We don't want to hang around the airport all day for the later flight. The stress of wondering whether we would make it or not would just be too much when we're having to deal with being in the real world after the cruise.

 

Clopaw---I like the slots but I am not really much of a gambler. Onlu on the ships!

[gratefulguy]

Have you contacted JetBlue to see whether they would let you "waitlist" for the flight you want to take even if you have confirmed tickets for the next day? It might still be cheaper than the expense of staying over. That way you could call the morning of your debarkation to see what your chances are of getting on the 10:40 flt., knowing what the costs might be.