Same Day Flight - Did I Mess Up?

[BobolGrobol]

Goodness -- it's been almost ten years since my last cruise and when I went on that trip I was much younger and a lot more carefree (stupid!). :) I remember booking the trip on a whim...flights going down same day....no insurance. Wow, what a lark! I just never thought that anything could go wrong or that if it did, I might lose money!

 

Anyway, fast forward ten years and I've booked a cruise for me, my DH and DD. We're off in September and cannot wait. While I did get insurance this time, I still booked same day flights. Not that I would mind an extra day in Miami, but unfortunately the flights are booked and my TA tells me there will be a significant penalty to change them now.

 

Did I mess up? Seems it's really highly recommended that one flys in a day early. Geez, I hope we get there on time! :)

 

In the same vein -- if our flights are delayed/canceled and we don't make it to the ship -- is that something that is covered by insurance (since this time I actually bought it!)

 

Thanks to anyone with info.

[jenjens1023]

I had nursing instructor who answered every question with "It depends." That's the answer here too. Where are you flying from and to? How many connections with how much time between (for your luggage to make the connection). And most importantly when does the flight get in?

 

Read your insurance policy, it will explain what is covered for delayed/cancelled flights.

[5668200]

You don't sound stupid to me. I'm in my 50's, have gone on 10 cruises and still don't buy insurance. Also, we always fly in the day of the cruise, and fly out the day we arrive at port. We take charter flights from MN and we usually leave for home around 12:30-1:30 pm. We haven't missed a flight yet. Often we have to sit around waiting for the plane to arrive. Have a fun trip! We will be on the Valor in Feb. - no insurance and flight home day of arrival.

[wmsherwood]

Millions fly in same day and not too many have problems. Is it possible? Of course. As previous poster noted a lot can depend on connections and times for arrivals. Many on these boards like the extra vacation and the total lack of stress (and travel is stressful) when coming in early (hey, I'm one of them that prefers to get in early). Bottom line is you need to relax and not second guess yourself. You'll have a great time and should be fine. You need to check the insurance you bought (they vary greatly) to see the airline coverage you have.

 

enjoy

bill

[BobolGrobol]

You don't sound stupid to me.

 

 

:) Well, I tell you what I had a lot less of when I was a younger person...HEADACHES. I'm driving myself nuts thinking about all the stuff that could go wrong with this trip. I just don't want to end up missing it because it's taken my DH and I five stinking years to save for it. *lol* I'm too much of a worry-wart.

 

I just called my TA and she said not to worry. My flight from MSP to MIA is non-stop and gets in at 10:45 AM. She said that, plus the fact that I did buy the insurance, should set my mind pretty much at ease.

 

I hope so. I desperately want this to be a great trip for my husband. It's been a rough couple years for him and it's his b-day while we're at sea. :)

 

Thanks for responding!

 

Bobol

[BobolGrobol]

Millions fly in same day and not too many have problems. Is it possible? Of course. As previous poster noted a lot can depend on connections and times for arrivals. Many on these boards like the extra vacation and the total lack of stress (and travel is stressful) when coming in early (hey, I'm one of them that prefers to get in early). Bottom line is you need to relax and not second guess yourself. You'll have a great time and should be fine. You need to check the insurance you bought (they vary greatly) to see the airline coverage you have.

 

enjoy

bill

 

Thanks Bill - words to live by (relax, no second guessing!) :)

 

Next year we're flying in early!!! I like the idea of having an extra day of vacation. Wooooo!

[Sandgnat]

Just pack a carry on with some essentials, toiletries, swimsuit and one outfit you can change into and prescriptions. When I took a cruise out of Alaska I had two days in Anchorage prior to the cruise. My son's luggage was late. When waiting in line to see what happened to it the people in front of us were leaving on a cruise right then. They were holding the last shuttle for them. They would not receive their luggage for 3 days at the first port of call, it was still in Atlanta. The poor girl was in tears, it was her honeymoon. They gave her some toiletries and some money to buy clothes but they had no time to shop prior to going to the ship. They would have to buy clothes on the ship. Luckily she was a small girl and would be able to find some, us plus size girls aren't as lucky. I have thought of them often and hope they had a great trip and did not miss to many formal dinners having no clothes and at least they were on their honeymoon so they didn't need too many clothes:D Luckily by the time we made it too the front of the line they told us my son's luggage was arriving at the airport and would be delivered within 30 minutes. This is the only cruise we have had to fly too, we live no more than 6 hours from any ort in Florida, but I learned a lesson from that coulple that I would always give myself a few days in the port before leaving to prevent this from happening. I so enjoyed Anchorage and spent 3 days in Vancouver after the cruise that I am glad I had planned it that way. I'm looking forward to New Orleans getting the ships back and will fly there and spend a few days prior enjoying that wonderful city (we spent a day there when we cruised on the Sensation a few years ago). Since you already have booked flight times just bring along a carryon just in case. Have a great cruise and don't worry about things you can not change as this is your vacation and it should be worry free. Sandy

[serene56]

I'm too much of a worry-wart.Bobol

 

ok= what you do to calm yourself-- get online and look for all available flights that you can catch== IF soemthing went wrong with your flight you will knwo where to head.

Make a list of EVERY flight that will get you to the ship ontime.

(dont forget to leave leeway for a cab ride to the pier)

 

thats your plan B- dont tell anyone you did that- they will think you are a compulsive looney. (just keep it in a safe place.)

[BobolGrobol]

I have thought of them often and hope they had a great trip and did not miss to many formal dinners having no clothes and at least they were on their honeymoon so they didn't need too many clothes:D

 

*LOL* Too true!! ;)

 

Thanks for responding (and for the chuckle!)!

[BobolGrobol]

ok= what you do to calm yourself-- get online and look for all available flights that you can catch== IF soemthing went wrong with your flight you will knwo where to head.

Make a list of EVERY flight that will get you to the ship ontime.

(dont forget to leave leeway for a cab ride to the pier)

 

thats your plan B- dont tell anyone you did that- they will think you are a compulsive looney. (just keep it in a safe place.)

 

Excellent idea Serene, I will do just that! :)

 

And pretty much everyone I know already thinks I'm a compulsive looney, so no worries there! :D :D

 

Thanks for writing back!

[Wennfred]

Did I mess up? Seems it's really highly recommended that one flys in a day early. Geez, I hope we get there on time! :)

 

This is now a touchy subject, the last time a few of us gave a recommendation about switching to another flight etc, the person came back and told us all we gave them bad advice :D

 

From all of the threads I have read on here with all of the horror stories about flight cancellations due to issues like:

 

Terrorist Threats

Weather

Bomb Threats

Pilot overage flight hours

Plane maintence issues

Airforce One flying over the area

Over booked flight

 

And the list goes on, I would always fly in at least 1 to 2 days earily.

Also its just so stressful dealing with commuting the same day, stressing over whether or not youre going to make it to the ship.

 

Since all is done already and September is still a good month for flights I would chance it this time.

 

By the way, My Sept. cruise coming up was the first Cruise I paid for Travel Insurance because we have our SIL with us.

 

Good Luck

 

Fred

[GoinCruisin]

Another thing, you may want to check with your insurance company... but if you booked your flight before the recommended flight that Carnival publishes, and you miss your flight... I am not sure you will be reimbursed... but check with them. I think it has to be something you have no control over, and in this case, even at 10:30, that's earlier than they recommend. Check with the insurance though... different policies have different guidelines

[LHP]

I would also get on the net and check the "flight history" of the flight you are booked on. Does it have a "history" of being late, delayed or cancelled? If not, (and since it is a direct flight) you probably won't have a problem.

 

Just watch that flight every few days and see that it is on time...

[serene56]

Excellent idea Serene, I will do just that! :)

 

And pretty much everyone I know already thinks I'm a compulsive looney, so no worries there! :D :D

 

Thanks for writing back!

 

the idea is first hand knowlege-- its something i should have done for a flight that left at 7am on the day of a cruise== and they canceled on me. IF i had flight information on me it would have been so much easier then the way i went around it.

 

But most cruisers fly in the same day as the cruise and most cruisers make it

[LHP]

The only time we have flown in the "day of the cruise" since 1998 was to San Juan. We booked the air through Carnival.

 

On that particular cruise, we were flying out of New Orleans (with a connection in Memphis) and then onto San Juan. We were suppose to meet friends in Memphis who were cruising with us.

 

At 5:15AM, when the New Orleans check in desk opened, they announced the Airbus that was to carry us from Memphis to San Juan had mechanical problems. This was full of (you guessed it) Carnival cruisers!!! Thank goodness we were the first people in line. A wonderful Northwest Agent named Jean not only got us on an American flight to Dallas and then onto San Juan that day....but it was First Class for all 4 of us.

 

We arrived about 45 minutes before departure. Sadly our friends from Memphis (who were on their honeymoon) did not get to the ship until 2 days later.

 

On that day, I swore never again.

 

With the airlines fighting tight budgets, reducing their route and more planes flying full...there just is not as much "wiggle room" these days, on other aircraft if there is a problem with yours.

 

In the "good ole days", people never thought twice about flying in the day of a cruise. And like Serene said "many still do today". But now that I have "lived through it"....I won't ever stress like that again.

[zqvol]

Goodness -- it's been almost ten years since my last cruise and when I went on that trip I was much younger and a lot more carefree (stupid!). :) I remember booking the trip on a whim...flights going down same day....no insurance. Wow, what a lark! I just never thought that anything could go wrong or that if it did, I might lose money!

 

Anyway, fast forward ten years and I've booked a cruise for me, my DH and DD. We're off in September and cannot wait. While I did get insurance this time, I still booked same day flights. Not that I would mind an extra day in Miami, but unfortunately the flights are booked and my TA tells me there will be a significant penalty to change them now.

 

Did I mess up? Seems it's really highly recommended that one flys in a day early. Geez, I hope we get there on time! :)

 

In the same vein -- if our flights are delayed/canceled and we don't make it to the ship -- is that something that is covered by insurance (since this time I actually bought it!)

 

Thanks to anyone with info.

In spite of what you read on these boards, MOST cruisers fly or drive in the day of departure and return home the day the ship returns. CC members tend to be more travel savvy than other cruisers (CC is maybe 5% of cruisers) so they tend to go early.

 

A least 50% of all travlers also forego insurance so you are not in the minority there either.

 

Bottom line you have your cruise booked, it willl costs a lot to change, so go with the flow and have a good time.

[Forchunut1]

Flights these days actually have better on-time arrival statistics than 5 or more years ago. If you've got a direct flight I wouldn't worry any more about it. The odds are way on your side that things will be fine.

 

With that said, I do try to go in a day early, but I've also flown in the day of the cruise, and with an airplane change, and didn't have any problems.

 

The odds are on your side that you will be fine. :)

[jenjens1023]

I think you'll be fine. We arrived in MIA at 12:30, arrived (via Carnival transportation) at the port at 1:30 and were on the ship by 2:10. And with a direct flight you don't have to worry about a missed connection somewhere. When you start to worry, calm yourself by reviewing your packing list. Pretty soon you'll be smiling!!:)

[BobolGrobol]

When you start to worry, calm yourself by reviewing your packing list. Pretty soon you'll be smiling!!:)

 

Just thinking about packing does make me smile! :) Only 44 days to go!!! Woooo!

 

Thanks for responding!

 

(Thanks to everyone that took the time to write!)

 

Ang