Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

Flying in on the day of the cruise...Have I got a story for you

jennbill

By jennbill,
in Carnival Cruise Lines

Recommended Posts

DQGal

DQGal

Posted
Posted

Wow!! So glad you made your cruise. A couple years ago, my daughter and 2 friends, all still in college, had a cruise going out of Miami, we had a horrible snow storm with more to come the day before her flight and cruise, lots of flights being cancelled , ? was will her flight for the next day be cancelled or not, so they decided not to take the chance and one of the girls fathers drove them to Miami, arriving about an hour before the ship sailed. 18 hours straight through, booking it!! The good news they made the cruise, the bad news was there were only a couple of flights that left Columbus, yep you guessed it, one was their flight!!! But who knew!! Then when they went to fly home, the airline gave them some grief because they didn't fly down, it was in the computer as unused or something of the sort!! But they had a great cruise, they also had been in touch with Carnival and they were very helpful!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
fig414

fig414

Posted
Posted

I wonder how many sad stories about same day mishaps we will never hear. The vets on CC know all the pitfalls of same day arrival for a cruise. We also know we are such a tiny percentage of cruise goers. We are so lucky to have this site. I know so many people have to arrive same day, but I can tell you I would be in a state of panic until I sipped the idiotic drink of the day on Lido Deck. Same day for us? Too much stress... Weird?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Amerikaner83

Amerikaner83

Posted
Posted

wow - great that you made it!

 

 

Squeaker and I flew in for our honeymoon on the Elation same day..we sailed away at 4pm, and we thought we'd miss our flight from Spokane to Seattle, as *someone* (me) didn't wake up early enough (7am flight TO seattle), we caught one shuttle AFTER the one we were "supposed to" be on to the airport from the hotel...but it was all good, as who else was on our shuttle to the airport but the freaking FLIGHT CREW of OUR flight! LOL it was great! We talked to them and once we figured out they were OUR ride, it was all well. They even upped us to First Class on the Seattle to San Diego portion of the flight down!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
TexasRed

TexasRed

Posted
Posted

Glad you made your flight, I would have been a basket case! On our very first cruise, out of Tampa, the first stop was Key West. As we got off, we saw luggage sitting by the ramp ready to be put on the ship. Turns out that a couple had missed the ship and had to rent a car and drive all night from Tampa to Key West to make the cruise. Not how I would want to start a vacation!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
BJHOOSER

BJHOOSER

Posted
Posted

jennbill, glad your experience came out so good. mine wasn't that good. My sis, her husband, and i did make it to the ship at four P.M. but the luggage didn't catch up with us for four days, soaking wet, in Aruba.

No cell, so couldn't contact anyone and it was a wild drive from FLL to Miami.

Since we missed our plane and had to wait from eleven at night till 7:30 A.M. to catch a plane out we had to fly into FLL instead of our detination of Miami. All i can say is we made it, and wore the same clothes for four days till first port of call. Gift shop was kind of bare in the clothes department.

I didn't want to go into any more detail as it would really be upsetting. I know it was to me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
uppitycats

uppitycats

Posted
Posted

I'm so glad you made your cruise! I would have needed more than a couple of drinks to recover from that!

 

I usually book our vacations, always planning to fly in the day before. This year for the first time I hired a travel agent to do the booking for us. We barely started our vacation planning, telling her where we'd like to go, when she interrupted and said, "Well, we want to be sure that you'll make your cruise...I'll get you there the day before and book a hotel..."

 

I decided then and there she was a "keeper"!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
pe4all

pe4all

Posted
Posted

I was waiting with baited breath to see if you made it! That is my worst nightmare - missing a cruise because of flight delay/cancellation. We always fly in the day before, but I still have had my share of flights cancelled due to equipment failure, bad weather, etc., and have fits trying to get another flight. The airlines don't seem to care if the ship will leave without you. Many times, their only solution (until pressured) is "we can get you on a 3 p.m. flight the next day. (day of cruise) Glad to see it all worked out well!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
family cruisers

family cruisers

Posted
Posted

What a great ending to your story.

 

You had me on the edge of my seat, felt like I was there with you guys.

 

I'm so glad things worked out well in the end for you. I'm sure you weren't laughing at the time but now that its over and done with I'm sure you've laughed quite a bit thinking " We did it"...

 

Lesson learned , anything can (and did) happen.

 

Hope you had a really great cruise.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ktm62

ktm62

Posted
Posted

wholly cow!! I'm exausted. sounds like one of those recurring nightmares where you wake up in a cold sweat :eek:.so glad it had a happy ending!!

 

Just curious if you booked your own airfare or if it was through carnival?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
amcjeep4life

amcjeep4life

Posted
Posted

WOW, I'm exhausted after reading that! I can also see myself waking in a cold sweat for the next two weeks envisioning this exact thing! On our first cruise, I took everyone's advice to fly in the day before, but I ended up booking the last flight of the day and our flight was cancelled! We ended up flying in the day of, and our plane was grounded in Cincinatti due to snow and ice for over 90 minutes. :eek: We ended up making our cruise, and it was great, but I learned my lesson. We are booked to fly out this time on the first flight of the day! At least if there's a problem, there will be more flights later that we can catch (hopefully!)

 

Hopefully you'll tell us more about the cruise, and how wonderful it was. You certainly have a way with words.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ahoys

ahoys

Posted
Posted

I know exactly how you felt during your flight to Tampa. Tense, angry, helpless... What an unnerving start to your vacation! So glad you made the trip and had a nice balcony waiting for you.

 

Thanks for telling us your story. It will reinforce my vow to always fly in a day ahead!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
flutepilot

flutepilot

Posted
Posted
Well, I knew it was going to be bad the moment I read that it was a Delta flight:eek: I don't think I recall ever reading anything positive about them on these boards.

 

Sorry to highjack the thread, but I couldn't help jumping in.

 

I just spent several hours on the phone because Delta changed flights on me. They wanted to get me in much too late - yes, the day before, but I have things planned - and wanted to either put us on a 9:45 A.M. flight out(!) or a later flight with connections that got us home at 10:00 A.M the next day! This was for November 7 going to Long Beach for a November 8 cruise and returning on November 15!

 

I was NOT a happy camper when talking with the Delta rep. I will NEVER book with them again.

 

Dan

Link to comment
Share on other sites
NH Cruisers

NH Cruisers

Posted
Posted

On our first cruise we flew in day of. I thought I would have a sizure or somthing from the stress. Even though everything went on time, STRESS. We made it in plenty of time. Just the thought of not making it on time, my wife and I said no more day of flights. Going home I could care less though.

 

Before the cruise my boss tried to get us to go day before. He missed a couple days of his cruise a year before because of a snow delayed flight.

 

For you first timers if only you learn from the OP and others. The stress isn't worth it.

 

Too the OP, I was so happy to read you made it.

 

Jon

Link to comment
Share on other sites
MrPete

MrPete

Posted
Posted
Typically, we do not arrive at a departure port the day of a cruise. We like to make sure there are no hassles. We have flown in on cruise day, most recently NYC in '06, with no problems. Now here's our story....

 

I was sweatin' this one out just reading along.

 

We were stuck in an airport once, delayed 5 hours, putting us at the dock at 5 when the ship was to sail at 4. Our hearts were in our throats till we got there, and were overjoyed, yet quite surprised, to find the ship still there, seeing everyone at muster from a distance in their cute little lifejackets. Thank GOODNESS we had booked our air through Carnival!

 

But that paled to us actually MISSING the ship three years earlier:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=17452736&postcount=2

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...