Safe time to book return flight??

[mickym]

How early can we safely book our flight home after the cruise? We are sailing out of Baltimore.

[jorapp]

I've never sailed out of Baltimore and have no idea of the proximity of the port to the airport...so...here is my best advice.

 

Take the time the ship arrives at port

+ add two hours (for disembarking, with possible delays),

+ add the time it takes to get to the airport from the dock,

+ add one hour for airport security lines,

+ add one hour cuz you are supposed to get to your gate an hour ahead of your flight,

+ add 30 minutes because most flight board that early if possible.

 

^^That time should be the earliest flight you might consider booking.

 

We always take the second one after that time....just to be safe.;)

[Krazy Kruizers]

You should be safe by booking a flight after Noon.

[EGG]

The cruise line will have a time after which they say it is safe to book. I've read you need to follow these guidelines if you want to be reimbursed by insurance for cruise line delays. From my experience, this is usually 12:00, but of course check.

 

If I book before the recommended time, I take other precautions such as self-debarkation. I also take a taxi to the airport since it takes off immediately and drops you off directly at your airline check in desk. A shuttle or ship transportation can slow you up significantly waiting to fill up and stopping at 4 other airlines before yours.

 

Jorapp has a good list of things to take into consideration and make a time schedule for your airport. maybe a little cautious. I would take the first flight, not the second one after that. Most of us do not have the luxury of a flight home every hour.

 

If the first acceptable flight available is late afternoon I recommend taking a disembarkation excursion or using your own transportation to the airport so that you can stay on the ship as late as possible. Ships transfers often put you on a bus to the airport at 8:00 in the morning.

 

A final recommendation is to stay over in your disembarkation city and enjoy a day of sightseeing. Then head to the airport early the next morning on a less expensive flight not available to cruise ship passengers because of the time.

[navybankerteacher]

How early can we safely book our flight home after the cruise? We are sailing out of Baltimore.

 

If you can spare the extra day, stay over in your debarkation city, see the sights, and then get to the airport on the following day. Very often the lower prices because of wider choice of flights available the following day will save you more than the night in a motel will cost. This is certainly true when debarking on a busy day in a place like Fort Lauderdale, Miami -- and sometimes even even New York.