What do you do if you live in the same time zone, & don't have to worry about weather

[warmwinds]

We're so used to taking cruises where we have to fly cross country, and so always arrive the day before.

 

If you live on the west coast, and are cruising out of the west coast, do you still arrive a day early? (our case Eugene to Seattle)...or similarly, if you're flying from NY or Boston to Florida, and it's not the dead of winter, do you still arrive a day early?

[NnJ2010]

IMO if you can drive to it - don't have to go a day early (although it's still not a bad idea but it's not as important). If I have to get on a plane to get to the cruise, then I go a day early. When I lived in the Philly area we drove to Bayonne but flew to Florida.

 

Seattle to Eugene is what about a 6 hour drive? For that length of drive, I'd probably go the night prior.

[Lois R]

We're so used to taking cruises where we have to fly cross country, and so always arrive the day before.

 

If you live on the west coast, and are cruising out of the west coast, do you still arrive a day early? (our case Eugene to Seattle)...or similarly, if you're flying from NY or Boston to Florida, and it's not the dead of winter, do you still arrive a day early?

 

I live in North Florida~5 hours by car to FLL and a 1 hour flight.

I go a day early because I can:D and I enjoy getting out of town

and starting the trip early.

I sail solo and choose to fly down. I used to drive but with the price

of gas, the price to leave the car, and the time? I prefer to spend the

money to fly. And besides, I have no desire to drive 5 or 6 hours

home after the cruise;)....its 6 down to Miami. Southwest is great

and Priceline is my friend:)...I get a great price on a hotel and the

airfare is very cheap from Jax to FLL:)

[pmdc5696]

I learned my lesson the last time we left out of Puerto Rico. I am from Minnesota.....grew up with a Viking frame of mind mand the Hudson Bay start. When the voyagers/vikings left the Hudson Bay area to explore, they always left a day early, went only a short distance so that if something was important was forgotten, it wasn't a big deal to go back and get it. I have decided it is the way to go. A day early....gives you time to pick up stuff you may have forgotten or decided you did need after all. Also gives time for things to go wrong, and time to fix it.:D

[Adammara]

We live 200 miles from Southampton, a cross country journey that can take from 4 to 7 hours, depending on traffic. If there is a major accident, roads are often closed for several hours while the police investigate.

 

We now always travel to Southampton at least a day before, avoiding the stress of wondering if you will make it on time. Its nice to book into a hotel and know you are only a few minutes from the terminal. That's when I can relax and consider that the holiday has started.

 

My son once missed a flight from Gatwick, due to delays on the M25, he was able to get on a later flight, not so easy if you miss your cruise ship!

 

Richard

[tom_uk]

We live 200 miles from Southampton, a cross country journey that can take from 4 to 7 hours, depending on traffic. If there is a major accident, roads are often closed for several hours while the police investigate.

 

We now always travel to Southampton at least a day before, avoiding the stress of wondering if you will make it on time. Its nice to book into a hotel and know you are only a few minutes from the terminal. That's when I can relax and consider that the holiday has started.

 

My son once missed a flight from Gatwick, due to delays on the M25, he was able to get on a later flight, not so easy if you miss your cruise ship!

 

Richard

 

Pretty much ditto, though in our case it's from Yorkshire to Southampton; still about 200 miles, however. We drive to one of several budget overnight hotels on the motorways (equivalent to Interstates in the US) the evening before, which leaves us less than an hour's drive to do the following day.

[cyntil8ing]

My rule of thumb is there must be two or more backup flights that will get me to the ship on time. There are near hourly departures between Baltimore and Miami or Ft. Lauderdale, so for those we will fly the same day.

 

When we departed from San Juan, we went the day before because there were only a few flights per day. We haven't cruised in the dead of winter, though did deal with weather cancellations last December on our return trip.

 

We also always buy insurance. It paid for itself with our bonus night in Atlanta last year.

[Cruise Junky]

I'm in Vancouver, if I sail out of San Fran or LA, i have flown in same day as there are sooo many flights but I'm still nervous and if I can go day before, I will. San Diego I'd go the day before.

[Jill SC]

it doesn't have to be the dead of winter for the weather to affect flights. We flew out of Buffalo to San Diego on Sept 30 for a cruise leaving Oct 1. We were ok but the airports in New York, New Jersey and others along the north east coast were completely shut down due to a storm with heavy rainfall and high winds. Port cities can have lots of weather conditions that will affect air traffic, rain, fog, winds. We have flown in the same day, but it is best to go at least a day early, if possible.

[teajak]

We live 50 miles south of Tampa and usually cruise out of FL or Miami.It is 200 miles or so and if nothing goes wrong an easy drive. Having said that we usually go the day before as a multitude of things can happen on I75 and Alligator Alley, any of which could cause you to miss the ship. It is so much nicer to be there and relaxed, many of the hotels offer parking for the week and breakfast, lot to choose from for price and convenience.

[spookwife]

we live just outside of Baltimore.. if driving to NY/Bayonne, we go the day before as its more than an hour away. that's our cutoff. any little traffic accident or construction can quickly ruin your plans. having to pay for a cheap motel far outwighs the stress any major delay could cost.

 

so can rained out NASCAR races when you are trying to get to a loved one's bedside before they pass on.

[cruise kitty]

It will take us less than two hours to drive to San Diego next month, park & get to the ship, so we're going that day. I'd say anything further than 4 hours, & I'd get there the day before. Overseas, two days ahead would be my minimum.

[hcat]

NY (Long Island) to Florida--esp in the winter-- is a must to go ahead of time...you never know when snow will be messing up flights..we usually go two days ahead..

 

Going early is nice..the vacation starts once we hit Fla & often have time for pre-cruise get togethers with CC friends.....

 

Overseas or West Coast--three days is ideal!

 

 

We are also booked for a winter cruise to the Carib from Cape Liberty in Jan 2012. It's about a 1 1/2 hr drive from our home so there's no choice but to drive on cruise day-- but even that might get messed up in bad weather or if there is trouble on the roads.

[cruzeluver]

Only twice have we not traveled in the day prior to embarkation, and that was for our two cruises out of Charleston as we live about 30 minutes from the port. Even when we sailed from Jacksonville we drove down the day before (4 hour drive). Not only is it a good preventative against anything that can go wrong, it also allows us to enjoy boarding day more than we would if we had been on a long car drive all morning.

[scf1270]

IMO if you can drive to it - don't have to go a day early (although it's still not a bad idea but it's not as important). If I have to get on a plane to get to the cruise, then I go a day early. When I lived in the Philly area we drove to Bayonne but flew to Florida.

 

Seattle to Eugene is what about a 6 hour drive? For that length of drive, I'd probably go the night prior.

 

If you are driving, that implies parking your car for the duration of the cruise.

Another bonus to going the night before is staying at a hotel that will allow you to leave your car in their lot and shuttle you to/from the pier. The cost of the hotel can offset the cost off parking. Nice bonus!

[Giorgi-one]

If you are flying go one day early. Most flights are full these days so if your flight is cancelled, you will probably not get another flight on the same day. Also, if your baggage is delayed you will be cruising without clothes. Note that once your bags are checked in, you may not be able to get them back if you decide to drive when your flight is cancelled.

[Lsimon]

Well, you never will know what the weather will do. Your concerns are not limited to your own city and the destination, but also the rest of the air traffic in the country as delays elsewhere in the system can cause your flight to be delayed or cancelled even if weather is ideal in your city and in your destination city. A bad fuse, a sick crew member, or a host of other potential issues can cause similar problems.

[John73]

Usually from Eugene to Seattle I'd say you could probably fly in the same day. But after a lost bag incident on my last cruise and the resulting stress it caused I would now only recommend flying in the day before the cruise. And make sure there are at least a couple flights after yours for the bags to come in on if they don't make the original flight. From experience: one flight is not enough :(

[cruisinjudy]

We drove from Portland to Seattle the day of the cruise, but usually we leave a day ahead. It is just safer that way.

[Chicago Boy]

We're so used to taking cruises where we have to fly cross country, and so always arrive the day before.

 

If you live on the west coast, and are cruising out of the west coast, do you still arrive a day early? (our case Eugene to Seattle)...or similarly, if you're flying from NY or Boston to Florida, and it's not the dead of winter, do you still arrive a day early?

 

 

We always go in the day before the cruise, no matter what. There all kinds of delays that can happen so why take the chance. You may spend a few more dollars but in the end it will be less stressfull. In for a penny in for a pound.

[warmwinds]

Wow, I'm really surprised at the answers but you guys have convinced us. Day before it is. Nice dinner, nice hotel...why not? Thank you all.