My world just shifted

[Angelica1104]

Today my DH and I were booking our Jan/Feb 2012 cruise. We live in the Northeast but for the past 5 or 6 years we've been able to cruise twice yearly, once in January or February and once in September. We generally drive to a port for our Sept cruise but fly for the winter cruises.

We are taking our Platinum cruise this Sept on the Pride.

When I checked into cruises and airfares for this winter, the best airfare we could find into Florida or Houston was 256/pp, so with coming in a day early and transfers to port we figured it would be an additional $650 or $700. I hate to fly in the day of in the winter because of the weather issues we have in the Northeast

 

In any event we looked into the Pride in January/Feb but was able to find a more reasonable OV price on RCI on a 9 day cruise from Baltimore. I do believe that many from the Northeast are choosing to forgo the airfare, so the 7 day Pride is costing as much or more that the RCI 9 day cruise. I honestly don't even remember the name of the ship we are on, but we went ahead and booked it.

 

I wish Carnival would take into account the market for more driveable Northeastern ports. We are sailing from Norfolk in May this year for my DS college graduation, but to be honest, I am not willing to add $700 more to my cruise to fly this winter.

[firefly333]

wow, I would have booked the 9 day RCL instead if it was the same price. Now thats loyalty.

 

The airfare sounds very reasonable, but I dont know from where to where you are flying.

[5waldos]

Those of us in the middle of the country face this all the time. It cost us nearly an extra $1000 for 2 of us to get to Orlando and spend the night- and we had no choice since flying in the day of the cruise was basically impossible.

[Angelica1104]

We did book the RCI 9 day cruise. It will be my first cruise with my DH not on Carnival. Years ago I cruised with Princess and NCL but that was a long time ago when I was single

[nancydee]

It is costing me MORE in airfair to/from Miami then it is for my 7 night cruise in September!!

[happycruisers1011]

Those of us in the middle of the country face this all the time. It cost us nearly an extra $1000 for 2 of us to get to Orlando and spend the night- and we had no choice since flying in the day of the cruise was basically impossible.

 

Have to ask... Ever look into flying into Tampa? We live between MCO and TPA and Tampa can be a bit cheaper.

[Angelica1104]

It is costing me MORE in airfair to/from Miami then it is for my 7 night cruise in September!!

 

That is really awful! We live about 3 and a half hours from Baltimore, 6 hrs from New York, 7 hours from Norfolk, so we do try to drive when we can

[patattack]

I cruised on the Enchantment of the Seas in January of this year on the 9 night. Although I have never been on a cruise where we had ice on the Lido, it was a very nice cruise. I am platinum on Carnival, but have now booked the Freedom of the Seas for Oct 2011. As a solo cruiser, I find I can get cheaper rates on Royal.

 

pat

[mountain06]

We always fly into Orlando too, it is always cheaper than Miami. We have even rented a van and drove to Miami but there are 6 of us and when you are saving $200. or more on an airline ticket that adds up fast

[firefly333]

We did book the RCI 9 day cruise. It will be my first cruise with my DH not on Carnival. Years ago I cruised with Princess and NCL but that was a long time ago when I was single

 

Angelica, some of us even like both lines and find a lot similar about them. I like RCL for the beauty of their ships, and like other things about Carnival. Its not disloyal to go on both lines. Try it with a open mind.

[firefly333]

This person just posted they just came back from a first time RCL 9 day cruise, Explorer OTS I think, is this the one you booked. They promise they are writing a review and loved the cruise.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1395829

[reno3]

I booked the Pride for next year because DH said we could cruise but I had to find a port that we could drive to.

Our airfare is $500.00 more this year for the Liberty than last year at this time:mad:

[Mike&Shell]

$256 pp is cheap compared to sailing out of NY.. If you get the right sale we have flown to Florida for $160 each. We find it a better value to fly to florida and cruise.

But I do understand how you feel.

Also think about this. Get airfare and then work cruise into those dates. We do that as well.

[Mike&Shell]

Another thing that helps so much. Try to use points to fly.

[golfadj]

Air costs and policies are absurd so we just drive to most ports. Rather drive 900 plus miles than to be forced to put up with our airlines.

[Catrin]

One year.. it was cheaper for us to actually FLY to Tampa and Cruise on the Inspiration ... then to Cruise from NY to Canada!

 

Supply and Demand!

 

I wish, however, that we did not have to pay 1700 for our flights to Florida (one year, we paid over $2000!).... for a family of five it is really awful.

 

Come on Carnival... more ships in the Northeast.. how about Boston????

 

Catrin

[swscruiser]

Those of us in the middle of the country face

 

this all the time. It cost us nearly an extra $1000 for 2 of us to get to Orlando and spend the night- and we had no choice since flying in the day of the cruise was basically impossible.

 

 

live in Il 12 hrs drive to New Orleans, 15 hrs to Galveston, 18 hrs to Tampa, 19 hrsto Port Canaveral, 23 hrs to Ft lauderdale. Welcome to the friendly skies. Love to be less than 10 hr drive to a Port.

[bethaniesmom]

another vote for enjoying your cruise on either line! enjoy! we go with whoever has the best rate for what we want at the time and have never had a bad cruise! wish we could always drive to our port!

 

Beverly

[Carnival Platinum Cruiser]

Today my DH and I were booking our Jan/Feb 2012 cruise. We live in the Northeast but for the past 5 or 6 years we've been able to cruise twice yearly, once in January or February and once in September. We generally drive to a port for our Sept cruise but fly for the winter cruises.

We are taking our Platinum cruise this Sept on the Pride.

When I checked into cruises and airfares for this winter, the best airfare we could find into Florida or Houston was 256/pp, so with coming in a day early and transfers to port we figured it would be an additional $650 or $700. I hate to fly in the day of in the winter because of the weather issues we have in the Northeast

 

In any event we looked into the Pride in January/Feb but was able to find a more reasonable OV price on RCI on a 9 day cruise from Baltimore. I do believe that many from the Northeast are choosing to forgo the airfare, so the 7 day Pride is costing as much or more that the RCI 9 day cruise. I honestly don't even remember the name of the ship we are on, but we went ahead and booked it.

 

I wish Carnival would take into account the market for more driveable Northeastern ports. We are sailing from Norfolk in May this year for my DS college graduation, but to be honest, I am not willing to add $700 more to my cruise to fly this winter.

 

Can't blame you for going with RCL to save $$ and believe you will be pleasantly surprised. RCL cruise is 2 days longer and includes stops in Key West and Coco Cay way better than Freeport which the Pride offers.

 

Recent thread here on the CCL board was overwelming in favor of taking an RCL cruise if prices were similar for similar cruises from either CCL or RCL. That says a lot considering this is the CCL board loaded with CCL diehards etc.

[iTouch]

I just wanted to say kudos on a very dramatic thread title.

[The4Cruisers]

Rather drive 900 plus miles than to be forced to put up with our airlines.

 

I agree with you. Although it's not cruise related, I have to go to Toronto in the near future on a business trip. I am trying really hard to convince my boss that I should rent a car and drive R/T so I don't have to fly on our crappy airlines. ;)

[GuitarPlayer]

Air costs and policies are absurd so we just drive to most ports. Rather drive 900 plus miles than to be forced to put up with our airlines.

 

We're on #9 in June.

 

This one (Charleston) and previous one(JAX) we drove with another couple from Kansas City, MO area. Airline hassles and cost are making it financially possible to drive.

 

Of course, enjoying the company of the other couple is a must :rolleyes: before one tries that!

 

Now, if someone has some spare airline miles they need to get used up, just let me know!

 

GP

[kr8z]

We live about 15 minutes from the port of Baltimore. It was still more cost effective to drive the 12 hours to JAX for this upcoming cruise. Even with gas and hotels, it is still less for us (a family of 6) to cruise from a different port. Also, that Port Canaveral day does not appeal to me at all. I wish they'd offer a different itinerary more often than they do. Supposedly they are bringing another Carnival ship here. Maybe once they do the cost to cruise from here won't be so crazy.

[iTouch]

We live about 15 minutes from the port of Baltimore. It was still more cost effective to drive the 12 hours to JAX for this upcoming cruise. Even with gas and hotels, it is still less for us (a family of 6) to cruise from a different port. Also, that Port Canaveral day does not appeal to me at all. I wish they'd offer a different itinerary more often than they do. Supposedly they are bringing another Carnival ship here. Maybe once they do the cost to cruise from here won't be so crazy.

 

Isn't Port Canaveral where Disney World is?

[kr8z]

Isn't Port Canaveral where Disney World is?

 

Why yes, as WDW is beachfront. The port is actually on Disney property and part of the Magic Kingdom.