Do you arrive the day before or the day of your cruise?

[Coralc]

Marriot Biscayne Bay and Priceline, definitely:

 

http://www.herbytoys.com/Vaca_Images/Cruise2004/Miami_Ships.jpg

[dizzy205]

Wow, this makes me sooooo happy :D If that is a picture from a balcony at the Marriot, as soon as the date becomes available, I will be booking!

 

Thank you so much!!

[marcyjane]

Hi,

 

We are flying in the day before this time, and did the same last cruise, the 2 before that we drove to the port and arrive the day before as well.

 

I just feel like some of the others, more relaxed and no panic that the flights might be late etc.

 

Marcy

[TPKeller]

I must say, the replies on this thread have been remarkably civil compared to some past threads on the subject! :) For some reason, it can be quite a passionate topic...

 

And not for any particularly bad reason, my estimation has always been that people who are passionate about going down the day before have been saved from some great inconvenience, or have experienced some great inconvenience by not going down the day before, and they are just wanting to save fellow CC'ers from similar fates. Unless it gets ugly or personal, that passion to help others avoid mistakes should be appreciated.

 

Having said all that, for both of my cruises, I flew in the day before, and for both of them, I had left a key article at home! So I spent some of that relaxing down time frantically scouring stores for very important things that I could not do without. Needless to say, had I not been there the day before, I would have been much less happy about the situation.

 

I think the bottom line is that for those who can afford the time and relatively small extra expense, it is very easily worth the investment. For those who can't cruise without flying in the day of the cruise, do the best you can, get the earliest flight, make sure your insurance covers any delays, be prepared to be flexible and hang on for the ride.

 

Cruising the same day you fly into town is still much better than not cruising because you couldn't get that extra day off! :)

 

Theron

[brianandtanya]

We always try to arrive the day before. Not only for the reasons mentioned, but more because we love the whole pre-cruise atmosphere. It just sets the whole mood for the rest of the vacation for us. This year, we're doing 3 days in Disney prior to our departure!

[dgund]

We always arrive the day before.

[spammie]

Thank you so much for all of your replys. We will definitely be flying down the day before. I didn't even think about what happens if the airlines loose our luggage, which has happened before.

[montekat]

We definitely go at least one day prior. We live 2 hours from BWI. We have had to get up at 3:00 a.m. to make an early flight. That leaves very little sleeping time the night before, plus the feeling of being rushed and worrying about a flat tire, car trouble, delays due to traffic, etc. As the others said, Priceline or Hotwire are excellent choices for an inexpensive hotel the night before. Well worth the peace of mind! Plus we are well rested and can really enjoy the first day.

[deanna77]

we will arrive one day before our cruise!! we have a 15 hours drive to fl, i dont want to take any chances.

[mttk2]

We went down 2 days before.... Why put that pressure on yourself... don't have to worry about getting there on time!

[bcs819]

if we're flying...always the day before. We did day of once and I was sick to my stomach till we got to the ship...

we're driving to Bayonne in the fall and even though we're an hour away we'll be leaving about 8 hours before boarding :)

[CL-JW]

We always make plans to arrive at least one day before sailing (if not earlier) for a couple of reasons. 1. We never trust that you will get to the ship on time if we fly the same day and 2. We like to visit the city of departure.

[zuscruiserz]

We ALWAYS leave the day before! Even tho we are driving to L.A. for our cruise this May (a 4-hr drive), we are leaving a day early and spending the night at the port. Reason being - if your car breaks down, you have an accident, the freeway closes down for 8 hrs (this has happened!!!), or any other emergency occurs - a 24 hr period is normally enough time to get thing straightened out and you can get to the dock.

 

For me, it is peace of mind - AND you can start your vacation a day sooner!!!

[lephysteria]

I should be the poster child for arriving the day before.

 

If you'd like to read the whole harrowing story, you can read the first few pages of my AOS review.

 

If we hadn't left the day before our cruise, we would have caught up with the ship, in Aruba, on DAY 3! :eek: :eek:

[lephysteria]

Even tho we are driving to L.A. for our cruise this May - if the freeway closes down for 8 hrs (this has happened!!!), - a 24 hr period is normally enough time to get thing straightened out and you can get to the dock.

 

LOL, In Los Angeles, a freeway closing down is a weekly occurance! You gotta love LA! :mad:

[stimmons69]

After spending $4,700 for our family's D-1 FOS 8/27/06 departure, plus a couple grand in airfare, spending another couple hundred bucks for TWO nights early at a 4* Priceline room will be a drop in the bucket for the piece of mind. Reading these boards last year about ships actually leaving port EARLY to escape the hurricanes erased any doubt I had about doing this.

 

Too much invested to skimp on a couple of nights in a hotel with meals. Plus, being in Miami doesn't suck...

[lephysteria]

Thank you so much for all of your replys. We will definitely be flying down the day before. I didn't even think about what happens if the airlines loose our luggage, which has happened before.

 

 

For this reason, and basically if the worst case scenario actually happens ... I always pack the carry ons to provide clothing/necessities (duct tape) in the event we don't see our luggage for the first 3 days.

 

I am not sure if I remembered to put it in my AOS review, but on Day 2 there was one gal who was SCREAMING at the purser's desk (and I can imagine why), that she still had NO Luggage, and hadn't anything to wear except what she had on!

My heart really went out for her. I would've let her use my clothing, but her and her hubby could probably share one of my tshirts. :)

 

And not for any particularly bad reason, my estimation has always been that people who are passionate about going down the day before have been saved from some great inconvenience, or have experienced some great inconvenience by not going down the day before, and they are just wanting to save fellow CC'ers from similar fates. Unless it gets ugly or personal, that passion to help others avoid mistakes should be appreciated.

 

That's why I'm here, and volunteering to be the poster child. I hope what we went through in Newark never happens to anyone!

[TPKeller]

Plus, being in Miami doesn't suck...

:D That's the best reason I've heard yet!!!! Thanks for the laugh!!

 

Theron

[JerseyGirl23]

We are being double-sure. We are arriving TWO days before our cruise. :)

 

One day to travel (via airplane) the next day to relax, wind down, and pick up a few last minute incidentals for the cruise. We'll wake up the "third" morning, eat breakfast, and take a SHORT 5 minute cab ride to the pier. Doesn't get any sweeter than that. :)

[Guest OBAYbee]

Jerseygirl is that avatar a Wolphin???? ;)

[JerseyGirl23]

Marriot Biscayne Bay and Priceline, definitely:

 

http://www.herbytoys.com/Vaca_Images/Cruise2004/Miami_Ships.jpg

 

We are staying at the DoubleTree Grand which is "next door" to the Marriot. We got a room from 12/17 (Saturday) and 12/18 (Sunday) for $55 a night through Priceline. :)

[JerseyGirl23]

Jerseygirl is that avatar a Wolphin???? ;)

 

Bwahahha... DUH!

I had to google to find out what a WOLPIN is!

 

def.: The Wolphin is the result of a Whale and a Dolphin.

[PhoenixCruiser]

Jerseygirl is that avatar a Wolphin???? ;)

 

LMBO :D :D

 

Yes, we always fly (drive for the next one) at least a day earlier.

 

###

[SBBScruz]

Definately a day early. We just went on a spring break cruise and luckily booked a day in advance to be on vacation. WE got to the airport and our flight was delayed due to high winds in Charlotte (our connecting flight), then delayed again, then cancelled. They said they could get us on the next day, but it wouldn't put us into our destination until 6:00 p.m.....the boat would have been gone, it leaves at 4! So they offered us to fly into the first port the ship stopped at. We were bummed!! :( We were going to miss take off and the first day at sea. Finally an attendant told us that if we drove to Cincinnati Ohio(we live in Indianapolis) we could catch a late flight out of there and be in by 11 p.m. It was so scary, I thought we were going to miss the boat. We drove 2 1/2 hours to Cincinnati and caught the plane there.....they were loading as soon as we got their.

 

Cruise was great!! :)

[Richro]

Day of.