Do you normally arrive the day prior to sailing?

[My1Day.com]

We live about 5 -5 1/2 hours from Baltimore. We are looking at the Pride at some point next year, mainly b/c we don't have to worry about airfare. Since we will be parking at the port (I have done a lot of reading that is it in excellent port with ease of parking right next to/near the dock) would you drive it the same day and save the extra $ on hotel and food the night prior? We are early risers...even with school out my DS and DH are up at 6 am. So we could get on the road by 6 am easy and get up there in plenty of time. Just wondering how many other folks do this.

[BenjiRodney]

We always arrive the day before, just to allow for delays. This past November the Flight from Charleston to Charlotte should have been 45 minutes, but due to fog in Charlotte we diverted to Tennessee and it took from 530am to 1030am to get to Charlotte, we missed the first flight to San Juan, made the next one and our luggage made the third flight.

 

Next year we are doing a group cruise out of Baltimore that includes a bus from Charleston to Baltimore so I will we nervous until I see the port, I don't like the idea of driving even though it is so close.

[Lerin]

We always arrive the day before, but that is because we fl.

If driving were an option, we'd always just drive the day of.

[My1Day.com]

Thanks for the thoughts.

 

@Benji- I'm near CRW and if I was flying I WOULD 100% leave the day before since everything out of here has to be on connecting flights. As far as the bus ride in 2014 to BWI, I'm sure they do these tours all the time and have it down pat.

 

@Lerin- So I guess we wouldn't be too crazy if we consider driving the same day then.

[golfadj]

To give us some just in case wiggle room we always plan to get to the port or at least near the port the night before.

 

What happens you get up early and for some reason car wont start and you first have to drive 5 hours to the ship?

[Tapi]

We live within driving distance of several ports (Jacksonville and Charleston are 5 hours away while Port Canaveral is 7 hours away).

 

Driving to the port on the day of departure, ONCE, and almost missing the ship, is all it took to never, EVER, EVER consider driving on the day of departure again.

 

We grossly miscalculated how long it would take us. Between unexpected traffic, road construction, detours, food, gas, and potty stops, our estimated noon arrival at the port ended up being almost 4pm.:eek:

 

We did call Carnival and told them that we would be arriving the port at departure time. They made no guarantees that the ship would still be waiting. We pulled up to the cruise terminal just shy of 4pm, thankfully with the Sensation still docked right behind it. A woman with a walkie talkie on the curb called upstairs and simply said "they are here". I dropped my wife and bags off at the terminal, parked the car and rushed inside. By then, they had all of our check in process almost ready. They verified documents, gave us our Sail & Sign cards and we boarded the ship. We hadn't even made it to our cabin when we felt the rumble from the bow thrusters as we set sail.

 

Not only did the stressful experience take some years away from my life, but we were absolutely EXHAUSTED that first day. It was a waste of a day as we had enough energy left to get some dinner at the buffet and call it a night.

 

So to answer your question: NO I will NEVER drive to the port on the day of departure, unless I live AT the port of departure. :o

Edited December 31, 2013 by Tapi

[GTO-Girl]

We drive to the port and still ALWAYS come the day before. Just too many "what if's" for my comfort zone!

 

And I start the day of the cruise rested and refreshed.......

[BooandBay]

We live within driving distance of New Orleans and Galveston and we always go the day before. One reason being we won't be so tired after the drive and another being it feels like our cruise starts a day early. LOL

[fair-winds39]

We'll be sailing on the Pride in Feb. 2014. We are about 2 1/2 hours away, but we will be watching the weather carefully, and because of the possibility of nasty winter weather, we've decided to go to Baltimore a day earlier.

 

We sailed on the Pride once before, in Feb. 2010, and the weather had been very snowy in the weeks leading up to our cruise. We didn't go a day earlier, and we were very lucky. I think it was about 40-45 degrees and sunny the day we left. I think we'll play it safe this year so heading to Balt. the day before is sounding better and better.

[lbfluffy]

We also arrive the night before. One reason is because we have always paid the same price at a hotel to keep our car for the week. We are about five hours from the port for our Mexican Riviera cruises

[aggie_gal]

We drive in the morning of our cruise. We live about 2.5 hours from Galveston and it's just not economical for us to drive down a day early and spend the night. This is only our second time doing so and the Texas coastal areas normally don't have any weather, even in winter when we typically cruise. Obviously, we'll check the weather and determine if we need to arrive the night before, but usually it's the opposite. We have to wait and see if the ship comes in on time due to fog!

[kcwingwalker]

To give us some just in case wiggle room we always plan to get to the port or at least near the port the night before.

 

What happens you get up early and for some reason car wont start and you first have to drive 5 hours to the ship?

 

Agree Completely:)

[Ehpride]

I always do. I fly from a cold weather state in winter with connecting flights. Even if I were closer and driving, it would be worth it to me for the peace of mind and a good night's sleep before the cruise.

[LittleJones]

We always fly in 1-2 days prior to departure. I travel for work and I am more than familiar with the headaches that come with not just air travel, but travel on the road as well. The extra expense of a hotel stay is more than worth it to me.

[AtSeaWithChris]

We live about 5 -5 1/2 hours from Baltimore. We are looking at the Pride at some point next year, mainly b/c we don't have to worry about airfare. Since we will be parking at the port (I have done a lot of reading that is it in excellent port with ease of parking right next to/near the dock) would you drive it the same day and save the extra $ on hotel and food the night prior? We are early risers...even with school out my DS and DH are up at 6 am. So we could get on the road by 6 am easy and get up there in plenty of time. Just wondering how many other folks do this.

 

I go the day before. Do a little research and you can find a stay and park for the price of parking alone. Sure helps the stress.

 

 

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[asalligo]

I always arrive the day before even if parking. It just eases my mind. To much can go wrong if you are more than a couple of hours from the port.

[seguincruiser]

We drive in the morning of our cruise. We live about 2.5 hours from Galveston and it's just not economical for us to drive down a day early and spend the night. This is only our second time doing so and the Texas coastal areas normally don't have any weather, even in winter when we typically cruise. Obviously, we'll check the weather and determine if we need to arrive the night before, but usually it's the opposite. We have to wait and see if the ship comes in on time due to fog!

 

 

You've been lucky. An accident on 45 or worse the causeway can really screw up your day. I lived in Galveston years ago and once in awhile things happen to cause major delays.

[Mysticks1]

We have arrived at least the day before on all but one cruise. That one was from New Orleans which is just a 2 hour drive for us and we left around 8:00AM because I wanted to make sure we arrived there with no problems.

[ccruisequeen]

I live within an hour of the port (drive time). In fact I wake up the morning of the cruise and watch it arrive at the port, just taunting me until I actually get in the car and on my way to the port.

 

Edited December 31, 2013 by ccruisequeen

[idlenote]

When we lived four hours from Galveston we drove on the morning of the cruise a couple of times but then we started going the evening before, sure seemed to make the vacation seem longer.

 

We could of got caught one time when the back fence blew down and blocked the driveway to get out to the road. Luckily we were flying out about 2:30 in the afternoon, arrived at the airport sweaty and dirty after clearing everything away. That would have been one where saving on the hotel could have cost us the cruise.

[SMSACE6]

I always arrive at least one day prior to my cruise, and sometimes two days. I have to fly to my cruise though, so it depends on the time of year. But even if I could drive to my cruise departure port, I would go the day before and spend a night in a hotel. This just because I am a worry wart! I would stress about everything, ie flat tires, detours, traffic jams etc etc!!! Works better for me to go at least a day before.:)

[soccersharon]

After a very close call on our first cruise, we now fly in the day before. Too many things can go wrong, and, as others have said, makes our vacation feel longer :)

 

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[wdazew]

95 is impossible to plan for come the day before you won't regret it there are several stay park cruise packages don' t chance one of those horrible freeway disasters

[cruisetobeaches]

We always get in to the port city at least 1 day ahead "just in case". Usually it is 2 or three days. Can start vacation sooner that way! :D

[soozles]

Am I the only one ghat comes in the day of? Granted a few times we have left from new York, which is about a 30 minute drive, but every other time we have always flown down the day of, so far had no issues. With my schedule, we just can't take n extra day off to fly down early. Granted we are usually flying direct from ny to florida, so lots of flights on lots of airlines and lots of airports. 20+ cruises, haven't missed one yet.