Would you drive 9-10 hours after a cruise?

[Marie51]

I look at it from a different angle: rather than take any flight involving less than two hours in the air you should insider driving. That two hour flight usually means an hour at each end getting to/from airport, at least one hour to check in, plus the roughly one hour "just in case of traffic/delay" - meaning the two hour flight generally eats up six hours total travel time (and that is with a non-stop flight) - think back to your past flights - how long from leaving home to arriving at final destination - or reverse?

 

Thanks for your input and I understand completely what you are saying but.....sometimes the travel time turns out to be the same driving or flying but....I still hate long trips.

[Smiles3usa]

I cannot imagine driving 9-10 hours after a cruise. Generally, for us, the flights can be that long...and the cruise, & pre- and post-cruise stays have us exhausted. Quite often, I take an extra vacation day, just to cool my heels at home and rest from the vacation.

 

We have driven 3 hours (from JFK home) post-cruise and that was not the most pleasant experience. Too far from home! But driving from JFK saved us @ $800.00 on airfare. So I guess, uncomfortableness does has a price point.

[DaKa2002]

I would only suggest you allow possibly 2 to 3 hours more for the drive since this Monday (9/1) is the Monday of Labor Weekend and the roads should be full of holiday drivers. It is a real catch 22 - motel and additional meal costs against one or two drivers ending a wonderful cruise experience with an exhausting drive home. From years of personal experience, I-95 and I-75 drives can be brutal, especial on holidays.

Whatever you decide, we wish you a wonderful cruise and safe return home.

[Tatka]

If we sail out of Florida we drive there. Usually it is 22-24 hours straight. No problems at all.

[Cruisin' Chick]

I don't know about that area, but in Southern California, Labor Day would be a heavy traffic day as many are returning from a long weekend.

 

Don't forget, the time listed for your ship to dock is not the time you'll be getting off your ship. Sometimes immigrations and customs might delay disembarkation if the officers start late. Most of the time passengers don't have a long wait, but every once in a while... So you might not be able to get on the road til about 9 or so at the earliest (once you go through customs, get your luggage, and actually get out of the parking lot).

 

What you might want to do is to book a hotel about halfway home and rest up for the rest of the trip.

[abridalmaven]

In my mind the preflight hassle is just not worth it for a cruise from Florida. But then again just for fun we will take a day trip of 12 hours or more. And then there are no baggage issues. You can take what you want.

As I said we have done it a few times and it was just fine. If there is more than one driver it is easy to switch when one gets tired.

[Louie & Carla]

Yes we have done it several times drove from Ft. Lauderdale or Miami to Phenix City, Ala. right after a 8 day cruise.

 

 

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[navybankerteacher]

The last time we went to NYC, we calculated how long it takes us to fly and how long Amtrak Accela Train would take us. We opted for the Accela )which makes few stops) and in the end it was very pleasant experience and we arrived at our hotel likely 30 - 60 minutes sooner than had we flown. Had we not taken the train, we would have flown. Had we not flown, we wouldn't have gone. :D There are some of us who refuse long car trips. No way; no how.

 

 

Agreed - long car trips are a good reason to stay home. The point is - to get anywhere more than a few miles away eats time. Train is a great alternative. Since our driving threshold is 5 or 6 hours tops, we have found the best way for a two week trip to Florida (from CT) is to drive to Lorton, VA, board the Autotrain, leaving at 4:00 PM, comfortable compartment, arriving Sanford FL 9:00 AM. Less than 5 hour drive at each end, and we have our loaded car at less cost that flying and renting a car for two weeks. Of course this would not make sense for going to a cruise port - but a regular Amtrak train to FL vs driving is a god option for people from the Northeast.

[sail7seas]

Agreed - long car trips are a good reason to stay home. The point is - to get anywhere more than a few miles away eats time. Train is a great alternative. Since our driving threshold is 5 or 6 hours tops, we have found the best way for a two week trip to Florida (from CT) is to drive to Lorton, VA, board the Autotrain, leaving at 4:00 PM, comfortable compartment, arriving Sanford FL 9:00 AM. Less than 5 hour drive at each end, and we have our loaded car at less cost that flying and renting a car for two weeks. Of course this would not make sense for going to a cruise port - but a regular Amtrak train to FL vs driving is a god option for people from the Northeast.

 

 

I have friends in NJ who do the same thing. They have done it for years and they add a few days at the start and end of their cruise in FLL and make it at least 15 days away. They are still working so that is their limit.

 

They do it because one in the couple won't fly but they love to cruise the Caribbean. They only cruise HAL and Seabourn so the ships sailing from NY and NJ don't suit them.

 

Edited July 19, 2014 by sail7seas

[Skywench]

No! I would not want to ruin a nice vacation by sitting in a car for that long. I know some people may enjoy that sort of thing, but not me. Besides, I work for an airline so I have lots of flight options that others may not have.

[susieatsea]

We live in West Central Illinois and we always drive. Last year we got off the ship in PC and drove to Clarksville, TN. DH and I drive 2 hour shifts. It works out great. The secret is do not party too hard the last night of the cruise...:)[/quote

 

 

Where in West Central Illinois?

We have driven from Quincy to NOLA for a cruise, but stay overnight along the way.

 

Quad Cities...Rock Island area.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Get a 12 passenger from Budget and drive home order it ASAP

[raytownlady]

We will be driving to Galveston for our next cruise. We enjoy the nice relaxing drive down. It gives us time to talk, laugh and sing oldies . We both have very busy careers so we look forward to some relaxing time.

 

On the ride home, we recount the fun times we shared during the cruise.

[mr green]

I drive 6 hours after a cruise, no problem.

 

john

[okgirl]

I admire your determination to travel that far for a short cruise.

 

I live 10ish hours from my homeport of Galveston and usually stop 1/2 way just because I'm retired and have no rush to get back.

 

But there is no way that I would drive that far for anything less than a 7 day cruise.

[iancal]

Only you know the answer to that and you may not know until you are on the road.

 

What is the downside? IF you get tired of driving on the way home you can stop at a motel along the way.

 

We have done, not with children. But driving for 10 hours is not an issue for us.

 

If available, you might want to consider self embarkation, ie get off first thing but you do have to carry your own luggage.

Edited July 20, 2014 by iancal