Fly in the Day of Cruise?

[baseballmom94]

Just booked March 15 sailing on Allure. Purchased Cruisecare. Planning to buy airline tickets through ChoiceAir since the insurance covers cruise and airline ticket. Am I safe to fly in the same day of sailing on March 15 with being covered through Cruisecare?

[Clarea]

I would try to avoid flying in the day of the cruise whether covered by insurance or not. If you are delayed, they will not hold the ship for you indefinitely. If you miss the ship, they will make their best effort to fly you to the next port, but you could miss a day or more of your vacation.

[blackshirt]

To me it depends on where you are flying from. I've sailed from Ft L 3 times and San Juan once, each time flying in the same day and no issues but I fly from St Louis. I might not feel the same if I was flying from somewhere farther north or through an airport known for delays. The safest is fly the day before.

[willing292]

Cruise care has nothing to do with it. How much do you value boarding the ship on the first day as opposed to 2 or even 3 days later? I fly from the snowy, stormy North and always travel at least the day before.

 

 

Shirley, Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

Edited November 11, 2014 by willing292

[flacruiser]

Not a great idea.

 

 

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[Folk Singer]

Just booked March 15 sailing on Allure. Purchased Cruisecare. Planning to buy airline tickets through ChoiceAir since the insurance covers cruise and airline ticket. Am I safe to fly in the same day of sailing on March 15 with being covered through Cruisecare?

 

We always fly in the day before just to be sure.

[bighairtexan]

I too was a bit confused as to what the insurance had to do with it.

I have flown into ports the day of. Across the country from LAX to San Juan, PR. From TX to FLL.

There has to be a HUGE reason why flying in the day before is absolutely IMPOSSIBLE. I've had weather issues. (delays and cancellations) Issues where cracks were found in planes so they "recalled" all the 737's (or whatever plane) for immediate repair and flights were cancelled and delayed all over the world. Even with a full day of wiggle room, I'm tense. I'd have missed at least 1 flight, had I been flying in the day of.

Don't do it unless there is NO way around it. Chances are good that you won't have issues. I just don't want to chance it and start my vacation doubly stressed.

[KS Sunflower]

As others have said, it depends on where you're flying from. We've flown in the day of the cruise many times and have never missed the ship but that wasn't in the winter. If you're flying from a city that has bad winter weather, I would definitely fly the day before. From what I've heard, this winter may be severe, so if we cruise, we'll fly in at least the day before.

 

Last year, several southern cities had ice and no one was going anywhere. I remember the fiasco in Atlanta. Why take a chance?

[windham depot]

We have flown in the day of for our last 2 cruises from Boston to San Juan with direct flights. I wouldn't do it if we couldn't get a direct flight. We haven't ever had a problem. We are doing it again at the end of the month into Galveston, Tx. Again direct flight. We've never had a problem or missed the ship.

 

Rhonda

[Haber]

Are you in a snow or freezing rain area? Is the flight direct or connecting? (each connection introduces greater risk) If there are mechanical issues with your flight does the airline have other flights to FLL the same day as potential backup...assuming they're not full.

 

Your itinerary has you in Nassau the next day which isn't too bad to catch up, assuming you can get a flight there by ship departure time of 2:00.

 

I'm a worrier. We're flying in on a Thursday for a Saturday departure.

Edited November 11, 2014 by Haber

[geoherb]

We flew direct to Fort Lauderdale the day of a Princess cruise in March. It worked better for our schedule and budget. We could have flown in late the night before--getting there around midnight. To me it was worth the risk. I picked the first direct flight of the morning, hoping our plane would not get stuck somewhere else the day before.

[gjkubel]

As others have said, there are risks to be considered. But all those who say never do it are giving too simple an answer. There are circumstances where the risks are low enough that flying in the day before may not be worth the extra expense or time off work.

 

I will fly in the same day, from DC to Florida, under the following conditions:

 

1) Direct flight only -- connections introduce an exponential risk for something to go wrong

2) First flight of the morning (as in between 6-8) -- these flights are more likely to be on time as the plane spent the night at that airport

3) There are later flights that would still work -- assuming something mechanical or catastrophic, later flight options provide a greater likelihood you will still make your cruise

4) Never fly same day in winter -- just too risky as weather can throw a major monkey wrench in the plans during winter

[derbygirl520]

I'm in a similar situation. Flying from IL the same day going down to Galveston in February. If I purchase through Choice Air, can I just fly the day before and stay at a hotel close to Houston airport, then join the shuttle down to Galveston? The transfers (or even if I rent a car and then drive) down to Galveston are expensive, so purchasing Choice Air eliminates that cost.

[Clarea]

I'm in a similar situation. Flying from IL the same day going down to Galveston in February. If I purchase through Choice Air, can I just fly the day before and stay at a hotel close to Houston airport, then join the shuttle down to Galveston? The transfers (or even if I rent a car and then drive) down to Galveston are expensive, so purchasing Choice Air eliminates that cost.

Choice Air does not include transfers. Those would be extra, and I believe the Choice Air website will not allow you to purchase transfers unless you are flying in the day of the cruise.

[ryano]

If I were a betting man, Id almost have to bet that many, many cruisers fly in the day of. With that said, if I flew to my cruises, I most definitely would NOT fly in the day of, Choice Air or not :)

[sowhat]

Booked flights and cruise with RCI UK. Fly to USA from UK day before the cruise.

Over night hotel and fly to SJU the same day of cruise at 4 pm, RCI book flights the same day

[lauren0309]

Always fly in a day or two before. Besides the weather, once we were on the plane ready to pull away from the terminal when the pilot noticed a problem with the door on the airplane. We had to taxi back to the terminal and had to get off the plane until the door was fixed. They gave us all vouchers to have breakfast but it took some time before we were able to board again and depart. So mechanical problems as well as weather can cause you real worry. You never know what could happen.

[matj2000]

The majority of the people who fly to the port.

Fly in on the day of the cruise...

[derbygirl520]

...and I'm happy that I read this thread. I was provided mis-information from Royal Caribbean on this (there indeed is a charge for the transfer). So, I'll just fly in the night before using Choice Air, then use the Royal transfer to the port (which is significantly cheaper). Whew.

[TahoeBob]

Just booked March 15 sailing on Allure. Purchased Cruisecare. Planning to buy airline tickets through ChoiceAir since the insurance covers cruise and airline ticket. Am I safe to fly in the same day of sailing on March 15 with being covered through Cruisecare?

 

my first cruise back in 2004, vision of the seas out of San Pedro. (LA)

 

I left South Lake Tahoe where I live, to Sacramento on Saturday to fly to La Saturday afternoon, got to my hotel in San Pedro at 6:30 P.M. got a good night sleep and on the ship by 12:30 Sunday. (About 85 miles from my house to Sac and 1 hour flight).

 

when on the ship I met some people I actually knew who lives in Reno (45 minutes from my house and a 1 hour flight to la) they had a flight set for 10:00 A.M. from reno to LA. that weekend Reno had some of the worst fog ever and many flights were delayed and canceled. They made the ship but there flight was very late and they got to the ship with 10 minutes to spare.

[Lionesss]

Yes, you will be covered, but, why take the chance.

 

Fly in a day ahead and this way no stress.

 

Enjoy your cruise

 

Sea Ya

[BillOh]

Just booked March 15 sailing on Allure. Purchased Cruisecare. Planning to buy airline tickets through ChoiceAir since the insurance covers cruise and airline ticket. Am I safe to fly in the same day of sailing on March 15 with being covered through Cruisecare?

 

Whenever possible I would choose to fly in the day before. March is a transitional month weatherwise and you never know when a big storm in Chicago, NY, or Atlanta could wreak havoc. I did 3 cruises flying in the day of and on #4 went to the day before. So much less stress.

[Toddcan]

In a perfect world, if you have time - fly in the day before. It's just a peace of mind thing.

 

In a great many cases- including me for our next cruise - I work the day before the cruise leaves, so I cannot fly out the day before. In this case, I minimize my risk by flying as early in the day as I can, and getting a direct flight. I have a direct flight from Toronto to FLL, arriving at 10:45am the day of the cruise.

[TheInnocentAge]

Fly in the day before. It's much more relaxing!

[42CruiseCrazy]

Part of the fun of a cruise vacation is flying in the day before and enjoying an evening in the departure city. Sometime that pleasure is lost when bad weather delays your arrival which happened to me last year. But that was much better than missing the boat. I would never fly in the same day.

 

 

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