Getting to embarkation port 1+ day early.

[Trickster999]

Hi cruisers.

How do you feel about this. Three years ago we were booked on a med cruise, starting from gerona.

We traveled to London the night before and stayed in a hotel near Heathrow. We were with another couple. Because we had booked at different times we were on different flights. This was just before Christmas. We arrived at Heathrow at 0800 only to learn that our flight couldn't depart because it had been left out all night and was iced up. Our friends plane was ok and they left. Our travel company couldn't get us on a flight to the first stop, but could to the second one. However as it was only a Severn day cruise we said forget it and we eventualy got our money back. We returned home to the uk Midlands on Christmas Eve. We'd got nothing organised for Christmas of course but some friends saw my facebook post and invited us to Christmas dinner at theirs. We had booked a much better cabin than our friends as all the cheap ones were gone. I said to our friends tell MSC ours is empty and can you have it. No luck there.

As it happens our friends didn't like the cruise.

So for our October cruise we are flying to Rome 2 days early

Do you guys adopt this strategy our fly same day and hope there are no delays

[baxter44]

I never risk flying the same day, in fact I always assume delays and get there at least a day early.

[KeithJenner]

We always arrive in the embarkation city at least the day before the cruise, and preferably have two nights there.

 

It's not just to avoid any delays, but also it gives a little extra to our holiday. It's nice to have something else before the cruise starts.

Edited March 8, 2016 by KeithJenner

[NLH Arizona]

I haven't flown in the day of a cruise for many, many years. Depending on the port, I fly in 1, 2 or 3 days early.

[vicocala]

I live in Florida and while I don't fly I drive down the day before, in case of car trouble or other unforeseen disaster we stay overnight in Tampa, Fort Lauderdale and Miami and usually even at Port Canaveral. My biggest travel nightmare is missing a cruise.

[Moomduck1]

After hearing about my best friend's experience flying day of cruise, I will never do it. They had flight connections that they ended up missing, through no fault of their own. They ended up with the cruise company picking them up at the airport, taking them out on a high speed boat to catch the cruise (which had left already) and them having to climb up a rope ladder to get onto the ship. That was over 10 years ago, but it stays with me. I will always fly out at least a day before if not 2.

[casofilia]

We always arrive in the embarkation city at least the day before the cruise, and preferably have two nights there.

 

It's not just to avoid any delays, but also it gives a little extra to our holiday. It's nice to have something else before the cruise starts.

 

I haven't flown in the day of a cruise for many, many years. Depending on the port, I fly in 1, 2 or 3 days early.

 

I am in full agreement with both of the above. Not only safety in case of any problem but also a new place to see.

 

Mike

[wizdiz]

I guess lucky that I live only 1hr from Port of Miami and 30 from port of Ft.Lauderdale

[BirdTravels]

We always fly in the day before cruise, enjoy a leisurely breakfast, and head to the port around 10:30 to board early.

[DMH15]

I have done both. Once flew from Dallas to Santiago day of. It was already a 14 night cruise and I had to beg, borrow and steal to get that much time off. One more day was not in the cards.

 

Last year I flew Dallas to Houston on Southwest. First flight of the day. It was April. Was fine. Our office moved the night before, (it was supposed to be a month sooner but got pushed), I was in charge.

 

Most of the time I go in a day early for peace of mind.

 

Never came close to missing embarkation but could happen and I want to do all I can to avoid it.

[gymbomb]

We always fly the day before. I have horrible luck with delayed/cancelled flights!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Pszaffveauhraunne]

We USED to fly in the day of, but that proved remarkably stressful. Now, as a rule, we arrive at least three days ahead. That gives us plenty of time to relax, visit the embarkation city, and adjust to a different time zone ... and an excuse to begin our vacation early!

[Keith1010]

I fly in at least one day early and when traveling over the pond we like to arrive a few days early. Also provides time to tour, get over jet lag and increases the odds of not having to seal with missing luggage.

 

Keith

[GUT2407]

When we cruise locally, it's a two hour dice fom home to the Port, we go the day before.

 

Yep it means a hotel for the night.

 

So guess what my answer is.

[Tasm3n]

Before any trip where I have to travel across the country (or world for that matter), we always fly out the night before just in case. Don't want to miss any of the official vacation due to travel snafus

[ColinIllinois]

When I fly from St Louis to Miami I fly same day NON-STOP arriving at 9:30 in the morning. For Europe or any flight where I would have to have connections definitely at least a day in advance. No brainer there.

[Jeremiah1212]

We fly from a city pair with probably 30+ daily nonstop (Chicago O'hare or Midway to Miami or Fort Lauderdale) and we still fly in a day prior. It's just not worth the rushing around and getting up at 3am for an early flight and being exhausted your first day onboard.

[TSUmom]

We always fly in a day or two early as the above posters do. Two days pre cruise in Rome for me is a must - infact I would spend 3 or 4, there is so much to see and do plus the whole jet lag thing...

[Burgmeister]

Even when we sail from Southampton we get there the day before!

 

This year we sail from Barcelona on the Sunday and so we will fly out on Saturday (and I have Friday night booked at Heathrow!)

[numberguy]

First cruise was in Hawai'i and we were there five days before we got on the cruise.

 

Second cruise was an Alaska cruise, and we flew into Seattle day of departure (Sunday) with no problem at all. The only reason we did this is because my husband's brother rescheduled his wedding to the day before our cruise, an earlier date than originally planned. *cough*bunintheoven*cough*

 

All other cruises have been one or two days before (Australia was again five days before). Our upcoming Jade one is going to be a bit tight, as we are supposed to land around 7:30 pm the night before in Venice. A little tight, but with a new job, time off is difficult right now.

 

--Michael

[Allweneedismoney]

Absolutely arrive a day or more before the ship leaves it's a little stressful anyway so one less thing to worry about is always a good thing.

[OneParticularHarbour 71]

We also like to fly in a day or two early especially when traveling with the kids. There is usually 5 or 6 of us traveling so the thought of something going wrong and having to try to rebook all of us on another same day flight makes me very nervous. At least this way we have an extra day or two to get to the port.

 

We have flown in the morning of when it has been just my husband and I but it makes for a long tiring day. I'd rather get to the port well rested and ready to vacation :)