Should we fly the day of or the day before the ship leaves?

[Wayfairers]

Personally, I prefer to get to the cruise port city at least a day early, just to not have the stress of arriving day of boarding. Even when we drive we arrive at least a day early.

 

 

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[Wembley Fraggle]

Flew day of last November... never again.

We booked through a majoy travel agency specialising in cruise travel as they had the only balconey cabins still available IF you booked a package deal (incl. flights, transfers and an excursion on arrival). 9 am flight, 9.45 am arrival (hour time change, Frankfurt - Heathrow), 90 minute transfer, check-in from 11 am to 3 pm, 4.30 pm departure. We drove 3 1/2 hrs the day before to spend the night at an airport hotel so that we didn't have to change planes (could have flown from our local airport but not non-stop). I have tried to forget the details but we weren't even at the port by 3 pm. Yes, they did let us on (3.30-ish) but when we walked on board they had already started the muster drill, we dropped our carry on luggage off in our cabin and walked right back down. We weren't even on the list as we had boarded so late.

 

Why? Fog. LHR was closed, even flying in earlier wouldn't have helped as the 6 am, 7 am and 8 am flights were still on the ground as well. No, MIA isn't LHR. FRA isn't ATL. But never again am I traveling day of the cruise unless I don't mind missing it. We are cruising again in February, our plane leaves at 1.30 pm (two days before departure), 2 hr train ride to the airport, twice hourly trains and I am looking at airport hotels because heck, I am not missing that cruise.

[fakers007]

I tend to leave the evening before so in case of issues we can get first flight the next day to make it in time for the cruise.

 

 

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