Early flights the day of cruise?

[tef43]

Too many things could go wrong with this scenario.

 

Pass.

[larayray]

After hearing everyone's sound advice, I did some research on the airline and decided that despite missing out on a great deal it isn't worth the risk of the flight getting delayed and making us miss our cruise. Thanks everyone!

 

Sent from my VS995 using Forums mobile app

[evandbob]

I take the earliest flight out of NY non stop to either MIA or FLL. Have done this for maybe 20 + cruises, all seasons, never had a problem. I'm usually unpacked and on Lido before noon.

 

While the earliest I've flown out of MIA was 8:30AM, I usually book an 11AM or so flight to come home.

 

Some day I may miss a cruise due to weather, flight delay, equipment, staffing whatever. I accept that and won't think it's the end of the world. By not flying in the day before, I am still WAY ahead money wise.

 

Some particulars: earliest non stop flight getting to the port, TSA Precheck (came with Global Entry), carry on luggage only, Carnival Diamond priority for on/off the ship, airline recognition 2 million miles, no anxiety disorder...

[Retchiefcruiser]

Hey good luck. There is no amount of planning that can prevent some unforeseen issues, especially flights. I always come in the day before. Earlier this year, my day before departure flight was cancelled and I could not be re-booked on any airline, at any other area (150 miles) airport, until the day after the ship sailed. First time we missed the cruise! Had I booked to leave the day of the cruise I would have been fine!

 

So you never know!:cool:

[Ottawa_Cruiser]

I never trust airlines to actually get me to my destination on time. As such, I will never fly in the day of the cruise, always the day before for us!

[dmdiver]

We've done that 7am flight on AA out of DFW to Miami a few times with no problem. However, we have friends in Virginia that have to fly the day before because flights are always getting cancelled out of Richmond. So, I imagine it depends a lot on your airport/airline's track record for cancellations.

 

We've always booked a 1pm-ish flight out of Miami to come home, just in case the ship is delayed. Once we were able to get on an earlier flight out, but usually we were at the airport pretty early - between 8:30 & 9:00. I am just less stressed if I know that I don't have to rush to get to the airport since you never know for sure when you're gonna get off the ship.

[Homosassa]

Now that I have moved to Florida, I have found what a fallacy it is to think that weather will not be a factor on the Florida end for flight delays or cancellations.

 

Because Florida is a peninsula, it has weather patterns rolling in from the Atlantic, the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea and the land mass to the north. Where the different air masses collide, there is a good chance of violent thunderstorms and airport closures.

 

The storms can roll in any time of the day.

 

You can hope the weather gods will be in your favor and not shutting down airports in Florida the morning of your cruise.

[T&J1014]

I have never had a problem with delays out of Detroit metro (closest airport to us), and Windsor, Ontario does not have direct flights to Miami or Ft Lauderdale. We are thinking of booking a flight Detroit - Miami early morning of our cruise (Nov 2018) and then maybe flying Ft. Lauderdale to Detroit on the way back. I know this is still hurricane season, but the predictability is so low, it's not something I really feel the need to concern myself with. Other option is do a flight from Windsor to Toronto to Miami or the Miami, Toronto, Windsor on the way back. Sadly, it is much cheaper for me, as a Canadian to fly from Detroit.

 

That being said, we are likely to do an early morning flight into Miami (arrive 9:40 or so AM) and that gives up lots of time to shuttle to the cruise port. On the way home.no rush..find the most economical way back without having to rush to the airport after the cruise. Our other cruise we took (Jan 2016) we didn't get off the ship until almost 10 as there was a tornado in the Miami area and severe storms. Still made our flight back no problem.

[Ocean Dancer]

When we first started cruising, we always let Carnival book our flights. They were always non stop leaving at 6 am with never a problem, even San Juan.

 

We book our own now, always the day before, we like the fact that we can relax at our cruise port hotel.