3:00 PM - Too Late To Board ?

[GreenValleyDogWalker]

 

New to HAL - not sure of their  guidelines - Departing on the Oosterdam out of San Diego next month 

We can get a direct flight to San Diego that lands at 2:55 PM - We know that the airport is only a 10 minute ride to the cruise-port - 

(cruised out of there a couple of times in the past)

The ship is due to depart at 5:00 PM

We are hoping that time-line would work -

COMMENTS ??

Thanks 

[LMADAMS91]

Haven't sailed HAL yet but that timeline would make me a nervous wreck. Flight delays (the plane will have to ARRIVE at your airport before you can leave) traffic (10 minutes can stretch to an hour if something major happens)......too many what ifs.  Not sure of the specific HAL guidelines regarding sailing but do you have to be onboard by a specific time prior to the ship sailing?  There's no way I would do that flight!  You might make it but....

Good luck!

 

Edited December 20, 2019 by LMADAMS91

[oakridger]

😱NO, NO, NO......please don't even attempt this! As at matter of fact and recommended by just about everyone, please fly in the day before. The muster drill will probably be at 4:00pm.  All aboard will be before that....3:00 or 3:30pm (I just got off Oosterdam, can't remember the posted all aboard time).

 

~Nancy

[RuthC]

Even if the plane lands on time, have you considered the amount of additional time it takes to deplane, get to baggage claim, (usually) wait for baggage to come out, and wait for yours? What if the baggage carousel breaks down, and all the luggage needs to be transferred to another carousel? That adds time to the delay. Then you have to get to ground transportation. 

I would take an earlier flight, or come in the day before. 

[Crusinsusan2]

We were driving to SD, thought we left home in plenty of time with a few hours to spare, hit a major traffic snarl and boarded 3:15 with a 3:30 all aboard. I can still feel my heart racing through the terminal thinking we were the last to board (and probably were) take an earlier flight, take a red eye or go the day before. 

[Roz]

Bad idea all around. 

[VMax1700]

My stomach is in knots just reading your suggested timeline.

No, please don't do it.

[Gigi1977]

Don’t do it.  Chances are one tiny hiccup and you will be denied boarding.   A manifest has to be created for Homeland Security sometime before sailing and if you are not on that list, you are not sailing even if you are there. 

[*Miss G*]

Never in a million years would I trust my flight to land when scheduled.  Even when landing on time I have experienced sitting on the tarmac waiting for another plane to exit our gate because that flight had a delayed departure; having to wait to change to another gate because the jetway was broken; lost luggage; broken carousel; and on and on.

 

To answer your question, though, from HAL’s Know Before You Go, you must be onboard no later than an hour before departure.  90 minutes if you didn’t submit all your information in the online check-in.

[Taters]

I've been on flights where a baggage door couldn't be closed properly and this delay caused me to miss two additional connecting flights.  What a nightmare!  Anything can happen.  There are mechanical delays, unruly passengers who might get your flight turned around, weather issues, etc.

 

Why go through all of that stress when you can fly in the day before, then enjoy a leisurely breakfast prior to boarding your ship?

[DAllenTCY]

You might want to look at the cost if you miss the ship. 

 

One night stay in San Diego, transport to/from hotel to airport, flight to Cabo San Lucas, transfer from airport to hotel for the night in Cabo and transport from the hotel to ship.

 

That is approimately $600 per person.

 

Now in January you might get to Cabo and the seas are too rough to use the tenders.  So another night in Cabo at a hotel.

 

Next would be a flight to Mazatlan from Cabo.....which connect and don't get you there in time.....so you would have to fly to Puerto Vallarta.  Another 2 nights in a hotel.

 

So your 7 night cruise is now a 3 night one and you've spent $1,000 more.

 

David

 

 

 

 

[*Miss G*]

2 minutes ago, Taters said:

I've been on flights where a baggage door couldn't be closed properly

 

Me too!  The weirdest thing that’s ever happened to delay departure.... they forgot to refuel the plane!!!  Then we got diverted due to a storm.  My connecting flight had long left by the time I arrived.  😠

[canadianbear]

OP-just spent 2 weeks on the Oosterdam, the muster was at 4pm.

 

Where are you flying from?  We’ve considered flying in day of cruise out of San Diego as we live in Vancouver and it’s a non stop 3 hour flight.  However, we are not risk takers so we always fly in at least the night before.  You could stay in a reasonably priced hotel the night before and enjoy San Diego and be stress free about missing the ship.  

 

Personal choice but I think most on here would recommend flying in the day before.

[Taters]

5 minutes ago, *Miss G* said:

 

Me too!  The weirdest thing that’s ever happened to delay departure.... they forgot to refuel the plane!!!  Then we got diverted due to a storm.  My connecting flight had long left by the time I arrived.  😠

The forgot to refuel the plane?  Holy cow!  I worked in aviation for quite a few years and have never heard that one before!

 

I've had the baggage door break on two occasions.  The first time I was traveling from Fairbanks to Kotzebue, AK on business.  I was supposed to fly from Fairbanks to Anchorage to Nome to Kotzebue.  (There are no direct flights.)  The baggage door broke in Nome.  They really don't have support staff there, so they gave all of the Kotz passengers meal vouchers and sent us into town for lunch.  We were instructed to come back in 4 hours.  When I got back to the OME airport, we were given the options of flying back to ANC for the night, then continuing onto Kotzebue nonstop the next morning OR overnighting in OME and continuing onto OTZ the next afternoon.  Since I needed to be in Kotzebue the next morning I opted to fly back to Anchorage that night.  All in all - FAI-ANC-OME-ANC-OTZ over the course of almost 36 hours, and I hadn't even left the state!

[dockman]

a quick check shows a variety of  flights from tucson to san diego arriving as early as 10  am, ...a perfect time to arrive relaxed, take a taxi and be ready to board before noon have a relaxed lunch etc....

the earliest flight most dates is $117 one way

 

not sure why anyone would choose such a late flight where one hiccup will have u miss the ship?  just not worth the tension and worry to cut it so very close....

 

very very bad idea...change the flight and start your cruise relaxed ....makes no difference if HAL ship or any other cruise line...

Edited December 20, 2019 by dockman

[*Miss G*]

9 minutes ago, Taters said:

The forgot to refuel the plane?  Holy cow!  I worked in aviation for quite a few years and have never heard that one before!

 

I was actually quite surprised that the Captain came on to tell us.  Thank God for checklists.

[Traveling Library]

Homeland Security requires everyone to be checked in 90 minutes before departure.  Arriving at 2:55 means you need to be checked in (and probably boarded) no later than 3:30. Too close for my taste.

[Scrapnana]

I definitely agree with the others.  I had one flight that was delayed by fog at the airport I was flying from and another that was delayed because the city where the plane was coming from was fogged in.  In both cases the delay was 3-4 hours.

 

 

[GreenValleyDogWalker]

Wow - what a bunch of replies !!-

I should have mentioned that the flight is only just over 1 hour  (from Tucson, AZ) -

And that the last time we cruised out of San Diego our flight landed at 1:00 PM and we had absolutely no problem - no stress - 

But -

They have changed the non-stop schedule - so I will take all of your replies into consideration - and look for another flight (darn - will have to fly through LA, however, and have a lay-over) 

 

Thank you all 

 

 

[dockman]

no u don't have to fly through LAX...i see several flights that go via phoenix not lax...

 

try googleflights.com to see a variety of choices 

[DeeniEncinitas]

OMGOSH you have got to be kidding right?

We live here and even IF YOUR FLIGHT LANDS ON TIME WAITING FOR BAGS HAILING A UBER OR CAB AND GETTING DOWN THE STREET IN TRAFFIC you won’t make it ! With 3:30 boarding LAST CALL they won’t hold the ship for you!!! Everyone 

needs to be at muster drill! 
You need to get an earlier flight or come in the day before!!

I would have a mini heart attack if things didn’t work out! You would loose your money on a wonderful cruise!

Denise😊

[kevingastreich]

Unless this is a totally free cruise that you wouldn't mind missing...don't do it!

[awhcruiser]

Gosh no!

[PhoenixCruiser]

We usually fly in the day before and enjoy the city.

[ithaca gal]

In a word ……… ABSOLUTELY NOT!  (I know, I know ….. two words.)