Can you fly in DAY OF?

[VermeulT]

I haven't traveled with Princess in over 15 years... so not sure if you can do this - but maybe you can get the transfer from the cruise line to the port.  They would keep watch of your arriving flight and deal with getting your baggage to the port.

 

I'm sure someone will set me right if I'm wrong... but if it works as I think - this will help the cruise line be aware of any delays.  They won't wait necessarily, but they'll be aware. 

[Davis2010]

2 minutes ago, Gatordad815 said:

While I would have advised going the day before, given that’s not an option and you now know for future plans, I can offer one potentially reassuring tidbit. I’m a frequent flyer from many airports in Florida (been to JAX many times), and in my experience, the flights that leave at 6AM go as scheduled and morning connections go as scheduled. Weather in Florida tends to be better in the morning and the planes and crews tend to already be in position from the night before.

 

Massive cascading delays happen when weather hits a hub (like Atlanta or Dallas) and that tends to get worse as the day goes on. I’ve had MANY flight delays/problems with flights leaving later in the day (as a result of operational or weather issues earlier in the day), but very few flight delays/problems with early morning flights.

 

Of course problems can and do happen in the morning, and there are no guarantees, but relatively speaking morning flights are more reliable.

 

You’ve received some good practical advice on here. If switching to the day before really isn’t an option, then I’d take the advice that works for you and hope for the best, knowing at least that you’re flying at the time of day that tends to have fewer problems.  Best of luck!

Thank you very much. 

[lynncarol]

Another thing to know if this is your first time in the air. If either flight is delayed resulting in very close connections, be sure to mention this to your flight attendant before landing. In our experience, they are really good about asking passengers in front of you to remain seated so you can exit quickly. 

Edited January 7, 2020 by lynncarol

[VermeulT]

2 minutes ago, Davis2010 said:

This was the response I received from our TA:

 

I don’t believe you will miss the cruise. You can call princess and ask them about the PVSA law bc honestly I’ve not heard of it and cruise line wouldn’t have a reason to lie about getting you to the next port.

 

Sorry to put down your TA - but how does a travel professional not make sure to know about the travel laws affecting their passengers??? 😲

 

Here's cruise critic's summary of the laws.

https://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=3363

I think since Victoria Canada is your last stop - you might still be ok.  I'd call the cruise line directly to confirm this information, just in case.

[Ferry_Watcher]

How about a fun question:  Since you are taking a 7 day cruise w/o the kids, is it to celebrate a special occasion like an Anniversary, or special birthday?

[Davis2010]

Just now, Ferry_Watcher said:

How about a fun question:  Since you are taking a 7 day cruise w/o the kids, is it to celebrate a special occasion like an Anniversary, or special birthday?

Our 10 year anniversary ❤️ We haven’t traveled since our honeymoon cruise 10 years ago. So we WERE excited 😂 

[d9704011]

1 minute ago, Davis2010 said:

Our 10 year anniversary ❤️ We haven’t traveled since our honeymoon cruise 10 years ago. So we WERE excited 😂 

I think you should stay excited.  You’re scheduled to arrive in Seattle at 1115.... as Gatordad815 implied, it’s likely you’ll arrive on schedule.  From the airport to the cruise port in a taxi is not a big deal and, in my opinion, there’s no particular reason to think you won’t be embarking at 1300 or so.

[Ferry_Watcher]

22 minutes ago, VermeulT said:

 

Sorry to put down your TA - but how does a travel professional not make sure to know about the travel laws affecting their passengers??? 😲

 

Here's cruise critic's summary of the laws.

https://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=3363

I think since Victoria Canada is your last stop - you might still be ok.  I'd call the cruise line directly to confirm this information, just in case.

 

We get passengers arriving at Pier 91 who are told by their TA's that all they need to get on-board is their (typical) Driver's License.  Or US passengers traveling with foreign friends/family (from certain countries), that not to worry about having a Canadian visa if they plan to stay on the ship when it arrives in Victoria, BC.  In that case, if a foreign traveler who needs a Canadian visa and doesn't have one (again for certain countries) is denied boarding in Seattle. 

Edited January 7, 2020 by Ferry_Watcher
added additional text

[Ferry_Watcher]

11 minutes ago, Davis2010 said:

Our 10 year anniversary ❤️ We haven’t traveled since our honeymoon cruise 10 years ago. So we WERE excited 😂 

 

Congratulations!!!!

Alaska is so beautiful.  You will love it!!!!

[Davis2010]

26 minutes ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

 

Congratulations!!!!

Alaska is so beautiful.  You will love it!!!!

Thank you!

[martincath]

I think you've gotten most of the relevant practical, "What I can actually do about potential problems" advice already (packing carryon with a couple of days clothes, airline and cruiselin phone numbers in your phone) but do be aware that the folks who warned you about the PVSA, and your TAs total incompetence to be unaware of it, are absolutely correct.

 

Furthermore, even if this flight was booked through Princess they will not necessarily fly you on to Ketchikan if you miss the ship - it's not just that there is a fine involved for breach of the PVSA, it's that knowingly violating the PVSA upfront has potentially worse repercussions for the cruiseline (and it is the line that gets fined, not the passenger - your cruise contract allows them to recoup the fine from you though). We're talking about foreign-flag vessels, with already-limited rights to operate in US waters - the fine covers unavoidable circumstances like terrible weather that prevents docking in Victoria, or passengers who have to leave early because of an emergency back home. Folks who have a late flight... the line will most likely just say No.

 

BUT - there is one potential way around it. As long as YOUR cruise ends in Canada, no violation would occur - and since Victoria is the day before returning to Seattle, you'd only miss the last night of your cruise if you disembarked there. You'd of course have to then get back to Seatac for you scheduled flight home - but there are several options (flights from YYJ, ferries to BC mainland then bus or train or rental car to Seattle, or the Clipper ferry from Victoria right to Seattle).

 

Now, hopefully all will go smoothly - as Gardyloo's post mentioned you seem to be on a fairly reliable flight, so odds are pretty good that you'll make the ship just fine. But if you don't - knowing that you can potentially disembark in Victoria means there's another option for you. You will have to ask - don't expect anyone you speak to at the pier or on the phone to be any less ignorant than your TA, unfortunately helpdesk and pier minions don't seem to get very consistent training, but self-advocate and demand to keep going up the food chain to a supervisor, manager etc. until someone actually says they understand the PVSA! You will need permission from Canadian authorities to be allowed to leave the ship in Victoria - but this is usually granted, it's a very common request.

 

NB: even if Princess are freakishly nice and fly you on to Ketchikan at their expense, you MUST have proper paperwork as your cruise will no longer be a Closed Loop. Only Closed Loop cruises get to use the 'no passport needed' Driving License/Birth Cert exemption to the WHTI (sorry, more jargon - Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative which demands passports for US citizens over 16 who re-enter the USA after being in a foreign country, as well as us foreigners who visit you) so you will need a passport, passport card, or NEXUS to be allowed to sail back to Seattle.

 

The other downside of all of this is going to be your insurance - given you have less than four hours between your scheduled arrival and your absolute cutoff boarding time, I don't think you will be paid out for a flight delay. Check your policy - there's usually a specified minimum length of delay before any benefits are payable and I've personally never heard of one less than 4 hours. If that's the case, be aware that your insurance will not pay out on any of the extra incurred costs. This is where being able to adjust your flight to one even a tiny bit earlier could literally make all the difference in the world... if the arrival time compared to the last possible boarding time can be adjusted so it does qualify under your insurance policy minimum delay, it may be worth paying a change fee for peace of mind.

 

On a personal note, don't apologise for your ignorance of these matters - you don't know what you don't know, you trusted a professional who was recommended to you, and it's just bad luck that your 'second thoughts' only kicked in when it was too late to avoid some of the potential issues. At least you DID think to check into it, so now you're getting some info on what to do if the proverbial brown stuff hits the fan. But you really, really should abandon that TA - any so-called professional who sells people cruises but has not even HEARD of the PVSA is an incompetent fool. It is the single biggest issue affecting cruises out of the USA and is why all the seasonal ships that come to Alaska have to faff around with one-way repo cruises from a US port to a Canadian one, then another from Canada to Seattle or San Francisco (LA-based ships can use a closer Mexican port), before they can legally start offering the Closed Loop cruises out of US west coast ports.

 

Misinterpreting the PVSA, making a mistake of some kind about it, might be forgivable in some circumstances - but not knowing about it at all means they have failed their 'due dilligence' so badly that it would be like a book-keeper offering to do your business accounts for you without any knowledge of the different tax laws for businesses compared to individuals! Furthermore, this TA has also indirectly confirmed that they have not even read Princess' policies on their 'get you to the next port' guarantees - it's right there in the wording that they will only make 'best efforts' to do it when it is legal to do so. The US is far from the only country to have Cabotage laws (controlling who can move goods and people around in their waters) - Canada, the EU, and probably almost every country with a coastline and any sort of domestic shipping industry have their own equivalents.

 

Best of luck!

Edited January 7, 2020 by martincath
spelling

[Davis2010]

17 minutes ago, martincath said:

I think you've gotten most of the relevant practical, "What I can actually do about potential problems" advice already (packing carryon with a couple of days clothes, airline and cruiselin phone numbers in your phone) but do be aware that the folks who warned you about the PVSA, and your TAs total incompetence to be unaware of it, are absolutely correct.

 

Furthermore, even if this flight was booked through Princess they will not necessarily fly you on to Ketchikan if you miss the ship - it's not just that there is a fine involved for breach of the PVSA, it's that knowingly violating the PVSA upfront has potentially worse repercussions for the cruiseline (and it is the line that gets fined, not the passenger - your cruise contract allows them to recoup the fine from you though). We're talking about foreign-flag vessels, with already-limited rights to operate in US waters - the fine covers unavoidable circumstances like terrible weather that prevents docking in Victoria, or passengers who have to leave early because of an emergency back home. Folks who have a late flight... the line will most likely just say No.

 

BUT - there is one potential way around it. As long as YOUR cruise ends in Canada, no violation would occur - and since Victoria is the day before returning to Seattle, you'd only miss the last night of your cruise if you disembarked there. You'd of course have to then get back to Seatac for you scheduled flight home - but there are several options (flights from YYJ, ferries to BC mainland then bus or train or rental car to Seattle, or the Clipper ferry from Victoria right to Seattle).

 

Now, hopefully all will go smoothly - as Gardyloo's post mentioned you seem to be on a fairly reliable flight, so odds are pretty good that you'll make the ship just fine. But if you don't - knowing that you can potentially disembark in Victoria means there's another option for you. You will have to ask - don't expect anyone you speak to at the pier or on the phone to be any less ignorant than your TA, unfortunately helpdesk and pier minions don't seem to get very consistent training, but self-advocate and demand to keep going up the food chain to a supervisor, manager etc. until someone actually says they understand the PVSA! You will need permission from Canadian authorities to be allowed to leave the ship in Victoria - but this is usually granted, it's a very common request.

 

NB: even if Princess are freakishly nice and fly you on to Ketchikan at their expense, you MUST have proper paperwork as your cruise will no longer be a Closed Loop. Only Closed Loop cruises get to use the 'no passport needed' Driving License/Birth Cert exemption to the WHTI (sorry, more jargon - Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative which demands passports for US citizens over 16 who re-enter the USA after being in a foreign country, as well as us foreigners who visit you) so you will need a passport, passport card, or NEXUS to be allowed to sail back to Seattle.

 

The other downside of all of this is going to be your insurance - given you have less than four hours between your scheduled arrival and your absolute cutoff boarding time, I don't think you will be paid out for a flight delay. Check your policy - there's usually a specified minimum length of delay before any benefits are payable and I've personally never heard of one less than 4 hours. If that's the case, be aware that your insurance will not pay out on any of the extra incurred costs. This is where being able to adjust your flight to one even a tiny bit earlier could literally make all the difference in the world... if the arrival time compared to the last possible boarding time can be adjusted so it does qualify under your insurance policy minimum delay, it may be worth paying a change fee for peace of mind.

 

On a personal note, don't apologise for your ignorance of these matters - you don't know what you don't know, you trusted a professional who was recommended to you, and it's just bad luck that your 'second thoughts' only kicked in when it was too late to avoid some of the potential issues. At least you DID think to check into it, so now you're getting some info on what to do if the proverbial brown stuff hits the fan. But you really, really should abandon that TA - any so-called professional who sells people cruises but has not even HEARD of the PVSA is an incompetent fool. It is the single biggest issue affecting cruises out of the USA and is why all the seasonal ships that come to Alaska have to faff around with one-way repo cruises from a US port to a Canadian one, then another from Canada to Seattle or San Francisco (LA-based ships can use a closer Mexican port), before they can legally start offering the Closed Loop cruises out of US west coast ports.

 

Misinterpreting the PVSA, making a mistake of some kind about it, might be forgivable in some circumstances - but not knowing about it at all means they have failed their 'due dilligence' so badly that it would be like a book-keeper offering to do your business accounts for you without any knowledge of the different tax laws for businesses compared to individuals! Furthermore, this TA has also indirectly confirmed that they have not even read Princess' policies on their 'get you to the next port' guarantees - it's right there in the wording that they will only make 'best efforts' to do it when it is legal to do so. The US is far from the only country to have Cabotage laws (controlling who can move goods and people around in their waters) - Canada, the EU, and probably almost every country with a coastline and any sort of domestic shipping industry have their own equivalents.

 

Best of luck!

Thank you! This is a lot of amazing info!

 

Question, can I take over my trip or am I stuck with this TA for the duration?

[CynCyn]

3 hours ago, Davis2010 said:

We’ve never flown at all before. This is our first.

I will be sending good vibes.  90% of the time everything will work perfectly.  Some people on here.......smh!

 

DFW has a great SkyLink to get you from one terminal to another.  Just don’t leave security- they are SLOW! I’d suggest looking at their website.  One trick- when you get off the link, look before you start walking one way of the other.  I think it had gates 1-20 of a terminal on one exit and 21-3? On the other side.  It can save you lots of time to look and choose the right one instead of following the crowd.

 

Luckily, one thing about DFW is that it has lots of flights so you will have some options if something goes wrong. I would also try to get seats as close to the front (without paying extra) as you can.  There’s nothing worse that waiting in the back for slowpokes when you are in a hurry!

 

You will love the Ruby!

 

 

Edited January 7, 2020 by CynCyn

[Davis2010]

1 minute ago, CynCyn said:

I will be sending good vibes.  90% of the time everything will work perfectly.  Some people on here.......smh!

 

DFW has a great SkyLink to get you from one terminal to another.  Just don’t leave security- they are SLOW! I’d suggest looking at their website.  One trick- when you get off the link, look before you start walking one way of the other.  I think it had gates 1-20 of a terminal on one exit and 21-3? On the other side.  It can save you lots of time to look and choose the right one instead of following the crowd.

 

Luckily, one thing about DFW is that it has lots of flights so you will have some options if something goes wrong.

 

You will love the Ruby!

 

 

Thank you for the good vibes! I’m praying all will be well!

 

[AlanF65]

3 hours ago, Davis2010 said:

I asked because this is a first for me and I had no idea what to expect. It wasn't until I recently rejoined Cruise Critic (months after booking and paying in full for everything) that I saw all of the posts about flying in the day prior. I asked because I wanted to know if anyone could offer any reassurances and that a similar situation had worked out for them. 

 

Generally you can cancel up to 90 days out even if you have paid you haven't passed final payment DUE date.

 

Start tracking your flight an make sure the airline has your cell and email, there are lots of flight reshuffling because of the 737 MAX and a reshuffle could affect one of your legs of travel.

 

Seatac has moved uber and lyft pickup so visit the west coast departures board and see whats available right out side baggage claim. 

 

Look into  some of the luggage forward programs that would send your luggage ahead so its at  the port and all you have is a carry on. I don't think you can fly into Ketchikan so if you miss boarding you would be boarding at Juneau.

 

Just prepare yourself and understand what steps to take early so if something goes astray you are ready to take action without having to learn when you should be doing something else. This should relieve your stress and help you travel. Join your roll call and check in on the status of your flights to make sure you are  aware of any changes the airline makes.

 

Have fun on your cruise!

Edit:

If you are going to Skagway and going on the train or bus to Carcross  or emerald lake you will need a passport. You might want to look at getting TSA precheck to make sure you don't get hung up in lines at security in the airport.

 

 

 

 

Edited January 7, 2020 by AlanF65

[martincath]

54 minutes ago, Davis2010 said:

Thank you! This is a lot of amazing info!

 

Question, can I take over my trip or am I stuck with this TA for the duration?

You're welcome. Others on the boards are more familiar than I am with the vagaries of transferring bookings to/from TAs/cruiseline representatives/direct bookings - as a Canadian we don't use a US TA, just our local 'big box' store to maximise kickbacks - so I'll leave it to those with experience of doing so in your retail/legal environment to answer. Unfortunately since nobody here is allowed to recommend specific TAs, nobody can suggest someone more helpful to move the booking to - but given how 'helpful' your current TA has been so far, you couldn't do a worse job yourself unless you really tried 😉

[Coral]

5 hours ago, Davis2010 said:

Thank you! I’ve never flown and had no idea what to expect. We were truly going off our TAs recommendations. 

On my first cruise in the late 90's, my TA did the same thing. We were exhausted after arriving in San Juan and barely making the ship. Looking back, I can't believe she didn't recommend flying in early. So she is not the only TA to not mention this.

[Firepath]

We are flying in to Seattle for our Alaska cruise same day, but we only have a one hour flight. We do fly to Florida and back frequently (2-4 times/year) and have never been delayed but there's always a first. Alaska Airlines and Southwest both have flights leaving FL in the late afternoon/early evening that will get you to Seattle before midnight if you want to fly the night before.

[Davis2010]

1 hour ago, AlanF65 said:

You might want to look at getting TSA precheck to make sure you don't get hung up in lines at security in the airport.

What is TSA precheck?

[Tapi]

OP:

 

Congratulations on your 10th wedding anniversary! 
 

I’m an Airline Pilot, and I wanted to chime in. Personally, I would never fly on the day of the cruise, specially with a connection. I know firsthand the long list of things that could possibly delay you. But with that said, if you have no choice but to fly on the morning of the cruise, relax. Percentage wise, odds are in your favor that your flight will be on-time. Airlines do the best they can to launch first flights of the day on time because it sets the tone for the rest of the day. A delayed first flight of the day has terrible cascading effects. 
 

But things do happen once in a while. It doesn’t have to be a major maintenance issue, or a massive thunderstorm, or the apocalypse. It can be the absolute dumbest thing (for example recently, the evening crew left the airplane’s battery switch on overnight and I arrived in the morning to an airplane with a dead battery 😒 which delayed us an hour). Once again, delays are the exception, but they do happen.

 

One of my most memorable stories is about a family flying to Seattle on the day of the cruise with a stop in Minneapolis. Some family members with mobility issues were stuck at the security checkpoint, but one family member made it to the gate and begged to hold the flight because they were going on a cruise that afternoon. I decided to hold the flight against the gate agent’s wishes because I knew that this family would never catch up with their cruise if we left without them. When all the family members finally arrived, I made them stand in the jetway, with their right hand up, and swear to NEVER fly on the day of the cruise ever again! 😂

 

 Whatever you ultimately decide to do with your flights, I wish you a great cruise. Alaska is truly fascinating. One of my favorite cruise destinations for sure. 

Edited January 8, 2020 by Tapi

[AlanF65]

12 minutes ago, Davis2010 said:

What is TSA precheck?

You get you identity verified and pay $85 every 5 years and you go through the security lines at the airport without taking off your shoes and  turning all you electronics on. Global entry is $100 and includes TSA precheck for US customs when you come back, but its about 6 months to get your application approved right now and then you have to schedule your interview.

 

 

https://www.tsa.gov/travel/frequently-asked-questions/how-do-i-apply-tsa-precheck

 

[mskaufman]

Let's start getting you pumped for your cruise.  Here are some pictures from our Alaska cruise.

 

https://markandkarenalaska2011.shutterfly.com/pictures

 

 

[Coral]

18 minutes ago, Tapi said:

 

But things do happen once in a while. It doesn’t have to be a major maintenance issue, or a massive thunderstorm, or the apocalypse. It can be the absolute dumbest thing (for example recently, the evening crew left the airplane’s battery switch on overnight and I arrived in the morning to an airplane with a dead battery 😒 which delayed us an hour). Once again, delays are the exception, but they do happen.

I take it you are not a pilot on a regional jet? Those regional jets are always late! And they get the worst gate assignments..... :)

[Ferry_Watcher]

This also the time to start planning your shore excursions.  Whale watching, train ride in Skagway (with your passport), maybe a float plane ride...

[Tapi]

3 minutes ago, Coral said:

I take it you are not a pilot on a regional jet? Those regional jets are always late! And they get the worst gate assignments..... 🙂

 I’m with a major. Regional airlines are expected to have a certain completion and on-time performance in order to maintain their contracts with the major airlines that they serve, but from my previous life working for a regional, I do remember more snafus and delays when I used to fly for them. Many times they don’t have the same resources or manpower that majors do, and they may also schedule their crews with less rest (although legal) meaning that any delays the night before would cause a delay in the morning in order to accommodate legal rest. 
 

So yes, I tend to be a bit more skeptical when I see someone with a regional flight from a small town airport where resources are even more limited. I know that these factors increase the chances of a delay.