How far would you drive to get to your port on departure day !!

[Doug R.]

We drove to Bayonne for a cruise on RCL about 2 hours from here. Our upcoming cruise from Port Everglades is 1,191 miles away and would be driven if weather looks like it will play havoc with air traffic.

[Underwatr]

Just to clarify, the OP is asking about driving to the port on departure day, right?

 

I wouldn't rule out driving from PA to Fort Lauderdale if airfares were out of whack, but I'd take 2 or 3 days to do so.

[evandbob]

When we lived in Westchester Cty, NY, I drove about 1 hour to local airports (JFK or LGA) and then flew into MIA or FLL the morning of the cruise about 40 times.  

 

Now that we live in Ft. Myers FL, we have driven the 2 hours to either TAM or FLL or 2 and 1/3 hours to MIA the morning of  the cruise.  When we left from Port Canaveral for a TA, we did the 4 hour drive the day before.

[MandyMooToo]

We live in Tennessee and typically drive to PC or FLL to cruise which means 8-10 hours or about 12 hours.  We cruise out of Miami in March and decided to fly in due to the extra drive time, even though it wouldn't add that much more time.  And of course we are flying in the day before, just like we drive in the day before.

[jocap]

6+ hours to Southampton, not including rest stops, so we go by train- 3 changes, so it takes even longer but it less stressful. Always stay over.

Our TA offers some cruises from the nearer port of Newcastle, including door to ship transport, so we've started going from there, but we're limited to Northern Europe on those ships.

The ship's coaches leave from a city 2 hours away, so we rarely use them, but they are our favourite way to Southampton- as Babs says, the ship waits for them.

 

[grandmarnnurse]

We’ve heard a lot of reply’s on here about how far people would drive to a port, but I think the real question being asked is, “how far are you willing to drive to your port on embarkation day.” Heck, most people may drive from the North to a southern port over a few days, or fly in one day ahead, but the real question is driving into port on day of embarkation. I am driving 4 hours that day, and I’m highly nervous about it, but my hubby is reluctant to change his plans. So, I will deal with it (the anxiety) by leaving our rental at 5am, and praying that leaving that early on a Sunday will not be a problem. But I’ll admit, I’m stressed. Not a way to start my 50th Anniversary cruise. 😬

[evandbob]

1 hour ago, grandmarnnurse said:

We’ve heard a lot of reply’s on here about how far people would drive to a port, but I think the real question being asked is, “how far are you willing to drive to your port on embarkation day.” Heck, most people may drive from the North to a southern port over a few days, or fly in one day ahead, but the real question is driving into port on day of embarkation. I am driving 4 hours that day, and I’m highly nervous about it, but my hubby is reluctant to change his plans. So, I will deal with it (the anxiety) by leaving our rental at 5am, and praying that leaving that early on a Sunday will not be a problem. But I’ll admit, I’m stressed. Not a way to start my 50th Anniversary cruise. 😬

 

Happy 50th, and I'll assume you're not driving from Buffalo since a 4 hr drive doesn't get you to any ocean cruiseport??

 

As I said in my 1st reply, I'll drive up to 2 or 2 and 1/2 hrs in Florida to get to a port but not the 4 hours to Orlando to get a shuttle and certainly not the 5 hours to Canaveral.  Good luck getting your ever loving hubby on board with a saner plan.

Edited January 13, 2020 by evandbob

[TravelinGert]

We have only driven in to one cruise and that time we did a tour of Stonehenge and Bath on the way to Southampton from London the day before our cruise.

 

My husband did fly us in once on the day of our cruise. We were the first flight out the morning of the cruise meaning we had to be up a 3 hours before the first crack of dawn to drive to the airport as husband refused to even stay at hotel or with friends or family closer to the airport. I couldn't sleep the night before from worry nor was I able to shut my eyes on the drive down to the airport or the flight, so by the time we boarded our cruise I had been awake about 30 hours. I didn't feel myself until halfway through the cruise and it was a great waste. To save the price of one night in a hotel which would have been perhaps $120 we wasted half the price of a cruise. Not much of a bargain by any means.

 

We are trying a cruise out of Galveston in the fall. We will drive the approximately 5.5 hours down early the previous day and stay in a hotel not far from the port overnight.

[herbanrenewal]

I live about 2.5 hours from Baltimore, but i drive up the day before and stay in a hotel that will let me park my car for the cruise and provide shuttle to and from the port. For a longer cruise it may cost less to stay in the hotel for the night than the cost of parking for the duration of the cruise, But the main advantage is an easy start to our cruise. 

[HerbertandB]

I'm at 30 - 45 minutes.  We would never drive to port; it's too far and I don't like to drive or ride more than 5 hours.  Fly in the day before so hotel to cruise terminal is as far as I would go.

[bonsai3s]

4 hours south...or it could be more depending on traffic...405 to San Pedro.......or 4 hours north....or it could be more depends on traffic.....101 to SF.

[Cruzaholic41]

How far?  None. A friend/neighbor gives us a ride down MacArthur Causeway. Done. 😜

[cruznjan]

We drove 4 hours from Greensboro to Charleston.

[grandmarnnurse]

12 hours ago, evandbob said:

 

Happy 50th, and I'll assume you're not driving from Buffalo since a 4 hr drive doesn't get you to any ocean cruiseport??

 

As I said in my 1st reply, I'll drive up to 2 or 2 and 1/2 hrs in Florida to get to a port but not the 4 hours to Orlando to get a shuttle and certainly not the 5 hours to Canaveral.  Good luck getting your ever loving hubby on board with a saner plan.

We will be in Florida, about a half hour away from Daytona at a rental. When I rented it, as per his suggestion, I always assumed we would be driving down the day before, but he refuses, as the rental price was far cheaper than a hotel near Ft Lauderdale. And, no, he will not change his mind. 

[Warm Breezes]

On 1/11/2020 at 12:21 PM, Garf said:

Like to get feed back !! I live in Orlando Fl, so it's an easy 50 mins to Port Canaveral.I usually get to the port very early on my departure day. If I had to travel for more that 3 hours, I would stay at a hotel near by, the cruise port the day before departure..

We have driven anywhere from 14 hours (NY) to 26 hours (Miami) for cruises.  We have flown just as often as we have driven.  We always make sure to have a hotel room within 30 miles of the port the night before whether we fly or drive.

[pacruise804]

On 1/11/2020 at 9:55 PM, clo said:

As a side question, if you drive in do you have a free place to park your car?

 

Our next cruise is from NYC and we will stay the night before at Hampton Ridgefield.  Included in the stay is 10 days parking and shuttle to and from the port, but the package charge is more than just a night at the hotel so not technically free (although cheaper than parking at the terminal).

 

We are about 3-3.5 hours drive time from NYC/Red Hook/Bayonne or Baltimore.  In the past we always drove to the ports except one late February cruise in Baltimore where we did book a park & cruise package, which was only slightly more than parking at the port and gave peace of mind in the winter.

 

OP - we base our time on an early arrival and figure the final boarding time gives us enough buffer.  We are typically early risers, so it isn't an issue to leave the house by 7:00 and most of those ports don't start taking people before 10:30.

 

22 hours ago, grandmarnnurse said:

We’ve heard a lot of reply’s on here about how far people would drive to a port, but I think the real question being asked is, “how far are you willing to drive to your port on embarkation day.” Heck, most people may drive from the North to a southern port over a few days, or fly in one day ahead, but the real question is driving into port on day of embarkation. I am driving 4 hours that day, and I’m highly nervous about it, but my hubby is reluctant to change his plans. So, I will deal with it (the anxiety) by leaving our rental at 5am, and praying that leaving that early on a Sunday will not be a problem. But I’ll admit, I’m stressed. Not a way to start my 50th Anniversary cruise. 😬

Happy Anniversary ❤️ Ultimately one of you will need to budge, and after 50 years you likely know which one of you that will be.  Either way, try not to stress.  Leaving at 5am should get you to the port by 10am even allowing for a gas and potty break, what time is final boarding on your cruise documents?  I would be surprised if it is before 2:00, which still gives you an extra 4 hours.  You can't anticipate every scenario - even if you stay close to port the night before something could happen that would delay your arrival.  Extremely unlikely, but not much more unlikely than a 4+ hour delay during your drive.  My advice is to have good trip insurance for your peace of mind and let your husband win this battle.  Either way you are still together and this way only one of you is likely to be stressed.

[grandmarnnurse]

1 hour ago, pacruise804 said:

 

Our next cruise is from NYC and we will stay the night before at Hampton Ridgefield.  Included in the stay is 10 days parking and shuttle to and from the port, but the package charge is more than just a night at the hotel so not technically free (although cheaper than parking at the terminal).

 

We are about 3-3.5 hours drive time from NYC/Red Hook/Bayonne or Baltimore.  In the past we always drove to the ports except one late February cruise in Baltimore where we did book a park & cruise package, which was only slightly more than parking at the port and gave peace of mind in the winter.

 

OP - we base our time on an early arrival and figure the final boarding time gives us enough buffer.  We are typically early risers, so it isn't an issue to leave the house by 7:00 and most of those ports don't start taking people before 10:30.

 

Happy Anniversary ❤️ Ultimately one of you will need to budge, and after 50 years you likely know which one of you that will be.  Either way, try not to stress.  Leaving at 5am should get you to the port by 10am even allowing for a gas and potty break, what time is final boarding on your cruise documents?  I would be surprised if it is before 2:00, which still gives you an extra 4 hours.  You can't anticipate every scenario - even if you stay close to port the night before something could happen that would delay your arrival.  Extremely unlikely, but not much more unlikely than a 4+ hour delay during your drive.  My advice is to have good trip insurance for your peace of mind and let your husband win this battle.  Either way you are still together and this way only one of you is likely to be stressed.

Thank you. That did help relieve my anxiety a bit. Final boarding is 2pm. Not to mention, the cruise before ours is a Joyner Charter, and they’ve been known to hold things up by debarking very slowly. But you are right, you don’t get to 50 years without conceding some battles, and as in most older traditional marriages, the hubby is the boss and always wins. But thanks so much for the reassurance. 😎

[Aplmac]

We often board at Bridgetown Barbados

- mainly because we live on the other side of the city from where the Port is.

 

Takes us 10 mins. to get there -15 if traffic is complicated...

Don't you hate that?

 

[Cruise4Twos]

Two hours at the most. Leave no later than 7 am. With parking fees since we do long cruises, we like to take public/group transportation.  Boscov's travel in our area has a cruise + transportation deal with the local ports (Baltimore, NJ, Philly, NY). I'm fine with being driven 4 hours to a port that morning. Amtrak is the most relaxing for me but I will take a bus if the deal is right. If your city has parking fees at the station, typically the next town a few miles over has free parking. Since most cruises depart from ports other than what's local, we take the train to a big city in order to catch the flight unless we get lucky on a flight deal from the local airport.

[lynncarol]

Longest drive on the day of the cruise was 4 1/2 hours to Baltimore. That is an easy port to access with lots of parking available onsite.

[Wayfairers]

We’ve driven from Tennessee to San Diego and to Vancouver in the past.  The drive to the departure port city is part of the overall trip.  We always arrive in the part city at least the day before we sail.  Sometimes a week before, it varies.  No place is too far to drive.  

 

For our trip this spring/summer we will drive NW Florida to Fort Lauderdale (Driving 7 hours one day 3.5 hours the following day, sail to Europe the day after arriving in Fort Lauderdale, spend a few months in Europe, sail back into Boston then probably drive back to NW Florida from Boston taking a route we haven’t driven in the past.

[cruiserking]

From Manhattan it's a 15-minute drive to the west side cruise terminal, a 25-minute drive to the Brooklyn terminal and about a 25-minute drive to Cape Liberty, NJ. 

 

We love cruising out of the New York/New Jersey area it's very convenient. 

 

Jonathan

[soozles]

About 40 minutes to the manhattan terminal and maybe a bit less to Bayonne. Haven’t even considered driving anywhere else. The only other ports I’d consider driving to would be Boston or Baltimore, but it’s basically the same itinerary that leaves from NY so it never seems worth it. 

[ducklite]

We live in Orlando and would drive to pretty much any Florida port that day--although if we were going to one other than PC or Tampa we'd leave with a long cushion and then just stop and get a nice breakfast if we arrived early.  Depending on many circumstances I might drive the night before to West Palm and stay in a hotel I like that is there.

[electro]

On 1/14/2020 at 7:36 AM, grandmarnnurse said:

We will be in Florida, about a half hour away from Daytona at a rental. When I rented it, as per his suggestion, I always assumed we would be driving down the day before, but he refuses, as the rental price was far cheaper than a hotel near Ft Lauderdale. And, no, he will not change his mind. 

If I were you I would rent a car and drive myself the night before. Why should you have to be stressed out because of your DH's choices?

Edited January 26, 2020 by electro