Fly in night before??? Really?

[dougp26364]

First time cruiser here... these boards are awesome! The reviews get me soooo psyched for our first cruise!!! We are soo excited to have booked our cruise in November out of Galveston. We live in Arizona and it's only a two hour flight. Do you really think we need to fly out the day before? Leaving three kids at home, so babysitting is hard to come by.

 

I appreciate any input!

 

I think if I were in your situation, I'd book the airfare through the cruiseline. Airlines are SO unreliable (if you have time to spare, go by air) that I just don't trust them. Weather (at home, the arrival city or anything in between), mechanical issues or any other thing under the sun can take a flight that should have given you plenty of time and turn it into a nail biter.

 

Direct non-stop flights are usually the least risky. Especially if you book the first flight out in the morning (plane usually arrived at the airport the night before) but things can still happen.

 

If you book your air through the cruiseline, you at least have a few guarentee's that booking on your own won't afford you.

 

#1 They'll hold the departure of the ship a little while if they know your flight is getting in close to the ships departure time.

 

#2 If your flight is delayed so long the ship has to leave port, RCI's travel dept. should be making arrangements for a hotel for you and a flight to catch you up to the ship at it's first port of call without you having to shell out money from your pocket and HOPE the insurance (if you bought insurance) reimburses you.

 

I've seen cruise/air work when things went wrong and those passengers had a less stressful time of it than did those of us who were cruise only.

[zantedeschia]

Chances are since you are flying out of Arizonia,to Tex.That you wont have to deal with weather delays...

Ha.

 

They have a saying here in Texas that goes: if you don't like the weather, wait 5 minutes and it'll change.

 

Or as I like to say: "Texas has Weather."

 

Best I think I heard was from a New Mexican that blithely stated: Texas is the only place where you can be up to your ass in mud and have dust blowing your eye.

[Rala]

Hey Zantedeschia, I thought that was a New England saying!! I've heard it here since I was a little girl (about a hundred years ago). Holds true here, but it is probably more like a blizzard burying you or a hurricane blowing you away!!! LOL

[Nliedel]

I have four kids so I know where you are coming from and you are close, as the crow flies. If you go the day of then get the first flight out in the morning on an airline with multiple flights throughout the day and watch the weather like a hawk. If it looks at all dicey drive down the day before.