If flying in the night before isn't possible...

[momofzeke]

am checking into late Friday night flights. We could leave here around 5:00 and be in Miami by 11:00, hop a cab to the hotel, get a decent night's sleep and be ready to roll in the morning. Does anyone know if it's tough to get a cab that late at night in Miami?

 

Now you're talking! That's exactly what I'd do. It would so be worth your peace of mind not to have to worry about delayed flights the day of your cruise. :)

[zqvol]

I would not be comfortable arriving any later than 8AM the day of the cruise.

 

Call me crazy but I fly around 100,000 miles per year and flights are delayed for so many reasons you don't even think about I would not chance my vacation.

 

Look at where your originating flight is coming from and the weather scenario for that time of year in that city and the type of equipment used.

 

Example; I knew I was flying out of Philly during February on US Airways so I picked a hub to hub flight on a large plane that originated in a city that would not be effected by weather. It actually worked because I was flying out of Philly the Sunday of the 18-24 inch blizzard and my flight was one of the few that flew because it was a hub to hub in a big ole stretch 767 and the originating city was Paris.

 

In other words, control all the variables you have power over.

For every flight that is delayed another one is early. I jsut got off a plane from MIA this evening. We arrived home 30 minutes early on a 2 hour and 5 minute flight.

[nimbex1970]

I disagree that fights are always taking off if one is delayed. last april Atlanta shut down for 2 hours because of thunderstorms. Many people missed cruises that flew in same day, we were the 6am out. In addition, the rare emergency landing happened to us. Sure the odds are so low... but if it happens to you.... you'll never fly in same day again.

 

we luckily had excellent insurance but had to purchase new flights off a different carrier to barely make the ship. For 10 people it was crazy.

 

So because this really does hapen, we will never fly in same day and always buy the best insurance. I can only strongly encourage you do everything possible to fly the day before. Our group could only do same day, we gambled and lost, so cancelled flights and lack of availability of other replacement ones really does happen.....Best of luck and enjoy your vacation:)

[BlueHerons]

For every flight that is delayed another one is early. I jsut got off a plane from MIA this evening. We arrived home 30 minutes early on a 2 hour and 5 minute flight.

 

If you knew anything about the airlines you would know that all flights pad their official flight time by about 20 minutes. Reason being is that as long as the flight pushes back from the gate within 20 minutes of the listed time (official take off time) the flight is still considered 'on time'.

 

So a flight could actually be 39 minutes late would be classified early. This is why the on time statistics aren't really useful.

 

For the original posters purpose, this has zero use for her.

 

You seem to have a problem with my posts in particular.

[dznymom]

For every flight that is delayed another one is early. I jsut got off a plane from MIA this evening. We arrived home 30 minutes early on a 2 hour and 5 minute flight.

 

That's really not so. Flights sometimes get in a few minutes early because of all the padding done by the airlines to the times enroute. Also, if conditions are favorable and controllers are able to give short cuts, that can cut a few minutes off a flight. Just consider a bonus when it happens.

 

The difference between getting in a few minutes early or several hours late is the difference between cruise or no cruise.

[Jeanie821]

I would call in Sick on Friday and take that flight on Friday.

 

Or, if it's feasible, leave straight from work Friday evening and have any travel companions meet you at the airport.

[dms_cruisers04]

that whenever this subject comes up suddenly every flight ever scheduled is delayed, every city everywhere has bad weather and everybody is missing their cruise? :rolleyes:

Yes, everyone is aware that flights get delayed, but do we really need all the doom & gloom when someone mentions not flying in the day before?

 

MamaP, if you don't think the night before is feasible just stick with your 6:00am flight. 3 1/2 hours to get your luggage, find your car service and get to Miami from FLL will be plenty of time.

 

Sorry guys, guess I just always view the cruise ship as half full.

 

And zqvol, you were obviously incorrect about arriving early, because although you landed 30 minutes prior to what you were ticketed, the padding the airlines do effects the space-time continuum and you were actually late. :D ;)

[dznymom]

that whenever this subject comes up suddenly every flight ever scheduled is delayed, every city everywhere has bad weather and everybody is missing their cruise? :rolleyes:

Yes, everyone is aware that flights get delayed, but do we really need all the doom & gloom when someone mentions not flying in the day before?

 

MamaP, if you don't think the night before is feasible just stick with your 6:00am flight. 3 1/2 hours to get your luggage, find your car service and get to Miami from FLL will be plenty of time.

 

Sorry guys, guess I just always view the cruise ship as half full.

 

And zqvol, you were obviously incorrect about arriving early, because although you landed 30 minutes prior to what you were ticketed, the padding the airlines do effects the space-time continuum and you were actually late. :D ;)

 

You're right Mike. My apologies for sharing my knowledge. But isn't the whole point of this NOT TO SEE THE CRUISE SHIP HALF FULL as it pulls out of port? ;)

 

Seriously, if any of this gloom & doom keeps someone from missing their ship because they choose to fly in a day early due to a clearer understanding of the system, that's a good thing.

 

And just to clarify, of course zqvol got in early. But to say that for every flight that is late another flight is early is completely misleading.

[GBRBEB]

I haven't seen this posted so here is another suggestion. Many years ago if you booked your air through the cruise line you were guranteed not to miss the boat they would literally hold the boat if you were delayed. It may cost more because the cruise lines us a contracted rate but it may help you have peace of mind if you have to get to the pier on the same day of the cruise.

 

Maybe you should check with your cruise line or agent to see if this is feasible for you...

[dms_cruisers04]

Not knocking anybody for sharing their knowledge and opinion Chris, but it seems that sometimes in our effort to express the benefits of flying in early, when possible, that those threads rely on how bad the situation could be if the person waited until the day of the cruise.

[dznymom]

And I agree that the doom and gloom portion of this thread has been beaten to death, mostly by me :o

 

mamaparrothead, I hope some of this actually helped you! Sorry if your thread went awry, but hopefully you will end up with plans you are comfortable with!

 

GBRBEB, That is a good point about booking through the cruiseline if you do have to fly in on the day of the cruise.

[MamaParrotHead]

no big about the little spats that occur...I think it's funny that I wasn't actually directly involved in this one, LOL.

 

and I think I'm going to stick with trying to fly out Friday night, booking airfare on my own. The few quotes from air through Carnival I've gotten are so high, it would just about make it a "wash" with paying for the hotel AND missing out on the day's pay for both of us. :o

 

I know it's risky, but it honestly didn't occur to me to try to fly in later that night. Last time we flew out early the day before and had an extra day of vacation...I didn't see the "middle ground" between that and flying in the day of the sailing.

[dms_cruisers04]

Oh yeah, just put it out there and sit back and watch the fireworks hunh? :D

 

Okay, so next suggestion MamaP. If there are any other airports about the same drive time that you can fly from, don't forget to check those too. Or one that might be a bit farther, but with a better flight schedule.

[Ehpride]

If you're flying out of DSM, there seem to be several late afternoon flights.

[MouseHunter]

Deleted

[boatsmate]

If you are going to fly in on the last plane of the evening and get a hotel, make sure the hotel knows you are going to get a late check inn. most hotels will hold your res. until 6pm after that they give them away, unless you tell them you will be late. I do that all the time. normally arrive after 6pm. so I still have a room.


Good luck and enjoy your cruise

Capt Bill

[cruiser3006]

After reading all this thread it is quiet clear that most of you have no idea how airlines work.

If a flight is scheduled to arrive at a certain time and it arrives before the published time it is early. Anyone who books a flight expects it to arrive when it is scheduled.

Weather effects flights in different ways, but unless a line of storms is moving though usually flying in the morning in the spring is the time to go. Why? Any delays from the night before have had time to correct themsleves. Heat of the day thunderstorms that are common in the south have not yet built up. So unless there is a storm parked over your airport flying in the morning in the spring is the way to go. Of course you can fly in the evening in the spring and if you are heading to the southeast you should build in a lot of delay time.

We never fly in a day early and have yet to be close to missing a sailing.

[monkeyarms13]

In August (17th-20th) we are cruising and had a similar question. Flying in the day before really isn't possible, so we planned to fly to orlando airport (first flight of the morning) leaving Indianapolis at 5:55am, 1 stop in ATL, and arrive in orlando at 10:40am. The Cruise doesn't depart until 4:30 from port Canaveral. Planning to use Carnival's shuttle service and wondered what everyone's thoughts were on this.
I know the main response is "arrive a day early" but some ppl, such as myself, do not have the leisure of doing this. I figure arriving at 10:40am, would give us enough room for error. Let me know what you guys think! Our only other option would be to take the last flight out on the 16th and arrive in orlando at 12:22am, but I really don't know what we'd do until 10:30am (the time the shuttle service starts)

[dznymom]

[quote name='monkeyarms13']In August (17th-20th) we are cruising and had a similar question. Flying in the day before really isn't possible, so we planned to fly to orlando airport (first flight of the morning) leaving Indianapolis at 5:55am, 1 stop in ATL, and arrive in orlando at 10:40am. The Cruise doesn't depart until 4:30 from port Canaveral. Planning to use Carnival's shuttle service and wondered what everyone's thoughts were on this.
I know the main response is "arrive a day early" but some ppl, such as myself, do not have the leisure of doing this. I figure arriving at 10:40am, would give us enough room for error. Let me know what you guys think! Our only other option would be to take the last flight out on the 16th and arrive in orlando at 12:22am, but I really don't know what we'd do until 10:30am (the time the shuttle service starts)[/QUOTE]

You will probably be fine with an arrival that early.

I am a chicken though, so we usually take the late flight in and stay in an Orlando airport area hotel. Most have free shuttles and will pick you up at the airport and bring you back in the morning to pick up the Carnival bus. There are quite a number of decent hotels to choose from, and I have had very good luck using Priceline in that area. If you want to splurge, the Hyatt is actually in the airport and gets consistently good reviews.

[dms_cruisers04]

Coming in the night before you'd want to get a hotel room. You really don't want to try and wait it out at the airport for 8-10 hours.
Either way you could rent a car, if you didn't want to wait on the Carnival shuttle (you will have to wait til the bus is relatively full before it will leave the airport). It's about a 45 min ride to Port Canaveral and most all rental agencies have drop locations at PC.

[monkeyarms13]

I forgot about the Hyatt being in the airport! I remember it now.. we landed at orlando airport for a Disney cruise last april.


THANKS FOR THE SUGGESTIONS SO FAR!!