Flight Time Question Brooklyn/Newark

[Ken_W]

I'm attempting to use airline miles to get back to San Francisco from Brooklyn next year after a crossing, but is a flight scheduled to depart Newark at 11:45AM too early these days? (There are reward seats available at 11:45AM and 3:45PM).

 

I'd like to use Cunard's transfer via motorcoach (bus!) service, and it seems to me the old (and possible still valid) conventional wisdom was never book a flight before 11AM, but is 11:45AM cutting it close? I've been told by an ex-New Yorker that, from Red Hook, it's a simple matter to cross the bridge, traverse Long Island (Lawn Guyland is what he actually said, I've translated it myself) and be at the airport in plenty of time, but thought I'd ask if anyone has experienced the situation in real-time. Won't be in a Grill Class, so no priority dismebarkation here. Thanks!

[Betsy's Mom]

If you can handle your luggage yourself you can go off at any time. You get a blue card from the Purser's desk during your crossing and keep your bags in your cabin. You would need to have a car service to Newark however. The Cunard tranfers wait until the buses are full before they leave the pier and you are cutting it too close IMO.

B.

[lannp]

I speak from experience. You wait until the bus is full or they have accounted for the number of passengers they are expecting on Cunard trasnfers. We sat on the bus for a full 1 hr. before departing for the airport.

[Ken_W]

Thanks for the responses, I thought that might be the case. Unfortunately self-disembaking won't be an option this trip. In the past, arrival lin NY meant a couple of days with relatives in NJ before heading on home, so disembarkation time wasn't critical. I did use a coach tranfer earrlier this year, and somehow go to the airport around 10AM, but I figured that was a fluke that I shouldn't count on happening again. And yes, my flight was at 3:45PM. It was a loooong airport day....

[gbc]

On our TA crossing, there were 2 German couples who didn't show up for immigration and disembarkation was delayed at least an hour. I would book the later flight and if you get to the airport early enough, go to the ticket counter to check your luggage and see if you can get on the earlier flight as a stand by.