HELP! Laguardia @ 1:58 ship sails @ 5

[flighttekchris]

we bought our air throgh Princess, and they have us on a flight from ICT(Wichita) to ATL to Laguardia arriving at 1:50 the ship sails at 5, Do you think this will work? or should i have them change the flight? the cruise line tells me the latest arrival they allow is 2PM, and this is cutting it WAY to close

[bobnatt]

No way, no how keep that flight unless Princess guarantees, in writing, that no matter how late your plane arrives at LGA they will hold the ship until you arrive from the airport. Delays, especially into LGA, are a fact of life these days and if the delay is one hour or more you will probably not get to the pier before 5PM given getting your luggage and traffic into Manhattan. Even if everything works out ok you will be nervous all day about whether you will make the cruise. Not exactly how you want to start your vacation.

[flighttekchris]

No way, no how keep that flight unless Princess guarantees, in writing, that no matter how late your plane arrives at LGA they will hold the ship until you arrive from the airport. Delays, especially into LGA, are a fact of life these days and if the delay is one hour or more you will probably not get to the pier before 5PM given getting your luggage and traffic into Manhattan. Even if everything works out ok you will be nervous all day about whether you will make the cruise. Not exactly how you want to start your vacation.

 

thanks for the reply Bob, can you tell me how long it takes to get from LGA to the Pier?

[Keith1010]

You should plan on it taking about one hour. It could be less or it could be more. It depends on traffic.

 

Your flight is way out of the question. Personally, I never recommend flyingin the day of the cruise because should your flight be delayed or canceled which are all common occurences you can miss the ship but the one they put you on is very bad.

 

I would consider flying in the day before but if that is not possible you need a flight that gets you there in the morning.

 

Keith

[wrp96]

With the boarding restrictions that require you to be checked in and onboard the ship no later than 1 hour before departure, they've only left you 2 hours to land, get baggage, get to the pier, and get checked in. No way would I be comfortable with those flights. Unfortunately since they are "within their guidelines" even if their guidelines are absurd, to get a different flight you'll probably have to pay for a flight deviation. But since your first ports isn't until 4 days later (if I'm reading your signature correctly), it will be absolutely worth it to pay for a deviation or pay to cancel the cruise air and book on your own.

 

If you can't fly in a day in advance, see what it would cost to get put on the Northwest flight that departs ICT 6:05am, connects in Memphis, and lands at LGA at 12:12pm. That's the only flight that I see that Princess could switch you to. (Note it's also available for booking through Delta).

 

If you can cancel the cruise air, AirTran has a flight that leaves ICT at 6am connecting in Atlanta to a flight that lands at LGA at 12:37pm.

[bobnatt]

thanks for the reply Bob, can you tell me how long it takes to get from LGA to the Pier?

 

Depending on traffic anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour.

[monicajay]

It might work, it might not. Are you O.K. with that?

[monn_a]

Typically if you book through the airline, they'll wait. I was on a cruise last week and we sailed 1.5 hours late waiting on cruisers to arrive....verify it with the airline though...good luck....

[greatam]

Typically if you book through the airline, they'll wait. I was on a cruise last week and we sailed 1.5 hours late waiting on cruisers to arrive....verify it with the airline though...good luck....

 

Sorry, but the airline has absolutely NOTHING to do with the cruise. And please don't count on the ship waiting for you. They MAY wait, if there is a large enough number to justify waiting. But if it is only a few, they will sail.

 

GET THE FLIGHT CHANGED (which may be a REAL hassle with cruise air). Your chances of making the ship are less than 30%. ONE little glitch and the ship sails without you. PLEASE make sure you have VERY good, INDEPENDENT travel insurance.

[timster2]

I have lived in and worked for the City for over thirty years. That said there is no way you will make the ship within one hour unless you get a helicopter to the ship. It will take you about half an hour to get out of the plane pick up your baggage and get to the taxi stand. Then you have to deal with getting to the west side ship terminals, which takes the better part of an hour. Any delay along the way and you get to visit Manhattan instead of cruising.

[Love the beach]

I have lived in and worked for the City for over thirty years. That said there is no way you will make the ship within one hour unless you get a helicopter to the ship. It will take you about half an hour to get out of the plane pick up your baggage and get to the taxi stand. Then you have to deal with getting to the west side ship terminals, which takes the better part of an hour. Any delay along the way and you get to visit Manhattan instead of cruising.

 

Absolutely right! Try to get an earlier(or better yet-- day before--)flight!

[smeyer418]

You have to be ON BOARD 1 hour or more before the ship leaves. the ship must raise the gangway and transmit to Homeland Security the final manifest 1 hour before it sails. Most cruise lines tell you to there no later than 2 hours before to check in and be on Board. It will take you an hour to get your luggage and that makes it three already....Most of the old rules are pre-this last change...

[flighttekchris]

WOW!! thanks for all the advise! i have had our air changed to saturday (the day before), now i need a hotel around Laguardia, any suggestions? nothing expensive as we dont plan on doing anything but sleep and off to the ship.