Another reason for coming in a day ahead for a cruise.

Today in San Diego, the was a man with a rifle shooting near San Diego Airport. All flights were diverted to another airport. There was at least one couple trying to catch a cruise that left without them. The problem is the next port of call is Sunday!

It's ALWAYS a good thing to arrive a day prior, whenever possible. However, it's not always an option for everyone!

Today in San Diego, the was a man with a rifle shooting near San Diego Airport. All flights were diverted to another airport. There was at least one couple trying to catch a cruise that left without them. The problem is the next port of call is Sunday!

If the next port of call is in Hawaii . They won't be able to join the cruise due to US Law (PVSA or Jones Act).

We always fly in at least one day prior to the cruise.

So many things can go wrong.

Keith

If the next port of call is in Hawaii . They won't be able to join the cruise due to US Law (PVSA or Jones Act).

We always fly in 2 or 3 days early to the embarkation port.

Even when I only have a 4 hour drive to the port, I go a day early. One reck on I95 and you could miss the ship.

Don

I've done both. Sometimes life doesn't allow people to arrive a day early for a cruise.

I wonder what the actual numbers are for the odds of missing a cruise for the same-dayers? 10%, 5%, 1%?

This reported today from a friend's relative:

scheduled a 6:15 flight from Texas to Ft. Lauderdale to board a ship to go through the Panama Canal. Mechanical issue, delayed flight while Delta flies the part from Atlanta. Waiting on Celebrity to make arrangements to get us to the first stop. Will miss TWO sea days.

Today in San Diego, the was a man with a rifle shooting near San Diego Airport. All flights were diverted to another airport.

I was thinking about this when I heard it on the news. Peace of mind is well worth the cost of a night (or two) in a hotel to me.

It's ALWAYS a good thing to arrive a day prior, whenever possible. However, it's not always an option for everyone!

Agree....Why is it that most on this board can't ever understand this fact of life, that some don't always have the option of arriving other than the day of cruise.

Yes, we get it. But some people seem to believe these things only happen to others. No one says it is a requirement to arrive in port city a day or two early. But it is certainly something to consider when planning a cruise.

Yes, we get it. But some people seem to believe these things only happen to others. No one says it is a requirement to arrive in port city a day or two early. But it is certainly something to consider when planning a cruise.

Yep, it is just like insurance. Some people think they won't need it - until something happens and they suffer the consequences needlessly. If a person can plan to take time off for a cruise, you would think they could also plan an extra day to get there early to give them that small level of insurance. I suspect that the majority who don't take that extra day do it because they don't want to waste a vacation day.

Agree....Why is it that most on this board can't ever understand this fact of life, that some don't always have the option of arriving other than the day of cruise.

Perhaps this should be a major consideration when booking the cruise.

Hank

Vacations tend to be rare for us (this might change now that we're retired) so missing even one day of a cruise is not acceptable to us. And having to try to catch the ship in the next port means a lot of hassle. If we couldn't pad in the advance travel day (other than for cruises out of our home port, which is an hour's drive), we would wait until we have the time.

Right now, we're in a holding pattern for a road trip, waiting for a trial we're involved in to be scheduled. It might mean a long day of driving or being able to break it up into two days. But I want to get this detail out of the way if possible before I book our hotels. Other than weather conditions changing our route, this will be in our hands. Flights and cruises are a different matter -- not so forgiving.

Today in San Diego, the was a man with a rifle shooting near San Diego Airport. All flights were diverted to another airport. There was at least one couple trying to catch a cruise that left without them. The problem is the next port of call is Sunday!

Agree... getting on another flight these days is very hard, they are full... I am thinking we need to fly at least 2 days early on international flights just in case.

Even if you don't encounter a delay, just the sheer exhaustion is enough to ruin the first day of your cruise. Usually fly in the day before but I had no choice but to fly in the day of my last one. Of course my flight left at 6:45 AM. I was a nervous wreck the whole flight and was just beat by the time I boarded. Not worth it. I will never do that again.

Especially when flying from the US to Europe, it's good to get there a day or so ahead to adjust to the time change.

This reported today from a friend's relative:

 

scheduled a 6:15 flight from Texas to Ft. Lauderdale to board a ship to go through the Panama Canal. Mechanical issue, delayed flight while Delta flies the part from Atlanta. Waiting on Celebrity to make arrangements to get us to the first stop. Will miss TWO sea days.

Another possibility....they had discounted consolidator/bulk tickets from the cruiseline that were not endorsable over to another carrier. If they were in either Dallas or Houston, it would have been likely that they could have been moved over to AA or UA.

So, I'm left wondering what really happened.

Perhaps this should be a major consideration when booking the cruise.

 

Hank

"Major consideration" :confused:...Life happens and sometimes we have no control over when it does ;)

Perhaps this should be a major consideration when booking the cruise.

 

Hank

I agree it should be a consideration at the very least. Most of our cruises have been from Florida ports and we have flown in on the same day on occasion. If we missed the boat it would not be too much hassle (for us) or cost to catch up in the Caribbean or just skip the cruise and spend the week on a beach in Florida. We did the same last year on a Pacific coast cruise from Vancouver to L.A. We flew into Vancouver in the morning because of work commitments the day before. If we had missed it we could catch up in Seattle, or at worst we could rent a car and drive to L.A. Flying in the same day is riskier but life is full of risks. I don't go to the casino ever (on a cruise ship or on land) because I don't like the odds. On occasion I will take the risk of flying in the same day if the odds and the costs are not too bad.

I've done both. Sometimes life doesn't allow people to arrive a day early for a cruise.

I wonder what the actual numbers are for the odds of missing a cruise for the same-dayers? 10%, 5%, 1%?

When I was working, I didn't always have the option of taking an extra vacation day. Sometimes you have to fly in the day of the cruise. Thank God we never had any problems getting to the ship on time.

Even when I was working . We always scheduled our arrival a day or two early. Other than Alaska , we are days flight from any cruise port.

Even when I was working . We always scheduled our arrival a day or two early. Other than Alaska , we are days flight from any cruise port.

Good for you. But not everyone has that option.

Agree....Why is it that most on this board can't ever understand this fact of life, that some don't always have the option of arriving other than the day of cruise.

Haven't you learned by now that if you don't have enough money to fly in or drive in early OR enough time to arrive a day or two early that you just shouldn't be cruising?? :rolleyes:

For goodness sakes silly rabbit, when you learn some basic cruise etiquette, you can participate in the cruise.

Being completely facetious here by the way, just in case someone gets too bent out of shape.

I am actually one who would not pick a cruise if I could not drive or fly in the day before (or manage to be in the port EARLY on the morning of my cruise), but I know not everyone has that choice. If you want to cruise, and don't mind the calculated risk of arriving just before the cruise- that's awesome for you. I wish I were not such a worry wart about these things. It would probably save me a ton of money if I could fly in the day of and not have a nervous breakdown from the worrying. That's just me though.