My flight arrives the same day my cruise leaves

I am going on my very first cruise. The ship leaves at 4 pm on 4/26 out of FLL. My Jetblue flight leaves on 4/25 at 9:30 pm out of LAS and arrives in FLL at 5 AM on 4/26. I've flown them before and had no issues. Do you think this was a good flight to pick?

Hi Lucy,

It all depends if you can go without sleep from getting up on the day of your flight until after muster drill on the ship. You may be able to get a few hours on the plane but to me it will be a very long day.

Pete

Enforcer,

My plan was to book a hotel for the night of 4/25 so we can check in right away and get a few hours sleep and pay for a late check out if its available. It will be a very long day though I agree. How long does a drill usually last?

Enforcer,

 

My plan was to book a hotel for the night of 4/25 so we can check in right away and get a few hours sleep and pay for a late check out if its available. It will be a very long day though I agree. How long does a drill usually last?

Arriving that morning will clearly give you plenty of time to board the ship. Just a few things to note regarding the first day. Most ships start boarding around 11:00 or so in the morning. Lunch will be served usually starting around 11:30. Stateroom availability will vary by cruise line but typically they are not available until sometime in the early afternoon. Luggage will be delivered anytime that afternoon into early evening. Make sure you carry all important documents, money, jewelry, medications, and anything else you would need with you on board prior to your luggage arrival in a carry on.

All US based ships typically have to have you on board by 90 minutes prior to sailing so that a final manifest can be provided to US Customs and Immigration at that time. In your case that would be 2:30. If you were to arrive after that you could / would be denied boarding unless the reason (typically) was related to a flight delay on a flight arranged through the airlines.

Muster is a US Coast Guard drill mandatory for all passengers regardless of cruising experience and usually takes place about 30 - 45 minutes prior to sailing. Depending on the cooperation of the passengers in getting to their muster stations without delay, it usually only lasts about 15-20 minutes. But staterooms are checked for any lingering passengers which can delay the process.

Enjoy your first cruise - it likely will not be your last!

I would arrive the day before.

Why start a cruise out of sorts and you just never know the implications should your flight be cancelled.

Things happen.

Keith

If at all possible, arrive the day before you cruise. This gives you a little buffer in case of unexpected delays. Many people fly in the day of the cruise and have no problems, but there's always the chance. We used to fly in the day of until we were going on an Alaska cruise and needed to fly from Portland, Oregon to Vancouver, BC. Short flight. We were on the first flight in the morning and had a mechanical delay. Our flight was delayed so many times that we landed in Vancouver an hour before scheduled sail away! It was a mad taxi ride to the pier and they basically rolled up the gangway behind us! We could have so easily missed the ship! This was for a very short flight that was supposed to land at about 9:00 in the morning. Since then, we fly in at least a day early--the peace of mind is priceless, plus we get to start vacation a day earlier. :D

Flight sounds fine to me.

It should be fine...not everyone can (or wants to) go a day early and book hotel...eat a meal out, etc...

It's not what I'd do, but you should be fine.

Check wha time baggage drop off opens, most ports about 8:00-9:00 in my experience (often earlier) get rid of your bags, have a look around then check in as early as possible. If you an be on by say midday, you can grab a couple of hours kip before muster.

You don't say which cruise line you are sailing on. If it is Carnival, get the FTTF so that you can get on and get into your room right away. Then you can take a little nap before the safety briefing.

I would take the next earlier flight, saving the Red Eye as a backup.

@lucy

We have done this (redeye from LAX) and the worst thing about it was killing time at the airport because the cruiseline (NCL) had PHONED us saying not to arrive before something like 11 or maybe it was 1pm! (I think they just didn't want to feed us!)

Being sorta newbies at the time, we tried our best to delay our transfer, walking up and down FLL (we did not take a room) -- when we finally could kill no more time, we taxi'd to the terminal to find there was no reason for us to have delayed!

However, since you plan to get a room anyway, is there no SLIGHTLY earlier flight that would let you get even more hours of sleep in it? I'm guessing someone on the trip needs to work the day before...

A redeye usually has a later flight to fill in as a fallback if that flight is cancelled. But zoncom's point is well taken.

TL: DR -- You should be fine. We have flown to FLL on a redeye. But look harder for something that will not be so hard on your body and brain!

What's your Back up plan if your flight is cancelled? Is there another flight that will get you there no later than 1pm???

I am going on my very first cruise. The ship leaves at 4 pm on 4/26 out of FLL. My Jetblue flight leaves on 4/25 at 9:30 pm out of LAS and arrives in FLL at 5 AM on 4/26. I've flown them before and had no issues. Do you think this was a good flight to pick?

You are going to have to find some way of amusing yourself for about seven hours after having very little sleep. But other than that, I don't see any real issues with your choice of flights.

Pick a closeby hotel to the airport. Don't unpack anything.

Lay down and sleep for 5 or 6 hours. Get to cruise terminal for noon or 1pm.

On board, drop off your carry-ons in your cabin, grab lunch at the buffet, check out the ship, muster drill.

Start vacation!!!

Looks like a decent plan to me. Hopefully you will not have any delays.

I am going on my very first cruise. The ship leaves at 4 pm on 4/26 out of FLL. My Jetblue flight leaves on 4/25 at 9:30 pm out of LAS and arrives in FLL at 5 AM on 4/26. I've flown them before and had no issues. Do you think this was a good flight to pick?

lucyw17

Not positive about this ,but I believe if you do not show up by a certain time at the hotel, they can give your room away. Get it in writing, that they will hold your room.

Good luck Reader

We did that the first time we cruised, but for us NEVER again! To long of a day... Were 2 hours from Boston, plus they want us there 2 hours prior to our flight. So for us our day will start at 1am and 15 hours later the ship leaves port. NAE NAE for us, we fly down the day before and chill at the pool and titi hut at our hotel. Then get up for breakfast refreshed, and take shuttle to port ready for that 1st. boat drink! And our eye aren't blood shot:eek:

lucyw17

 

Not positive about this ,but I believe if you do not show up by a certain time at the hotel, they can give your room away. Get it in writing, that they will hold your room.

 

Good luck Reader

Prepay for the room. They can't give it away then. May be a little cheaper too.

Worried for the OP, this is not looking good at all! :(

I've done it before, several times in fact. Flying in from the West you have a very small chance of a weather related delay. Mechanical, you can't do anything about that.

Last time we actually missed our flight that would have brought us in around 9pm the night before. We had a hotel booked already, and if that is what the OP decides to do, as that is what they suggested, then just call the hotel and tell them you will be checking in very late/early morning. Esp if you have already paid, they will not give away your room.

Sleep in the room for a few hours and then get to the port. The best thing about us missing our flight was as soon as we checked in, the breakfast people were starting up, so we were able to get a few pastries, omelette, juice, etc before our nap. The front desk was also sympathetic so they let us check out late without extra charge.

I was planning to book the hotel using points on my credit card. That is a good idea about the calling the hotel and let them know I will be a late arrival. As for choosing the flights I grabbed the jetblue tix because they were such a good price ($202 r/t) with no layovers either way. After I booked the flights and started reading more and more posts on this board I started getting nervous I might be pushing it too close arriving the same day. Thanks for the feedback everyone. I appreciate it.

I am going on my very first cruise. The ship leaves at 4 pm on 4/26 out of FLL. My Jetblue flight leaves on 4/25 at 9:30 pm out of LAS and arrives in FLL at 5 AM on 4/26. I've flown them before and had no issues. Do you think this was a good flight to pick?

If you were planning to fly out of any northeast city to pick up a cruise right now, you would be in deep trouble. Just a thought when you plan to fly in the day of the cruise.

DON

Besides being exhausted, I would see if there's any other flights after yours just in case yours is cancelled. I avoid airlines that have limited flights headed to port.

Barring flight cancellation, OP has a good idea. A 5:00 AM arrival would allow a 6:00 AM check-in at the motel - which would allow 6 hours sleep before getting to cruise terminal between 1:00 and 2:00 PM - when the crowd has pretty well thinned out - allowing quick boarding.

I prefer arriving the day before, but this plan would leave OP pretty well rested - certainly better than getting up early that day for someone who lived close to the port.

We have done this as well. We have flown from SFO, LAX, and SMF, on various airlines, on "red-eye" flights to FLL. No problems.

Agree that your only problem will be killing time at the airport...I wouldn't waste money on a hotel...you'll be too excited and too wired to even take a nap.

Take your time getting out of the plane, walk slowly to baggage claim, then have breakfast and enjoy a few cups of coffee.

Getting to the cruiseport is very easy and cheap. Take a taxi (even cheaper if you happen to find another couple to share it with you.), they are lined up just outside the baggage claim area. The ride will only be about 10-15 minutes and cost between $15-$20. (If you look out of one of the airport windows, you can actually see the ships.) Happy Sailing. :)