Booked Breeze for december now concerns.

There is actually also another option you didn't think about. Just driving.

 

Downtown Houston is about 17 hours from Miami. Best bet to be safe (and you have time) is drive 1/2 way, stay over night, finish driving, stay over night, cruise, drive, stay over night, drive home.

 

It ads and extra hotel to the option of flying in the day before and staying a day after though. But depending on flight prices, this might not matter cost wise.

 

The only time I would consider not going a day before is a drive of less than 5 hours to port.

 

Definitely be sure to check Southwest out of Hobby. When we flew a lot and my family flew into Houston a lot when we lived there, Hobby was almost always the best bet for prices.

Driving? Not an option...wife and I hate driving to places 1 hour away...lol

I will be on this sailing and we are a group of about 40 coming from DFW (we're the crazy dog group, promise you'll know us by the end of the week lol.)

Most of our group is flying into Ft. Lauderdale the night before, taking a shuttle to Miami and then getting a hotel room. I'm doing almost the same but staying in FLL overnight and then shuttling the next day. We are all planning to fly home the same day once we get off the ship.

I will be on this sailing and we are a group of about 40 coming from DFW (we're the crazy dog group, promise you'll know us by the end of the week lol.)

 

Most of our group is flying into Ft. Lauderdale the night before, taking a shuttle to Miami and then getting a hotel room. I'm doing almost the same but staying in FLL overnight and then shuttling the next day. We are all planning to fly home the same day once we get off the ship.

I'm the owner of the 3 poms that I mentioned in FB group. I might do the same. Just might book return flight while i'm on ship.

The good thing about booking this far out in advance is you can catch deals as they come up. I wouldn't even look at flights until summer! There are some sites that will track flight prices for you also. We come from the Northeast and have found flying in the day before and staying overnight is the most stress-free way to begin our vacation. :D

ps..... we will be on the Breeze with ya!

So wife and I cruising outside of Galveston for first time but we worried on logistics of getting there and back. We live in houston and booked Breeze for 12/5/15.

 

We need to decide between 3 options

1. Book flights through priceline but get there day before and leave day after (hotels will be needed)

2. Find least expensive flights on day we cruise and get back. Might be cheaper since no hotel expenses are involved.

 

3rd option: Go through priceline for 12/4/15 and book hotel. Book return flight while we on cruise.. heard many cruisers do that.:confused::confused:

So if you leave on 12/5 I would definitely say to fly in the day before. You have one really good thing working for you.....you are sailing on 12/5, and you can almost guarantee that the airfare and hotel fare will be really cheap at that time. We used to always cruise at the beginning of December because that is when you get some of the best rates. But fly in the day before, and stay in a hotel. Then fly out on debarkation day. Since the Breeze sails out of Miami, don't forget to look at Southwest flying into Ft Lauderdale. Sometimes you can get some really good rates from them. Fares on SWA should open up around 5-6 months ahead of your departure day, and you should get VERY favorable airfare.

Just might book return flight while i'm on ship.

This is not a good idea. Last minute air travel in and out of Florida in winter is extremely expensive. Just book a round trip ticket ~3 months in advance.

I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned this. If your cruise is leaving on a weekend, sometimes it's cheaper to fly in two days earlier. We have found that if we do that and get a hotel room, it's still cheaper than flying in on the day of or a day before a cruise. Same thing with flying home. And if you wait a day to fly home, there aren't 3000 other people trying to fly home the same day. Of course, not everyone has the time to do that but as a retired couple, it works for us.

I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned this. If your cruise is leaving on a weekend, sometimes it's cheaper to fly in two days earlier. We have found that if we do that and get a hotel room, it's still cheaper than flying in on the day of or a day before a cruise. Same thing with flying home. And if you wait a day to fly home, there aren't 3000 other people trying to fly home the same day. Of course, not everyone has the time to do that but as a retired couple, it works for us.

Hmmmm...good one

Nevermind. I apparently suck at reading. :-(

Don't worry, I think it was just kind of confusing, I was getting ready to ask why they are going to fly from Houston to Galveston, LOLOL!! :D I re-read it, and get it now...

Don't worry, I think it was just kind of confusing, I was getting ready to ask why they are going to fly from Houston to Galveston, LOLOL!! :D I re-read it, and get it now...

My mistake...i worded post wrong way.

The hotels that I posted Roberr6465 were still cheaper than airfare on cruise days. Book early on hotels and cancel them if you find decent airfare. But def go day before

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we recently returned from sailing the Breeze, definitely my favorite ship! The only bad part of our vaca was flights...ugh! delays, rebooks, luggage got home before us missing all my aerosols, liquids (hair products), sunscreens, etc.. because our luggage arrived 'unaccompanied'. blah, blah, blah...anyway, great cruise but definitely fly in day before! We stayed at the Springhill Suites Airport East because it was reasonably priced and close to port and airport. I worried about it a little because it was so much more reasonable in price than any other hotel around that area. When we drove up, I had palpatations! It was not very inviting and looked very run down. But as soon as we walked in we were a little more at ease and when we got to our room, we were so pleasantly surprised. It was a great hotel, clean, great room, great beds, kind folks. We walked to the grocery store a few blocks away and bought soda pops and other cruise essentials you don't want to bother with when flying in. Hope you have as much fun as we did!

I am going to offer my two cents - fly in the day before (or two days as someone else has suggested) - and for the return, you can easily find a flight (especially on Southwest) to get you out the same day the ship returns if you make sure you book an afternoon flight. We usually stay with anything from 1pm on to be safe.

DO NOT book using a "discount" site. Take it from someone who books a LOT of travel for work. You will not really save anything. Orbitz, Travelocity, Priceline, etc will leave you high and dry if something happens. If you look at the prices listed on these sites? And then go directly to the airline's website? I guarantee that 99.999999% of the time? You're going to see the SAME prices listed. If you book through one of the travel sites, and something goes wrong - it's MUCH more difficult to get help, get a new ticket, etc etc etc. Book directly with the airline - always the best bet. Southwest will list fares starting in June/July for December.

Have a great time! We're cruising the Breeze in October - can't wait!

We always go the day prior to cruise day -- and we have been grateful for that cushion more than once, especially considering weather in December.

 

I would arrive a day early, stay in a hotel if you can swing it. Then fly back same day as debarkation -- just don't schedule flight before 11 or 12.

I totally agree! We would never fly in the same day as embarkation, so many things can go wrong.

DO NOT book using a "discount" site. Take it from someone who books a LOT of travel for work. You will not really save anything. Orbitz, Travelocity, Priceline, etc will leave you high and dry if something happens. If you look at the prices listed on these sites? And then go directly to the airline's website? I guarantee that 99.999999% of the time? You're going to see the SAME prices listed. If you book through one of the travel sites, and something goes wrong - it's MUCH more difficult to get help, get a new ticket, etc etc etc. Book directly with the airline - always the best bet. Southwest will list fares starting in June/July for December.

 

Have a great time! We're cruising the Breeze in October - can't wait!

I agree! Always book directly through the airline, only use the other discount sites for comparison purposes or alerting you to price drops.

Here in Canada, WestJet airlines offers price drop protection after booking. Just have to 'printscreen' send them the proof of the drop and they give you a credit for use on future flights into your WestJet account. :)

So for our Dec. 27 Breeze cruise I will book as soon as flights are available and just keep checking for price drops!

I maybe in the minority here but we always fly in the day of the cruise. We get an early am flight like 6-7 am from dc area and always get to port by 11am. We have ever had an issue. When you are on a budget a hotel can get expensive especially those for 6 people.

I maybe in the minority here but we always fly in the day of the cruise. We get an early am flight like 6-7 am from dc area and always get to port by 11am. We have ever had an issue. When you are on a budget a hotel can get expensive especially those for 6 people.

You have been very lucky and I hope that luck continues for you.:)

You have been very lucky and I hope that luck continues for you.:)

Yeah we have been lucky, we always fly southwest and have not had one issue.