Hesitant to cruise again

I missed my flight on Spirit (lesson learned, never fly them after a cruise!). They had no more flights that day so I had to purchase a new ticket on American. Delay after delay followed. I'm scheduled on a 12 day Mediterranean cruise next year and seriously thinking of cancelling. I can't imagine dealing with those issues in another country! Thoughts?

I had a 3pm flight, never thought that would be a problem.

Thoughts? Yes. Spirit is an ultra low cost carrier. If all goes well, great- you save money. But as you learned, all doesn't always go well. Spirit and other LCCs are know for having a limited flight schedule. There may only be one flight a day between your particular city pair, and since they don't use the typical hub system, it makes rerouting a challenge as well. Additionally, they don't interline with any other carriers, so there is zero chance that they will reaccommodate you on another airline. I would never, ever, ever fly one of these airlines if time was of the essence, such as for a cruise. The good news is that Spirit doesn't fly to Europe so you can't book them for your Med cruise. To be sure, there are some European low cost carriers well, and you may be tempted to book one of them if you book decide on air travel strictly on the basis of getting the cheapest ticket. If you do, go into it eyes wide open. Personally, for European cruises, I'd plan to fly in a minimum of 2 days early and I'd choose an airline that is part of a major alliance to improve rebooking options if necessary. Flying in early protects you in the event that you have a flight issue OR your bag misses a connection. It also gives you some time to tour your actual embarkation city and get over the jet lag.

Airline and cruise line stuff aside;

We have been cruising once or twice a year to the Caribbean since 2001. Living in upstate New York and because we almost always cruise during the dead of Winter we ALWAYS fly down to Florida or Puerto Rico, if those are our departure ports, one or two days in advance and book our return flight for a day after our return.

For European cruises we would surely follow the same schedule.

bosco

Like others have said, as tempting as those "bargain" airline fares are, just say "NO!". You get what you pay for there. I also learned my lesson with buying airline tickets through a third party internet travel site. Now I only buy directly through the airline.

:)

Need to ask, how do you feel about RCL's air 2 sea for airline bookings? They say they're guaranteed to be the lowest price and you're cruise is guaranteed if there's a flight delay. So the reason we go through them is only because of those protective measures they do. The only reason I'm asking you, maybe there's an advantage how you do it?

You could have been on a land vacation and missed your flight because of a traffic delay, there is nothing specifically related to cruising that is really to blame for your experience.

I will caution you that depending on where you are flying back to, there may only be one flight a day back from Barcelona. So it really is worth adding that extra day on to the end if you are nervous about getting stuck in the same situation. And maybe get better insurance, if they are only paying out a portion of what it cost you to rebook that flight.

I'm looking for logic in your reasoning and not finding any. Medical emergencies happen occasionally to every cruise line. In this case, the consequence for you was a few hours delay getting back to port. You missed a flight on Spirit, a cut rate airline and had to buy a walk up ticket on American. Bad luck for you and worse luck for person who had the medical emergency. Then American had flight delays. Again, just bad luck. But you wisely were covered by travel insurance, so what's the big deal?

If the prospect of flight delays in Europe are enough to frighten you away from cruising, then so be it. We've dealt with flight delays and unexpected overnights in Africa -- in a city where we wouldn't the leave the hotel other than to get back to the airport. We would rather experience the world as it is rather than stay huddled at home for fear of some flight delays.

We spent two nights in Barcelona precruise and it was not enough time, beautiful city. We find no reason to leave ASAP either, spend at least one night in the disembarkation port. Use the money we Don't spend on insurance for hotels.

Totally agree we did same thing and wish we had more time there , amazing city and cost for meals drinks and hotel much cheaper than most big cities. I was really shocked when we stopped for a couple of Amstel beers and cost was just 3 euros for the both of them, cost in nyc would be at least 4 times higher

I just got back from a cruise on Carnival Magic and let's just say it doesn't compare to my many cruises on Royal. The ship was delayed due to a medical emergency and didn't get back to port Canaveral until 12:30pm. First time ever I missed my flight on Spirit (lesson learned, never fly them after a cruise!). They had no more flights that day so I had to purchase a new ticket on American. Delay after delay followed. I'm scheduled on a 12 day Mediterranean cruise next year and seriously thinking of cancelling. I can't imagine dealing with those issues in another country! Thoughts?

 

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I can see second thoughts after your experience, but it shouldn't affect your desire to see the Med. We were on Allure last September when it couldn't get back to Ft Lauderdale for three extra days. Think of 4000 passengers trying to make new flight arrangements. Some flew home from Cozumel, some from Costa Maya, some more from Cozumel on the second stop there and some just stayed on. We flew into Heathrow for a cruise and arrived 7 hours late. Lost most of a day of touring London. It all evens out in the end, and the trips are worth it. A better reason for not flying to Europe is the 8-9 hours in an airline seat!

I used to buy my flights through the cruise line but always hated the late night flights they gave me. However for Europe definitely checking it out and doing that or will plan another night in Barcelona. For all those that were so negative and feel like I shouldn't have been upset, please cut me a break. I'm 68, traveling alone, easily get stressed and this was the first time for me dealing with these issues. I realize for many it would have been no big deal. I appreciate the suggestions and will have better backup plans in the future. And maybe better trip insurance too!

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My opinion and it's just my opinion that food, entertainment and other activities are much better on Royal.

 

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Hardly an objective opinion when you left out the price component in your comparison.

My "thoughts" are that you should just stay home. Then you should have nothing to complain about.

Hank

P.S. IMHO anyone who flies Spirit gets what they deserve. And if they do not get DVT after being crammed into those tight seats (28 inch pitch is among the worst of any airline in the world) perhaps they should count themselves lucky.

Hank

The money I've saved flying Spirit and other low cost airlines would easily make up for any instance where I would have to book on another airline because of a missed flight. With plenty of money left over.

I don’t see how a medical emergency delay is Carnival or Spirit’s fault. They have no control over that. This could happen on any cruise on any line or any airline potentially. Either allow for a day before and the day after the cruise for unexpected delays or if you purchase your flight through Carnival any delays they get you on another flight and you’re not out money.

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Don’t forget too that if your flight gets delayed coming back from Barcelona, EU rules regarding compensation and assistance are much better than what we have here.

Sounds like you have chosen your preferred cruise line. I say don't cancel. Go back to Royal Caribbean and enjoy.

Plan to fly in several days early to get your body adjusted to the time change. We had three nights in London and one in Southampton last summer. I wished afterward that I had planned for more time before our cruise. But at least we did not fly in the day of our cruise like one woman I talked with. She was miserable still when we saw her on the tender on the second day. This year we're adding two more nights in London before a different itinerary.

If you are flying 'across the pond', it might be worth adding a few days in your disembarkation port, as well as arriving a few days earlier than departure...if your holiday days allow for it.

When booking air travel with Cruiseline, we have found they will allow you to suggest flight times / airports that suit you....don't accept the first one they offer..look online to see what is available, then tell the cruiseline what you want.

Camping is quite nice.

I can be intense;p

Camping is quite nice.

:p Nope - accommodations are not up to my standards.

When it comes to traveling, you need to get a tougher skin when it comes to issues like medical, weather and mechanical delays. This can happen on any cruise line or airline or even your own car or rental cars. You need to prepare yourself for things like this because you never know when an issue may come up and you will feel as though you have more control and the stress level will be less.

I fly in the day before the cruise and book later flights home for these reasons. I certainly wouldn't swear off cruising because of unexpected circumstances like these.

Based on my experience, delays like these don't happen too often but you have to be prepared for them anyway.

I wasn't going to go into detail comparing Carnival to Royal. It wasn't my first cruise on Carnival. My opinion and it's just my opinion that food, entertainment and other activities are much better on Royal.

 

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You may not always get what you pay for — but you hardly ever get more than you pay for. Carnival is a “bargain” cruise line and Spirit is a “bargain” airline.

Sure, things may go well, and you may have great flights and cruises with any provider — but your chances are a bit better if you spring for a higher quality provider.

We have had two very good cruises on Carnival. We also like HAL, Celebrity, Princess, RCI, etc.

We select by ship, not cruise line simply because our experience is that they all have some duds in the fleet. Plus, we have had very good and mediocre cruises on all of those lines. In the mass market cruise line space the logo on the funnel does not hold much impact for us.

Medivacs happen. So do delays. We travel frequently. You have to go with the flow and be prepared for eventualities. Those who cannot or are not prepared to do so should perhaps plan different types of vacations.

Why I'll never book Spirit again after a cruise is because of the limited number of flights each day. Had I booked on American or Delta would only had to pay a change fee instead of purchasing another ticket at $285. And trip insurance may only reimburse $150 which is better than nothing.

 

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So the logic here is what? Instead of paying $150ish most of the time, and every once in a while paying $285 when you can't make a flight (and getting the $150 back), it is better to pay $285 every time? If it makes you feel better, then by all means. Financially, it makes no sense.

The money I've saved flying Spirit and other low cost airlines would easily make up for any instance where I would have to book on another airline because of a missed flight. With plenty of money left over.

Agreed. It is not perfect. However, I easily save $100 pp each time with Spirit with a flight that is honestly no different other than being ala carte. If it's a matter about money here, which it was, you aren't saving by going elsewhere.

I've posted this before on other threads, but one more time won't hurt I suppose.

 

There are countless post here about ALWAYS fly in the day before, you are crazy to risk flying in the day off, so much less stress, etc, etc. These posts number about the same as the number of posts about how to make a 7:00am flight on disembarkation day with carrying off luggage, sleeping by the exit door, sprinting thru the terminal, etc, etc.

 

If it is logical and stress free to ALWAYS fly in the day before, isn't it logical and stress free to ALWAYS fly out the day after too?

 

When we were younger we wouldn't do either, but now being older and wiser, who needs the stress at all.

Not that it doesn't make any sense to give yourself wiggle room after each flight. However, I'd argue that missing your first flight can be more way more catastrophic. Missing your cruise that you took time off for, paid for, and was excited to enjoy is very hard to fix. Missing your flight home has multiple options. We get so scared about "being stuck in a foreign country". Every airport has hotels by it. It's like the earlier logic. Should I pay for a hotel everytime to prevent having to buy a hotel if I miss my flight?

So the logic here is what? Instead of paying $150ish most of the time, and every once in a while paying $285 when you can't make a flight (and getting the $150 back), it is better to pay $285 every time? If it makes you feel better, then by all means. Financially, it makes no sense.

 

 

 

Agreed. It is not perfect. However, I easily save $100 pp each time with Spirit with a flight that is honestly no different other than being ala carte. If it's a matter about money here, which it was, you aren't saving by going elsewhere.

 

 

 

Not that it doesn't make any sense to give yourself wiggle room after each flight. However, I'd argue that missing your first flight can be more way more catastrophic. Missing your cruise that you took time off for, paid for, and was excited to enjoy is very hard to fix. Missing your flight home has multiple options. We get so scared about "being stuck in a foreign country". Every airport has hotels by it. It's like the earlier logic. Should I pay for a hotel everytime to prevent having to buy a hotel if I miss my flight?

Well said. I would bet that most of the people on here that are criticizing Spirit have never even flown with them.

Well said. I would bet that most of the people on here that are criticizing Spirit have never even flown with them.

(Raises hand.) Absolutely true. And when the Yugo was being sold in the US, I criticized it without ever having driven one. Sometimes, there is enough empirical evidence that ya just know.

(Raises hand.) Absolutely true. And when the Yugo was being sold in the US, I criticized it without ever having driven one. Sometimes, there is enough empirical evidence that ya just know.

I guess I prefer to judge things for myself.

I had a 3pm flight, never thought that would be a problem.

 

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Wasn’t thus related to American’s computer failures recently?