Another flight time question - LAX after Hawaii

[abbydancer]

Hi,

 

I've searched the forum but I couldn't find a good match, so here goes.

 

We're doing the RT Hawaii cruise in February (Sapphire). We dock at 7am. I have a dance practice at home (SF area) in the afternoon that I'd like to try to make at least part of.

 

We can take a 10:30 flight home out of LAX. We probably won't be able to express walk off because of luggage, but because we're Elite I think we can ask to be in the first disembarkation group.

 

Can we make that flight? The next for us is 12:30.

 

If we take the 10:30 I can make most of my practice. If we take the 12:30, I might make the last hour.

 

Thank you.

[karatemom2]

We live in the LA area and have done the Hawaii cruises several times. We don't worry too much about disembarkation since we are driving home. However, it seems to me that typically disembarkation has usually been underway by around 8 a.m., with the express going first. You could request to be in one of the early groups due to an early flight time, but honestly I think a 10:30 a.m. flight would be very risky, even if you are one of the first groups off the ship.

 

First of all you have to allow yourself transit time from San Pedro to LAX. On a good day it would probably take at least 30 to 45 minutes, but if there is traffic it could be longer. Also, keep in mind that LAX is an extremely busy airport. Security lines can be long and you need to be there minimally an hour to hour and a half prior to your flight for a domestic flight. That means for a 10:30 a.m. flight you would really want to be there by 9 a.m.

 

And keep in mind things can happen to make the ship late. The most recent Hawaii cruise on the Golden that just departed on 9/28 was late getting into port that morning of its arrival back in San Pedro due to bad weather whick significantly delayed the disembarkation process, so much so that they pused back the time of embarkation for passengers getting on that day.

 

Personally, I just wouldn't want the stress of worrying about making a flight at the end of what should be a wonderful, relaxing cruise. I would take the 12:30 p.m. departure.

[whitearrow]

If it's a weekend, it's theoretically possible that you could make it. If it's a weekday, I wouldn't even try. Either way, given traffic (which can be problematic even on weekends due to closures) and the frequency of huge TSA delays at LAX, you would be much safer with the 12:30 flight.

 

Would Jet Blue out of Long Beach (I think they fly to OAK) be a possibility for you instead? It's a much better airport in terms of wait-times, and a very short drive from the port.

[abbydancer]

Thanks.

 

We did once make a 10:30 but coming in on a coastal.

 

I fly UA, and need the miles, so Long Beach and Jet Blue are not a great option. (Oakland is also further for us). That also means I can use the priority line at the airport.

 

I'd think there's not much chance of a weather delay from Ensenada (the Golden picked up it's delay due to weather up off the Washington coast - we had the same on our most recent coastal to SF).

 

I'm tempted to go for it because I can always get on a later flight standby - but I'll continue to get opinions and give it some thought.

 

Thanks again.

[Pam in CA]

Although some will say they make a 10:30am flight all the time, I wouldn't consider it unless you can do self-disembarkation and be able to handle all of your luggage.

 

After our January Mexican Riviera cruise on the Sapphire, the earliest disembarkation started after 8am. Take into consideration going through Immigration and Customs, then grabbing a cab, another 45 minutes or longer to get to LAX, long check-in lines at LAX and through Security, and you haven't left yourself any wiggle room. Some airlines won't accept luggage if you check in later than an hour before scheduled departure.

 

The traffic in LAX is practically gridlock most of the time. I've been there at 10:30pm and it took me almost half an hour to get from the entrance to the airport to the pick-up area. If you decide to book the 10:30am flight, make sure you have a Plan B in place. I wouldn't even attempt it but others are more adventurous than me.

[jnc411]

HI , I also live here in CA near the port. And would not suggest trying for the 10:30, LAX is just to unpredictiable and the security lines can be very very long , and our traffic here is unpredictiable also , just don't think it would work , but as previous poster said , Long Beach you could make it , but that doesn't work for you . Sorry

Cori

[Pam in CA]

Something else to consider is that due to long check-in and Security lines, LAX recommends checking in two hours before a domestic flight, three hours for an international flight. For my upcoming international flight, I plan on getting there just under 3 hours before the flight and that's only because I'm flying Biz Class and will have shorter check-in and Security lines.

[cruisequeen4ever]

If you try putting a 10:30 flight on your booking to notify Princess of your arrangements, your reservation will be flagged as incompatible. Princess requires domestic flights to depart after 12:30 for Hawaii cruises in L.A. Definitely don't risk it.

[Love.II.Cruise]

I wouldn't risk it. There are too many factors that could easily go wrong. Everything has to go completely perfect for this to work.

[Cruisin' Chick]

I guess if you have a backup flight (and don't have to pay for the change?), you could try it, but really, even on a weekend (this would be a Saturday, I guess), I wouldn't want to stress out over trying to make LAX for that early a flight. One more thing to think about is that in February, it could be raining here in LA. If so, traffic gets really horrific as we natives tend to go bonkers with a rain drop (that Conan O'Brien skit he did last year wasn't too off the mark, unfortunately).

[megs1954]

We were quite delayed off the Sapphire in December and it had nothing to do with the weather. Just sat on the ship a long time waiting for permission to begin debarkation. Take the later flight but try and get there for the first and they may let you take it.

[abbydancer]

Sounds like 12:30 is by far the better choice (and I think at this point about 10.00 pp cheaper).

 

Although, given the time of year, the odds of a flight to SF being late is pretty good. :-)

 

BTW, when we did the coastal, our friends booked a 9:30 flight. I thought that was nuts. They made the flight (barely) but sat on the ground for 2 hours. We were on the 10:30 and both our flights, and the 11:30 flight came in within 5 minutes of each other.

 

Thanks for all the advice!

 

abby

[Nebr.cruiser]

We've got a 12:25 flight out of LA after our Panama Canal cruise in December and Princess has flagged it as being too early. I think we'll be okay, (and, because of our FF status we get to use the shorter lines) but you never know...

 

I'd definitely be worried about a 10:30 flight and wouldn't chance it.