Latest you have boarded the ship

[cherbear4000]

My family is sailing the Dream out of Port Canaveral. We are all traveling separately in small groups. For example DH and I are flying to Orlando a few days early and spending time at Disney. My parents are driving from Ohio (Mom doesn't fly).

 

My sister and brother are flying in the day of the cruise because my sister couldn't get off work on the day before. I normally wouldn't be concerned since I have flown in the morning of many times myself except for their flight doesn't land in Orlando until 11:45am, barring any delays. They tell me this after they have booked it. I tell them they are crazy, the port is an hour away. They tell me they have until 4pm. What?!!! I tell them that is when the ship sails, not when you have to be there by!! Of course, they should know this. Our family has cruised many time, plus I told them previously they had to be there by 2pm. They were originally going to rent a car to drive to the port, but I am thinking it would take up too much time. They would have to wait for the car at the airport, return it in Cape Canaveral, take a shuttle from the car rental place to the port. Maybe a car service would be better?

 

I'm thinking they should make it provided no delays what so ever. What is the absolute latest people have gotten to the port and have been able to board? What is the earliest people have arrived at the port? I am asking because I will have to turn my rental car in by 9:30 am to avoid another day's charge.

[firefly333]

90 minutes is the time Carnival says, though the last manifest goes in 60 minutes before the cruise sails, so the door is not officially locked until 60 minutes before the cruise leaves.

 

I try and get there between 10:30 and 11 am, and board among the first since Im VIP.

 

You wouldnt be the only one arriving early at the port.

 

What if their plane is delayed?? I sure would be sweating it.

[semichigan]

Maybe your sister should look into a Carnival transfer from the airport to the port? Probably more expensive but if they get delayed, maybe the ship would wait a bit? I'm not sure ...someone else will probably have the answer.

 

In any event - she booked the flight - you shouldn't stress yourself out over it, you'll be on the ship whether she makes it or not :D

She might want to be prepared with Plan B :eek:

[finsgirl]

This is exactly why I always fly in the night before. Well worth the cost of a hotel room not to miss my ship! Plus that way my vacation starts a day early:) I usually arrive at the port around 11am the day of sailing and never have any delays with boarding. It's kind of nice to have a couple of hours onboard before it gets really crowded.

[golfadj]

I would not cut it so close. We like to be early and always get in the day before

[dkdoob]

We landed in Miami at 1:50 and last boarding time was 2:30. With a Carnival transfer we waited until 2:45 at the airport to leave. We arrived at POM at 3:15 along with 100+ other people for a 4:00PM sail. There was a Carnival employee anxiously awaiting the manifest from the bus driver. It being Miami on a Sunday there 5 other ships cruising. We got underway at 5:00. It will be a tad tighter from your port. They shouldn't meander I would think.

Good Luck

Dave

[Vitality08]

On my very first cruise, I don't think we got to the port until about 2pm but I admit my memory might be failing me.

 

We flew in the night before but we took the free hotel shuttle which I think left at 1 (this was 2007 so I might be fuzzy on the times). I remember the shuttle took some hotel patrons to the airport first and then took us to the port. When we got on the ship, we got lunch, and went to our rooms. It seemed like we weren't on long before it was time for the muster drill.

[cruzinfamilyof4]

10 minutes before sailing. But that was pre 9/11. We didn't decide until the morning of sailing to go, didn't even have a cabin, booked one at the counter when we got to port. Ended up being a better room than our friends who had booked months earlier.

 

Probably doesn't help your situation much, but I love that story.

[steph7021]

10 minutes before sailing. But that was pre 9/11. We didn't decide until the morning of sailing to go, didn't even have a cabin, booked one at the counter when we got to port. Ended up being a better room than our friends who had booked months earlier.

 

Probably doesn't help your situation much, but I love that story.

 

That story will never help anyone now....but I love it too!! Fun!

[spleenstomper]

I say this with love: turn your brain off, have a drink, go to bed and let the other adults sweat or not sweat about their problems. You are

Going on a cruise!!

[zqvol]

You have to be in the door to check in 60 minutes before departure, IF you have checked in on line. If you have not checked in on line you must be there 90 minutes early.

[wranglerguy]

I get there as early as possible. Usually around 1030. I want to be first on ship.

[Tapi]

What is the absolute latest people have gotten to the port and have been able to board?

 

When we sailed on the Sensation (2007), we drove from Atlanta on the morning of the cruise. Boy, did we underestimate the driving time! We pulled into the parking lot in Port Canaveral at 340pm for a 400pm departure!:eek: I'll never forget it. I kept looking at the clock every 30 seconds! I dropped my wife off up front so that she could let the agents know that we were there while I parked the car and took care of our luggage. Thankfully, we only had a rollaway and a backpack.

 

They checked us in as if nothing had happened. Very relaxed and smiling. :) The interesting thing is that there were passengers that checked in AFTER us!

[Blizzardlane]

Well Geez. I'm on that 11:45 a.m. flight to Orlando, too. I have Carnival transfers and insurance.

[mondello]

Its good practice for the pier runners.

[Tapi]

My sister and brother are flying in the day of the cruise because my sister couldn't get off work on the day before. I normally wouldn't be concerned since I have flown in the morning of many times myself except for their flight doesn't land in Orlando until 11:45am, barring any delays. They tell me this after they have booked it. I tell them they are crazy, the port is an hour away..

 

It might look tight, but it's well within Carnival's guidelines. They recommned flights that land in Orlando before 1:30pm.

 

Here's the link for more detailed information, straight from the Carnival website: PORT CANAVERAL FLIGHT GUIDELINES

[Katie95]

We booked through Carnival's fly away program, but we do not get in to Fort Lauderdale until 12:30pm on the day our cruise leaves and we sail out of Miami, a 45 minute car ride. (Also Carnival has scheduled us to switch planes in Ottawa so we don't have to worry about 1 flight being on time we have to worry about 2 flights being on time with no delays)

 

I know that we are guarenteed because it's through Carnival but if they feel we will have enough time then I think your friends should be ok as well (in their similar situation). I would definitely look in to a transfer service instead of adding the stress of renting a car and returning it though.

[JOHN 57]

My story, we boarded the Conquest out of Galveston, arrived 30 minutes after scheduled departure, which was scheduled for 4pm. Our luck was the engineer was not on board, he was late as well, and ship could not sail without him. We rode on the bus from the parking lot with him, and he told us his story. Luck was with us that day.

[firefly333]

We booked through Carnival's fly away program, but we do not get in to Fort Lauderdale until 12:30pm on the day our cruise leaves and we sail out of Miami, a 45 minute car ride. (Also Carnival has scheduled us to switch planes in Ottawa so we don't have to worry about 1 flight being on time we have to worry about 2 flights being on time with no delays)

 

I know that we are guarenteed because it's through Carnival but if they feel we will have enough time then I think your friends should be ok as well (in their similar situation). I would definitely look in to a transfer service instead of adding the stress of renting a car and returning it though.

 

What .. there is no such guarantee. You need to read this thread, I went to look for it specially for you. If you miss your flights.. Carnival will say they did not book the flights.. booked by a 3rd party.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=29650679&posted=1#post29650679

 

Very foolish to assume that Carnival guarantees you get on the ship. I had read others who booked thru Carnival who also missed the cruise. Not Carnival's fault .. just a service they provide, blah blah blah.

 

Dont be naive.. get it in writing from whomever told you this foolishness.

[KnN22]

SO glad to have found this thread. We're in the same position - obviously not ideal, but saved us a few hundred bucks to fly in the day of, so we decided to risk it. :o

 

So....... That said...... What happens if we miss the ship? We DID purchase cruise insurance. Does it make a difference if it's a weather-related or mechanical delay?

 

Here's to hoping we all have luck on our side!!!

[ibcnusoon]

10 minutes before sailing. But that was pre 9/11. We didn't decide until the morning of sailing to go, didn't even have a cabin, booked one at the counter when we got to port. Ended up being a better room than our friends who had booked months earlier.

 

Probably doesn't help your situation much, but I love that story.

 

 

Just out of curiosity, can this not be done since 9/11?

[tfrcal]

Just out of curiosity, can this not be done since 9/11?

 

No it cannot. They will no longer sell cabins to "walk-up" customers. The shortest I have heard since 9/11 is 24 hours.

[firefly333]

Just out of curiosity, can this not be done since 9/11?

 

You can book the day of the cruise, but you have to call, cant book at the port.

 

I did that once .. almost missed the ship it took so long to finalize the booking, so I wouldnt do that again. Im 5 hours from Houston and hit the remnants of a hurricane thru Houston. .. sure would have been sad to miss the ship.

 

If you live closer, this would work.

[Eliot Ness]

Another pre 9/11 story late boarding story. We arrive in Houston for a PCL (Big Red Boat) cruise on a Saturday morning. The Premier rep keeps stalling us and we eventually learn the cruise is cancelled because the ship broke the rudder being tugged into port that morning.

 

The wife is fighting back tears as I go upstairs to get flights back home. On a whim I get out of line and call 1-800-CARNIVAL and talk to a rep. She says the Sensation is going on a 7 day cruise out of Tampa the next day and she'll hold a cabin for us for 4 hours to see if we can get flights in time. We are able to get a flight out the next morning so I book the cabin and we take a shuttle to a hotel close to the airport.

 

The first leg of our flight is fine, but we have a connecting flight that is 1 & 1/2 hours late. While we're in the air I mentally calculate our chances at a little less than 50/50 of making the cruise. But wait, it gets even better. When we finally land it turns out they lost our luggage, so we have to fill out the forms which is taking up precious time. A gal who was traveling with us from Houston who made a reservation just like we did was frantically calling Carnival trying to explain the situation.

 

We finally rush to a taxi, get to the port and check in for our 4:00 cruise. The clock in the background of our boarding picture read 3:58! Our luggage actually showed up after dinner and we had a great cruise!

 

That vacation taught me two lessons. The first one is we always fly in a day early and I always have a carry-on with a few essentials just-in-case.

 

John

[SMSACE6]

2.45pm...!!!!:eek::eek::eek::eek: or could have been 3pm......Im having palpitations remembering this.

 

This was the one time out of all my cruises, where I had no ( actually very little iinput ) in the arrangement of the transportation to the cruise port!

 

Stayed with a friend in Florida, who was on same cruise, and she arranged the transportation with a friend.

 

They were so "laid back" relaxed, ie; "dont worry"!!! We'll get there on time!

 

I am a punctuality NUT! Worked for an airline for 25 years, and while the aircraft could be late, WE, could not! We were late, there was major trouble with the boss! I readily admit to be a little angsty with regard to being places at times!

 

Most times I cruise, I am at a hotel pre cruise, and book the first shuttle to the port, or take a cab at about 10am!

 

You can only imagine how I was freaking out at 2pm, in Hollywood Fla, and still, driver not yet at the house! Cruise was out of Miami at 4pm! Driver arrived at 2.05, and we piled in, and were in POM, by 2.45!:eek: A very fast drive:eek:

I dont think I have ever recovered from that one!