Do we dare - same day air?

[nostalgiaguru]

We may have the opportunity for the Saturday, May 26, 2012, UK cruise on Princess Caribbean. But, given our schedule, we will need to fly out of the states on Friday afternoon, and the flight is scheduled to land 7am Saturday morning. Is that calling it too close?

[John Bull]

We may have the opportunity for the Saturday, May 26, 2012, UK cruise on Princess Caribbean. But, given our schedule, we will need to fly out of the states on Friday afternoon, and the flight is scheduled to land 7am Saturday morning. Is that calling it too close?

 

Caribbean Princess is due to sail from Southampton's Ocean Terminal.

http://www.southamptonvts.co.uk/Live_Information/Shipping_Movements_and_Cruise_Ship_Schedule/Cruise_Ship_Schedule/

 

I don't know your ship's sailing time, most sailings are 4.30pm to 5.30pm & normally last boarding at Southampton is 2 hours before sailing.

 

Most folk flying trans-Atlantic independently tend to fly a day or three earlier, to allow for any massive problem such as a flight cancellation, and to spend a few days checking out London or elsewhere in the UK.

 

But cruise-lines normally organise cruise-air to arrive same-day, with flights scheduled to land much later - up to about 10.30am. With a private transfer that could be as late as noon, & still leave a reasonable margin.

 

With a 7am arrival, you'll likely be in the arrivals hall about 8am, and the total transfer time from London Heathrow (LHR) to the ship is about 2 hours by scheduled bus (around £18 pp) or rail (around £34 pp), or 90 mins by cruise-line transfer, or 75 mins by private transfer (around £90 the car).

From London Gatwick (LGW) add about 30 minutes to the transfer times & £30 to the private transfer.

 

You will probably get folk responding that you should fly in at least 24 hours earlier, and I usually suggest likewise.

But if you have no choice, then so be it - the prospects of a foul-up which results in missing the sailing are very slim.

 

JB :)

[nostalgiaguru]

looks like we have decided to leave early enough Friday to land at 10:45pm Friday (although I guess it will still feel like 5:45pm to us!).

[NorbertsNiece]

I find the jet lag far worse flying west - east. The earlier you can fly in the better. JMO.