Question to my fellow Dream/St.Maarten Passengers??

[Belci]

Just been wondering this since I got home on Saturday. I know hindsight is 20/20, however, the need inside me needs to know if I made the correct choice. LOL

 

We had a flight home booked from Orlando to Buffalo non stop for Sat morning. So, with everything going on, we figured that if we got out on the Friday, that we would guarantee ourselves back home on Sat. at a reasonable time. So, we pushed hard in the Chambers Room and received a flight out on the Friday. Hotel in Orlando for the night, all food etc. taken care, so was awesome, no issues. BUT, it's been bugging me ever since about the WHAT IF scenario. I would of loved to grap an extra day in St. Maarten, but was scared at what price.

 

I knew they would get us back to Buffalo, no questions asked, but, was afraid of having like 3 flights with stop overs etc.... Did not want to travel for like 20 hours straight or something crazy like that.

 

So, just wondering if anyone out there, had any similar travel needs, or stories that might either make me feel happy or very sad?? :(

 

Thanks

[kaseykahnefan]

Left Sunday morning at 8 straight to Orlando. Caught my original flight direct to New Orleans at 1. Got my bags and drive home. Was home by 5:30 pm. Cousin flew with me to Orlando. Waited til 6 caught her flight to Atlanta. Changed planes and went to Tulsa. Was home at 9:30 our time (central). Everything was smooth for us. Had a great time enjoying that day. Four days in st Maarten! And wasn't the crew jut amazing

[okgirl]

It's just my opinion but I think you made the right decision......and the one that I would have made.

 

Under normal circumstances I never let Carnival make my air travel plans for the reasons that you stated. And I would much rather have had a relatively leisure trip back to Orlando on their nickle with all my needs paid for then continue with the trip back home that I had booked for myself.

 

For me coming home and debarkation in general is the worst part of cruising, so I like to do what I can to ensure that I'm not stressed out on the trip back home. When I worked I really enjoyed having that last Sunday to wake up in my own bed and totally relax before going to work on Monday.

 

Sorry that you and the other guests were inconvenienced by this incident, but I really commend Carnival for making the tough and expensive decision not to sail with no backup emergency generator.

[Gdawgs]

We had a group of 8 people in 3 different cabins. When we recieved our flight assignments, they split us up. Two of the cabins(my parents and my mother in law and oldest daughter) were on a Friday afternoon flight to Orlando, then they would have caught our scheduled flights out of Orlando on Saturday. But, our cabin(myself, wife, and two yougest kids) all had a direct flight from St. Maarten to Minneapolis leaving Saturday afternoon at 4:30pm. I did not want to split up my daughter from us, so I called the phone number they gave us, and they put us all on the direct flight on Saturday. My mother in law even got to fly business class! Turned out great for us. Extra day in St. Maarten and a direct flight.

[Belci]

That's awesome that you got a direct flight. Good for you guys. Was it one of their charter flights or a flight that just happened to be going out that day?

[Gdawgs]

It was a standard flight that was going there. Sun Country airlines, which is based out of Minneapolis.

[kaseykahnefan]

Our flight from St Maarten to Orlando was chartered. My flight was Southwest which I had booked long ago. Cousins was commercial flight but booked and paid for by Carnival. Very smooth.

 

Was a wonderful trip

[smurfm69]

I would have accepted any inconvenience from an extra flight or longer layover to get an extra day in St. Maarten. lol We love that island and were wishing that was us "stuck" there.

[Warm Breezes]

I would have accepted any inconvenience from an extra flight or longer layover to get an extra day in St. Maarten. lol We love that island and were wishing that was us "stuck" there.

 

ditto...

[DutchInMs]

We unfortunately did not even know you had the option to leave Saturday or even Sunday. After the anouncement Thursday we could leave the ship we spend the whole day on the beach and had dinner there. I think we were back on the boat by 7PM, so maybe they made that anouncement when we were gone? Did find a letter that said that they would give you the flight info that evening but when we were back at out room at 11 there was nothing there yet. The next morning we found out we would fly at 1PM that Friday. Would have loved to spend another day (or 2) on St Maarten. I love that place :-)

[pjinaz]

I think you made the right decision. We had a 23 hour day on Saturday getting home and I'm still recovering. That travel day was awful. The spending of a couple extra days in st. Martin was awesome.