Should we check a bag?

[ger_77]

but it is enough time to wander the airport in search of sunscreen for 10 minutes or so, and definitely a more comfortable window to catch our ship.

 

I just had a thought - are there any stores which sell magazines, souvenirs, snacks, sunscreen, etc., located in the Baltimore airport that are past the security zone? If you go through TSA inspection and then purchase sunscreen at one of the shops, you will be able to stick it into your carry-on without any problem, just like buying a bottle of water. You might want to check this out.

 

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

[Efflorescence]

I just had a thought - are there any stores which sell magazines, souvenirs, snacks, sunscreen, etc., located in the Baltimore airport that are past the security zone? If you go through TSA inspection and then purchase sunscreen at one of the shops, you will be able to stick it into your carry-on without any problem, just like buying a bottle of water. You might want to check this out.

 

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

 

That's true! My airport is landlocked (Going through DCA rather than BWI) so if they do have sunscreen it will probably be way cheaper than in sunny Florida :) I will check with some more flight-savvy friends, but I'm sure they'll sell sunscreen somewhere in there (although I checked and it doesn't look like you can get wine by the bottle, just by the glass). Thanks so much for the tip!

[Grandma Dazzles]

That's true! My airport is landlocked (Going through DCA rather than BWI) so if they do have sunscreen it will probably be way cheaper than in sunny Florida :) I will check with some more flight-savvy friends, but I'm sure they'll sell sunscreen somewhere in there (although I checked and it doesn't look like you can get wine by the bottle, just by the glass). Thanks so much for the tip!

 

Not quite understanding your wine comment - if you are referring to on board ship - you can buy wine by the bottle or by the glass.

 

For example, you can buy a bottle of wine with dinner - if you don't finish it, you can take it with you, or they will put your room number on it and you can finish the following night.

 

You can also buy a bottle of wine at a bar and take to your room. There is also no corkage fee. Obviously, bottles of wine are more expensive than in a store on land, but you can buy on board. I think the cheapest I have seen is around $30.

[Efflorescence]

Not quite understanding your wine comment - if you are referring to on board ship - you can buy wine by the bottle or by the glass.

 

For example, you can buy a bottle of wine with dinner - if you don't finish it, you can take it with you, or they will put your room number on it and you can finish the following night.

 

You can also buy a bottle of wine at a bar and take to your room. There is also no corkage fee. Obviously, bottles of wine are more expensive than in a store on land, but you can buy on board. I think the cheapest I have seen is around $30.

 

Sorry for the confusion! I meant at the airport in Baltimore, not on the ship. I have checked out the Bon Voyage prices online, and will pick out a few of those if it doesn't look like we will be able to get any on the ship ourselves.

[port msp]

Quick, short advice:

Carry on your bags, take the RCI offered transfer to the port, and buy the wine and sunscreen on the ship.

Less quick, less short advice: You’re cutting it close, schedule-wise. Eliminate the risk of checked baggage problems by carrying on your own bags. It’s one less thing to go wrong. I say take the RCI transfer to the port based on the assumption (maybe incorrectly) that if RCI provides/sells it, they’re more likely to assure that you make it to ship on time. If you arrange for the transfer yourself, you’re on your own if something goes wrong. You don’t have much margin for error, time-wise. RCI will be happy to sell you champagne, wine, and sunscreen on the ship. It will be more expensive than what you’d have brought along, and probably won’t be the brand you want, but they’ll have it.

 

Long rambling stream of consciousness advice:

 

Your post has sparked a lot of thinking for me.

 

Isn’t it amazing how one seemingly easy problem cascades into lots of other problems? Which in turn have their own issues and pitfalls? Just wanting to take a bottle of wine, a bottle of bubbly, bug spray, and enough sunscreen for a week creates so many other issues of luggage requirements, carry on limitations, time constraints, transportation choices, money constraints, and the stress over it all. I read your post that said changing to an earlier flight would cost $600. All so you’d have time to get to a store to buy wine/champagne/sunscreen. That would be some expensive stuff!

 

A couple other options to consider:

 

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=sunscreen+wipes

 

You should be able to get a bunch of the packets in your 3-1-1 quart bag.

 

And I haven’t seen this posted yet, but how about getting your doctor to prescribe a sunscreen? Dr.’s can prescribe over the counter products that they believe are medically necessary. Medically necessary liquids and gels are exempt from the 3-1-1 rule. You put it in your carry on and tell the TSA agent before the screening starts. I’d have a copy of the prescription along.

http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information/medically-necessary-liquids-gels-and-aerosols

(My Dr. prescribes OTC allergy meds as a convenience to me, because it’s easier than going into the store, waiting in line, showing ID (it has ephedra and is controlled) signing, and waiting some more. Now, because it’s prescribed, I call in the number and pick it up at the drive thru.)

 

The prescription option probably won’t work for the wine and champagne, though. ;-)

 

There are stores near the port, apparently. I googled it and found a yelp post that said if you order ahead, a particular liquor store will deliver to the port for you.

http://www.google.com/search?q=liquor+store+at+port+canaveral&hl=en&gbv=2&oq=&gs_l=

 

I think I'd still buy it on the ship. Less messing about.

 

On cruisecritic.com, go to the North American Homeports, Florida Departures tab, and search “port Canaveral liquor store”. You’ll get lots of good info.

 

I looked at your cruise. If you can wait until St. Thomas or St. Maarten to have your wine/champagne, you’ll have options.

 

Good luck. Thanks for sparking the mental exercise.

[Efflorescence]

Thank you SO MUCH for all your suggestions! Wow, I am blown away!

 

Yep, I was definitely a victim of the cascade here - judging by RCI's website, my flight came in plenty of time, and I was just stumped about how to get some sunscreen on to the plane. Posted a quickie in the forum asking about how long baggage claim takes only to find out that I screwed myself (and my buddy :( ) over with my flight choice! It's been a stressful week trying to figure out how to address all this.

 

From what I've gathered the cruise-offered transports won't wait for you unless you also booked your flight through the cruise...which I did not :( however, we are planning on using them anyway because they are so reliable, despite the extra cost. We will probably also book a taxi in case we miss the cruise transport - I've been advised that for a price cabbies will speed you to the port in the blink of an eye.

 

My family does have a history of skin cancer, so I can probably get a sunscreen prescribed pretty easily! That's an excellent idea, and one I would have never considered on my own. Can't thank you enough for this!

 

The wipes look really neat, and are definitely an option, along with the solid sunscreen that other posters have recommended. Will check them out for sure!

 

And what?! Delivery liquor stores?! Florida has it all! In MD we can't buy it at regular grocery stores, so I was surprised to see that that was an option down south, but I had never even imagined delivery was an option. Definitely worth a shot!

 

Thanks again for all your insightful tips! I really appreciate you putting so much thought into your post :)

[Grandma Dazzles]

Just another FYI, if you decide to buy wine/liquor in one of your ports of call you can bring it on board, but it will be held until you disembark. Will be returned to you to take home on the last night. You cannot buy in a port and take back to your cabin to drink during your trip, which I think is what previous poster was suggesting.

[Swampbabe]

Thank you SO MUCH for all your suggestions! Wow, I am blown away!

 

Yep, I was definitely a victim of the cascade here - judging by RCI's website, my flight came in plenty of time, and I was just stumped about how to get some sunscreen on to the plane. Posted a quickie in the forum asking about how long baggage claim takes only to find out that I screwed myself (and my buddy :( ) over with my flight choice! It's been a stressful week trying to figure out how to address all this.

 

From what I've gathered the cruise-offered transports won't wait for you unless you also booked your flight through the cruise...which I did not :( however, we are planning on using them anyway because they are so reliable, despite the extra cost. We will probably also book a taxi in case we miss the cruise transport - I've been advised that for a price cabbies will speed you to the port in the blink of an eye.

 

My family does have a history of skin cancer, so I can probably get a sunscreen prescribed pretty easily! That's an excellent idea, and one I would have never considered on my own. Can't thank you enough for this!

 

The wipes look really neat, and are definitely an option, along with the solid sunscreen that other posters have recommended. Will check them out for sure!

 

And what?! Delivery liquor stores?! Florida has it all! In MD we can't buy it at regular grocery stores, so I was surprised to see that that was an option down south, but I had never even imagined delivery was an option. Definitely worth a shot!

 

Thanks again for all your insightful tips! I really appreciate you putting so much thought into your post :)

 

Do not depend on a taxi. It will cost a fortune. I'm surprised at the number of people that don't realize Orlando is in the middle of the state. Also, Uber is not allowed to pick up passengers at MCO. You don't want to get into the middle of that and I *think* I read that they are not allowed at port terminal either.

 

Look at the Florida departure as has been recommended, many people have had good luck with Travel Lynx.

Edited March 9, 2015 by Swampbabe

[port msp]

Thank you SO MUCH for all your suggestions! Wow, I am blown away!

 

Yep, I was definitely a victim of the cascade here - judging by RCI's website, my flight came in plenty of time, and I was just stumped about how to get some sunscreen on to the plane. Posted a quickie in the forum asking about how long baggage claim takes only to find out that I screwed myself (and my buddy :( ) over with my flight choice! It's been a stressful week trying to figure out how to address all this.

 

From what I've gathered the cruise-offered transports won't wait for you unless you also booked your flight through the cruise...which I did not :( however, we are planning on using them anyway because they are so reliable, despite the extra cost. We will probably also book a taxi in case we miss the cruise transport - I've been advised that for a price cabbies will speed you to the port in the blink of an eye.

 

My family does have a history of skin cancer, so I can probably get a sunscreen prescribed pretty easily! That's an excellent idea, and one I would have never considered on my own. Can't thank you enough for this!

 

The wipes look really neat, and are definitely an option, along with the solid sunscreen that other posters have recommended. Will check them out for sure!

 

And what?! Delivery liquor stores?! Florida has it all! In MD we can't buy it at regular grocery stores, so I was surprised to see that that was an option down south, but I had never even imagined delivery was an option. Definitely worth a shot!

 

Thanks again for all your insightful tips! I really appreciate you putting so much thought into your post :)

 

You are welcome! Glad to help. PMcC1998 is correct. I wrongly assumed that because you could carry on wine at embark, you could carry on wine from ports of call. That is not the case. I’d forgotten how restrictive RCCL was. You can’t even carry on soda.

 

I just reread my post and I want to clarify something concerning the RCCL transfer from MCO to the ship I suggested; I didn’t mean that if your plane was late, they’d hold the ship for you. What I meant was that when you get on RCCL’s transfer, and in the unlikely event there is a problem (flat tire, vehicle breakdown, passenger emergency illness) the cruiseline’s transfer is much more likely to make sure you get on the ship than an independent transfer. I should have been more clear.

 

And don’t beat yourself up. You’ve done a great job planning this trip! You won’t be the only person on your flight that’s going on your cruise. I’d almost guarantee it. And I’ll bet you won’t even be close to being the last people to board. RELAX

 

You certainly aren’t the first, nor will you be the last, to book a tight connection. It happens. It’ll be fine.

 

Let us know how it goes.

[grand isle joe]

....should you "check a bag?"..........it just depends on how old is your mother in law is ............:D:D

[Efflorescence]

@PMcC1998: Thanks for the tip! Sad to know we can't bring alcohol on from ports, but at least we can enjoy it on the islands :)

 

@Swampbabe (love your username!): Oh wow, didn't realize that! The uber website let me get a quote from them for the trip to port and even had a button to call for them now. Glad you let me know otherwise before we got to MCO D: Will check out TravelLynx for sure!

 

@port msp: Thanks again for your kind words! Cruise transfer does seem like a good bet at this point.

 

@grand isle joe: LOL! Luckily that particular piece of baggage will be staying home... although her pinnacle status may have gotten us a few freebies it still wouldn't have been worth it :cool: