Need some help with flight times (a.k.a. is this is a dumb idea???)

[coinkc]

I just booked our first cruise on the Dream sailing out of New Orleans this summer. Now it's on to booking flights...can someone tell me what the recommended flight times are? As in, when a "comfortable" time to book a flight home would be without having to stress about getting off the boat in time?

 

Also, is it a really dumb idea to fly in the day of the cruise? Or should we plan to fly down the day before and get a hotel?

 

Thanks for any help you can provide!

[nchikk]

If it were me...

I'd fly down the day before...hell, a few days before and enjoy the city...but NOT the day of.

I'd fly back no earlier than a noon departure.

[MikeMSD]

Flying in the same day is just flirting with danger too much for me. I'm driving down to my next cruise, and still coming in a day before. I've done the day of thing before on a drive. It wasn't fun, and I was exhausted when I boarded the ship. The stress at the beginning of a vacation just isn't worth it.

[ray98]

Flying in the same day takes a lot of faith that everything goes smooth. As for flight out, noon is the comfortable time for us.

[cynt]

I agree fly in a day early. Your cruise will begin much more relaxed.

 

I've flown in the day of and driven to the port the day of t he cruise and it worked out ok but I was a little on edge. So I try to fly or drive in the day before the cruise.

 

If it's more than 2 in your party definitely fly down a day early.

 

I usually book a flight after 2 or 3ish. I like the airport crowd to thin out and enjoy a few hours on the FQ and have lunch.

 

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[cruizergal70]

If it's a relatively short flight, fly in the morning of the cruise. We've done it twice with no problem.

[riffatsea]

You don't have your home location listed so no one can tell if you are just taking a short hop to New Orleans or if this is a long flight.

Short hops that leave early in the AM will probably be fine.

Any long flight and I'd want to be there a day ahead.

For New Orleans, I'd probably want a few days either before or after the cruise to enjoy the city!!

As for going home it depends on if you buy FTTF and carry your bags off early or if you just wait until your group is called to get off the ship.

With FTTF you can make a noon flight easily.

Without it I'd want to wait a bit for the flight.

[njoyndride]

I agree with the above, fly in the day before for a nice relaxing embarkation day! We just returned on Sunday and they called self assist at 6:30. We went to breakfast around 7 and had a nice relaxing meal. While we were eating they started calling the zones. We left our cabin around 8:05 and were at the airport at 9 for our 11:20 flight. I love New Orleans, every time the embarking/disembarking has been fast and easy.

[bakersdozen12]

Fly in at least the day before and fly out no earlier than the afternoon. There's no reason to begin or end your vacation stressed out.

 

Also, for New Orleans, if you've never been, I'd tack on some extra days to the beginning or end to spend some time sightseeing. Between the French Quarter, the cemeteries, the plantations and swamp tours, there is so much to see and do. To this day, it's my favorite place to visit.

 

The Dream out of New Orleans was my first cruise too. Feel free to read my cruise review if you like (link in signature). Although it was before it's most recent dry dock. I also reviewed some of the sights we saw after the cruise. What we didn't do that time was any plantations. Oak Valley and Laura are my two favorites.

 

Anyway, enjoy your cruise!

 

 

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[coinkc]

Thanks everyone! I think we will plan to fly down the day before.

 

Is a noon flight safe to book for the trip home? We will be 3 adults so should be able to move fairly quickly. I am trying to get Faster to the Fun but it is sold out right now.

[pcvtmom]

You should be fine with a noon flight.

[Budget Queen]

If it's a relatively short flight, fly in the morning of the cruise. We've done it twice with no problem.

 

So, you speculate because you have done this "twice", it's a "ok" thing to do? Sorry no. Short flights cancel just by chance the same as any other. Short flights don't have any advantage with weather or maintenance.

 

Your two time experience is hardly a reference. Just as much chance as both going wrong, and you missing your cruise.

[jdemps]

What are the dates of your cruise? The ease of getting out of the port and to the airport differs based on what is going on around the french quarter on the day you get back. We also had a delay with customs on our last cruise in DEC 2015 and we didn't even get off the ship until 11am.

[steve4031]

I am flying in the day before. There are many hotel options in and around the French quarter. If hotels are too expensive try near the airport.

 

 

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[SheehanDJ]

Fly in the day before and fly home the day after.

 

No reason not to reduce your travel stress as much as possible. Also you usually have much better/cheaper options with flights. To me it is worth the extra cost of another day in a hotel to avoid a multi-hour layover at an airport.

[Tapi]

I would NEVER fly in on the day of the cruise. I fly for a living and anyone that tells you that you should be fine because they didn't have a problem the one time they flew last year isn't giving you sensible advice.

 

The last time I flew to Orlando a few weeks ago, our one hour flight to Atlanta had a 6 hour delay (and we were the lucky ones since many flights were canceled). You just never know what can happen. Glad to know that you'll be flying a day early.

 

 

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[Snooptoo]

Now I am a little nervous. We are flying in 3 days before but our flight home is at 11:20 am the closest one after that was 5 pm. I was not able to get FTTF. I was thinking about trying to get the airport transfer but the flight was before noon so they won't let us book it. Hopefully everything will work out but the stress of Debarkation might just wipe out the relaxation of the cruise!

 

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[happy cruzer]

Are you getting travel insurance that covers you air fare and your cruise? Some of the policies have stipulations about how much time must be allowed to make connections.

[telebax51]

Thanks everyone! I think we will plan to fly down the day before.

 

Is a noon flight safe to book for the trip home? We will be 3 adults so should be able to move fairly quickly. I am trying to get Faster to the Fun but it is sold out right now.

 

fly in the day before and fly out the day after why stress yourself

[beerman2]

Thanks everyone! I think we will plan to fly down the day before.

 

Is a noon flight safe to book for the trip home? We will be 3 adults so should be able to move fairly quickly. I am trying to get Faster to the Fun but it is sold out right now.

You don't need FTTF for self debarkation.

 

It's Faster To The Fun, not Faster From The Fun.

[sk8rmomof3]

Last year my husband's work paid for our trip and flew us in the day of. I wasn't stressed because it was my first cruise, and I rarely fly, AND I didn't pay for it. So I didn't realize that things could get delayed with planes, yadda yadda. I just figured we'd get there and all would be good, and it was. BUT if it didn't go as planned, we didn't pay for it, so it's on them.

This year, we are flying down the day before because I'm a freak about time, I paid for the trip, and I didn't want to stress the day of the cruise with timing and if things go wrong with flights being delayed. This way, we can get down there, relax, eat a great dinner, and start our vacation a day early!

[riffatsea]

Self debarkation without FTTF gets you off later than if you had it.

With FTTF you can debark right after the plats and diamonds who are the first ones off the ship.

For the group with the 11:30 flight, when you get on board tell guest services about your flight. Remind them about it the day before you need to debark and they will help you get off early.

 

 

 

[funkidd]

This is a great thread for me as I have been thinking a lot about this issue. Its my wifes 40th birthday and she wanted to go to vegas as opposed to our regular april may cruise. As the time has been getting nearer, I was wanting to sea the beautiful Caribbean waters. So I suggested to cutting vegas short to fly straight into Houston and hit a cruise out of galvaston. Well she bit the hook on that quick (I think she was going to miss the waters too). So we are leaving Sunday at 6am from vegas and get into Houston George bush at 11:06 for a sunday departure on the breeze on may 7. I didn't buy the insurance initially I rarely do, but I went back and got it just in case of a flight delay or something crazy. There is just that one flight for us so if it goes wrong or they try to bump us from the flight you all will get to see me on the new being drug off like the united guy. lol Say a prayer for me.

[CruiseCrazedQT]

It's New Orleans!!! Fly in a day or two early and enjoy the city before your cruise. After the cruise my flight was 1:30pm and we made it in plenty of time.

[CruiseCrazedQT]

I am flying in the day before. There are many hotel options in and around the French quarter. If hotels are too expensive try near the airport.

 

 

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Also try VRBO for a condo. We stayed last August before our cruise for 2 days and only paid $160 for a once bedroom condo right on Bourbon and Bienville St. The best time ever