Fly or drive to cruise port?

[Nicolek1999]

I currently live in Niceville, FL. My boyfriend and I are sailing on the Carnival Breeze in December 2020. We are debating on flying or driving to the port. This will be our first cruise by ourselves without family so I have no idea. The drive would be almost 10 hours not including stops. The flight is only around 2 hours. Is it worth the extra money? When would be the best time to fly in? We bought the carnival travel protection when we purchased the cruise. Thanks!

[Banditswife]

Where will the Breeze sail out of in Dec 2020?  We are on the Breeze next week & it sails out of Port Canaveral FL, is it repositioning to another port prior to your sailing?  I would think anywhere in Fl would be less than a 10 hr drive to Pt Canaveral.

[Jerseygirl1416]

I would definitely fly and I’d fly in the day before you embark. Five hours is my driving limit if it can be avoided.

Edited October 22, 2019 by Jerseygirl1416

[klfrodo]

That's completely up to each individual.

 

For me? If the "road trip" is part of the vacation or holiday experience, I'd road trip it. If the "road trip" was just a means to the destination,,,, I'd take in to account the price a gas, can I afford an emergency breakdown, the price of parking, MY TIME HAS VALUE ($10/hr.$20/hr), etc.

 

10 hour drive vs. 2 hour flight???? I'm flying

[Nicolek1999]

Just now, Banditswife said:

Where will the Breeze sail out of in Dec 2020?  We are on the Breeze next week & it sails out of Port Canaveral FL, is it repositioning to another port prior to your sailing?  I would think anywhere in Fl would be less than a 10 hr drive to Pt Canaveral.

It will be going out of Fort Lauderdale. To Pt Canaveral from my area would be around 6 hours.

 

[Nicolek1999]

1 minute ago, Jerseygirl1416 said:

I would definitely fly and I’d fly in the day before you embark. Five hours is my driving limit if it can be avoided.

We could stop and stay with my aunt in Tampa so that would be a 7 hour drive but then we would still have to drive 4 hours the next morning to get to the port. I'm trying to convince my boyfriend to fly.

[Banditswife]

43 minutes ago, Nicolek1999 said:

It will be going out of Fort Lauderdale. To Pt Canaveral from my area would be around 6 hours.

 

Wow, I didn't realize it would take that long.  Personally I would fly the 2 hrs over driving 10 hrs.  like someone else said: consider cost of gas, food, your time, & wear & tear on your vehicle + cost of parking.  We drove from Leavenworth KS to a cruise out of Galveston last month.  But I had a sister to visit between the 2.  So it was worth the extra cost/time to drive,  but it definitely was more expensive than flying.  I would not do it again.

 

Also consider there are extra costs to consider when flying.  The time you spend in the airport waiting to board the flight.  Driving time to/from airport from your home.  Weight restrictions on luggage at airport. The cost of parking at airport.

Edited October 22, 2019 by Banditswife

[BlueHerons]

Did you take a look at Silver Airways?  I think they fly in and out of Destin pretty inexpensively.

[JohninDC]

Two one way rentals - skip the parking fees!

Edited October 22, 2019 by JohninDC

[Nicolek1999]

43 minutes ago, Banditswife said:

Wow, I didn't realize it would take that long.  Personally I would fly the 2 hrs over driving 10 hrs.  like someone else said: consider cost of gas, food, your time, & wear & tear on your vehicle + cost of parking.  We drove from Leavenworth KS to a cruise out of Galveston last month.  But I had a sister to visit between the 2.  So it was worth the extra cost/time to drive,  but it definitely was more expensive than flying.  I would not do it again.

 

Also consider there are extra costs to consider when flying.  The time you spend in the airport waiting to board the flight.  Driving time to/from airport from your home.  Weight restrictions on luggage at airport. The cost of parking at airport.

Our family lives in the same town so they would just drop us off as well as the airport is only 15 minutes away from our houses. I think they only thing I would be worried about would be the luggage weight.

[Nicolek1999]

30 minutes ago, BlueHerons said:

Did you take a look at Silver Airways?  I think they fly in and out of Destin pretty inexpensively.

I was taking a look at them!