New Year's Eve cruise....

[drparoo]

We're really excited for our Mexican Riviera cruise in 2011 over New Year's Eve.....but are trying to pick the lesser of two evils getting there. We're on the east coast, so have to travel to LA with the time difference.

Either we fly out the day of embarkation.....early in the morning, get there around 10:30 LA time and get on the boat.....or we travel the day before which, unfortunately, is Christmas Day. If this were almost any other day it would be a no brainer, but traveling on Christmas is a little bit of a bummer.

True, it'll probably be really uncrowded.....but, well, it's Christmas Day.

On the other hand, with the snow that happened this year and the travel delays through Atlanta, we could miss the boat if we try flying the morning of the cruise.

Then....if we travel Christmas evening, we can get there around 10:30 pm which will be 1:30 am our time. Do we just stay at an airport hotel and get a car to the port in the morning or suck it up, get to the port that night and get a hotel close to the port?

Decisions, decisions. Can't someone just pixie dust me to the boat?

 

[lucky1]

First let me say that you can't go wrong on a NYE cruise. We just returned from ours and we had a fantastic time. DCl does holiday's very well.

We went through the same dilemma that you are going through with travel, since we were coming across county as well and during that time of year, Weather can play a role no matter what airport you leave from.

We choose to fly to FL 2 days head and spend 1 day at PC to go to KSC.

Maybe this is crazy, but what about flying in 2 days ahead and spending Christmas at DL. Then you don't have travel on Christmas Day or worry about the fact that weather can be bad somewhere causing travel issues across the airline industry.

If you decide to fly in the evening of Dec 25th, then get to a hotel near the port, most of them have shuttles to the ship.


Good Luck.. It is a hard decision.

 

[drparoo]

Thanks. My kids are ADAMANT about having Christmas morning at home. That was their only condition of the cruise. I just can't disappoint them by going back on that. I'm a softie.

I think we'll probably go late Christmas, nap on the plane, get to a port hotel and then sleep in the next morning with a nice breakfast. We're concierge, so no real need to get to the port early the next day.

Plus, I won't have to cook a big Christmas dinner....

 

[LKFan]

I like your suggestion of spending Christmas Day at Disneyland.

Personally, I wouldn't chance a winter flight cross country hours before your cruise leaves.

 

[tvguy]

I'd fly in at LEAST the day before. Believe it or not, Christmas Day is a VERY heavy air travel day, throw in weather, I wouldn't risk it flying in the day of.
As for Disneyland, if the weather is good, it will be packed too. They often have to limit admission on Christmas Day because so many people are there.

 

[drparoo]

I'd fly in at LEAST the day before. Believe it or not, Christmas Day is a VERY heavy air travel day, throw in weather, I wouldn't risk it flying in the day of.
As for Disneyland, if the weather is good, it will be packed too. They often have to limit admission on Christmas Day because so many people are there.

Every single person I've talked to, who has traveled on Christmas Day, said it was very quiet with planes only partially full. That surprises me to hear it's heavy air travel day.

 

[lucky1]

Every single person I've talked to, who has traveled on Christmas Day, said it was very quiet with planes only partially full. That surprises me to hear it's heavy air travel day.

In more recent years, Christmas has been a heavy travel day. Less flights, same amount of people. I know someone that flew this year from TX to MCO on Christmas day this year and every seat was taken.


I guess if you want to do Christmas at home, you might be stuck traveling that evening or a Red Eye.

 

[drparoo]

In more recent years, Christmas has been a heavy travel day. Less flights, same amount of people. I know someone that flew this year from TX to MCO on Christmas day this year and every seat was taken.


I guess if you want to do Christmas at home, you might be stuck traveling that evening or a Red Eye.

Ah. Thanks for the heads up. Unless I can convince the kids otherwise, looks like it'll be Christmas evening. Oh well. We'll rest on the cruise.