Paranoid Husband--Night Before the Cruise

[persimmondeb]

We are driving to the cruise port from the north, and will spend at least one, and probably two nights locally before the cruise. I like the idea of staying in Daytona, at least partly because the prices are much better for our dates. Husband is very worried about traffic and getting to the port on time. We're efficient at getting out in the mornings, and Google Maps has the drive at around an hour and twenty minutes. I really don't see how it can be a problem, but he's very concerned and his paranoia is contagious (he has asked me so many time if DS's passport card is enough to get him onto the ship that I'm starting to question it myself).

Are his concerns about traffic on I-95 realistic?

 

[taishartrueblood]

Post the time you are leaving, embark time, and day of the week?

 

[persimmondeb]

We'd leave the hotel no later than nine, our port time is 1:30-2:00 (although I plan to be earlier than that) and I believe we MUST be on the ship by either 3:30 or 4:00. Day of the week is Thursday.

I have massive respect for the traffic on I-95, and we once passed a horrific jam going south as we were headed north, but I was figuring that anything so massive as to delay us for long enough to be a problem would tie up more passengers than just us.

 

[taishartrueblood]

Leaving at 9am with a 90 minute commute and last call at 4pm? You have a 5.5 hour cushion... you are fine. If you are still worried, drive down on Wednesday night and stay locally.. prices shouldn't be that much different (in fact, I would think they would be better at Port Canaveral).

 

[DHSbutcher]

We live south of Orlando, and while it's not Daytona, we Drive an hour to the Port when we sail. We would never think of staying near the port due to traffic concerns, and I would assume you would be fine driving an hourish+ to Port Canaveral- even on I95.

 

[NCConch]

We stay at me parent's in Ponce Inlet (southern end of Daytona) and leave at 9 and are walking into the terminal at our 10:45 PAT. Very little traffic.

 

[kamik86]

Honestly as long as you have a smart phone or GPS so that you wont' get horribly lost if there is a detour I wouldn't' be worried at all.

 

[Club Disney Chandler]

We are driving to the cruise port from the north, and will spend at least one, and probably two nights locally before the cruise. I like the idea of staying in Daytona, at least partly because the prices are much better for our dates. Husband is very worried about traffic and getting to the port on time. We're efficient at getting out in the mornings, and Google Maps has the drive at around an hour and twenty minutes. I really don't see how it can be a problem, but he's very concerned and his paranoia is contagious (he has asked me so many time if DS's passport card is enough to get him onto the ship that I'm starting to question it myself).

Are his concerns about traffic on I-95 realistic?

I think you have to ask yourself 3 questions:

1 - is the money saved worth the extra stress and anxiety being put on your husband?

2 - are you going to be ok with the outcome if something happens and you're not able to arrive in time?

3 - you're starting a great vacation, do you really want the morning to start with him being all uptight and stressed?

Realistically, there will probably be no problems at all, but be prepared if there are.

 

[P'colaBeachBum]

Can you stay in Cocoa instead? Much closer and easier to get to Port. If looking into staying in Daytona check first to see if it is Bike week or a race week.

 

[travelwith2]

We have stayed in Jacksonville a couple of times the night before our cruises and have never had an issue getting to port before noon. One time we had a detour and still made it on time.

 

[shanethesaint88]

Hey cut the your husband a break lol he can't help worrying about these things, it's what we do lol and by we I mean men.

 

[jahber]

It would be a really really really unlikely scenario that would have to pop up for you not to make the port before the ship sails. I can't even think of one realistically that would affect you that severely (one that couldn't happen anywhere, that is, like an accident). We have sailed from Miami a couple of times, after driving from home in Orlando. That's at least a 3-hour drive, mostly down I-95, and it never occurred to us to stay in Miami the night before. We always made it by 11:30/12. If it makes your husband feel better, work through some alternate routes and scenarios (like, what would you do if you got a flat tire?) and then be on your way. And have fun!

 

[persimmondeb]

Leaving at 9am with a 90 minute commute and last call at 4pm? You have a 5.5 hour cushion... you are fine. If you are still worried, drive down on Wednesday night and stay locally.. prices shouldn't be that much different (in fact, I would think they would be better at Port Canaveral).

Yeah, that's what I was thinking, cushion wise.

We had originally been planning to stay in Daytona on Tuesday and closer to the port on Wednesday, but PC/Cocoa are actually a lot more for our dates, for some reason. I'm doing MUCH, MUCH better at Daytona in terms of price and selection.

I think you have to ask yourself 3 questions:

1 - is the money saved worth the extra stress and anxiety being put on your husband?

2 - are you going to be ok with the outcome if something happens and you're not able to arrive in time?

3 - you're starting a great vacation, do you really want the morning to start with him being all uptight and stressed?

Realistically, there will probably be no problems at all, but be prepared if there are.

The answer to 2 is "no", BUT as near as I can tell we are in the kind of territory where we're pretty much talking Acts of God, rather than any forseeable chance, and there is some risk in any endeavor. I'd be upset if we were in Cocoa and something happened to keep us from getting to the ship, but I'm trying to figure out if Daytona substantially ups our odds of that.

As for 1 and 3, it's probably stress anyway you slice it, because spending over budget will have to come out of somewhere, and makes no-one happy.

Can you stay in Cocoa instead? Much closer and easier to get to Port. If looking into staying in Daytona check first to see if it is Bike week or a race week.

We are neatly sandwiched between the 500 and Bike Week, with near as I can tell, absolutely NOTHING going on, and far more attractive pricing and availability.

I'm going to talk to husband AGAIN and try to figure out how crazy he'll drive me the morning of the cruise vs. how much he'll complain about where we're staying near the port and what we're paying for it.

I know this sounds ridiculous, since we're taking a Disney cruise, but our overall budget is tight. Forty or fifty dollars, particularly for no major advantage, is painful. Especially if we're paying more and staying somewhere less nice.

 

[persimmondeb]

It would be a really really really unlikely scenario that would have to pop up for you not to make the port before the ship sails. I can't even think of one realistically that would affect you that severely (one that couldn't happen anywhere, that is, like an accident). We have sailed from Miami a couple of times, after driving from home in Orlando. That's at least a 3-hour drive, mostly down I-95, and it never occurred to us to stay in Miami the night before. We always made it by 11:30/12. If it makes your husband feel better, work through some alternate routes and scenarios (like, what would you do if you got a flat tire?) and then be on your way. And have fun!

I think his vision is of a really massive accident that shuts down all lanes of 95 for hours. Which could happen, but isn't likely, and if we leave when we plan, we have hours, plus if we can get off an exit, we can mush over to Route One.

Flat tires, etc. are no problem. He's a hobby mechanic, and travels with a floor jack, a full toolbox, a full-size spare, and the kitchen sink.

 

[srferson]

He'd be more comfortable closer to the port, you'd feel more comfortable not spending more money. Maybe you can split the difference? Is there really nowhere between Daytona and the port that costs maybe a little more than Daytona, but not $50 more?

To me, it would make sense for both of you to give a little instead of expecting one of you to give in completely. That said, I haven't priced out hotels for you, so I can't be sure I'm right about there being an option like that. It's just difficult for me to believe there's not.

 

[nancipants]

I used to live in Port Orange (close to Daytona) and work at Kennedy Space Center. There's rarely any traffic on the highway. Barring a major accident that shuts down all lanes of I-95 (in which case you can use US-1), you'll be fine driving down that morning. It takes longer for me to get to the Port from Orlando now.

 

[wombat_5606]

Have you looked into the Port Canaveral parking voucher program? You pay for one night's stay in a participating hotel and then get a voucher for 40 percent off the parking rate. You should do the math. It might solve both problems for you.

 

[P'colaBeachBum]

You could also check for Titusville Hotels. They have pretty reasonable rates at Fairfield Inn and Hampton Inn and they are right off of 95. If there is a delay on 95 you could take US 1.

 

[tltay2005]

We live about two hours from the Port and drive over the morning of. Even if there was a huge traffic jam, they should be able to re route traffic and have you arrive in plenty of time.

 

[bumbershoot]

My family lives in daytona and they do NOT bother to stay in cocoa the night before their two Disney cruises.