This could have been avoided

[PrincessShmoo]

If the flights were through RCCL would they have the option of flying in a day early?

I never booked my flights from the cruise line because they pick your flights I'd rather have control over my flights.

Some cruise lines will fly people in a day early. Depends on what flights are available from each airport and whether connecting flights are necessary to reach the port in time.

Last Disney cruise we did, we booked airfare through DCL and they brought us in the day before.

 

[RedSox68]

That lady on American wasn't hit with a stroller. Even her lawyer admitted to that. She tried to put a stroller in the overhead bin and went nutso when she was told it had to be gate checked.

That may have ended up being the case, but the film footage of that flight steward in that situation going nutso and getting in people's faces and daring them to hit him wasn't very reassuring for the people they employ. Someone with that short of a fuse should not be working in that type of people situation.

 

[Cheerio]

We fly from Toronto, always the day pre-cruise and first flight of the day. Gives us enough time to drive straight down if we need to, we agreed if we weren't in the air by noon - back in the truck we'd go

 

[RedSox68]

We fly from Toronto, always the day pre-cruise and first flight of the day. Gives us enough time to drive straight down if we need to, we agreed if we weren't in the air by noon - back in the truck we'd go

Good back up plan. For some of us, a straight drive down the East coast can be doable if the flights don't come through.

 

[Cheerio]

Good back up plan. For some of us, a straight drive down the East coast can be doable if the flights don't come through.

That said, we've never had to do it haha so not sure how solid of a plan it is. We drove for our last cruise but certainly not like a bat out of hell to not miss the ship lol.

 

[RedSox68]

That said, we've never had to do it haha so not sure how solid of a plan it is. We drove for our last cruise but certainly not like a bat out of hell to not miss the ship lol.

No, that certainly would not be a fun driving experience

 

[kamik86]

That said, we've never had to do it haha so not sure how solid of a plan it is. We drove for our last cruise but certainly not like a bat out of hell to not miss the ship lol.

My worry with doing that would be depending on why the flights are late it may not be possible to make the drive as fast.

The worst flight day I ever had was due to storms from northern NJ to southern NC.

Driving down the east coast would have pretty hard that day too.

 

[RedSox68]

My worry with doing that would be depending on why the flights are late it may not be possible to make the drive as fast.

The worst flight day I ever had was due to storms from northern NJ to southern NC.

Driving down the east coast would have pretty hard that day too.

True. And, of course, if your travels are in the winter you risk all kinds of weather related delays or impossible driving.

 

[FigmentSpark]

We fly from Toronto, always the day pre-cruise and first flight of the day. Gives us enough time to drive straight down if we need to, we agreed if we weren't in the air by noon - back in the truck we'd go

How could you make it to Port Canaveral in essentially 27 hours? Would you drive straight through?

 

[reimero]

How could you make it to Port Canaveral in essentially 27 hours? Would you drive straight through?

They'd have to, but it's at normal speeds, it can be driven in 21 to 23 hours.

 

[LSUfan4444]

Ive never had travel insurance on any vacation Ive ever taken. For me, it's too easy to self insure.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Ive never had travel insurance on any vacation Ive ever taken. For me, it's too easy to self insure.

Well, self-insuring for medical costs/evacuation is waaaay too costly for us. We get the insurance for that reason alone.

 

[truck1]

How could you make it to Port Canaveral in essentially 27 hours? Would you drive straight through?

I would. You could also look at it as there are usually 2 drivers so you can trade off every 8 or 10 hours or so. We used to do it all the time driving from NY with my parents and grandparents. This is just me and I can't speak for every everyone or even the family that missed their cruise, but if that's what it would.take that's what I would do.

 

[FigmentSpark]

Yeah, but it would suck. We've driven, but we stop for the night. That way everyone is refreshed and ready for whatver unexpected things (traffic jams - I'm looking at you, South Carolina, Jacksonville, Savannah and Pittsburgh!) come our way.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I would. You could also look at it as there are usually 2 drivers so you can trade off every 8 or 10 hours or so. We used to do it all the time driving from NY with my parents and grandparents. This is just me and I can't speak for every everyone or even the family that missed their cruise, but if that's what it would.take that's what I would do.

Wish we had that option from the west coast. At best, with perfect traffic/weather conditions it would take at least 37-40 hours to get to Port Canaveral.

 

[LSUfan4444]

self-insuring for medical costs/evacuation

Im fortunate enough to have a $50 copay (worldwide) emergency medical coverage and a $35 copay for urgent care coverage. if I miss the boat or plane back to the states, I'll buy another ticket with the money Ive saved from all the trips I never bought vacation insurance. Its certainly an individual decision.

 

[truck1]

Wish we had that option from the west coast. At best, with perfect traffic/weather conditions it would take at least 37-40 hours to get to Port Canaveral.

It doesn't work for everybody unfortunately in all circumstances.

 

[coloradocutie]

Why would you buy travel insurance? Wouldn't you just get a credit card that gives you extensive coverage for free? Of course as others have posted the best insurance is flying in a day or two ahead of time. We just planned on spending a day at Disney before our cruise.

This could work for flight delay, if you paid for the cruise on the card. It could cover some medical causes but NOT a medical problem due to a pre-existing condition.

We are in the midst of using our travel insurance because a pre-existing medical condition is preventing us from going to Norway in a few weeks, so all of this is way too fresh on my mind.... Plus, the credit card insurance is secondary to any other travel insurance purchased.

 

[Cheerio]

How could you make it to Port Canaveral in essentially 27 hours? Would you drive straight through?

We've driven down in less than 27. Our plan was to just drive straight if we had to.

 

[truck1]

Yeah, but it would suck. We've driven, but we stop for the night. That way everyone is refreshed and ready for whatver unexpected things (traffic jams - I'm looking at you, South Carolina, Jacksonville, Savannah and Pittsburgh!) come our way.

It would. I learned my lesson almost the hard way. Years ago I took a Carnival Cruise out of Miami with my son since my wife at the time decided it would be a good time to get divorced. Had to be at the ship by 330. I drove from Orlando. Normally its a 4 hour drive from where I lived at the time. Left at 930 ish. Got in the terminal to be checked in at 315. All I can remember of standing in the terminal, looking at the 200 or so people still in line is, are we going to make the ship. Now, even though we live less then 2 hours from Port Canaveral we still stay the night at CIS. Did the same thing when we went to Bonaire from Mia. Drove down day before, spent the night at a nearby hotel.