What happens if you miss the boat at Port Canaveral?

[jetskigrl]

Thanks for the sage advice. I'm definitely NOT planning to cut things close, but we don't want to come from NYC to Florida the night before. Right now, we're booked on a flight that gets to MCO at 10 am, so it would take some massive bad luck to keep us from getting on the boat by 3:30. But it sounds like the smart cruisers agree that coming in the night before is the only way to go.

It doesn't need to be massive bad luck. Just a little bad luck could cause you to miss the ship. I have been on too many flights that were delayed for one reason or another (and even a few cancelled) that I wouldn't risk it (and I mean me personally - I don't like that kind of stress at the start of my vacation, LOL). Our flight from LA to FL was delayed in 2012 due to maintenance issues and they were starting to offer people vouchers for flights to Miami instead (getting in at midnight). They finally fixed the plane and we were able to fly out. But even a day early, I was starting to worry that we wouldn't make it.

We live a little over 2 hours away from San Diego but we are still driving there a day early for our cruise this October and spending the night in a hotel at the port. That gives us plenty of time to get alternate transportation if we have car trouble, encounter traffic or a bad accident, etc. I did not want to have to get up early on the morning of the cruise and then worry the entire drive that something might happen.

 

[ClearScreen]

It doesn't need to be massive bad luck. Just a little bad luck could cause you to miss the ship. I have been on too many flights that were delayed for one reason or another (and even a few cancelled) that I wouldn't risk it (and I mean me personally - I don't like that kind of stress at the start of my vacation, LOL). Our flight from LA to FL was delayed in 2012 due to maintenance issues and they were starting to offer people vouchers for flights to Miami instead (getting in at midnight). They finally fixed the plane and we were able to fly out. But even a day early, I was starting to worry that we wouldn't make it.

We live a little over 2 hours away from San Diego but we are still driving there a day early for our cruise this October and spending the night in a hotel at the port. That gives us plenty of time to get alternate transportation if we have car trouble, encounter traffic or a bad accident, etc. I did not want to have to get up early on the morning of the cruise and then worry the entire drive that something might happen.

I agree. Not a question of massive bad luck or not, but one born from personal experience. We are arriving a few days early, enjoying the parks, then heading over to port early on the morning of our cruise. Here is the story:

My family usually takes the Auto-Train from Virginia to Florida. We used to give ourselves a couple of extra hours "just in case" when we drive from our home in New York. A few years ago, there was a fatal accident on I-95 South in Delaware that closed the highway for over 10 hours. We didn't realize what was happening until we were stuck in the middle of the traffic snarl and beyond an exit point. We ended up making the Auto-Train as a "last call" but just barely. There were people who didn't give themselves the extra time we did who missed the train entirely. The whole way down on the train we heard stories about people missing the train and trying to make alternate arrangements (driving the entire way, taking the train another day, etc.) .

Our stress level was through the roof as we thought we were about to miss our vacation. The kids were crying - they knew we were upset and frantic despite our best efforts to put on a good face for them. Several cocktails were most definitely had once we were safely on board the train. It was not the way we wanted our vacation to start. The next time we took the train, we left several hours early and we checked the traffic religiously on the way down so we had alternate routes ready to go. Of course, there were no problems and we got to Virginia super-early, so we enjoyed a nice, stress-free lunch and did a little exploring near the station.

My wife and I still talk about that incident and how we would rather wait hours than stress ourselves out like that again.

 

[lulucornbread]

I watched the YouTube video a pp shared here - I feel bad that I was so entertained by someone else's misfortune. But that didn't stop me from watching other similar videos suggested by YouTube. I came across this one and could not stop cracking up. Apparently these passengers missed the ship in every port up until this point in the cruise. It's pretty hilarious (and makes you wonder what in the world these people are thinking).

Oh my! LOL

 

[INDY1919A4]

My family usually takes the Auto-Train from Virginia to Florida. We used to give ourselves a couple of extra hours "just in case" when we drive from our home in New York. A few years ago, there was a fatal accident on I-95 South in Delaware that closed the highway for over 10 hours. We didn't realize what was happening until we were stuck in the middle of the traffic snarl and beyond an exit point. We ended up making the Auto-Train as a "last call" but just barely.

So glad it all worked out, yuck on all that stress.. and prayers for the family in the accident.. But may I ask if you could go into some more details on the Auto train, how long does it take??? Where do you stay ??? just some of the details please???

 

[BuzzLightyearInTampa]

I live in Tampa and we always stay at WDW the night prior to the cruise, except the first one when we stayed at Port Canaveral. You spend all that money on your cruise and up to a year or more of planning, so it's definitely worth an extra day and hotel stay to avert disaster. I look at it like trip insurance, just another part of the cost of cruising with piece of mind.

 

[ClearScreen]

So glad it all worked out, yuck on all that stress.. and prayers for the family in the accident.. But may I ask if you could go into some more details on the Auto train, how long does it take??? Where do you stay ??? just some of the details please???

No problem. The Auto Train leaves Lorton Virginia around 4:00pm and arrives in Sanford Florida around 9:00am (give or take). THey load your car and you sleep on board the train depending on whether you go coach for just seats or upgrade for rooms/sleepers. They serve dinner at different seating times, they have a lounge also. After dinner, you basically go to bed and wake up in Florida. Its about 45-60 minutes drive to DW from Sanford. We like it because we can load our car with whatever we want and have our car in Disney. Also, the kids love it and it kind of adds to the vacation.

We usually drive to the station the morning of departure, but now we give ourselves ample time.

 

[ClearScreen]

here is the main Auto Train thread: http://www.disboards.com/threads/all-about-the-autotrain.402667/

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

I watched the YouTube video a pp shared here - I feel bad that I was so entertained by someone else's misfortune. But that didn't stop me from watching other similar videos suggested by YouTube. I came across this one and could not stop cracking up. Apparently these passengers missed the ship in every port up until this point in the cruise. It's pretty hilarious (and makes you wonder what in the world these people are thinking).

What I wondered what was the cruise line thinking? Sorry, but IMHO those folks should have been left! Or perhaps Carnival should just bill them for any additional fees incurred after the 1st late arrival.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Same day arrival is rolling the dice. I don't like arriving to the ship early in the morning either but you don't have to do that - just avoid being stuck in traffic or flight delays.

Had an overnight flight to Barcelona 2 years ago to catch the Magic and it was delayed on the tarmac at Philadelphia for 4 hours due to weather issues. They made up some time in the air and landed 2 hours late. It was still a long time until the ship departed, and the airport in Barcelona is pretty close to the port, but it's still hairy to be sitting on that plane in Philly and wondering if they'll get off the ground in time to make the ship.

 

[jrabbit]

fly in the day(night) before.

An Ocean view room on a western Fantasy cruise is at least $4,500.

Do you really want to risk all of that on the extra $150 for a room? There might be a vacation/work day in there for Friday as well.

• Take a night flight - out by 9pm arrive before mid night at MCO,
• spend the night at an hotel near the airport,
• take the hotel shuttle back to MCO,
• catch the DCL bus to the port,
• board the Fantasy by 1pm,
• enjoy the experience , not the stress of flying in the morning of!!!!

 

[bumbershoot]

What I wondered what was the cruise line thinking? Sorry, but IMHO those folks should have been left! Or perhaps Carnival should just bill them for any additional fees incurred after the 1st late arrival.

I've got to assume there's some reason. Ridiculously wealthy and with "pull", relatives of the captain, royalty in Europe? Maybe they had kids in the kid club and that's why they were waited for each day?

The hallways of that ship are pretty. Not what I expected from Carnival (though if you asked me to describe what I imagined I wouldn't have been able to do that).

 

[n2mm]

We always arrive the day before. Our flight last October was 4 hours late (SW), our flight in November was 2 hours late (frontier), and in May only 1 hour (UAL) Because these things happen I always arrive a day or two early. A few years ago there were a group of ladies at our gate hoping to fly standby as they missed their flight and were cruising that afternoon. As a few made it on the flight, at last 8 stood there at the gate crying because they knew they were not going to make their cruise. I'll always remember that. I also buy insurance too when cruising.

 

[hardis5]

An Ocean view room on a western Fantasy cruise is at least $4,500.

Do you really want to risk all of that on the extra $150 for a room?

Sometimes the thought of saving just a few $ can fog the vision of how much the entire cruise (with flights, excursions, etc) will cost. True someone may pay more for the flight, but IMHO there are just too many variables one has no control over with flying in the morning of a cruise that all have to happen without issue (and many of those variables often do have issue) for me to take the risk. I am definitely in the night before (or WDW stay prior) camp.

 

[BelleWannabe4]

On our first cruise, both my mom and I flew in the day of the cruise. I was flying in from NYC (LGA) and, since I had a 6 am flight, my flight was only delayed by 20 minutes. (If you fly out of LGA, you know that's a minor miracle - nighttime flights generally are delayed 2-3 hours due to runway traffic.) We took the DCL transfers and had no problems making it on the boat. I think we got on around 1 pm, so it is possible.

BUT that night I almost fell asleep during dinner. I was so exhausted from waking up 4 am to make it on the plane and then too excited to sleep on the plane, plus working a very busy and full week before, that it just wasn't worth it. I can barely remember that 1st day. On our next cruise, I'm planning to fly in the night before and stay at the MCO Hyatt.

 

[dmunsil]

What I wondered what was the cruise line thinking? Sorry, but IMHO those folks should have been left! Or perhaps Carnival should just bill them for any additional fees incurred after the 1st late arrival.

I have heard that some ports do not like ships leaving without their passengers, because those passengers didn't go through the elaborate immigration and customs processes they normally would. The deal is, the port gives the cruise line an expedited security process, and the cruise ship doesn't leave anyone behind. So the port authorities will hold the ship for a long time if the ship can't show all passengers accounted for. Obviously most of the Caribbean ports don't do this, but I could believe certain European countries might force a ship to wait for hours for a passenger. Obviously (if this is in fact true) the cruise companies don't really want people to know which ports these are, lest it make passengers feel less urgency about getting back on time.

I want to make it clear that I don't know which ports, if any, actually have these policies. I just find the idea plausible.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

This is awful thin to risk coming back late and possibly missing the ship. The ship need to make the next port in time.

Yes the Port Officials can hold a ship. The lineay just as easily decide to change the intinervy not call a that port, a big money loser for the Port.



AKK

 

[shoes99]

I have heard that some ports do not like ships leaving without their passengers, because those passengers didn't go through the elaborate immigration and customs processes they normally would. The deal is, the port gives the cruise line an expedited security process, and the cruise ship doesn't leave anyone behind. So the port authorities will hold the ship for a long time if the ship can't show all passengers accounted for. Obviously most of the Caribbean ports don't do this, but I could believe certain European countries might force a ship to wait for hours for a passenger. Obviously (if this is in fact true) the cruise companies don't really want people to know which ports these are, lest it make passengers feel less urgency about getting back on time.

I want to make it clear that I don't know which ports, if any, actually have these policies. I just find the idea plausible.

We were on the Northern European Capital cruise on Princess a few years ago. We docked in Warnemunde, Germany and lots of folks went to Berlin 2 hours away. I was late booking a ship excursion so we got on a private excursion 'Jewish Heritage Tour' We left in plenty of time to meet our all aboard time of 8:00PM, but we hit major traffic, closed Autobaun, etc. so the German speaking driver had to take back roads to get back to the port. All tours, both cruiseline and private were 1 hour late getting back. They held the ship for everyone. When we got on the ship we ran to dinner, they accommodated everyone for dinner. This was the first stop at Warnemunde for the summer season, so I guess port officials were lenient since everyone was late getting back.

 

[SillyInventor]

but I could believe certain European countries might force a ship to wait for hours for a passenger.
I want to make it clear that I don't know which ports, if any, actually have these policies. I just find the idea plausible.

That should be some obscure ports as most ports on the mainland of Europe are within the "Schengen"-area, meaning you have free traffic of people between the countries. I can imagine you don't want to be left behind in St. Petersburg, but on the Med cruises Turkey is the only country not within the Schengen-Area. US border patrol is far, far more heavy than European.
On our Med cruise out of Venice we saw a family waiting for the ship in the first (Greek) port. Obviously missed it in Venice, had all their luggage with them. They missed passing out of Venice and a full day at sea.

 

[dmunsil]

That should be some obscure ports as most ports on the mainland of Europe are within the "Schengen"-area, meaning you have free traffic of people between the countries. I can imagine you don't want to be left behind in St. Petersburg, but on the Med cruises Turkey is the only country not within the Schengen-Area.

Good point! Perhaps the ports just don't like having people left behind in general, because of the hassle factor. Or perhaps it's just fundamentally untrue and European ports are no more likely to hold the ship than other ports.

Certainly if you look at the YouTube videos of people being left behind, it appears the majority of them are in Nassau. Clearly you should not be late for your ship there. There aren't many for Europe, but that may be because there are many, many more Bahamas cruises than European cruises, what with all the 3-day and 4-day turnarounds out of Florida.

 

[Saamh]

Certainly if you look at the YouTube videos of people being left behind, it appears the majority of them are in Nassau. Clearly you should not be late for your ship there. There aren't many for Europe, but that may be because there are many, many more Bahamas cruises than European cruises, what with all the 3-day and 4-day turnarounds out of Florida.

Or maybe the Caribbean lends itself to a more laid-back, have a few more drinks atmosphere and the European cruises are more historical and informative?