Wwyd

[sam_gordon]

OK, transportation experts... what do you do?

DW & I are going on a cruise for our 20th Anniversary next June. Cruise leaves out of Ft. Lauderdale. Plane tickets were running about $470 from home airport to FLL (even looking +/- a couple days). Tickets to MCO were $220.

The bad part is we have a three hour layover each direction. I just checked online, and Delta has pushed back the connecting flight 30 minutes on the way home (now a 3 1/2 hour layover). Delta won't do the "free" flight change unless the change is more than an hour.

So I'm thinking not accepting the flight change (not declining, just not accepting) and hoping there's another change in the future that will give me the added 1/2 hour, then BAM! I get to shorten our layover.

What do you think?

 

[Missytara]

There are two things I love about a cruise. Getting to the closest airport nd getting there the minute I can get. on the ship.

I do not know why, but on my disney parks trips, I cut transportation to the bone, but the cruise, I seem to do what it takes to get there as soon as possible.

 

[msmayor]

Have you factored in the cost of getting from MCO to the cruiseport in FLL? Renting a car? Gasoline? Its over 200 miles each way, just over a 3 hour drive.

When all is said and done, it may be cheaper in $$ and time saved to just buy the more expensive tickets and be closer to the cruiseport.

Have you tried flights out of Miami? That's at least within an hour or so of FLL and there are cheaper transportation options between the two.

 

[sam_gordon]

Have you factored in the cost of getting from MCO to the cruiseport in FLL? Renting a car? Gasoline? Its over 200 miles each way, just over a 3 hour drive.

When all is said and done, it may be cheaper in $$ and time saved to just buy the more expensive tickets and be closer to the cruiseport.

Have you tried flights out of Miami? That's at least within an hour or so of FLL and there are cheaper transportation options between the two.

Yes I did. Two rental cars (one pre-cruise, one post-cruise) is ~$220. 400 miles say 25 mpg (we'll get a small car for both of us). @$4/gallon = $64.

I wanted to tour Florida a little bit, I've never been to NASA, so we might still have used the car/gas.

Tickets are already purchased. Oh, and we're flying down the day before the cruise. Drive to Lauderdale, get a hotel, dinner, return the car that night or the next morning, then get on the ship!

 

[msmayor]

Honestly I'm not really sure why the extra 1/2 hour is a big deal. You've already opted to spend an extra 12 total hours of travel time to save less than $100.

And I'm confused. You say you won't accept the change, but won't decline. By doing nothing, isn't that acceptance by default?

 

[sam_gordon]

Honestly I'm not really sure why the extra 1/2 hour is a big deal. You've already opted to spend an extra 12 total hours of travel time to save less than $100.

Let me break it down...
1) It's only 6 hours of extra travel time... 3 hours MCO -> FLL, 3 hours FLL -> MCO. And, if we had flown direct to FLL, but wanted to stick around and tour NASA, we'd still have the drive there and back, which negates the time.
2). $470 * 2 = $940. $220 *2 = $440 + $220 + $65 = $7250. $940-$725 = $215 in savings. Basically that covers one airfare.
3) The extra 1/2 hour isn't a big deal. But I'm hoping for another 30 minutes so it will fall into Delta's "free change" policy.

And I'm confused. You say you won't accept the change, but won't decline. By doing nothing, isn't that acceptance by default?

And THERE'S the question. Although I didn't flat out ask it, what I'm wondering is whether Delta automatically accepts the change if I don't do anything. Worst case scenario, we have extra long layovers. Best case, Delta changes it some more and we improve our flight time.

But hey, I appreciate you passing judgement on our choices. It wouldn't be the Dis boards without people like you!

 

[goofy4tink]

Heck, I'd fly into MCO and make the drive. Why not??? Yeah, it's about 3 hrs to FtL from MCO. But you are saving. So....you just have to ask yourself...is saving $215 a big enough savings for the addlt time usage.
I'm not sure I would love a layover that long to save $200, but that's just me.
Are you renting a car when you get to FtL??? If so, that may make the flying into MCO a better deal...since you would have a rental either way you choose.

 

[sam_gordon]

Heck, I'd fly into MCO and make the drive. Why not??? Yeah, it's about 3 hrs to FtL from MCO. But you are saving. So....you just have to ask yourself...is saving $215 a big enough savings for the addlt time usage.
I'm not sure I would love a layover that long to save $200, but that's just me.
Are you renting a car when you get to FtL??? If so, that may make the flying into MCO a better deal...since you would have a rental either way you choose.

I'll admit, I'm gambling. I'm hoping Delta makes enough of a time change (with 10 months between booking and flight, I think I got decent odds) that I can change to a better time with no cost. If not, I've got extra time in an airport (alone with my DW).

If we HAD to fly in/out of FLL (increased cost), we wouldn't rent the car. I'm glad we are though, because we can tour some other parts of Florida after getting off the cruise. If FLL was the same in cost, we'd rent the car. I hope that makes sense.

The $220 for the two rental cars are before any "coupons" get kicked in. Those won't be announced until about March I'm guessing.

 

[Alesia]

I'll admit, I'm gambling. I'm hoping Delta makes enough of a time change (with 10 months between booking and flight, I think I got decent odds) that I can change to a better time with no cost. If not, I've got extra time in an airport (alone with my DW).

I booked a Delta flight 9 months out and it changed 27 times.