One of my favorite parts of taking a cruise vacation is the planning and anticipation leading up to the trip itself. "This is the best part," I always tell my wife as we wait to board the ship on embarkation day.
All the planning and dreaming of setting sail is what makes this topic so important. It's also why scheduling mishaps while traveling to your port of departure can be devastating.
This has been a hot topic amongst travel blogs after Southwest Airlines' recent meltdown. Tons of families missed cruise vacations because of this major travel issue.
Trying to determine when you should leave to get to your cruises home port? The first question you need to ask is simple: Am I flying or driving?
Driving to Your Home Port
In most cases, driving is more forgiving. However, it is important to note how long your travel time is. The longer the drive-time, the more room for delays that could cause you to miss the boat. If you're within a few hours of your departure port (4 or less), you'll likely be fine traveling on departure day. But, if you have an extended drive, it's best to leave at least a day early. Not only will you be less fatigued on embarkation day and can get your cruise started off on the right foot, but will also have some time should something go wrong (car problems, traffic delays, etc.).
Flying to Your Home Port
Flying is an entirely different ballgame. Distance and travel time matter here too, but play less of a factor than the reliability of air travel and your ability to get where you are going in the time you need to get there. My golden rule of flying to board a cruise ship is to arrive a minimum of one day early. If my schedule permits, I'd really prefer to have two days but this isn't possible for most people, especially on longer voyages. There are plenty of people who attempt to fly same day. There are plenty of people who make it. There are also plenty that don't.
Be mindful that boarding closes for cruise ships 90 minutes before your listed departure time. If you have a connecting flight, logistically and feasibly speaking, you're going to have a hard time making it in time. Even in cases of direct flights, one cancellation or significant delay will put your trip in serious jeopardy.
Benefits of Traveling Early to my Cruise Port
The journey is part of the experience. There's nothing worse than being in a time-crunch while traveling. Spare yourself the headache, anxiety and potential heartache by arriving a couple of days early to your home port.
Oftentimes, these cruise home ports are destinations by themselves. Allowing yourself a few days to explore is like adding a port of call to your cruise. It also can build some extra excitement and anticipation leading up to your trip.
How Can I Protect Myself if I Experience Travel Issues
Travel insurance, Travel insurance, Travel insurance. Airport delays and travel disruptions can be costly, especially if you have a hard deadline on arrival. Let's not even talking about if you literally miss the boat. We personally carry an annual travel policy that covers us on all vacations and includes coverage for trip interruption, cancellation, and travel delays. It also provides us with some back-up medical coverage should a health situation arise. If you aren't a frequent traveler, you can buy a policy for a single trip with the coverages you need. Buying travel insurance will give you peace of mind and some financial support should you find yourself needing overnight accommodations, non-reimbursed flight changes, and even lost luggage.
While not something I do every trip, booking flights through your cruise line can also provide a layer of protection. Cruise lines will be significantly more helpful in the event of travel disruption if you've booked your air travel directly through them. Note: I try to do this if my home port is a significant distance from home (Europe, Barbados, Puerto Rico, etc.).
What if I Miss the Boat?
It's hard to say. It will depend on a variety of factors including how badly you miss departure by, your cruise's itinerary, and the cruise line. Depending on the itinerary, you might be able to meet the ship at the next port. This can be costly, hence the trip insurance, but might allow you to enjoy most of your cruise vacation. Sometimes this is not an option depending on cruise line and ports of call. With trip insurance, should you miss your trip, most policies will provide you with some form of reimbursement. Make sure to read the fine print on your policy if this is something you are concerned with.
The most important thing you can do if you run into travel disruptions that might make you miss your departure is contacting your cruise line. They are much more likely to work with you if you communicate with them.
Don't Be Afraid to Fly
After everything I've just said, first-time cruisers might be discouraged from flying. Please don't be. Often the best destinations require a flight. There's no need to be anxious or limit yourself on your travel journey due to unanticipated travel problems. Remember, most flights arrive on-time and without issue. You only read and hear about the bad ones, which is a significant minority of all travel.
Recap
You can tell this is something I'm passionate about. There's no need to put yourself in a bind by trying to save some hours or a night in a hotel. Take the time and enjoy the journey, buy travel insurance for any unexpected issues, and take into account your back-up plan should you run into an issue.
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