Pre-Cruise Hotel Stay: What's the Logic?
Most cruises we book sail from and return to a US port in Florida. The easiest way to reach these cruise ports is catch a quick flight into the port city. Others, who either want to save a little cash or are "flight-adverse", opt to drive. Either way, if we booked the cruise for you, there is a high likelihood that I mentioned at some point getting a pre-cruise hotel.
Why are we trying to get you to spend more on "another night"?
It's easy to see why you might tsk at the suggestion you spend another $200 or $300 on your trip just so you can stay the night near the port before your cruise but there is good reason for this.
While you may have always flown at the exact time your airline printed on your boarding pass, we've taken enough trips to know that a 6:15 am departure might result in you getting to your destination at noon the following day. This typically isn't a huge issue unless after you land, your plan is to grab your bags, catch your transfer and scurry to the port with adequate time to check-in and board the ship.
Oh, you're going to drive, cool. Mechanical issues, foul weather, accidents and more might stymie the best laid plans. Either way, hoping to roll up to the port on the day of the cruise might not be the best choice.
They ain't waiting!
Typically, a cruise line will depart the port between 4:00 - 6:00 pm. And, they will leave with OR without you. So, what does that mean for you if you're not in your cabin, or more likely, somewhere gorging yourself on shrimp cocktail and cookies when the ship steams outbound? It means you have paid for a really cool vacation that you might not be taking.
What does it look like when that happens?
You pace back and forth, trying to figure out if you're going to cry or throw up or both. Seizing all your strength, you (or your travel advisor) scramble to make plans to get you to the next port of call and "catch up" with the ship. No problem, right? You just need to arrange, at the last minute, one-way flights to where ever the ship is headed. Hopefully you have packed your credit card and passport because while you can sail to the Caribbean without a passport, you can't fly there without one. No passport? Well, this is the end of your Caribbean cruise.
But luckily, everyone has a passport. Let's hope that the ship hasn't altered the course and substituted the port where you'll soon be catching your flight to with alternative port. This does happen due to weather or scheduling conflicts. Now, you'll need a place to stay for the night until you can get on the plane. Don't forget to complete the proper immigration forms online in order to arrive by air. Oh, one way flights into a foreign country can be a real bear because if you're not leaving (or at least don't have any proof), you might need a visa. Before you catch up, you've got two or three more meals for the family. Finally, once you've landed at the destination, you'll need to get to the cruise port. Get that credit card out again!
I have had two sets of clients miss their ships departure. Both had flight delays leaving LAX for a Hawaiian cruise. Lucky for them, no passports are needed to fly from Honolulu to Maui! I was able to help with the flights, hotel, and transfers. But, the clients were out the cost of those expenses and missed the first night of their cruise as well as the full day in that first port of call. And this is all only possible if we can find those last minute flights and overnight hotel. Side note: both families had travel insurance and after some work on the part of the client, they were able to get reimbursed.
Is that hotel sounding more appealing now?
You're right, this is sort of a scare tactic. I guess it's so scary that I've scared myself into this same practice of arriving the night before for my own cruises. I understand not wanting to spend extra money. But, most hotels can be had for a couple hundred bucks. If you'd like our help (it's free to use our agency), we'll look for someplace with a free airport shuttle and maybe even a free breakfast, too. Plus, many hotels that are located near the cruise ports have cheap transfers ($10-15/passenger) that can be arranged the day you arrive. If you're shipping out from Port Canaveral, FL, we work with GoPort who bundles a hotel and all of the transfers into one easy package.
If you don't mind flying out late, there is a good chance you can find a good deal on those red-eye flights basically making the cost of pre-cruise hotel a moot point. Either way, I'd say a few hundred bucks is cheap insurance to almost unequivocally avoid missing that sail-away food fest while sparing you any anxiety of not being there on time.
~Joe
Let us know how we can help you with your next trip by emailing dillontravels@gmail.com. You can also visit our Facebook page or website.
