TheNewishCruiser Posted July 14 Report Share Posted July 14 Hey everyone! So, I've got a Mediterranean cruise booked for August aboard the Oasis of the Seas with three friends. We're starting in Barcelona, but our flight lands at 11:55, and the latest check-in is between 3:30 to 4:00. I recently suggested we arrive two days earlier because we're flying from Canada, and Air Canada tends to have delays – last year, our flight was over 2 hours late for another cruise. I'm concerned about missing our cruise due to a tight connection in Germany, where we only have a 1 hour and 40 minutes layover before heading to Barcelona. Two out of three friends already made plans leading up to the cruise and prefer not to arrive earlier (I can give more details if that changes your opinion on the matter). I urged them to seriously reconsider since our schedule is cutting it quite close. Do you think I'm overreacting, or should we definitely arrive in Barcelona 1 to 2 days earlier? I appreciate any advice! (if you guys need more details don't hesitate to ask) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpeedNoodles Posted July 14 Report Share Posted July 14 I would definitely arrive no more than a day early. Too much can go wrong with even domestic flights much less international flights. It would be insanity to try to arrive the day of the saling. TessFromFlorida, tingtang, Cactus527 and 1 other 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plasticbrain Posted July 14 Report Share Posted July 14 I am doing Cruise from Barcelona in 2 weeks, and we are arriving ln Thursday (Cruise leaves on sunday) both to be safe, but also to have time in Lovely Barcelona. I would say 24hpurs prior to Cruise check in time is a minimum.. someone i know just got delayed 18h getting from hwre to Barcelona, so... Baked Alaska, Cactus527, Curt From Canada and 2 others 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ampurp85 Posted July 14 Report Share Posted July 14 Although I am always guilty of arriving same day on domestic cruises. I would never suggest that for international travel. Not just time delays but jetlag, and unfamiliarity can occur. Cactus527, Sweety, PhillyLady and 3 others 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChessE4 Posted July 14 Report Share Posted July 14 8 hours ago, TheNewishCruiser said: Hey everyone! So, I've got a Mediterranean cruise booked for August aboard the Oasis of the Seas with three friends. We're starting in Barcelona, but our flight lands at 11:55, and the latest check-in is between 3:30 to 4:00. I recently suggested we arrive two days earlier because we're flying from Canada, and Air Canada tends to have delays – last year, our flight was over 2 hours late for another cruise. I'm concerned about missing our cruise due to a tight connection in Germany, where we only have a 1 hour and 40 minutes layover before heading to Barcelona. Two out of three friends already made plans leading up to the cruise and prefer not to arrive earlier (I can give more details if that changes your opinion on the matter). I urged them to seriously reconsider since our schedule is cutting it quite close. Do you think I'm overreacting, or should we definitely arrive in Barcelona 1 to 2 days earlier? I appreciate any advice! (if you guys need more details don't hesitate to ask) We always have trip insurance and use Air2Sea. Twice we arrived same day as cruise, Southampton and Barcelona. Both times we had delays but boarded successfully. My advice is to see if you can go a day early on your own and let the others take their chances. If you want to sightsee, go two days early. Ryan79 and Sweety 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokeybandit Posted July 14 Report Share Posted July 14 Since most west to east Atlantic flights are red eyes, I'd want to have that full day buffer before boarding day. Curt From Canada, Ryan79 and WAAAYTOOO 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wordell1 Posted July 14 Report Share Posted July 14 Flight delays are an unfortunate part of travelling and can occur for many reasons. I would always plan to arrive the day before. Ryan79 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan79 Posted July 14 Report Share Posted July 14 Arriving around noon for a same day international cruise….no thanks!! Even if everything went well, that would give me an ulcer worrying about it. Also as @Ampurp85 mentioned, jet lag is going to absolutely ruin at least a full day of the cruise. I say you go separately from the others. PPPJJ-GCVAB, Curt From Canada and Ampurp85 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Last Lion Posted July 14 Report Share Posted July 14 Madness. The stress and fatigue from arriving on departure day from an overnight flight would be enormous. The first 24-48 hours of your cruise would be very difficult to enjoy as you recover. As a retired airline pilot I can tell you that delays are not just an Air Canada thing. There are a myriad of reasons why summer air travel can go off the rails quickly. Get in to BCN early and enjoy a great city. Ampurp85, Curt From Canada, WAAAYTOOO and 4 others 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riley Posted July 14 Report Share Posted July 14 Definitely get there at least a day early. Nothing against Barcelona the city or its wonderful people, but IMO the airport is awful (and my "home" airport is O'Hare!). Even if you land on time, delays getting off the plane can be brutal; further, it's not uncommon to park the airplane beyond a gate and have to take a shuttle to the terminal itself, which adds more delays. Customs is another wild card and the stress would just about do my jet-lagged self in, even if we landed on time. PhillyLady 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tjcruisers Posted July 14 Report Share Posted July 14 Definitely a day or 2 earlier. If that mean you and you one friend go a few days earlier and let the other 2 risk it so be it. As it is there is far too small a window for error teddy, WAAAYTOOO, tingtang and 3 others 5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billdauterive Posted July 14 Report Share Posted July 14 Noon arrival day of on an international departure?!?! Absolute insanity!!! And this is coming from someone who almost always flies in day of for every domestic departure and will book 10am flights for disembarkation. Personally I would do everything you can to convince them to change to at least the night before. If they still won't, I wouldn't travel with them and arrive myself 1 to 2 days before. Everything and I mean EVERYTHING has to go perfect for you to possibly make that cruise with that arrival. PhillyLady, Curt From Canada, PPPJJ-GCVAB and 3 others 5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAAAYTOOO Posted July 14 Report Share Posted July 14 20 minutes ago, tjcruisers said: Definitely a day or 2 earlier. If that mean you and you one friend go a few days earlier and let the other 2 risk it so be it. As it is there is far too small a window for error ^^This^^ Curt From Canada, PhillyLady, PPPJJ-GCVAB and 2 others 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelseylovestocruise Posted July 14 Report Share Posted July 14 Fly by yourself. If they miss it they miss it but you get to enjoy. I would say at least 2 days early. I’m flying in 6 but that is me. Sharla, PPPJJ-GCVAB, Baked Alaska and 3 others 4 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokeybandit Posted July 14 Report Share Posted July 14 A more practical way to look at is, if your flight is canceled for whatever reason, what is your alternative to get there in time for the cruise? Is there another flight you could hope to switch to? Flying in earlier may have an extra hotel cost, but it also is built in insurance to ensure you do have reasonable backup plans. Cactus527, Baked Alaska and teddy 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhillyLady Posted July 14 Report Share Posted July 14 I love cruising in Europe (I have been doing it for decades), and only once have I ever arrived the same day as the cruise departure--and that was for a Viking river cruise sailing in March, and we had door-to-door service, and it was off-peak time for international flights. Absolutely go in advance--I usually build in three advance nights/four days to recover from jet lag, ensure safe arrival of my luggage (and me!), and to get settled and sightsee a bit before the cruise. We are actually flying to Rome in a few weeks for our Med cruise this Summer, in advance as usual. Last Summer on my Med cruise I met a lady who missed the first four days of the cruise--what a waste, as there are no refunds for the missed days, and lost ports are great memories that cannot be repeated. There are plenty of people writing in who miss their flights and never make their cruise at all--sometimes you also have to negotiate with the travel insurance. Did you book your own air, or did RC make the arrangements? I am guessing you are all on the younger side, and your friends seem to be a bit casual about all the arrangements. "Penny wise and pound foolish" is what happens when you are too busy to ensure one or two nights advance arrival for your expensive cruise and flights! Good luck! Baked Alaska 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CynBeth Posted July 15 Report Share Posted July 15 I agree with the others come in a few days early. For our cruise last July that was out of Barcelona our flight left the US an hour or 2 late which seems to be the trend for us the last 3 or 4 years no matter if we have flown domestic or international and it has been on different airlines. When we landed in Barcelona the passport control was packed. They started telling people to go in lines for other countries and we were lucky when the employee started dividing the lines up differently we were the first ones he pulled to do that or we could have been there a very long time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curt From Canada Posted July 15 Report Share Posted July 15 I think it is unanimous. Fly in at least one day early (preferably two). Missing your cruise is the worst. Arriving just on time, getting on the ship, AND being asleep for the first day or two is bad. I would opt for getting in early. Your friends can meet up with you one or two ports later OR see you only for drinks each night (as they will be sleeping through most of the day). Have a blast on your trip … Curt from Canada Baked Alaska and TheNewishCruiser 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teddy Posted July 15 Report Share Posted July 15 As someone who had a connecting flight in Lisbon cancelled last year when flying to Venice for a cruise, I can tell you there is no better feeling than knowing you have a three day cushion before embarkation day. We had to stay the night in Lisbon, and because we left the US three days early, we were able to enjoy the evening in a new city. Curt From Canada, Baked Alaska, WAAAYTOOO and 2 others 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobroo Posted July 15 Report Share Posted July 15 I completely understand why your friends do not want to change plans and that is because it is going to cost money. They have a valid argument. On the other hand, you are selling the great city of Barcelona short. You are missing out on tapas bars, bicycle rides, drinking red wine well into the morning, Las Ramblas, Picasso, prosciutto, Catalonia v. Spain, the best street art in the world, but above all else.....Antoni Gaudi. IMO, it's not the cruise you are chancing to miss or your bags that don't arrive because Lufthansa screws you; it's the missed opportunity of spending time in Barcelona. Curt From Canada and Cactus527 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plasticbrain Posted July 19 Report Share Posted July 19 Just to add to this, today many flights to Barcelona were cancelled due to the global computer issues. Slim chance of it happening again, but if it had happened when you travel you would have missed the ship... So I dont know what you ended up doing, but just saying that things happen, I personally know people who missed events today/this weekend because of mass cancellations today WAAAYTOOO and DoomSlayer 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SynEpona Posted July 19 Report Share Posted July 19 We're flying in 4 days early for our Rome departure on Oasis next month. I know we need a day or two to adjust to the new time zone and we want time to see Rome before we board the ship. I would not enjoy anything about the experience if I didn't have at least a full 36 hour margin of anticipated flight arrival and cruise departure, the stress of the potential domino effect of delays would be awful. There's no time to recover and come up with a new plan if anything goes wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babsy47 Posted July 20 Report Share Posted July 20 I will fly direct from California overnight to get on a cruise in Florida, which wipes me out for the first cruise day. I would never do an international cruise this way, let alone one with a connecting flight. I fly internationally for work fairly regularly. Direct flights do not generally cancel (but the can), but the do delay pretty regularly. With a connection, there is a much higher likelihood of a problem. Why pay for a great European vacation, but risk missing the boat? You will have a great time going early even if your friends don’t make it! Baked Alaska 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug_Texas Posted July 20 Report Share Posted July 20 Everyone seems to agree which is quite a feat on the blog. I arrive the day before minimum before domestic sailing and two days minimum before international sailing. Baked Alaska, TheNewishCruiser, teddy and 2 others 3 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
letscruise Posted July 20 Report Share Posted July 20 Unless you're willing to miss your cruise, I'd make sure to arrive a day or two earlier - what your friends decide to do is on them, but you should arrive in time to avoid any possibility of missing your cruise! Have a wonderful time! TheNewishCruiser 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YellowBrickRoad Posted July 21 Report Share Posted July 21 As a Flight Attendant that flew for 32 yrs, I have comforted way too many to count, my passengers that missed their cruises who did not give themselves a buffer .. There are delays/cancellations all the time. Sometimes things you are not aware of. Not only weather, mechanical, computer glitches, medical emergencies. . We have many time legalities that have to be met and if we don’t have crew to replace us, they can delay or cancel the flight. I always go one to two days early and convince anyone I travel with to do the same. Otherwise, I’ll see you when you get here. Pattycruise, teddy, Cactus527 and 1 other 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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