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Sometimes, even when you think you’re playing it safe with your travel plans, what can go wrong does go wrong. Even if you’re an experienced cruiser with plenty of smooth sailings under your belt, your streak of good luck can easily be broken by circumstances outside of your control.Related: Royal Caribbean passengers offer tips for common cabin problemIf you’re flying to your cruise departure port, your chances of a flight delay impacting your arrival at the port are pretty significant.
On average, more than 20% of flights experience some kind of delay, according to U.S. Bureau of Transportation statistics.
Booking a flight that arrives on the same day as your cruise is risky and generally not recommended due to the unpredictability of air travel. Most expert cruisers recommend always flying in the day before your cruise departure. But sometimes, even that isn’t enough.
One experienced Royal Caribbean cruiser’s stressful air travel ordeal shared in the Royal Caribbean community on Reddit serves as a warning for all cruisers to always prepare for the worst-case scenario. Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter to save money on your next (or your first) cruise. Sometimes, flying in the day before your cruise doesn't go as planned.
Image source: Getty Images Multiple flight delays, cancellations lead to missed cruise“This is why you fly in the day before,” Mamm0nn wrote in the Royal Caribbean community on Reddit on March 30 as they outlined a series of flight delays and cancellations that prevented them from reaching Fort Lauderdale in time for their cruise. Even though this experienced cruiser planned to fly in the day before their cruise, the passenger’s time buffer got swallowed up by flight delays and cancellations that resulted from a severe weather situation in Chicago. Severe thunderstorms led to a ground stop at Chicago O’Hare International Airport on March 30.
Related: Royal Caribbean cruisers share what it’s like to try CelebrityAt first, it looked like the delays would lead to the passenger arriving at 1 a.m. on the date of cruise, but in the end, their flight arrival time was pushed even later than the cruise's boarding time.
“13 hours at O’Hare, 5 delays and 2 flight cancellations,” Mamm0nn explained. “We can't get to Fort Lauderdale out of O’Hare until tomorrow evening.” And tomorrow evening meant too late to make it to the ship.
Be the first to see the best deals on cruises, special sailings, and more. Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter.Cruise insurance, flying in days ahead provide peace of mindAlthough disappointing and surely stressful, the passenger took consolation in the fact that they had prudently purchased cruise insurance.
Royal Caribbean and other cruise lines offer optional travel protection add-ons to your cruise booking that offer peace of mind with cancellation and interruption benefits, and other coverages to protect you financially when something goes wrong. Flight delays are a common source of stress for many cruisers, even when they take steps to minimize the risk of missing their cruise. In the Reddit thread, others shared their own stories of flight delays on the day before a cruise that nearly led to missed sailings.
Related: Royal Caribbean adds new perk for loyal cruisers“I’ve been delayed on my last three trips, twice arriving past midnight (technically the day of the cruise) and once arriving at 8 a.m. the day of the cruise (flight from Dallas was cancelled, took the 5 a.
m. flight the day of the cruise),” AnonUserAccount wrote.Some cruisers reported that air travel concerns have led them to book their flights for two or three days before their cruises to play it even safer.
If you have the time, flying in a few days before not only gives you peace of mind, it offers an opportunity to extend your vacation on land, as one cruiser pointed out. “Yeah, I’ve never been one to cut it close. Our next one, we’re going in 3 days early,” 410bore explained.
“We look at it as an opportunity to explore a new city, or visit favorite spots in an old one.” (The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.)Make a free appointment with Come Cruise With Me's Travel Agent Partner, Postcard Travel, or email Amy Post at amypost@postcardtravelplanning.
com or call or text her at 386-383-2472..
