By David G. Molyneaux, editor, TheTravelMavens.com
For travelers who choose to drive to their cruise, instead of flying south, the home port issues are weather, price and convenience:
Weather
One disadvantage of cruising in winter from a northern port is that the first day of your cruise will be cool, so don't leave your jacket in the car.
Weather always is a potential issue on winter cruises, even if you leave from South Florida, where the first and last afternoons can be chilly on deck. Northerners wanting guaranteed heat in January should consider starting their cruise in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
On its New York cruises, Norwegian guarantees $100 in shipboard credits if weather causes the ship to be delayed leaving New York by 12 hours or more. So far, the cruise line says it has not had to pay up.
A winter cruise out of New York harbor "is a cool thing," says Kevin Sheehan, right, chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line.
Sheehan's image is sitting on the deck with plenty of blankets and brandy. Sheehan's first cruise was on a Norwegian ship out of New York. "I took a taxi to the dock from my apartment for $7."
Which brings us to. . .
Price
Flying to a cruise port can cost as much as the price of a cruise. For a family of four, driving is substantially cheaper than flying. Parking usually is $150-200 a week at the port, so if you have a friend who lives nearby, park in his driveway for a week and take a taxi to the port.
A survey in September 2009 for cruises in December 2009 through March 2010 indicated prices as low as $100 a night, per person for two people, in an ocean view cabin -- or even a balcony cabin on some cruises. Cruise lines usually offer special packages that include accommodations for children. Remember to ask about programs for children, as all ships do not offer the same levels and qualities of programs in all seasons.
Convenience
Cruise experts always advise passengers to arrive a day early at the port, before their cruise, to get into the vacation mood and to ease any anxiety about being late or rushed to the ship. All cruise lines offer vacation packages deals for passengers who arrive early or stay late in home port cities.
When vacationers fly to the ship's port to arrive as the ship is leaving, then hurry home after the cruise:
- Days on both ends of the cruise vacation can be long -- you're awake early to get to the airport to fly to your cruise, arriving home late on the last day of your vacation.
- And stressful, as well as out of control -- Will flights be delayed? Will the luggage arrive? How do you get around in the port city? How do you feed the kids, the grandparents, yourself?
These issues can be lessened by driving. Arriving a day or more early, with a car, offers an opportunity to explore a city, adding another relaxing piece to the vacation.
Drive to your cruise, finding ports closer to your home
David Molyneaux writes a monthly column about cruising tips and trends for newspapers and web sites. He is editor of TheTravelMavens.com
Good ideas, especially about getting there a day early. I never though of that.
Posted by: Outrigger Vacation | January 01, 2010 at 08:54 PM
One tip worth knowing for winter cruises is don't forget to pack an insulated mug - ideal for sipping a drink while watching the view go by.
Posted by: Costa Marcos | May 26, 2011 at 09:16 AM