worried we will arrive late

We booked our own air fare and are due to arrive in Seattle for our Alaska Cruise aboard the Mercury at 12:50. The ship leaves at 4pm....how worried should I be?

[JeanS]

Pretty worried, especially if you booked it yourself (the cruiseline won't be responsible if you're late), anything can happen, lost luggage, who knows. We always fly in the day before.......who needs the stress of worrying on your first day of your vacation???

Seems like those times will be cutting it a bit close.....no allowance for ANYTHING to go wrong

I would try to change those reservations and then you won't have to worry at all. If at all possible, take that flight, but one day early. You'll have an afternoon/evening to explore Seattle and be rested and relaxed for your cruise the next day.

Good luck!

[buffetfan2004]

Also take into account it leaves at 4pm, you are considered I think having missed if not checked in by 3:30. Figure arrival of plane is quoted as 2:50--often when you hit the ground taxing to gate, getting off plane, luggage, shuttle or transportation to terminal.
Having taken 3 cruises only, I would not let my trip in hands of an airline and schedule for day before, you didn't mention what month you were sailing--if winter I definitely would be there 1-2 days prior. Just my be prepared opinion.

Hi,
VERY worried.....Amazing you 1/ book the flights on your own , then, 2/ already worry about the tight times.....;; you are right to be worried.
If you cannot get in earlier in the day, bite the bullet, pay the change fee to take
that very same flight a day earlier..
If you read your passage contract well ( and I beleive you did already....),you've already found out the '' check-in '' time required by the carrier is more like 3.00pm,....

The Seattle-Tacoma (SeaTac) airport is some distance from the port areas, and
Mercury leaves on Fridays....a normal business day coupled with a '' start of the weekend '' day.....Guess what the traffic is like as you hit downtown Seattle.....

Good luck ; good on you to double check the initial choice.

Cheers
CG

[Mike M]

If you can get an earlier flight I would do it. If everything goes on schedule you will probably not have your luggage until 1:30. With Seattle traffic you will just make the ship by 2:30 to 2:45. This is if everything goes right

They will stop boarding around 3:30 if all of the cruise line air passengers have checked in. They will not hold the ship too long past 4:00 even if there are a few cruise passengers who have not checked in.

Check into the earlier flight. There aren't too many more Mercury cruises left this year so I'm thinking your cruise isn't too far off.

Take care and once you make it to the ship I know you will love Mercury and Alaska. Both are beautiful.

Take care,
Mike

[UConn1]

I agree with all of the above. We always fly in at least the day before - that way our stress level is low and delayed flights are not a problem. This time we aren't taking any chances and flying in three days prior (well, not for that reason, but because we want to check out Vancouver and Victoria)

Jodi

[LisaK]

you should be worried, as the other have said either fly in the day or night before, or if you can't do that, get the earliest flight out.

The worst cruise we ever took was our Alaskan cruise, not the cruise itself, but the getting around that RCCL did for us ! We flew into Sea Tac the day before. We were leaving from Vancouver so that isn't your problem. Getting around in Seattle is terrible. They always seem to be having some kind of street festival also. Don't know where port area exactly is, but the traffic around there is pretty bad...............I'd advise the day before also...............

[JeanS]

So hmmm, we haven't heard back yet from Paoni, do you think that means he's busy on the phone changing his reservations???

Hi,
Hope so....
CG

We did the Seattle thing in July for Mercury and it took 30-45 minutes to get our suitcases at the airport. It seems to take forever there. We were doing a cross country flight so getting in "early" wasn't a very good option for us.
Thankfully, we did it the day before sailing. Getting to the port did take additional time too. (we stayed at the Marriott directly across the street from where the Mercury docks.)

Best Wishes
If possible...I'd change my flights go out a day early.

Hi,
Brilliant, Mr Starkey. That way, 1/ you're already relaxed on the very first day of
the cruise & 2 / you get to checkin as early as possible on sailaway day; you paid
the money, might asa well max-out your stay.

I wish people would ( where and if possible....) consider it as a golden rule that the
1st day of their cruise is the day BEFORE you sail......Imagine how much of a drop
the collective blood pressure ratings of the cruising population would show if such
was the case....

Cheers
CG