Travel experts give their top tips for booking flights to and from a cruise

26.08.2023 - 07:27 / insider.com / Cruises / Airlines

Missing a cruise because of canceled or delayed flights is an easy way to ruin your vacation.

That's why when it comes to booking airfare for a cruise, it's better to be safe than sorry. We spoke to two travel experts about their best tips for flying to and from the port.

Their number one piece of advice: Never book a flight that lands the same day that your cruise departs.

For domestic ports like Miami, Seattle, or Los Angeles, it's fine to arrive one day before your cruise departs, Stewart Chiron, an industry expert who has been on over 300 cruises (AKA "The Cruise Guy"), told Insider.

For cruises departing from international ports, you should consider arriving multiple days in advance, he said. That way, you can have an extra buffer for any snafus and have a chance to explore the area while adjusting to the time difference.

Sonia Bhagwan, travel advisor and founder of Dreaming of Sun — Dream Vacations, said the same rule of thumb applies even to people who live within driving distance from the cruise port and think they can drive over the same day.

"That's a big mistake I see," she told Insider. "There could be traffic that's out of control, there could be any number of things that happen on your three or four-hour drive to the cruise."

Most major cruise lines offer airfare programs that come with certain travel protections. For example, if you miss your cruise because of a flight disruption, some cruise lines will pay for travel expenses to the next port of call, refund your flight, or give you a voucher for future cruise credit.

Every cruise line's policy is slightly different, so make sure you read the fine print.

But Bhagwan said she tells her clients to never book airfare through a cruise line, even though they often offer cheaper fares.

Like any other third-party booking service, buying flights through a cruise line means you won't have direct control over your reservation if something goes awry, she said.

Additionally, some people are under the impression that if they book their flight through the cruise line, the ship will wait for them if the flight is delayed, she said — but in most situations, that's not the case.

"The cruise ship captain has no control over the harbor schedule and whether or not they can wait," she told Insider. "So they will oftentimes just leave even if the plane is late and the passenger won't be able to do anything."

Instead, Bhagwan recommends purchasing flights directly and spending a little extra money to get a flexible fare.

"Don't get the cheapest airfare for the day before the cruise," she said. "Get the insurance, get the flexible airfare rate, get the hotel even though it's going to be for one night."

Chiron said he's personally bought airfare to Europe