Ahoy there, Sonja and welcome aboard here at planDisney! I'm so excited that you have a Disney Cruise Line vacation coming up later this year and thought to drop me a line! Get ready for mystery, enchantment...and the finest merchandise on sale today! Wait...that's the bazaar in Agrabah - my mistake!
I, too, understand the need to pay special attention to all the plans around just GETTING to your embarkation port! There are so many days where I think, "wow, it sure would be nice just to move to Port Canaveral!" To never have to think about flights, schedules, pre-cruise hotel stays, or any of the other things that stand between me and embarking on one of the beautiful Disney Cruise Line ships would be amazing.
I see you're coming from Canada, so I asked
Jacqueline - my Canadian friend and fellow panelist - her read on the situation, and I'm so glad I did! She suggests that you look into booking your flights on your own since terms and conditions vary slightly when it comes to the Disney Cruise Line cancellation policy for Canadian residents. By doing so, you also could maximize your savings, as flights booked through Disney Cruise Line would be in US currency, as the current exchange rate is at close to 30% more in funds!
Knowing all that, I definitely suggest checking with your favorite airline to see what flights to your
departure port arrive within Disney Cruise Line's
suggested arrival times! In a past life (before we had kids) we used to arrive the day of the cruise, snag our Ground Transportation transfer and get to the port before stuffing our faces with Cabanas' embarkation day lunch. Nowadays, we usually try to build in a day prior to our sailing, just in case we're struck by travel delays or another minor catastrophe. I'm sure you can agree with how unexpectedly "weather-y" this winter has been, that a little extra preparation is in order to be sure you are on board with plenty of time to spare when the ship weighs anchor!
Oh, and don't forget you'll be selecting a Port Arrival Time when you complete your Online Check-In, so keep that in mind when you start considering flights as well!
Once you do have your flights booked, I'm sure you'll finally be able to let yourself get excited about
everything that's included on your Disney Cruise Line vacation!
Well Sonja, here's hoping that helps you set a course for your pre- and post-cruise flights for your adventure this September! Thank you so much for your question, and special thanks again to Jacqueline for the Canadian perspective! If you think of any others as your vacation crests over the horizon, you know where to find us at planDisney.
I wish you well-timed, affordable flights, great weather, and smooth sailing!
Andrew