A Royal Caribbean traveler shared his nightmare cruise travel story before it even began. The man took to Reddit to warn future travelers about not making the same mistake as he did.
A mistake that beginners to the cruise life and people who have never taken a cruise often make is when booking their flights. People often book flights that land at the cruise departure port on the day of the cruise.
This decision leaves people exposed to a high risk of a flight delay and, in turn, missing their cruise. A U.S. Bureau of Transportation statistics reveals that more than 20% of flights experience some kind of delay.
If you are arriving in the city of the departure port on the day of your cruise, there’s room for so much to go wrong. Seasoned cruise travelers often suggest taking a flight a day before your cruise journey even starts.
A Reddit user recently took to the platform to share his disastrous travel story. “This is why you fly in the day before,” began a user named Mamm0nn. The post was made on the Royal Caribbean and explained how the user got unfortunate and was met with a series of delayed flights.
So, like, spring break doesn’t have to end…. right? pic.twitter.com/AidOP1eGJu
— Royal Caribbean (@RoyalCaribbean) March 23, 2025
The user whose destination was Fort Lauderdale even faced a flight cancellation that made his chances of making it on time even more difficult. The user who avoided the rookie mistake of not flying in on the day of the flight got unlucky with the flight delays.
The flight delays were thanks to a severe weather warning in Chicago on March 30. A thunderstorm that hit the region resulted in all the flights being delayed at the Chicago O’Hare International Airport.
“13 hours at O’Hare, 5 delays and 2 flight cancellations,” the user wrote in the post. They went on to explain how it was highly likely that they were not going to make the cruise.
Even though the passenger met with exceptionally bad luck, the cruise insurance that they had opted for saved the day. Several cruise companies, including Royal Caribbean, offer travel insurance to help in situations exactly like these. The insurance usually helps with cancellations and interruption benefits. Opting for the insurance protects you financially from taking damage in case you miss a cruise.
Maximize your PTO with vacations for everyone—family fun, relaxation, expeditions & more! Discover how we’re helping you make the most of three-day holiday weekends this year: https://t.co/EZHSKq80wn #PTO #WorkLifeBalance pic.twitter.com/RIdcQe8dYr
— Royal Caribbean Group (@NewsfromRCgroup) January 17, 2025
Several other cruise travelers resonated with the original post and shared their own experiences with flight delays. “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),” one user wrote.
“Yeah, I’ve never been one to cut it close. Our next one, we’re going in 3 days early,” another added. “We look at it as an opportunity to explore a new city, or visit favorite spots in an old one,” a third added.
