I booked a Norwegian Cruise Line Breakaway sailing in early October (Boston round trip with stops in Portland, Bar Harbor, Eastport, and Halifax). I made a quick decision and purchased non-refundable JetBlue flights from San Diego departing at 8 pm and arriving in Boston around 5 am on the same day the cruise departs.
Friends have told me this is risky since it is generally safer to arrive at least a day early to avoid missing the ship due to delays or cancellations. JetBlue has already changed my original flight to a later one, now departing at 9:30 pm and arriving around 7 to 8 am, which still gets us there on cruise day.
I would prefer not to lose the cost of the flights, so I am planning to keep them but want to understand possible backup plans. If the flight is delayed or canceled, it does not seem like there are many alternative morning options that would still arrive in time. I am also unsure about the latest possible check-in time for boarding.
As an alternative, there are flights into Portland, Maine. I am wondering if cruise lines allow passengers to board at a later port if they miss embarkation in Boston.
Is arriving on the same day of a cruise departure common, or is this approach generally considered too risky?
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