Departure day - the experience of getting there.

We're from Michigan, the cruise ship is in Miami, and this is our first cruise. I'll chronicle the trip for you, which serves as a pre-cursor to the experience we have learned. This trip was in the fall of 2000, which means that the airline experience has only worsened since then. In other words, this was the good-old days...

• 3:00AM. The alarm goes off. Everything was previously packed in the car, so we got up, got dressed, hopped in the car, and drove off to the airport.
• 5:00AM. We are at the airport, arrive at the terminal and check our baggage. Time to get a cup of coffee and a donut for the All American breakfast.
• 6:00AM. Unfortunately, we do not have a direct flight to Miami, so we're on the first leg of the flight - all the way to Cincinatti.
• 9:30AM. After layover, we finally board the flight to Miami.
• 12:00PM. Arrive in Miami and found all of our baggage. We have with us 3 checked bags, a carry on, and a photo bag.
• 1:30PM We have arrived at the ship. Since we bought air travel with our cruise, we got complementary transportation to the cruise terminal.
• 2:30PM We are on-board after waiting in line to check in, and fill out some last-minute forms.
• 3:00PM Find our cabin.
• 4:30PM Mandatory Muster (lifeboat drill) for all passengers prior to sailing.
• 5:00PM Ship sails from Miami.
• 5:30PM Our baggage arrives at our cabin - time to unpack.
• 6:00PM Find our dining table and eat our first room in the formal dining room.
• 8:00PM Arrive at the ship's theatre for the evening's entertainment.
• 8:05PM Fall asleap in the theatre from exhaustion.

While many passengers do this every time they take a cruise, I found it to be simply too much chaos for one day. Any delay could result in missing the boat, or at least, lost luggage. There has to be a better way... and fortunately, there is. On our second cruise, we found out that the cruise line offered a "night-before" package, wherein you fly in the day prior, stay at a hotel, then board the ship the next day. This time, it went something like this:

• 7:00AM The alarm goes off. Get dressed as before, but this time, we have time to get a nice breakfast.
• 9:00AM Off to the airport. Again, everything was packed in the car the prevous night.
• 11:00AM Again, no direct flight, so we fly on our first hop to Chicago.
• 3:30PM Arrive in Miami, get our bags, and find the complementary transportation to the hotel.
• 4:30PM Check into the hotel, refresh, and relax by the pool.
• 6:00PM Eat dinner at the hotel's dining room.
• 10:00PM Retire for the evening.
  ----- The Next Morning-----
• 9:00AM Wake up without alarm, get dressed, check out of room, then eat breakfast in hotel dining room.
• 11:00AM Transportation to the ship arrives; hand off baggage, take the short trip to the ship.
• 11:30AM Arrive at the ship, escorted to Priority Check in.
• 12:30PM Check in, board ship, change into swimsuit, relax in pool while everyone else is running around.
• 1:30PM Have lunch at the buffet style dining.
• 3:00PM Find our cabin. Luggage arrives shortly after. Unpack luggage.
• 4:30PM Mandatory Muster.
• 5:00PM Ship sails from Miami.
• 6:00PM Find our dining table and eat our first formal meal.
• 8:00PM Arrive at the theater for the evening's entertainment.
• 8:05PM Promptly fall asleep.

OK, I have to work on that last event, but it certainly was not from exhaustion, as we arrived at the ship well rested. Especially if you fly in, and especially if you fly from the northern states, and in winter weather, I highly recommend taking advantage of the night-before package. It costs a few dollars, but it's well worth it, as you arrive on-board rested, and minimize any delay and possibly missing the ship.