How to "STACK" Your Next Cruise Vacation

Cruises are my family’s favorite way to unwind. The unfortunate side effect of this is we often must fly to our port of departure. As travel advisors we never recommend flying in on the day of your cruise. There is too high a risk that you will wind up missing your embarkation, yes even if you take that 5am flight.   One of my favorite ways to “stack” a cruise vacation is to fly down a few days early. Since flights are often cheaper mid-week, I use the money saved on airfare to add a night or two to my pre-cruise stay. This allows us to explore the city we’re leaving from, without committing to a whole vacation at that destination.  

Cruises depart from cities like Miami, where you can explore the vibrant art scene; New Orleans, known for ghost tours and Bourbon Street; and Port Canaveral (or Orlando), where you can enjoy the thrill of a theme park before your relaxing cruise. You can’t forget those Northeast cruises that leave locally to New York City either!  

You can also “stack” your vacation the other way! If you disembark on a Sunday or a Monday, you may actually find that it’s cheaper to stay locally for a night or two and fly home mid-week! Make sure to check out promotions like Kids Fly Free or airline flash sales to make the most of your vacation!