When booking a cruise, selecting the perfect departure destination can be just as important as the ports of call along the way. Where you start your journey determines how far you need to travel to access the world’s most spectacular locations, and fly cruises allow you to begin your holiday from ports all over the world. But what are fly cruises, and how do they work? In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know!
What Is a Fly Cruise?
A fly cruise is just what it sounds like – guests hop on a flight to the location where their cruise will commence its journey. Rather than sailing across the ocean, guests can fly to far-off ports along the coastlines of North America or the island harbours around Australasia, saving themselves days at sea and jumping right into the action.
Booking a fly cruise, therefore, means going beyond just booking the cruise and onboard activities. Guests can book flights, hotels, and the entire cruising experience within a single fare, leaving them with nothing to worry about as they explore the world.
What Are the Benefits of Fly Cruising?
Reduced Days At Sea
Cruising allows guests to experience incredible landscapes and cultures all over the world, but reaching these distant shores can take a considerable amount of time. Journeying through Far East Asia or discovering the rich history of Mexico will incur a lengthy sailing time when setting off from the UK, but a fly cruise lets guests skip this and start their cruise within a comfortable distance of the ports they’ve always dreamed of seeing.
Fly From Closer to Home
Setting sail from the UK is an excellent option for cruisers to begin their holiday from familiar shores, but not everyone lives within a reasonable distance of a port or harbour. Popular cruise departure locations like Southampton and Newcastle are not easily reached, but fly cruising allows guests to utilise their local airport to fly directly to their port of departure.
Everything Under One Cost
Fly cruises can simplify the booking process by incorporating everything in a single fare. Flights, hotels, cruising, drinks packages – booking a fly cruise with Bolsover Cruise Club takes away the stress of arranging transport and accommodation, making your holiday the stress-free experience it was supposed to be.
What Are the Benefits of No-Fly Cruising?
If fly-cruising doesn’t sound like the right option for you, traditional no-fly cruising from the UK has a range of benefits too!
No Airline Baggage Limitations
When sailing from the UK, there are fewer limitations on the amount of luggage you can take. Flights may permit only a certain baggage weight, but driving to your departure port and walking right on board means you have more freedom to take as much clothing or as many personal items as you like.
Control Over Arrival
Some of us like to be early, and no-fly cruising allows you to be as early as you like! Driving to your port of departure gives you as much control as possible over your journey time, giving you the power to leave in good time to account for traffic and arrive at your departure port with time to spare.
Family-Friendly Option
Travelling with the family is incredibly easy with traditional no-fly cruises. From young children to less mobile grandparents, driving to the departure port and stepping on board makes cruising as accessible for everyone as possible, requiring a drive that guests can adjust and personalise to be as comfortable as possible.
Are Fly Cruises Worth It?
After assessing the pros and cons of fly cruises, it can be difficult deciding whether they are worth it. We believe guests need to consider several factors when determining whether a fly cruise is the right option for them:
- Dream Destinations: What locations have you always dreamed of seeing, and how far away are they? Compare how long it would take to sail and fly to the destination, and consider whether you prefer one option over the other.
- Convenience: Would you prefer to pay for your whole cruise experience in a single payment or work out your cruise fare separately from travel and accommodation to find the best deal?
- Punctuality: Don’t like risking a delayed arrival? Look into the likelihood of your flight being delayed, or consider how long it would take you to drive or take a train to your departure port.
- Baggage: How much luggage do you want to take with you? Check the baggage limit for the relevant airline and consider whether it is sufficient for your needs.
- Cruise Provider: Some cruise lines offer certain perks for guests booking a fly cruise. For example, P&O Cruises and Cunard regularly offer free airport parking for fly cruises.
Discover Your Perfect Cruise Getaway with Bolsover Cruise Club
Get ready to book your next cruise getaway with all of the major cruise lines available here at Bolsover Cruise Club. If you need help booking a cruise, please don’t hesitate to contact us. A member of our team will be happy to assist you.
2 thoughts on “What are the Pros and Cons of Fly Cruising?”
We are currently finding the most frustrating thing about fly cruising at the moment is understanding the requirements for Covid testing prior to sailing. Cruising from Southampton was pretty straightforward but the rules around flying from a UK airport, e.g. Bristol to Malta are far less clear. The main airports seem to have test facilities in place but regional airports are far less clear with requirements. I realise that rules are constantly changing but any guidance you can give would be really appreciated. Thanks
Hi Alan, covid requirements are slowly easing, making things run a lot more smoothly. Most of the cruise lines do send out an email with requirements for travel in the run up to your departure, but we do certainly understand your frustration.