We have just booked our first cruise sailing on Brilliance of the Seas next August but have yet to book flights. Can anyone advise us what the earliest embarkation and latest debarkation times are likely to be so we can decide which flights to choose. We are sailing from Barcelona.

blubelle 57- Try checking times with your TA, or, if booking yourselves- review the trip itinerary (which will post departure and arrival time)-You can then plan your travel and book connections according to your needs!

BillyBuzzy

bluebelle- Welcome to cruise chat!

billy's advice is fine as it will provide you with the time you are looking for. However, my advice to you is NOT to book flights planning on being there "just in time". Especially for embarkation day on an international flight. If at all possible you are safest planning on coming in the night before and staying overnight in Barcelona. And not that it happens often, but there could be customs clearance issues or other factors that may delay the disembarkation time also. Give yourself some margin there, but you are typically off of the ship by 8AM.

It is recommended to not book a flight before noon on disembarkation day in Barcelona.

quote:

Originally posted by blubelle 57:
We have just booked our first cruise sailing on Brilliance of the Seas next August but have yet to book flights. Can anyone advise us what the earliest embarkation and latest debarkation times are likely to be so we can decide which flights to choose. We are sailing from Barcelona.

Thanks to everyone who replied. We had been advised when booking cruise to book flight home at 1 pm but were afraid this might be too early. You've put our minds at rest and we'll go for this flight. We're staying overnight in Barcelona prior to cruise and had wondered how early/late we would get on to the ship so that we could plan our day accordingly.

Welcome Blubelle 57. Your very wise to get to Barcelona the day before.
Our first Mediterranean cruise we didn't know about cruise-chat.com and booked our flight from NY to Rome on an evening flight, expecting to arrive in Rome the morning of the cruise. Unfortunely Alitalia cancelled our flight, put us up in a hotel. The next day they had to send 30 of us (out of the 48 people that were booked on the same cruise), to Newark, NJ Airport, we had to fly to Paris, run to another airplane fly to Naples which meant we missed the first day and a half of our cruise.
Have a Great time.
Sandy p

Thanks sandy I'd hate the panic if something like that happened never mind the thought of missing the start of our cruise. We're looking forward to spending the day before we sail in Barcelona anyway as we had a wonderful 5 days there last year. It is a beautiful and vibrant city.
QUOTE]Originally posted by sandy p:
Welcome Blubelle 57. Your very wise to get to Barcelona the day before.
Our first Mediterranean cruise we didn't know about cruise-chat.com and booked our flight from NY to Rome on an evening flight, expecting to arrive in Rome the morning of the cruise. Unfortunely Alitalia cancelled our flight, put us up in a hotel. The next day they had to send 30 of us (out of the 48 people that were booked on the same cruise), to Newark, NJ Airport, we had to fly to Paris, run to another airplane fly to Naples which meant we missed the first day and a half of our cruise.
Have a Great time.
Sandy p[/QUOTE]