[onenight]

Flight-Booked! Direct flight from Chicago to Miami
Motel-Booked! Holiday Inn, right by the port. Can't get any closer than that. Staying one day before and one day after.

Now all I need is for January to hurry up and get here!

[ShoreSlayer]

Whoohooo!!!

Flight / arrival time change in YOUR favour!! DO pass go and collect 2 hours of breathing room!

Just received an e-mail with updated flight itineraries. Now, instead of arriving in Miami at 12:55 pm on the day of cruise, I land at 10:40 a.m... Not as cushy as the extra day or two some of you have planned but better than losing 2 hours the other way

[debborah1]

Whoohooo!!!

Flight / arrival time change in YOUR favour!! DO pass go and collect 2 hours of breathing room!

Just received an e-mail with updated flight itineraries. Now, instead of arriving in Miami at 12:55 pm on the day of cruise, I land at 10:40 a.m... Not as cushy as the extra day or two some of you have planned but better than losing 2 hours the other way

HELLL YEAH....much better!! and peace of mind...

[Jaimie38]

Flying in via Toronto to Miami Jan23--staying at Holiday Inn Downtown--South Beach sold out! lol
Leaving Sunday Jan.30-also staying at Holiday Inn Downtown--so I have some time to hang out in the area--never been before.
I'll be the one wearing a toque and big winter boots!! LOL!!
...actually... most of the bands will be too!!
Jaimie

[tmcasper]

What's up my crazy metal friends?? How many staying at the Miami Marriott?

[debborah1]

What's up my crazy metal friends?? How many staying at the Miami Marriott?

HEY THERE BIG BOY!!!.....Not sure who will be stayin there....but welcome to the forum freakshow!!! ***HAILZ**** \m/

[KevinP]

Hey, another Lawgh I-lander

What town ?

[tmcasper]

Yeah...born and bred. I'm in Ronkonkoma, you?

[KevinP]

Yeah...born and bred. I'm in Ronkonkoma, you?

Florida now. But I'm from Sayville, wife is from Holbrook. Lived in Ronkonkoma off Portion Rd for 2 years before heading down here.

[tmcasper]

Ha! Thats mint! I live off portion rd. now...avenue a Stop me if you see me on the cruise...i'm not hard to miss

[KevinP]

Ha! Thats mint! I live off portion rd. now...avenue a Stop me if you see me on the cruise...i'm not hard to miss

I was on Crestwood, which is off Ave D. Same here, I'll be wearing my avatar at some point during the cruise

[ShoreSlayer]

Whoohooo!!!

Flight / arrival time change in YOUR favour!! DO pass go and collect 2 hours of breathing room!

Just received an e-mail with updated flight itineraries. Now, instead of arriving in Miami at 12:55 pm on the day of cruise, I land at 10:40 a.m... Not as cushy as the extra day or two some of you have planned but better than losing 2 hours the other way

So, in light of the news I got this morning and then reading back on this, I guess I should take some solace in the fact that things could be worse. I'm still slated to arrive at the same time and, bottom line, that will at least get me on the ship and out to sea as planned.

But HOLYFUCKINGSHITMOTHERCRAPPINGBALLSTABBINGCHRIST I can't believe the shit they're trying to shove down my throat this morning...

In my lame, hardly ever traveled before newb way, I had tried to find the most economical way of getting from Vancouver to Miami next month (oh yes, I love saying that - NEXT month) and settled on busing from Vancouver to Seattle and then flying from there to Miami. I had to make a connecting flight in Philadelphia but it was a pretty short stopover and it all seemed quite doable. Then, this morning, I get an update that says my flight from Seattle to Philly was canceled and they've booked me on another one... FOURTEEN HOURS EARLIER!!! Resulting in a bloody 15 hour wait between flights in Philadelphia!!! WTF?? And now my travel agent who booked all this for me is strangely impossible to track down this morning and no one else at the agency seems to feel up to the task of helping me figure out how to fix this shit!

Okay, rant over. Hopefully better news soon. I've got a massive headache and I never get headaches

[debborah1]

Whoohooo!!!

Flight / arrival time change in YOUR favour!! DO pass go and collect 2 hours of breathing room!

Just received an e-mail with updated flight itineraries. Now, instead of arriving in Miami at 12:55 pm on the day of cruise, I land at 10:40 a.m... Not as cushy as the extra day or two some of you have planned but better than losing 2 hours the other way

So, in light of the news I got this morning and then reading back on this, I guess I should take some solace in the fact that things could be worse. I'm still slated to arrive at the same time and, bottom line, that will at least get me on the ship and out to sea as planned.

But HOLYFUCKINGSHITMOTHERCRAPPINGBALLSTABBINGCHRIST I can't believe the shit they're trying to shove down my throat this morning...

In my lame, hardly ever traveled before newb way, I had tried to find the most economical way of getting from Vancouver to Miami next month (oh yes, I love saying that - NEXT month) and settled on busing from Vancouver to Seattle and then flying from there to Miami. I had to make a connecting flight in Philadelphia but it was a pretty short stopover and it all seemed quite doable. Then, this morning, I get an update that says my flight from Seattle to Philly was canceled and they've booked me on another one... FOURTEEN HOURS EARLIER!!! Resulting in a bloody 15 hour wait between flights in Philadelphia!!! WTF?? And now my travel agent who booked all this for me is strangely impossible to track down this morning and no one else at the agency seems to feel up to the task of helping me figure out how to fix this shit!

Okay, rant over. Hopefully better news soon. I've got a massive headache and I never get headaches

....UMMMMMMMM.....WOW...YOU are much nicer than I am when it comes to screwing with my itinerary!!! Id be BLOWING THEIR shit up!....MAKE them accomodate you!!! a GOOD travel agent will do that! thats shit!

[ShoreSlayer]

....UMMMMMMMM.....WOW...YOU are much nicer than I am when it comes to screwing with my itinerary!!! Id be BLOWING THEIR shit up!....MAKE them accomodate you!!! a GOOD travel agent will do that! thats shit!

Well, here's the thing....

As I've never traveled like this before, I don't know where I stand. Can I just tell them to do A, B and/or C or demand my money back? Cuz I've already looked and there are direct flights from Seattle to Miami available right now for less than what I paid for this damn connecting runaround. But for some reason I feel like I'm at the mercy of this deal now that I've paid for it.

[debborah1]

....UMMMMMMMM.....WOW...YOU are much nicer than I am when it comes to screwing with my itinerary!!! Id be BLOWING THEIR shit up!....MAKE them accomodate you!!! a GOOD travel agent will do that! thats shit!

Well, here's the thing....

As I've never traveled like this before, I don't know where I stand. Can I just tell them to do A, B and/or C or demand my money back? Cuz I've already looked and there are direct flights from Seattle to Miami available right now for less than what I paid for this damn connecting runaround. But for some reason I feel like I'm at the mercy of this deal now that I've paid for it.

You tell them that is NOT why you paid for it now that its changed......and hve them apply the funds to the flight from Seattle to Miami immediately....

[ShoreSlayer]

Well, after repeated messages and calls failing to get connected with my original agent, I just talked to her supervisor and told her to tell the agent to cancel the existing package, start working on a new one that doesn't involve all these crazy connecting flights and possibly gets me to Miami on the night of the 23rd and I'll call her tomorrow to figure it all out. Supervisor seemed to think that was all doable without my having to even mention eyeball pecking so thanks for the pep talk guys

[debborah1]

Hey Pengy...dont forget to weigh your options of flyin into ft laudedale too....then you could ride with us to the port!!

[asmegin]

Well, after repeated messages and calls failing to get connected with my original agent, I just talked to her supervisor and told her to tell the agent to cancel the existing package, start working on a new one that doesn't involve all these crazy connecting flights and possibly gets me to Miami on the night of the 23rd and I'll call her tomorrow to figure it all out. Supervisor seemed to think that was all doable without my having to even mention eyeball pecking so thanks for the pep talk guys

Glad the supervisor is helping ya out. Hope to get to meet you on the 23rd. I

[Evican]

I'm staying on Miami Beach!! But I am getting a little worried that my flight itinerary hasn't changed in sometime.. I'm flying Qantas and meant to be on an A380. Luckily though, I am due to arrive three days before the cruise, but I'm hoping all these engine problems are over come January.

All I need now is a visa and I'm all set! (Which now costs $15 thanks to Obama!!)

[mooyagi]

I'm staying on Miami Beach!! But I am getting a little worried that my flight itinerary hasn't changed in sometime.. I'm flying Qantas and meant to be on an A380. Luckily though, I am due to arrive three days before the cruise, but I'm hoping all these engine problems are over come January.

All I need now is a visa and I'm all set! (Which now costs $15 thanks to Obama!!)

Hey! We really, really need the money. Of course, none of us will ever see any of that money put to a good use, but it's nice to live in a fantasy land sometimes.

[cowboy71]

We're flying Qantas too - but not an A380 thankfully. We are on a 747-400 Longreach apparently.

We get in on the Friday - 3 days staying at the Hyatt, then the cruise(!!!), 3 days at Disney Orlando, then 3 more days back in Miami at the Miami Beach Resort before flying home to Australia.

It is gonna be LEGENDARY!!

[ShoreSlayer]

Holy time travel batman!!

So I got things worked out today and now am back to an itinerary very similar to what I started with in the spring.

I fly out of Seattle at 10:20 pm Sunday night, spend almost 4 hours waiting for connecting flight in Charlotte NC, then a 2 hour flight from there has me landing in Miami at 12:09 PM.

I was a lot more comfortable when I gained that 2 hour cushion with the flight update months ago but at least the 13 hour layover is a thing of the past.

[last_candle]

we made reservations for the Red South Beach Hotel - it was "cheap enough" for me to get a room on my own
(Friday to Monday, btw)

[debborah1]

Holy time travel batman!!

So I got things worked out today and now am back to an itinerary very similar to what I started with in the spring.

I fly out of Seattle at 10:20 pm Saturday night, spend almost 4 hours waiting for connecting flight in Charlotte NC, then a 2 hour flight from there has me landing in Miami at 12:09 PM.

I was a lot more comfortable when I gained that 2 hour cushion with the flight update months ago but at least the 13 hour layover is a thing of the past.

okay im confused.......so when are you going to BE IN FLORIDA?? Sat??

[ShoreSlayer]

okay im confused.......so when are you going to BE IN FLORIDA?? Sat??

Oops, thanks for pointing that out Debb... I leave Sunday night not Saturday... fixed my post.

[debborah1]

okay im confused.......so when are you going to BE IN FLORIDA?? Sat??

Oops, thanks for pointing that out Debb... I leave Sunday night not Saturday... fixed my post.

and you arrive at NOON on Monday!.....Geez.....so straight to the Port you go!

[ShoreSlayer]

and you arrive at NOON on Monday!.....Geez.....so straight to the Port you go!

Yep... no dilly-dallyin' allowed! Tourists get the big fat F outta my way!!

[WizardBeast]

Flight-Booked! Direct flight from Chicago to Miami
Motel-Booked! Holiday Inn, right by the port. Can't get any closer than that. Staying one day before and one day after.

Now all I need is for January to hurry up and get here!

cool, we are at that Holiday Inn Port hotel too. there's a thread for people staying there....i really want us to all hang out that sunday night, whoever's down for that. we were gonna check out this cool Beer and Burger joint that supposedly has a good beer selection.

[Metalwrath]

I'm trying to stay there too but the onoly problem is that none of us wield a proper credit card.
We all have those ones that work like a debit card.
It's so much easier booking hotels and hostels in Europe.
You just give them your name etc and they reserve it for you.

[Metalwrath]

Just rang them and they said if you make the advanced purchase you don't need to bring the credit card with you when you check in so my friend can use his dads credit card to pay for it.

[WizardBeast]

Just rang them and they said if you make the advanced purchase you don't need to bring the credit card with you when you check in so my friend can use his dads credit card to pay for it.

Sweet! Cheers and beers for team Holiday Inn Port Miami!

[Heabymetawhunta]

Just rang them and they said if you make the advanced purchase you don't need to bring the credit card with you when you check in so my friend can use his dads credit card to pay for it.

so.. were going to start drinking sunday then?

[WizardBeast]

Just rang them and they said if you make the advanced purchase you don't need to bring the credit card with you when you check in so my friend can use his dads credit card to pay for it.

This may not be accurate. I work front desk at a hotel and almost ALWAYS a credit card is required to secure for any incidentals... such as long distance phone calls, in-room movies, laundry, damages to the room, and so on.
Even though your room is paid for, a security deposit by credit card (or cash at some properties) is mandatory. And every hotel charges a different amount... some are only $25, some are up to $100.

I'm not calling you or the person you spoke to a liar, this is just general inquiry for all, and I hope no one runs into any problems like this, because it happens to me every day with inexperienced travellers. And it's always difficult to explain because they didn't know this prior to arrival.

a security deposit of a certain amount is NOT always required, not at all...in fact i have not had a set amount of a deposit EVER charged to me and i stay in 10 hotels a year or more. but you are right in that they usually want to swipe a credit card to have on file for incidentals. perhaps they will just use the one you''ll use when calling for the reservation.

bottom line is we are both telling you to call and ask about having a credit card for incidentals and if you could take care of that by phone since you are coming from overseas!

[WizardBeast]

so.. were going to start drinking sunday then?

THAT is the PLAN!

[ejd715]

i would hang with you all at the holiday inn, but im going to be really sleep deprived (coming home from Iraq like 4 days prior), so i just plan on getting some good sleep at the hotel before the cruise. I will be full of energy once we are at sea

[Jaimie38]

My flight lands at 2pm Sunday... hotel, power ( metal!!) nap... as I do not sleep on air planes.... then hopefully teaming up with some the Holiday Inn gang and do dinner/drinks somewhere nearby--probably not the hotel..

[tmcasper]

Not sure how many NFL fans here (if any) but if my calculations are correct that Sunday is Championship Sunday (NFC/AFC championship games)...personally, I will definitely be paying attention to that especially if my NY GIANTS are participating....which would make me one big-ass happy metalhead!!

[debborah1]

i would hang with you all at the holiday inn, but im going to be really sleep deprived (coming home from Iraq like 4 days prior), so i just plan on getting some good sleep at the hotel before the cruise. I will be full of energy once we are at sea

Hey there again!!....Whats ur name man??

[debborah1]

Not sure how many NFL fans here (if any) but if my calculations are correct that Sunday is Championship Sunday (NFC/AFC championship games)...personally, I will definitely be paying attention to that especially if my NY GIANTS are participating....which would make me one big-ass happy metalhead!!

Oh dont worry ....they won't be participating....

[tmcasper]

Not sure how many NFL fans here (if any) but if my calculations are correct that Sunday is Championship Sunday (NFC/AFC championship games)...personally, I will definitely be paying attention to that especially if my NY GIANTS are participating....which would make me one big-ass happy metalhead!!

Oh dont worry ....they won't be participating....

VERY FUNNY...you don't wanna go there!