My Mediterranean cruise on NCL's Gem is scheduled to arrive back at the Barcelona port at 5:00 AM. Our flight back home is scheduled to leave at 8:20 AM. Unfortunately, this is the only flight we could get (we are traveling on frequent flyer miles). I'd love anyone's thoughts on our chances of making this flight. We're cruise rookies and something we read said that a flight 3 hours after arriving at the port was OK. Unfortunately, our travel agent (RCI) is telling us differently now. We're being told to get with the purser as soon as we board and tell them that we have an early flight. But I just read that it can take up to two hours just to get the disembarkation started. Even if we are first off the ship, that would be at 7:00AM...only an hour and 20 minutes before our flight leaves. I'm freaking out!

There are worse places to be stuck than Barcelona but I really don't want to face paying fly the same day you book airline fees to book another flight! It also does not appear that the same flight is offered the next day.

Any tips/suggestions?

Sorry, you have taken a huge risk booking this flight, and I would speculate you have a very poor chance of making it.

If you are flying international, you need to allow for a 2 hour window at the airport. Add, time to collect your bags- (However, I would only recommend, self disembarkment and you hauling off ALL your own bags), then transportation to the airport etc etc etc.

It won't make much difference, unless you are in a high end suite, in your speaking to the purser, and requesting what a great many other people do, getting off the ship "early". It won't be any "earlier" than anyone else, if you don't self disembark.

I don't see much hope in making this flight, either. You should go back to your airline, and see if they can do something to help you change your plans. Good luck.

Well you may have a few slim options.(and I mean slim)

Yes like has been mentioned you must self disembark.

1. Call the airlines office of the Airlines you are flying with.

2. Ask them if they think you can make it if you go straight from the Cruise ship to the Airport.

3. It is about a 15-20 minute ride to the airport.

4. Ask if you can get your boarding pass and go through security within an hour ( ???)

5. Maybe if you are first to disembark...just waiting there with your luggage...perhaps you can leave earlier...ask the pursor, he can give you the right answer.

6. Has this been done before in this time frame.... Yes....

a friend of mine had an 8:25 Am flight our of Copenhagen and the cruise ship docked at 5 Am....he JUST made it !!

My question is how and why would your travel agent allow you to do this "suicide squeeze " in the first place !

Good Luck...keep us posted after you have talked to all the people involved

Website for NCL should list docking time and disembarkation time - I doubt the latter is 5 AM since there is assorted paperwork, port security, customs, etc to be settled before they let passengers off. And I have never seen a 5 AM time, but admittedly have only sailed to/from US or Canadian ports.

I share the doubts you can make this flight, however - since I think you are reading docking time rather than getting of the ship time.

Hope your FF mile tickets allow a lot more time from flight to getting on the ship - because sailing time also does not equal getting ON the ship time.