Norwegian Updates Air Program With New Rules

Above, the Norwegian Sky at the Miami cruise terminal. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

When Mitch Geriminsky and I went to Miami, Florida to embark on our cruise to the Bahamas two years ago, we arrived early in the morning of the day of departure. To say the least, I was leery over this. We had booked a shuttle from the airport to the cruise terminal, but the shuttle never showed up and the shuttle company didn't answer their phone. We ended up getting a ride to the terminal with Uber.

When we went on our Cuba cruise in 2019, I arrived a day early and stayed at a Fort Lauderdale Motel 6. No problems.

Norwegian Cruise Line recommends that cruise passengers arrive a day earlier so not to miss their cruise ship. This is a wise policy as anything can happen before reaching the cruise terminal.

According to Cruise Hive:

Norwegian Cruise Line has updated its NCL Air policy, effective immediately, requiring all airfare bookings through the NCL Air program to schedule guests to arrive at least one day ahead of their cruise ship’s departure date, regardless of homeport or sailing date.

The policy change takes effect from January 26, 2026, and now applies to all new reservations, including air arrangements, as well as any existing reservations that may be repriced from this date forward.

To read more, go here. 

Do These 6 Things To Not Waste Money On Cruises

Above, yours truly having a cigar and cocktail on the cruise to the Bahamas last summer.

Moments ago, I saw an interesting article on six things to do to save money on cruises.

One especially caught my attention. It was not to take a cruise line transportation shuttle from the airport (in our case, Miami Airport) to the port. Last summer, a friend and I paid $50 each for transportation to the port from the airport. They never showed up despite us making several phone calls and leaving messages. I instead called Uber and they got us to the the port for about $25. This was for the cruise to the Bahamas with Norwegian Cruise Line. 

The article was posted with the Cruise Blog, and they begin it with: 

Having taken over 30 cruises, there have been times when I've felt ripped off while onboard. Sometimes, it's my fault. For example, forgetting to purchase shore excursions in advance means I'll inevitably pay more for the same product on the ship. 

This happened a few years ago when I waited until the last minute to plan my day ashore at Royal Caribbean's private island. Although cruisers have reported scoring epic deals to Thrill Waterpark, I shelled out $149 for a full-day pass. 

I've made plenty of mistakes throughout my cruising career, but I've also found that there are easy ways to always save money on a cruise vacation. Here are my 6 best tips to not waste your hard-earned money on your next cruise. 

To read more, go here. 

Travel Ordeal of Flights To Cruises

Above, cruise ship departure from Miami cruise terminal. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Last summer, a friend and I booked a flight out of Albuquerque to Miami to take a cruise to the Bahamas.

We booked a flight that arrived in Miami in the wee hours of the morning of our cruise departure date. We had no problems getting to Miami, but the flight was a long one as we had to catch a transfer flight from Salt Lake City, Utah to Miami.

Getting to the cruise terminal from the Miami airport was a different matter. We pre-paid for a shuttle service, but that never arrived. We called them several times and got no response. Ultimately, we took Uber to the terminal.

TheStreet posted an article on the pitfalls of airline flights to reach a cruise departure port. 

They start with:

Sometimes, even when you think you’re playing it safe with your travel plans, what can go wrong does go wrong.

Even if you’re an experienced cruiser with plenty of smooth sailings under your belt, your streak of good luck can easily be broken by circumstances outside of your control.

If you’re flying to your cruise departure port, your chances of a flight delay impacting your arrival at the port are pretty significant. On average, more than 20% of flights experience some kind of delay, according to U.S. Bureau of Transportation statistics.

Booking a flight that arrives on the same day as your cruise is risky and generally not recommended due to the unpredictability of air travel. Most expert cruisers recommend always flying in the day before your cruise departure. But sometimes, even that isn’t enough.

Frankly, flying is no longer enjoyable for me. Too many flight problems have cropped up over recent years. I am now avoiding airlines and just going to travel with my motorhome. At least I have more control traveling that way.

To read more, go here. 

Getting To The Cruise Terminal From Miami Airport

Above, my first look at the Norwegian Sky at the terminal in Miami. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

When Mitch Geriminsky and I went to Miami, Florida to take a cruise to the Bahamas earlier this month, we arrived at Miami Airport around 5:30 AM.

After getting our luggage, we went to the meeting place to catch our shuttle to the Norwegian Cruise Line terminal (about 10 miles away) that we paid $25.00 each in advance. There was nobody there when we got to the location, so we called and left a message. We waited a bit and I called the number and left a message. We again waited. 

We waited a while for someone to show up or get a return call, but nobody came or called.

I decided to get a ride through Uber to the Norwegian Cruise Line terminal. Within a short period of time (about 20 minutes), the Uber driver arrived and took us to the terminal.

The cost for the ride (not including tip) was $23.00. We never did hear back from the shuttle service. (Note: this was with a third-party company and not affiliated with Norwegian Cruise Line.)

Later, during the cruise, I met a couple from Pennsylvania in the smoking area and we talked about getting to the terminal from the airport and, for them, the hotel. They said they took a taxi from the hotel to the terminal which cost around $90.00 (roughly $45.00 each instead of carload). They also were booked at a hotel in Miami that wasn't what they expected. They wanted a hotel reasonably close to the terminal and were assured that the hotel they were booked at was near the cruise terminal. It wasn't.

If one is planning to take a cruise that departs from Miami, a little word of cost-saving caution. Avoid taxi cabs and so-called pre-paid shuttle services. Both are rip-offs. 

It has been posted here and there that the flat rate for Uber and Lyft from the airport to the terminal is a flat rate of $27.00. We got the ride for $23.00. 

When our ship got back to Miami after the cruise, we again got a ride with Uber and the price was the same. Our flight was around 10:00 AM and we arrived in Miami around 7:00 AM.

My general impression of Miami (besides expensive taxi service) was that it looked rundown in comparison to Fort Lauderdale, from which we took a cruise to Key West and Havana five years ago. 

Candlewood Suites O'Hare

Above, the kitchen area. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Since the Crowne Plaza (where G-FEST is held) was fully booked up by the time I tried to book a room, I stayed a few miles away at the Candlewood Suites.

Above, the desk and television area. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The price was about the same as the Crowne Plaza, but I had a suite that included a kitchen. This was a big help in saving money on meals. I had all my breakfasts there as the hotel has a small store that sold Quaker Oatmeal packets for fifty cents.

Above, a nice, comfortable bed. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

I got to & from the convention and Candlewood Suites with Uber. That was a lot cheaper than taking a taxi!

The kitchen had a microwave oven and dishware, so I was able to have my usual oatmeal (great for fighting cholesterol) breakfasts in the room. The food at the Crowne Plaza was pricey as ever, so this was a big savings for me. There's also a refrigerator in the room to keep a bottle of milk inside.

Above, since it was a smoking room, I was able to enjoy a stogie. 

I would recommend Candlewood Suites near O'Hare International Airport if one wants to save on their travel food costs.