I have gotten into a semi-comfortable routine getting to the boat in the past couple of years. For instance, in a few weeks (5/20), we will be headed to the BVI for 10 days. The travel plans look like this - Spirit Air direct flight MCO-STT, be met at the airport by a taxi that will take us to Red Hook to take a Water Taxi (Island Time) to West End (likely West End, anyway, but have done it where we checked into Road Town), then be taken to the dock that Time Will Tell is tied up to. There is no standing in line for C&I (we sit in the boat while the Captain deals with C&I). Reverse on the way home on the 30th (except we actually have to talk to C&I in St John - but no real lines involved).
I do say semi-comfy specifically because of relying on Spirit Airlines (they cancelled a flight home on us once and their communications was a friggin' nightmare - booked a flight via Miami with American and THEY cancelled the MIA-MCO flight! Ended up renting a car to drive home. Annoying, but we survived). If anyone else had a direct flight, I'd likely book them. The Water Taxi is a fabulous experience. Fast, everything just works well. Great way to start and end a trip.
Cost - first, you have to understand that the Admiral is a Princess! So the airfare for this trip is $1600, round trip for two. It also includes the upgrade for the front of the plane (bigger seats), luggage, etc. Cost would have been MUCH less if I hadn't gotten the bigger seats, etc. Call it about $500 each r/t. The Water Taxi for a group (over 5 I think) comes out to right around twice what the ferry costs including C&I fees, tip for the Captain, etc. More for fewer people, but as long as you have 4, I think its worth it (and I have done it with just 2 of us, but then I start to really debate the value proposition).
Again, by and large this plan has worked out really well for us to get to and from the boat. In fact, if you're free for the 20th-30th this month, let me know - we have an open cabin, and you can dry run the whole process! lol
I am looking forward to trying out the whole AA MCO-MIS-EIS thing, but until the prices settle a bit, it ain't happening!
Keep Smiling!!!
-Peter
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