Getting to Dominica by Sea
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: DAY/CMH
Programs: UA MileagePlus
Posts: 2,474
Getting to Dominica by Sea
A couple of good friends spent a delightful month in Dominica last winter and hope to do it again this winter. The catch is that he has a condition which makes air travel miserable at best. Prolonged sitting in a confined space causes him intense pain. Their return flight was delayed, leading to a misconnect in Miami and such a physically painful trip for him that he swore he'd find a way to get to the island by sea next time.
These are creative, resourceful people but they've had no luck finding sea transport to the island, other than booking two cruises from Ft. Lauderdale to Guadeloupe, leaving the cabin vacant for half the trip each way, and transferring to Dominica by ferry. As this would cost around $25,000 for the two of them, they'd like to find something less stratospherically expensive.
Can anyone suggest another way to get to Dominica by sea?
These are creative, resourceful people but they've had no luck finding sea transport to the island, other than booking two cruises from Ft. Lauderdale to Guadeloupe, leaving the cabin vacant for half the trip each way, and transferring to Dominica by ferry. As this would cost around $25,000 for the two of them, they'd like to find something less stratospherically expensive.
Can anyone suggest another way to get to Dominica by sea?
#2
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: JFK/GDL
Programs: AA PLT, UA 1P
Posts: 415
Dominica is hard enough to get to by air. I can't imagine there's a way to arrive by sea that would be any more comfortable for someone who can't sit for even a few hours.
How would such a person even arrive in South Florida, the likely launching point for such a journey? Sounds like a car trip would be excruciating.
I suppose it might be somewhat easier to arrange a cruise or ship travel to Puerto Rico, from which it's only an hour and a half or so by plane to Dominica, or two very short flights from SJU-ANU-DOM.
How would such a person even arrive in South Florida, the likely launching point for such a journey? Sounds like a car trip would be excruciating.
I suppose it might be somewhat easier to arrange a cruise or ship travel to Puerto Rico, from which it's only an hour and a half or so by plane to Dominica, or two very short flights from SJU-ANU-DOM.
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: DAY/CMH
Programs: UA MileagePlus
Posts: 2,474
Dominica is hard enough to get to by air. I can't imagine there's a way to arrive by sea that would be any more comfortable for someone who can't sit for even a few hours.
How would such a person even arrive in South Florida, the likely launching point for such a journey? Sounds like a car trip would be excruciating.
I suppose it might be somewhat easier to arrange a cruise or ship travel to Puerto Rico, from which it's only an hour and a half or so by plane to Dominica, or two very short flights from SJU-ANU-DOM.
How would such a person even arrive in South Florida, the likely launching point for such a journey? Sounds like a car trip would be excruciating.
I suppose it might be somewhat easier to arrange a cruise or ship travel to Puerto Rico, from which it's only an hour and a half or so by plane to Dominica, or two very short flights from SJU-ANU-DOM.
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Juneau, Alaska.
Programs: AS 75K;BA Silver;AA G;HH Dia;HY Glob
Posts: 15,815
If they are going to drive to Miami, I guess you could try to charter a boat in Miami. It won't be cheap. Miami to Rosseau is about 1400 - 1500 miles. Do you know how long that would be by boat? Do they really want to spend a week in a boat to get there? If they can't fly I don't see how there is any reasonable way to get there from the US. San Juan is about 400 miles but you would still have to fly to SJU.
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: DAY/CMH
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If they are going to drive to Miami, I guess you could try to charter a boat in Miami. It won't be cheap. Miami to Rosseau is about 1400 - 1500 miles. Do you know how long that would be by boat? Do they really want to spend a week in a boat to get there? If they can't fly I don't see how there is any reasonable way to get there from the US. San Juan is about 400 miles but you would still have to fly to SJU.
#6
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: JFK/GDL
Programs: AA PLT, UA 1P
Posts: 415
Maybe try to buy three economy seats on one of the new Norwegian flights from BOS, JFK or BWI to PTP and lie flat for the trip?
#7
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: ORD
Programs: AA, UA, GE
Posts: 5,123
I think that may be your best bet. AA flies a mainline 737 between MIA and PTP which has a US domestic FC cabin. As long as you allow enough connection time at MIA they should be able to make it in relative comfort.
#8
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