airflight at 11:10...is this a good idea

[Goplayball]

Inspiration Dec 5. Booking return flight at 11:10am. Is this a good idea? We are going out of Tampa.

[firefly333]

Unless you run into fog or customs delays clearing the ship and you are doing self disembarkation... should be easy, but things can happen. Nothing is guaranteed.

[FunForTheFamily]

When we got off the Inspiration last year it was relatively quick. We were home by 10am and I live about 20 minutes from Tampa.

 

Tampa airport is fairly close to the pier. But the only thing that would concern me is the traffic issues in the area. There can be alot of back-ups due to construction and the way you would be going is of course under construction.

 

You should be fine, but I am paranoid about those types of things and I would not book a return flight before noon. Getting from 1 side of TIA to the other can take 20 minutes in itself. I don't think you would miss your flight, but you may have a touch of stress getting from point a to point b.

 

Just my thoughts :)

[Goplayball]

Thanks!! Guess I will take my chance this time. Really don't want to stay in Tampa til the afternoon. Plus my daughter will be waiting on a B-day gift. haha

[StillPooh]

Don't know what time you ship is scheduled to dock, but don't you need to be at the airport at least one hour before the flight?

[DarthGrady]

They usually start the self assist debarkation at around 730 or 8. Of course if they have a problem getting cleared by Customs it could be later.

 

I usually try to be among the last off, and I have never been on the ship any later than 10-1030.

[firefly333]

Just have a back up plan. Ships can have mechanical troubles and get into port late, things do happen. ... but then most of the time they dont.

[3redheads]

We just got off of the Legend on Sunday. Our flight was at 10:55am and we did self disembark and were at the airport by 8:45am.

[Goplayball]

Sounds like a winner!!! 84 days to go....wooo hooo

[ChefSusan]

Getting from 1 side of TIA to the other can take 20 minutes in itself. I don't think you would miss your flight, but you may have a touch of stress getting from point a to point b.

I use TIA a lot, and it has never taken me 20 minutes to get from one side of the airport to the other. Are you including the amount of time it takes to clear security in the 20 minutes, or are you just making that amount of time up?

[travelntreats]

I use TIA a lot, and it has never taken me 20 minutes to get from one side of the airport to the other. Are you including the amount of time it takes to clear security in the 20 minutes, or are you just making that amount of time up?

I think they are referring to the approx. drive time from ship to airport.

 

An 11am flight is very doable as long as there are no delays in the ship getting back into port (which does occur !) or problems clearing customs.

[elsplace2]

I would also recommend doing the express baggage, if your airline does that. This way you will have your boarding passes in hand, when you arrive at the airport and you can just go straight to the gate and you don't have to worry about your luggage.

[FunForTheFamily]

I use TIA a lot, and it has never taken me 20 minutes to get from one side of the airport to the other. Are you including the amount of time it takes to clear security in the 20 minutes, or are you just making that amount of time up?

 

Don't have the time, inclination or desire to "make things up" but thanks though!

If you count from the counter, to the tram thru to security to your gate....20 minutes is about average. Most people are not trying to be OJ running thru the airport.

I fly out of TIA every 2 weeks and have lived in the Hillsborough/Pinellas area for 30 years.

[boaterette]

The only time I have cruised out of Florida the port had a bomb threat and they shut it down. We didn't get to the airport until 12:30. Here in California I have had two complete INS checks of ship personnel. We didn't get off the ship until noon. 3 cruises out of 16 not too bad.

[gone_cruisin]

If you do self-assist, no problems!