Disembarkation at Fort Lauderdale - Customs and timeframes

[cruising kirby]

I'll be arriving at Fort Lauderdale in late March 2011 from a cruise originating in Santiago and travelling to ports in South America and the Caribbean.

 

As a non US citizen, can I expect lengthy delays through customs on arrival at Fort Lauderdale? Do they do the fingerprinting and photo process at that port?

 

I have a flight out of Miami at 12.50pm, I hope I have enough time to disembark, get through customs, travel to the airport, and checkin my bags. I'm travelling American Airlines so I think I can do an online check-in for my domestic flight to New York.

 

Any advice gratefully received!:confused:

[Keith1010]

You will go through immigration on the ship and then you will go through customs off the ship. They will not fingerprint you.

 

Unless there is some major type of delay arriving to port or getting the ship cleared you will be fine.

 

Keith

[cruising kirby]

Thanks, that is very reassuring! I had visions of long lines of people trying to exit the cruise terminal!