Disembarking in Fort Lauderdale

[eyeamacruiser]

Is the disembark in Fort Lauderdale organized or just chaos? We have been through Miami twice and Orlando once. They were both pretty unorganized. Your thoughts?:D

[cardinalfan]

In my opinion it goes smoothly. I have been on several different cruises and it seems to go great--much better than with other places.

[rjm1cc]

No different than most US ports. I would say organized.

[mrpayroll]

Were pleasantly surprised how well it went in November. Hope it is the same next month when we go again...

[Terrafreaky]

Just off today & DH and I were commenting it was the most organized disembarkation that we've been through.

[eyeamacruiser]

So I will be safe with a 12:05 flight from FLL? Do you think the self assist would help or is it necessary?

[Terrafreaky]

We had a 12 PM flight and had lots of time to spare.

 

We were on Upper Deck (6) in 6483 and the self-disembark time for us was 6:50 AM. Ack. :) So we followed the instructions on the paper they give you the last night. We stopped by the guest services desk and told them we had an early flight (anything noon or earlier at FLL is considered early) We were then given a group 2 luggage tag. (The original tag given to us in our cabin was for group #19 -- slated to depart 9:30 to 9:45 which probably would have been fine but was worrying me.) The #2 slot was called around 8:30, we were off and through customs in 15 minutes and got a cab right away. I stopped watching the time but we were checked in and waiting at our gate before 10 AM for sure.

[fourwaystreet]

So I will be safe with a 12:05 flight from FLL? Do you think the self assist would help or is it necessary?

 

We did self assist and were off the ship at 6:45 AM and at the airport and through TSA at 7:30 AM, things could not have gone more smoothly for us.

 

With a noon flight you will not have a problem, bring a good book because you may be sitting in the airport for awhile.

[desertskies]

We had a 11:25 am flight out of FLL earlier this month and we were off the ship and at the airport by 9:15. Just go down to the pursers desk and let them know you have an early flight and they will give you one of the first disembark #'s. I think we were in Zone 2. I thought the whole process was more organized than Tampa.

[eyeamacruiser]

Sorry for all the questions, when did you go to the pursers desk? The ship docks at 8am. I thought about doing the luggage express also.:D

[serene56]

I would NOT do self embarkation for a noon flight.

For past cruises out of Florida we book the 11:30 flight and get zone 1-2 tags and get off then. Always been at the aiport by 9:30

[Julez830]

We just returned last Sunday on the Carnival Freedom and had a 10:45 flight out of Ft. Lauderdale. They started self assist (where you keep your luggage with you and take off by yourself) by the lower floors around 7am. Our floor was scheduled at 7:40, we went down around 7:10 and were going to wait in the theatre until our floor was called. When we got down there they told us to go ahead and head off. We were sitting at our gate by 8:15. If you have an early flight (I think they consider before noon at Ft Lauderdale airport) and you don't want to do Self Assist, then the night that they distribute the zone tags you can go to the Guest Services and they will give you tags for Zone 1 & 2 which start unloading between 8-8:15.

[desertskies]

Sorry for all the questions, when did you go to the pursers desk? The ship docks at 8am. I thought about doing the luggage express also.:D

 

We went to the pursers desk the day before. You actually dock around 6. They start self-disembarking at around 7 and the regular disembarking begins around 8. You will definitely have enough time to get your flight if you do regular disembarking.

[eyeamacruiser]

Thanks for the replies.