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Flight home from FLL - What time?

ejeffo

By ejeffo,
in Florida Departures

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ejeffo

ejeffo

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I will be sailing to the Caribbean on the RC Indy next year and I am trying to book flights... From experience, what time is pushing it for a flight out of FLL after a cruise? I need to be back to San Diego mid afternoon and the only flights that will do that leave at the latest at 9:10 AM...

 

Thanks!

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JohninDC

JohninDC

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I agree - 0910 is very risky :eek: Although the airport is only a 15 minute/$15 cab ride from the port, you still need to get off the ship, process through customs & immigration (along with 1000's of your new best friends), and get loaded into a cab - then, after checking in with your airline you need to survive TSA screening :( and make it to your gate. To be safe with a 9:10 flight you'd need to be at FLL by 7:40 -- no way I'd book that trip.

 

Anything after 11-11:30 should be easier and less stressful - do you want to spend your cruise worried about making your flight home? :confused:

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jackdiamond

jackdiamond

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I agree - 0910 is very risky :eek: Although the airport is only a 15 minute/$15 cab ride from the port, you still need to get off the ship, process through customs & immigration (along with 1000's of your new best friends), and get loaded into a cab - then, after checking in with your airline you need to survive TSA screening :( and make it to your gate. To be safe with a 9:10 flight you'd need to be at FLL by 7:40 -- no way I'd book that trip.

 

Anything after 11-11:30 should be easier and less stressful - do you want to spend your cruise worried about making your flight home? :confused:

John, I am a former Virginian having resided in Fairfax Station for many years. Where in Virginia do you reside?

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ejeffo

ejeffo

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I just noticed that the ship is scheduled to arrive back at 5:30 AM... would that make a difference? I have never seen anything scheduled that early but it just might work out for me!

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JohninDC

JohninDC

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I just noticed that the ship is scheduled to arrive back at 5:30 AM... would that make a difference? I have never seen anything scheduled that early but it just might work out for me!

 

When the ship ties up is very different from when you can get off. To make your 9:10 flight work you'd need to be at FLL by about 8:00 at the latest -- how much extra will you spend on change fees and additonal airfare :eek: (and how long will you wait :() if you miss your flight and need to take one later that day. :confused:

 

I'd reschedule whatever you have going on in SD and catch a later flight - but it's your call.

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Gathina

Gathina

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Dude..what did the fine print in your cruise docs recommend?

 

I will be sailing to the Caribbean on the RC Indy next year and I am trying to book flights... From experience, what time is pushing it for a flight out of FLL after a cruise? I need to be back to San Diego mid afternoon and the only flights that will do that leave at the latest at 9:10 AM...

 

Thanks!

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ejeffo

ejeffo

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Dude..what did the fine print in your cruise docs recommend?

 

Dude... What do we need these boards for then? You might as well cancel your account here because everything is right there on the docs.. Why did you not read the TSA's "fine print" regarding carry on liquids at the airport?

 

Your response was silly and not needed. Everyone else, thanks for your opinions.

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Gathina

Gathina

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No it's not silly. If you read it you will see what time they recommend..which consistently is the same time most people here recommend...after 11 or 12.

 

 

A lot of people don't read it and end up booking flights at 9 or 10 then panic and start asking everyone else and lose money by having to rebook, etc. Then a lot of them admit they didn't read what was recommended.

 

Not silly at all...common sense.

 

Dude... What do we need these boards for then? You might as well cancel your account here because everything is right there on the docs.. Why did you not read the TSA's "fine print" regarding carry on liquids at the airport?

 

Your response was silly and not needed. Everyone else, thanks for your opinions.

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ejeffo

ejeffo

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Once again thanks to everyone who offered opinions... I am still looking for opinions from people who have actually flown out of FLL after a cruise, particularly from the Indy... and who are not precariously perched on top of a soapbox.

 

I have pretty much resigned from the 9:10 flight but I am curious how quickly the self debarking goes on that ship and port.

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Eng23

Eng23

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Once again thanks to everyone who offered opinions... I am still looking for opinions from people who have actually flown out of FLL after a cruise, particularly from the Indy... and who are not precariously perched on top of a soapbox.

 

I have pretty much resigned from the 9:10 flight but I am curious how quickly the self debarking goes on that ship and port.

Many of these folks have flown from FLL after a cruise. There are so many factors involved in trying to give you an accurate answer. Many times you can be off the ship pretty quick only to get to the airport the same time as thousands of other people coming off other ships that pulled into port. So you can get off the ship quick and get to the airport and it is a complete zoo. Just for comparisons sake I disembarked a cruise in Miami doing self disembark and was off the ship at 7am and made it to FLL by 8:30 for a 11:30am flight and it took 1 hour from checking bags and getting through security to the gate area. So if you were able to get off the Indy even by 6:30am and arrive at the airport by 7am you might very well squeak by and make it if the airport is busy. Good luck in whatever route you choose and enjoy your cruise.

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capriccio

capriccio

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Check out how many other ships are in port - that will definitely impact how long it will take to check in and get through security. Weekends in March and around the holidays can have 8 ships disembarking and check-in lines out the terminal doors (I saw that twice on Saturdays this past March; at 8:45 am and 9:15 am).

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kitty1

kitty1

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In the past I would say go for it, but last year we arrived in port 3 hours late (due to a medical emergency to evac someone off the ship) and by the time we got through immigration and customs we missed our flight. We had to pay $800pp for a one way ticket home later in the day. We had trip insurance so it paid for the difference in our tickets. Ever since that I will not book a flight before noon. It's just not worth it.

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