Earliest flight from Reflection Miami from ft. Lauderdale airport

[vickykay]

Hi. We will be booking thru Southwest next week from our return cruise into Miami on the Reflection next March. Can anyone tell me what is the earliest time we can make it to

Ft. Lauderdale Airport? The only direct flight is at 11:15 which may be too early.

 

Thanks,

 

Vicky

[hcat]

I'd say too close for comfort...esp if ship gets in at 7 a.m..

You would have alot of stress over issues you cannot control..

 

For our cruise in Nov on Ref, Celeb rec nothing before noon...we are booked on a 12:15 out of FLL, and plan to self disembark and grab a cab...

[kenevenpar]

11:15 could work, could being the key word. There are so many variables; how quickly you can get off Reflection, any traffic issues going to FLL, security issues at FLL.

 

We usually book an afternoon flight and have a nice lunch in Fort Lauderdale or South Beach (we rent a car for the day to use for transportation and storage).

[wrk2cruise]

While it's quite possible to make an 11 o'clock we were advised to do 12 or later. Makes much less stress.

[Topo Gigio]

Actually you should be ok. Do self debarkation. Check online on the ship the day before. I-95 North should be ok around 8 Saturday morning. I drive from MIA to Boca (exit 44) in 45 minutes if there is no traffic. FLL is exit 26 I think.

[Canadianguy]

Barring an extremely rare debarkation delay you will be OK. We caught an 11am international flight after the Reflection Inaugural. Do self-debarkation with your bags. Plan to be at the gangway exit at the first self-debarkation time....630 I think...and off you go ahead of the crowds.

 

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[cruisestitch]

Keep in mind there is a drive of 45 minutes to an hour to get to FLL. The OP is going there, not MIA.

[rucruisn2]

Drive time from port of Miami to FLL is only 20 to 25 minutes. I can go from port to west Boynton Beach in an hour. Now factor in the time to get a taxi, should be no time, or if taking a bus, they wait till the bus is full. 11 am is doable. I have disembarked at 8 and been unpacked and doing laundry be 11.

[cruisestitch]

Yes drive time is short, but factor in the queue to get a taxi and 45 minutes to an hour isn't unreasonable.

[phoenix_dream]

The definition of 'Extremely rare' can certainly vary (as respects a disembarkation delay). Out of my 25 or so Celebrity cruises, twice we have not been able to even start disembarkation until 9:30. And then when the disembarkation started, it was a nightmare of people trying to meet planes. On those two cruises, very highly doubtful you could have made a flight before noon out of FLL. So I guess I would ask your taste for risk - is a 6.8% chance a big enough risk to make you change your plans?

[shrifk]

I'd say too close for comfort...esp if ship gets in at 7 a.m..

You would have alot of stress over issues you cannot control..

 

For our cruise in Nov on Ref, Celeb rec nothing before noon...we are booked on a 12:15 out of FLL, and plan to self disembark and grab a cab...

 

We are on the Reflection 11/8 - 11/15. We booked a flight from MIA at 4:30pm (primarily due to price.) We don't want to self disembark. I know we will probably have lots of time in the airport or possibly to some site seeing in Miami but I rather not be stressed.

[hcat]

I also suggest OP check how many ships are arriving back in FLL port same day, Those folks will be first in line at FLL airport...a madhouse!

 

we are nervous for 12:15 but hope it goes well..Reflection is getting in at 7 am POM for our cruise.,, more pax than other X ships...

[wallie5446]

1 more thing to do that will help. On the FLL (airport) web page is a listing of transporation services. Go to the Miami/FLL departure board here on CC, there are many threads about which service to use. Pre book your transporation, that way they will be waiting for you. No need to grab a cab, tho it would be cheaper to do so.

Skip that last breakfast in the MDR, on your balcony, or in the buffet, and head directly to the gang way at the first moment you are allowed. You should be able to get there in plenty of time.

Now if the TSA will staff enought agents to quickly process you thru is another matter all together!:D

[vickykay]

Thanks everyone for your replies and information!

 

Vicky

[Lois R]

We are on the Reflection 11/8 - 11/15. We booked a flight from MIA at 4:30pm (primarily due to price.) We don't want to self disembark. I know we will probably have lots of time in the airport or possibly to some site seeing in Miami but I rather not be stressed.

 

We are on the same cruise:)....even if you are last off, you are going

to have all day in the Miami airport......or you could do a ship tour

post cruise.

Here is a link to the roll call......please come say hello:D we have

a nice group.:)

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1943909

[Lois R]

Thanks everyone for your replies and information!

 

Vicky

 

Hi Vicky:)...so are you changing flights?

[vickykay]

Southwest opened their flights this morning and the direct flight to Albany on a Sunday ( 3/15) is now at 12:35 so all set. Thanks again for all the input!

[ClaudiaB]

Likely you can. We caught an 11:45 once.

 

A couple things you need to do: #1, don't get on a shuttle with a bunch of other people. Get your own transportation. You'll end up having to wait for people on the shuttle, unloading and loading their luggage. It'll be more $$ to go yourself but you just have YOU to worry about.

 

#2, do self-disembarkation. But, don't get down to the meeting place when they say. Find out what time they tell you and then about 45 minutes to an hour before that, go down and line up your suitcases. Don't leave your room 45 min. ahead, be down there 45 min. ahead. We do an hour if we have a tight connection. Then you're assured you'll be out among the first handful of people. Be proactive about it. If you need to have something to eat or drink get the suitcases down first, and then one person can wait with them while the other goes to the buffet or Cafe Bacio (it'll be open and they'll do cash too). We don't worry too much about breakfast when we leave early. I get some juice and a muffin or banana or something.

 

Last time we got off in MIA and flew out of FLL we were with a group of 7 or 8 people and that added about 30 min. to our trip up to FLL because of stopping and unloading at different airlines, loading up at the port, etc. It'll be tight, but if the ship clear in time and all goes well you should have problem. However, there *is* a contingency plan available for you, right? Another flight later on?