Self Debark-timing

[jzad]

Good afternoon all,

 

I was wondering if anyone could tell me, if we do self debarking in Miami, off the reflection on January 10, what time we 'may' be through customs? Our flights home have been changed and we fly our of Fort Lauderdale.

 

thank you!

Janine

[Luckynana]

We disembarked our ship in Ft. lauderdale last March around 7:00 a.m. We zipped right through customs. I will say that we were on a lower deck and very easily rolled our luggage off the ship..:D

 

maryann

[eby]

We disembarked our ship in Ft. lauderdale last March around 7:00 a.m. We zipped right through customs. I will say that we were on a lower deck and very easily rolled our luggage off the ship..:D

 

maryann

 

What time did you leave your room ?

[WestLakeGirl]

What is your new flight time?

[Phxazzcruisers]

If you self disembark you can usually be off the ship by 7:00 - 7:30 is there are no unforeseen circumstances. Getting through customs is pretty hit or miss. Sometimes we have breezed right through, and sometimes it took forever. What time is your flight? It takes at the very least 45 minutes to get to Ft. Lauderdale. I hope your flight is noon or later.

[Sloop-JohnB]

If you self disembark you can usually be off the ship by 7:00 - 7:30 is there are no unforeseen circumstances. Getting through customs is pretty hit or miss. Sometimes we have breezed right through, and sometimes it took forever. What time is your flight? It takes at the very least 45 minutes to get to Ft. Lauderdale. I hope your flight is noon or later.

 

Ya Noon is usually the earliest flight people can make when you take into account all the variables...

 

Docking

Secure Ship

Disembarking

Customs Clearing

getting Transportation & the Drive to Fort Lauderdale

Check In & Luggage Drop at the Airport

TSA / Security

 

And line ups... Almost all of these things will have line ups

 

Plus the fact there is usually a recommeded timeframe for the process at the Airport. Depending on where you are headed and which Airline (1 to 3 Hours)...

Domestic vs International

 

Cheers!

[jzad]

I knew about the noon flight thing so I had booked 12:15 but it's been changed to 11:30.

 

 

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[jzad]

I am only flying domestic as well.

 

 

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[cruisestitch]

I would never do that. If the airline changed the flight time, try to get them to re-book you on an acceptable flight. Many airlines will do this at no charge when they change their schedules and you are unable to use the newly-scheduled flights.

[dodger1964]

we are taking 941am flight, domestic, out of miami after our next miami cruise.

 

there obviously is a chance that will not work, but we have never had problem before. only have carryon bags, check in 24 hours in advance, have tsa precheck through our global entry program. as long as no freak customs boat clearing issues won't have any problems with that flight time.

 

good luck to you.

 

have a great cruise.

[cruisestitch]

But the OP is not flying out of Miami, they are going out of FLL. It's at least a 45 minute drive to get from POM to FLL.

[jzad]

Google maps says 26 minutes? I don't imagine there will too much traffics that early?

 

 

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[Phxazzcruisers]

Google maps says 26 minutes? I don't imagine there will too much traffics that early?

 

 

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Sorry, but I have never found Google maps to be accurate on driving times. They just take the miles and divide by legal speed limit. It averages 45 minutes, we have done it many times. Sometimes faster, sometimes MUCH longer, especially when there are a lot of cruise ships in port.

Edited September 26, 2014 by Phxazzcruisers

[jzad]

Sorry, but I have never found Google maps to be accurate on driving times. They just take the miles and divide by legal speed limit. It averages 45 minutes, we have done it many times. Sometimes faster, sometimes MUCH longer, especially when there are a lot of cruise ships in port.

 

 

Ok, thank you!

 

 

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[ClaudiaB]

Here's the thing. You'll get an "official" time to meet on some deck (3??) at a given time. Simply ignore that time. If they say get down at 7 a.m., get down at 6:15. Forget the breakfast, forget everything but getting yourself and all your luggage down. Your luggage will be your place in line.

Then....you can take turns going to Cafe Bacio (they'll take cash that morning if I recall) or somewhere to get your coffee, bagel, etc. We just sit on some chairs near our luggage and enjoy our last "meal" there.

You'll likely not even be the first one down. But 45 minutes ahead of that time is what you'll need to do to be one of the first ones off.

We've noticed many very shocked (disappointed??) people coming to line up at the official time, seeing over 100 sets of luggage in line before them. So, get there early.

As far as customs, clearing, you just never know, but we've never had an issue. And if you're one of the first ones off the ship, it's great.

 

Also, don't sign up for a shuttle or van. That will only delay you as you have to wait for everyone to show up and load everyone's luggage, and then stop at all the different airlines and unload and reload. Take an independent taxi or car.

[cruisestitch]

Which airline made the change? What are the later options? Have you called them to discuss this?

 

The scenario just proposed will probably work, but what a hectic way to end a lovely, relaxing vacation.

[jzad]

Here's the thing. You'll get an "official" time to meet on some deck (3??) at a given time. Simply ignore that time. If they say get down at 7 a.m., get down at 6:15. Forget the breakfast, forget everything but getting yourself and all your luggage down. Your luggage will be your place in line.

Then....you can take turns going to Cafe Bacio (they'll take cash that morning if I recall) or somewhere to get your coffee, bagel, etc. We just sit on some chairs near our luggage and enjoy our last "meal" there.

You'll likely not even be the first one down. But 45 minutes ahead of that time is what you'll need to do to be one of the first ones off.

We've noticed many very shocked (disappointed??) people coming to line up at the official time, seeing over 100 sets of luggage in line before them. So, get there early.

As far as customs, clearing, you just never know, but we've never had an issue. And if you're one of the first ones off the ship, it's great.

 

Also, don't sign up for a shuttle or van. That will only delay you as you have to wait for everyone to show up and load everyone's luggage, and then stop at all the different airlines and unload and reload. Take an independent taxi or car.

 

Are there usually a lot of taxi's waiting that early in the morning? I have SAS booked but I can cancel that.

[cruisestitch]

Stick with the transportation you have booked. There is no way to know how many taxis there will be that day, but with a booked transport, you lessen your odds of having trouble on disembarkation morning.

 

What does the airline have to say about all of this?

[jzad]

Stick with the transportation you have booked. There is no way to know how many taxis there will be that day, but with a booked transport, you lessen your odds of having trouble on disembarkation morning.

 

What does the airline have to say about all of this?

 

I haven't called them yet. I will tomorrow. What really ticks me off is that I changed the flight out from the 11th to the 10th because we were originally on the doomed Silhouette sailing....should have just left it on the 11th.

[tunaman2011]

Greetings

 

One thing you may wish to consider is that many airlines now offer express check-in. You get shorter lines for your baggage check and you get to use the priority security lanes. This does come with an additional fee (surprise, surprise) but it may provide you with a little extra cushion.

 

Good Sailing

Tom

[Lsimon]

I haven't called them yet. I will tomorrow. What really ticks me off is that I changed the flight out from the 11th to the 10th because we were originally on the doomed Silhouette sailing....should have just left it on the 11th.

 

I've found the airlines are extremely accommodating on moving you to a later flight, even the next day, if they've changed the schedule. If there is room on the flight they've always let us change with no change in airfare.

[jjk9946]

We always fly out earlier than the suggested 1 p.m. Have flown out of FFL when docking in Miami around 10 with no problems.

 

Go to customer relations and let them know you want to be among the first off the ship due to the airlines changing your ticket. They are always very helpful. We've never lined up, just walked off.

 

If you haven't gotten you GOES card from Customs & Immigration I would highly reccommend getting it. It is $100 vs $85 for TSA and makes life much easier when traveling. Call your airline before hand and have them record the number in you file so you are ticketed with Pre-Check on your boarding pass.

 

Good luck and happy sailing.

 

Judy

[jzad]

We always fly out earlier than the suggested 1 p.m. Have flown out of FFL when docking in Miami around 10 with no problems.

 

Go to customer relations and let them know you want to be among the first off the ship due to the airlines changing your ticket. They are always very helpful. We've never lined up, just walked off.

 

If you haven't gotten you GOES card from Customs & Immigration I would highly reccommend getting it. It is $100 vs $85 for TSA and makes life much easier when traveling. Call your airline before hand and have them record the number in you file so you are ticketed with Pre-Check on your boarding pass.

 

Good luck and happy sailing.

 

Judy

 

I;m still going to call the airline but speaking to customer relations sounds good. I'm not an american citizan, canadian, but we fly in and out of Buffalo. I don't think I can do the GOES card but thanks for the ideas!

[Luckynana]

Since we were already on a lower deck, we didn't have to concern ourselves with getting on an elevator..we didn't bother getting coffee or breakfast and were able to just walk off the ship and quickly went through customs. We were in Naples by 9:30 that morning.

 

Hopefully your disembarkation will be stress-free, as was ours. Good luck and best wishes for a great cruise!:D

 

Maryann

[jzad]

Since we were already on a lower deck, we didn't have to concern ourselves with getting on an elevator..we didn't bother getting coffee or breakfast and were able to just walk off the ship and quickly went through customs. We were in Naples by 9:30 that morning.

 

 

 

Hopefully your disembarkation will be stress-free, as was ours. Good luck and best wishes for a great cruise!:D

 

 

 

Maryann

 

 

Thank you Maryann! I sure hope so too! If you get get over to Naples I think maybe we can make it to FLL :)

 

 

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