Flight time

[lindasuej]

Ship docks in Ft Lauderdale on Sunday 10/11. I have a flight back home booked for 11am. Do you think this is a problem? We usually drive but decided this time to fly. We are platinum members so I think we can depart when we want to. So. Should I try to change my flight or will I be able to make it. Thanks Linda

[paul929207]

Assuming you have a domestic flight out of Fort Lauderdale, you should be OK

[Colo Cruiser]

Ship docks in Ft Lauderdale on Sunday 10/11. I have a flight back home booked for 11am. Do you think this is a problem? We usually drive but decided this time to fly. We are platinum members so I think we can depart when we want to. So. Should I try to change my flight or will I be able to make it. Thanks Linda

 

You will be fine. I would do the self walk off in the first group, take a taxi and be at the airport by 8:00am-8:30.

[eandj]

No need to change your flight. No need to walk your bags off super early unless you want to. If you sign up for a disembarking group by 8:00, get you bags and grab a cab for the 15 min. ride, you'll be at the airport at least two hours ahead. Now if you want more time to sit at the airport or tend to stress, then leave the ship by 7:30. We have used that time for flights out at least 7 times with out missing a plane. You will be fine.

Have fun!!!

 

You can get lots more info and opinions on the Florida departures board.

Edited July 14, 2015 by eandj

[lindasuej]

Thanks everyone. It is a domestic flight. I thought we could do it but then after booking had 2nd thoughts. I knew I could count on you all for an honest answer. Linda

[Colo Cruiser]

Thanks everyone. It is a domestic flight. I thought we could do it but then after booking had 2nd thoughts. I knew I could count on you all for an honest answer. Linda

 

 

You can see the ship from the gates. ;)

[skynight]

Just make sure you take a cab, and not the Princess transfer.

[Steelers36]

Ship docks in Ft Lauderdale on Sunday 10/11. I have a flight back home booked for 11am. Do you think this is a problem? We usually drive but decided this time to fly. We are platinum members so I think we can depart when we want to. So. Should I try to change my flight or will I be able to make it. Thanks Linda

 

We've flown out of FLL after a cruise on a 10:30am departure. But we always have carry-on luggage only for 7 - 10 day cruises, so it's easy to get off the ship at a time of our choosing and taxis are readily available for the short ride to FLL terminals.

 

If you have priority access to TSA lines, you have even more time to work with.

[Steelers36]

Assuming you have a domestic flight out of Fort Lauderdale, you should be OK

 

For anyone reading this from Canada, consider yourself same as a domestic USA flyer. The airport experience is no different.

[Meanee]

Port is literally next door to airport. Would take you 10 minutes from dock to terminal. And there's usually a gazillion of cabs available.

[janetz]

Ship docks in Ft Lauderdale on Sunday 10/11. I have a flight back home booked for 11am. Do you think this is a problem? We usually drive but decided this time to fly. We are platinum members so I think we can depart when we want to. So. Should I try to change my flight or will I be able to make it. Thanks Linda

 

We did this last fall. Our flight was at 10:45. We asked to be in the first group off. We did NOT walk our luggage off. When you get into the luggage terminal, grab a porter to get your bags and walk you though customs and out the door. (Tip) He will grab you a taxi. It is all very quick. We were at the airport at 9:15 :)

Edited July 15, 2015 by janetz

[flamomo]

We are platinum members so I think we can depart when we want to.

 

You don't get to disembark when you want to, as in "just walk off when you feel like it" ..... you can choose which disembarkation group time you prefer, and usually can the time you choose. That's as close to departing when you want to as you will get.

 

I'm Elite and can't just amble off when the spirit moves me.

[FritzG]

What is your itinerary? If you're on a Caribbean cruise you could be ok, but if it's a transatlantic you could have a problem. On a ta this will be the ship's first sailing into a US port and customs/clearance can take much longer than usual.

[M4dC0w]

For anyone reading this from Canada, consider yourself same as a domestic USA flyer. The airport experience is no different.

 

Thats because our customs are when we get home, they only recommend earlier flight times if you need to go through customs. Connection times in Canada is another thing.

 

11am flight should be ok from FLL, may be tougher from MIA

[Steelers36]

You don't get to disembark when you want to, as in "just walk off when you feel like it" ..... you can choose which disembarkation group time you prefer, and usually can the time you choose. That's as close to departing when you want to as you will get.

 

I'm Elite and can't just amble off when the spirit moves me.

 

Technically, you don't directly choose a disembarkation time. But you can certainly depart the ship "when you feel like it" - within reason of course or they will hunt you down.

 

You fill out a form and indicate if you want early walk-off. Otherwise, you get assigned a slot depending on what you provide as flight time and/or other arrangements you have made such as a post-cruise tour with Princess. They tend to throw anyone international - even Canadians - into the very early groups, probably because of some antiquated notion that we take more time to process leaving or getting through airport security.

 

A passenger could change their group with a visit to the PSD, so an element of choice enters there. But that takes time and is mostly unnecessary.

 

However, we simply routinely ignore the assigned group and disembark Port Everglades at a time that suits us for heading over to FLL airport. It's never been an issue and I believe that many cruises ago I made an inquiry to that effect (change time at PSD). I even sent feedback to Princess years ago that there is no need to toss Canadians off the ship at 7:00am - just lump us in with Americans according to flight times.

 

We usually try to walk off in a lull in the line so it only take moments to "card out" and head off down the gangway. Meanwhile we relax with my wife having her morning coffee after breakfast. I'm in no hurry to sit around a crummy crowded airport when I can remain longer on board in a beautiful atrium.

[BRANDEE]

This past March getting off the Caribbean Princess was over a 2 1/2 hour delay due to immigrations new policy of fingerprinting non US citizen passengers. The ship docked on time but it took forever to clear the passengers. Instead of getting off the ship at 8:45, we got off at almost 10 :30. Got our luggage and cleared immigration by 11:30am.

 

Half of our ship's passengers were non US citizens. Mostly Canadians escaping the cold winter. (We made some great new friends) There we six cruise ships in port that day. Only five immigration agents were assigned to clear the Caribbean Princess passengers. First time I ever stood in line for over one hour to clear immigration at the FLL port.

 

Result: missed our 12 noon flight to JFK. Actually we were told to leave our luggage at the counter and run... the doors might still be opened. lol

 

No seats available to any NY airport till the next day, even from PBI. Got "distressed passenger rates" at the Marriott Courtyard (last room for four adults)

 

Luckily we took Princess insurance. Because we booked the recommended "no earlier" than 12 noon flight, they covered our hotel, transportation and meals for the 24 hours we were "stuck" in beautiful Florida.

Edited July 15, 2015 by BRANDEE

[Steelers36]

This past March getting off the Caribbean Princess was over a 2 1/2 hour delay due to immigrations new policy of fingerprinting non US citizen passengers. The ship docked on time but it took forever to clear the passengers. Instead of getting off the ship at 8:45, we got off at almost 10 :30. Got our luggage and cleared immigration by 11:30am.

 

Half of our ship's passengers were non US citizens. Mostly Canadians escaping the cold winter. (We made some great new friends) There we six cruise ships in port that day. Only five immigration agents were assigned to clear the Caribbean Princess passengers. First time I ever stood in line for over one hour to clear immigration at the FLL port.

 

Result: missed our 12 noon flight to JFK. Actually we were told to leave our luggage at the counter and run... the doors might still be opened. lol

 

No seats available to any NY airport till the next day, even from PBI. Got "distressed passenger rates" at the Marriott Courtyard (last room for four adults)

 

Luckily we took Princess insurance. Because we booked the recommended "no earlier" than 12 noon flight, they covered our hotel, transportation and meals for the 24 hours we were "stuck" in beautiful Florida.

 

Canadians are not finger-printed when clearing CBP. It's because of our close neighbor relationship. CBP has my fingerprints, but that's because I'm a NEXUS and GLOBAL ENTRY member. If the officers were doing that, I would be both surprised and dismayed.

 

Maybe some additional stringent security measures - hard to know. Have disembarked Port Everglades many many times and never encountered the above. I have seen segregate out foreign nationals from Americans into separate lines.

Edited July 16, 2015 by steelers36

[BRANDEE]

Canadians are not finger-printed when clearing CBP. It's because of our close neighbor relationship. CBP has my fingerprints, but that's because I'm a NEXUS and GLOBAL ENTRY member. If the officers were doing that, I would be both surprised and dismayed.

 

Maybe some additional stringent security measures - hard to know. Have disembarked Port Everglades many many times and never encountered the above. I have seen segregate out foreign nationals from Americans into separate lines.

 

Hi Steelers 36,

 

I was also surprised when the security guard at the Port Everglade said the delay was due to fingerprinting all non US citizens. This was the 7th time at Port Everglade in as many years. Never saw or heard this before. The date was March 21 . There was only one line for all passengers and everyone was getting "antsy". Hopefully, you are right and there was some other stringent security measure going on that day. I'll be back at Port Everglade in January. Even more important, I'll be back visiting in Canada in two months.