SAS with Kids

[myCatalina]

After reading several suggestions to use SAS from port of Miami to FLL, I signed up but I might need a little more hand holding on this. We are traveling with a 4 and 7 year old so here are a few questions I hope someone can answer.

Our flight is at 11:45am out of FLL and I know Carnival says not to book before 12 noon but in order to use our FF miles, it was either that time or 7pm and we wouldn't arrive home until near midnight. Will we make the flight? What time do you usually get off the ship (Carnival Breeze) and do you take your luggage with you? How long does it usually take to get through custom's (with kids). Once we finally get through customs, how do we find the SAS bus/van? Do they wait until they are full before leaving? It says to call before going through customs, so are they usually there or will we have to wait? Also if you don't pay until that day does that mean they could fill up and tell us too bad, find another way to FLL?

[cb at sea]

How much are you paying for 4 on SAS? If it's more than $85, then I'd just take a cab....pricey, but it will get you there faster than a shuttle. If you were at Port Everglade, flying out of FLL, then no worries. Ditto for Port of Miami to MIA.....but it's about a 45 min trip form FL to Miami......

 

It would probably be much more expensive to change to a flight a the closer airport....

Edited October 19, 2015 by cb at sea

[zqvol]

After reading several suggestions to use SAS from port of Miami to FLL, I signed up but I might need a little more hand holding on this. We are traveling with a 4 and 7 year old so here are a few questions I hope someone can answer.

Our flight is at 11:45am out of FLL and I know Carnival says not to book before 12 noon but in order to use our FF miles, it was either that time or 7pm and we wouldn't arrive home until near midnight. Will we make the flight? What time do you usually get off the ship (Carnival Breeze) and do you take your luggage with you? How long does it usually take to get through custom's (with kids). Once we finally get through customs, how do we find the SAS bus/van? Do they wait until they are full before leaving? It says to call before going through customs, so are they usually there or will we have to wait? Also if you don't pay until that day does that mean they could fill up and tell us too bad, find another way to FLL?

 

Will you make the flight? Probably but even if you booked a 2:00 p.m. flight things happen and you might miss that one too.

 

You can get off the ship quicker if you carry your luggage but that means all of it, and with two small children that might not be possible. Either way you should be off the ship by 9:00 or so as long as you let the customer service desk know about your flight and make sure you get a n early departure zone.

 

Customs will be quick. They will be waiting at the cell phone lot and be there by the time you get out of customs. One way to speed things up is to use a porter to help with luggage.

 

I would either hire a car or use a cab. It will be quicker than any shuttle or transfer. It might cost a bit more but the comfort will be well worth it.

[dorisis]

I would be very worried about getting to the airport on time with a shuttle. Your chances are much better if you take a taxi. If you carry your luggage off, you can get off earlier, and customs depends on the number of passengers disembarking.

[Californiacruizers]

I've used SAS with my 2 children both going to and coming from our last cruise. We flew into Ft. Lauderdale and SAS drove us to the Port of Miami for only $15.00pp. My children were ages 12 and 2. SAS is a shared service, so we picked up individuals along the way there were a total of 12 of us in the shuttle/limo (it was not a traditional Van it was more like a limo van, very fancy). Even though we picked up several people we were not in a crunch for time.

 

Upon our return we used SAS from the Port back to FLL for our return flight, again it was only $15.00pp. We did not have anything to declare with customs so we just waited in line for about 5 mins and then walked right through. We had our bags in hand since we set them out the night before. They were sititng right outside the US Customs line at the port. So we found our luggage and then stood on the Customs line.

 

SAS was already there waiting for us. However they were also waiting for other passengers with reservations as well. So we sat waiting for the others to arrive at the van, from various cruise ships. Some ppl were little concerned about making their return flights and some were not(we were not as our flight was 3 hours later) anyhow I can imagine this would be a bit stressful if you have an early flight because yes you are cutting it really close.

Edited October 20, 2015 by Californiacruizers