Is 1030 am flight to early to catch, post cruise?

[littysmom]

Hi, need some input from my fellow cruise friends. So, I am planning booking my flight for my upcoming cruise in Dec. I am having trouble deciding if a flight leaving from Ft. LAuderdale airport at 1030 is pushing it. Do you think getting of the ship by 730 is allowing enough time to get to the airport and getting through security?

Lisa

[vwrestler171]

You should be fine, but the slightest delay can cause issues. I would do Self Assist and be one of the first off the ship.

[caribnsnrklr]

I agree that you should be fine if you do self assist and get off ship right away. Last time I went out of Ft Lauderdale my daughter and I were sitting in airport (downstairs yet) with bags already checked by 8:15am! We didn't go thru security until a while later since our flights were later but it wasn't bad. I was kicking myself for not booking the earlier flight. We didn't do self assist but had the perfect morning where got off right away for platinum and bags were right there as well as cab. So definitely think it is doable with self assist to be on safe side.

[lauren0309]

Talking of an experience on our last cruise in April. We were supposed to arrive back in port at 8 a.m. Didn't get to port until 9:30. On our way back home to Port Canaveral the night before, we had to go off course to drop off a passenger in Nassau due to a medical emergency. Stayed docked there for 2 hours before we started setting sail again. The captain said he would try to make up the time but then we ran into a major storm which slowed us up again. That's why our arrival back into port was 1-1/2 hours late plus security took forever to clear the ship. We didn't get off the ship until 10:30. Lots of people missed their flights. You just never know what can happen to delay your trip back.

Edited June 7, 2016 by lauren0309

[klfrodo]

I wouldn't do it.

I'd be stressing out the last 2 or 3 days of my cruise wondering if I was going to make my flight.

I don't like stressing during my vacation

[craycruzerlady]

I wouldn't do it.

I'd be stressing out the last 2 or 3 days of my cruise wondering if I was going to make my flight.

I don't like stressing during my vacation

 

I agree. Stress of it not happening could put a damper on your cruise.

[tapdancemom]

I've been off early with FTTF but there was the time we went back to Cabo (the captain was very ill and needed to get off the ship), then hit a storm coming north. The ship didn't dock until 3pm. Another time it was bad weather and we didn't dock until 10:00.

 

I won't chance missing our flight so I wouldn't book anything before noon for us. Too much stress worrying on the cruise.

[Micahs Grandad]

You will probably be ok but if the ship gets back late you could easily run into a problem. Better to book flight no earlier than noon

[loveJake]

Hi, need some input from my fellow cruise friends. So, I am planning booking my flight for my upcoming cruise in Dec. I am having trouble deciding if a flight leaving from Ft. LAuderdale airport at 1030 is pushing it. Do you think getting of the ship by 730 is allowing enough time to get to the airport and getting through security?

Lisa

 

Really funny to read this, we are from Pa. Cruising in Dec. an I have just booked the 10:30 flight to BWI. Have cruised before out of FLL and know it is ok as long as everything goes ok. Book what you feel comfortable with.

[riclop]

Hi, need some input from my fellow cruise friends. So, I am planning booking my flight for my upcoming cruise in Dec. I am having trouble deciding if a flight leaving from Ft. LAuderdale airport at 1030 is pushing it. Do you think getting of the ship by 730 is allowing enough time to get to the airport and getting through security?

Lisa

 

You should be ok as long as you carry your own luggage.

[Badfinger]

Hi, need some input from my fellow cruise friends. So, I am planning booking my flight for my upcoming cruise in Dec. I am having trouble deciding if a flight leaving from Ft. LAuderdale airport at 1030 is pushing it. Do you think getting of the ship by 730 is allowing enough time to get to the airport and getting through security?

Lisa

 

I would not do that. But knowing my personality, I would start stressing about it 24 hours in advance, making that last cruise day less than relaxing.

 

I say take your time....

[Elaine5715]

It also depends what other ships are in port. If the big boys are also present, you have 10,000 plus people trying to get home. Your insurance may not cover you for a missed plane since you are planning a flight outside the recommended times.

[Elaine5715]

In December, docking can be delayed due to fog.

[myfuzzy]

You live in Pa, and worry about getting an early flight home, in December. I would suggest booking the earliest flight to your home airport, get off the ship, if you make it, you make it, otherwise, the airline has to compensate you, re book you to get home. win, win. However, your challenges will be: docking on time, getting off the ship in timely manner, getting through CBP in a timely manner, transportation to the airport, getting through TSA, in December yet, BTW, we waited in that line for 2 1/2 hours last November, just making the gate at boarding, OH and weather a factor that time of year in the northeast, other than that, you should have a smooth flight home.

[klfrodo]

I would suggest booking the earliest flight to your home airport, get off the ship, if you make it, you make it, otherwise, the airline has to compensate you, re book you to get home. win, win. .

 

I would be curious to know where you're getting this information that the airline has to compensate you for missing your flight?

Not even sure where you're getting the information that they have to rebook you at all.

 

If you think you're using that 420 Rule or whatever it is, that rule has not been in effect since the 80's when the airlines were deregulated.

[princesstiffany]

Ft Lauderdale is pretty easy so if the arrangements are already made don't worry. If you can change, though, I would find a post noon flight.

[GUT2407]

Way too early for me.

 

But then I don't want to spend my last day stressing about missing a flight.

[path145]

I wouldn't try it. On our cruise from Miami a few weeks ago, customs kept stopping debarkation due to congestion in the port. If you were in the very first few self-assist decks to be called you were ok but they didn't even finish self-assist until around 11am. We were in the 2nd group of zone numbers to be called and we were finally called at 11:30... our flight was at 1:05!!! We made it to the gate just as they called FINAL BOARDING!! We had the gate personnel cheering us on as we ran onto the plane!

[tlw440]

As others have stated if everything goes right you will be fine but you never know. We debarked on 5/22 in Fort Lauderdale and made a 10:35 flight easy, we did self-debark but you never know when you might get delayed.

[simplelife]

Yea, that's pretty early even on a good day, especially considering how early the airports are recommending passengers be there.

[Tripper10]

Just carry your bags off yourself and you will be fine. It's 5 min from the airport in Ft. Lauderdale. You won't miss your flight but if you did due to the ship returning late just get another flight, the cruise line might even reimburse you.

[Luke Dawg]

Nov 19 2015 CCL Victory, my party of 8 took SAS Transportation from the Port of Miami to FLL. Our bag tag shows a check in time of 8:58 am. We had a 10:25 SW flight. We self assisted.

[Tapi]

We just broke our personal record. We sailed into Miami and flew out of Ft. Lauderdale. Got on a standby flight at 8:45am! We used Uber and it was the absolute best decision. As soon as I stepped outside the terminal, I summoned a car using the app and he was in front of us in less than 60 seconds.

 

We were at the FLL airport at 7:45am, and being there that early has its benefits. No lines at the airline counter to drop our bags and, literally nobody ahead of us at the security checkpoint. So it does pay off to rush off the ship if you have a flight to catch.

 

Let me clarify that we did NOT book an early morning flight. We were planning on flying back later in the afternoon. We made the decision to standby for an early flight as the ship pulled into port at 5:00am and we realized that we potentially had enough time to make it to FLL in time for the 8:45am. I would NEVER book a flight that early.

Edited June 8, 2016 by Tapi

[Elaine5715]

Just carry your bags off yourself and you will be fine. It's 5 min from the airport in Ft. Lauderdale. You won't miss your flight but if you did due to the ship returning late just get another flight, the cruise line might even reimburse you.

 

The cruise line will not do anything if your return flight is before their recommended flight time.

[Tapi]

You won't miss your flight but if you did due to the ship returning late just get another flight, the cruise line might even reimburse you.

 

 

The cruise line won't, but your travel insurance will cover flight deviations ONLY if your original flight was booked inside the cruise line's guidelines. A 10:30am flight would not qualify so any claim would be denied.