Is 11am flight on morning of debarkation to early?

[wildabouttheworld]

Star Princess out of Ft Lauderdale. Only about 20 min from airport. Can I make an 11:05 flight?

[Cotton]

Probably, barring any unforeseen events like the ship late getting back to port, customs delays, etc. Most cruiselines suggest no outbound flights before 1pm. Sign up at purser's desk for 'early debarkation', and you should be one of the first off the ship.:)

[kitty9]

Here are some things you need to consider. They have to offload thousands of pieces of luggage---Customs has to clear the ship---non-US citizens have to report to Immigration (on most of my cruises, they had to hunt for these people because they didn't report when asked, and this caused the ship to delay debarkation, one time we didn't start leaving the ship until almost 10am)----you have to find your bags, stand in a line to go through Customs, find transportation to the airport, stand in a very long line to check your bags(you're going to be at the airport with perhaps 10 other cruise ship passengers and it's extremely crowded), and then stand in another long line for security. Some would tell you they've made it to the airport by 10, but I think your flight will be pushing it. All cruise lines tell you not to book a flight before noon, and they would prefer you not book a flight until after 1pm.

[trish1c]

You have to remember what an 11:00 flight really means. Domestic check in is generally 1 1/2 hours before departure. Do you think you can be at the AP by 9:30 given that it's 20 minutes away from the port?

[sea_breaze]

Asked Princess this exact question for my 11:06 flight. He stated that they don't recommend flights before 12:00 but he would note it in our account and to let the pursers desk know and we should be fine.

 

Living on the edge I know but this is the difference in getting home @ 2:30 with a direct flight or getting home @ 9:30 with a layover.

 

The two previous times we sailed with Princess out of Ft Lauderdale we wouldn't have had a problem with 11:00 flights so Im taking the risk. Miami on the other hand!!!

[sea_breaze]

Asked Princess this exact question for my 11:06 flight. He stated that they don't recommend flights before 12:00 but he would note it in our account and to let the pursers desk know and we should be fine.

 

Living on the edge I know but this is the difference in getting home @ 2:30 with a direct flight or getting home @ 9:30 with a layover.

 

The two previous times we sailed with Princess out of Ft Lauderdale we wouldn't have had a problem with 11:00 flights so Im taking the risk. Miami on the other hand!!!

[mrsred]

We flew out of Ft. L in October.

 

That day there were several other ships in port so the airport was a madhouse. Long lines for check in, people throwing fits in the security lines...etc.

 

We're so glad we booked our flight for afternoon, but if this is what you want to do be sure to have a Plan B just in case.

 

Best wishes,

~e

[Rena921]

Based on personal experience, as we had to stay out at sea for several hours (due to a hurricaine) and we didn't dock until 11:30 at night and didn't get off the ship until after 1:00 am the night we were supposed to dock, I would say that you might want to reconsider your flight time. Most cruises recommend that you book return flights for late afternoon/early evening.

[Bequia]

I think you'll be able to pull it off. Will you be carrying your own bags off the ship? If so it's doable barring any delays noted above. Please let us know how you make out.

[alexspepaw]

You may be able to make it...but you are going to be extremely stressed about this on you last night and day of your vacation...personally i would take the later flight, relax on deck and enjoy my vacation.

 

good luck!

[jstpshe]

Is 1:00 PM on day of debarkation too early? I have been told by RCCL that it would be fine but it takes 45 minutes they say to get to the airport in San Juan, Pr both ways. I've never been to this airport and I don't know what to expect when it comes to checking in and getting on our flight.

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated when it comes to debarkation and any thing about this airport.

 

Thanks and have a great day!

CJ

:) :)

[wrp96]

Generally from what I've heard flights after 12 out of San Juan are fine. A 1:00 you should have no problems as long as you don't delay getting off the ship.

[trish1c]

Is 1:00 PM on day of debarkation too early? I have been told by RCCL that it would be fine but it takes 45 minutes they say to get to the airport in San Juan, Pr both ways. I've never been to this airport and I don't know what to expect when it comes to checking in and getting on our flight.:) :)

 

The problem with this AP isn't getting there - it's what happens once you are there! They do not have enough metal detectors to handle the 5 cruise ships full of people (~2,000 - 2,500 passangers * 5 = 10.000 - 12.000) trying to get through in a short time frame. :eek: There is also no seating until you get through security & there's only food before you go through.

 

You should make it but don't dawdle.

[SWEETNLOW2005]

There is a process to debark. Self or early flights and genral. Nov 6, we were off the Carnival Victory by 8:30 am in Miami we did the self-debark and nextthen there was the people with early flights. So it possible to do.As long as there are no problems at sea.

[trish1c]

There is a process to debark. Self or early flights and genral. Nov 6, we were off the Carnival Victory by 8:30 am in Miami we did the self-debark and nextthen there was the people with early flights. So it possible to do.As long as there are no problems at sea.

 

The key to your answer Sweetnlow2005 is that you were in Miami. the question asked about San Juan. They are very different APs.

[wrp96]

The key to your answer Sweetnlow2005 is that you were in Miami. the question asked about San Juan. They are very different APs.

 

Actually the OP WAS asking about Ft. Lauderdale. The San Juan question came down the thread.

 

Bottom line with any of them, you could risk it, you might make it, but they are all very busy airports on cruise day. Any delay at all and you will miss an early flight (and before noon at any airport is early). You have to determine for yourself whether the risk is worth it. Having missed an 11:40 flight after my last cruise (and the cruise line booked it), I will never take a flight before noon again, no matter the airport.

[wrp96]

There is a process to debark. Self or early flights and genral. Nov 6, we were off the Carnival Victory by 8:30 am in Miami we did the self-debark and nextthen there was the people with early flights. So it possible to do.As long as there are no problems at sea.

 

Not all cruiselines, and not all ports offer the option of doing self-disembark. Make sure it is offered with your particular ship before you count on it when booking an early flight.

[wildabouttheworld]

If most cruise lines recommend that you book a flight after noon, wouldnt that mean there will be less people trying to pass through security at 10:30am than the hurds that will be passing afterwards?

[wrp96]

If most cruise lines recommend that you book a flight after noon, wouldnt that mean there will be less people trying to pass through security at 10:30am than the hurds that will be passing afterwards?

 

Nope, everybody with that noon flight rushes to get off the ship to get in line.

[hancock]

Disembarcation time is affected by immigration. Certain people do not comply with the request to report to immigration in a timely manner. The ship is not cleared for disembarcation until all the passengers are cleared. On our last cruise, someone sat in the area we were for an hour before they realized that they were being paged to report to immigration. In the meantime, many passengers were sitting there worrying about missing their flights. Leave yourself some breathing room for your flights. The anxiety can ruin what was a great cruise.

[flashdog_1]

This suggestion might not help for this particular cruise since you already have your airline tickets, but by accident I discovered that West Palm Beach airport had more direct flights to my home airport than did Ft Lauderdale, and the price was cheaper by far. The price was cheaper even when I budgeted in a limo/town car to W Palm Beach!

 

PLUS we will get home at 2:30 from Palm Beach's 1 p.m. flight instead of 6:30 p.m. with Ft Lauderdale's 12:30 flight via Jacksonville.

 

Our cruises out of FLL are only 2 nighters so we will be able to carry our flight bags easily and not be delayed because of baggage.

 

I understand FLL can be a zoo, but that W Palm (PBI) is much less of one. It's like the difference in flying into LAX as opposed to John Wayne or Long Beach or Ontario. People who live in California always tell me "Don't fly into LAX or I might not pick you up." But they're happy to go to Santa Ana.

[greatam]

Please read this. There was a large article in USA Today about airlines being much more strict with their check-in times.

 

 

Posted 11/22/2005 1:58 PM Updated 11/23/2005 10:22 AM

 

Being late may be worse than being bumped: Show up late for your flight, and chances are increasing that you won't be allowed to board the plane. Road warriors tell USA TODAY that airlines are more strictly enforcing minimum check-in times, often forcing late fliers to wait for the next flight.

 

But, potentially making matters worse, some late customers are also being hit with $100 change fees if their tardiness forces them onto another flight – especially if it's on another carrier. The paper writes about a different traveler who says that the ticket agent for his airline told him that "his late arrival nullified his ticket, and he would have to buy a full-fare ticket for another airline's flight." Most airlines say that they still try to accommodate late-arriving passengers without extra fees, considering each late flier on a case-by-case basis. Still, a line has to be drawn somewhere, some say. "We try very much to accommodate passengers any way we can to ensure they have the best flight experience," says Continental spokeswoman Courtney Wilcox. "But there has to be some standard how to address someone who doesn't arrive on time." Posted 8:30 a.m. ET

 

Freeway tieups, disasters, YES, you probably will be accomodated. YOU booked the 11:00AM flight-you may NOT be accomodated. Take a later flight. Yes, it is probably more expensive (the airlines know the cruise pax generally cannot make the early flights) and it will get you home later. BUT the flight will get you home. Believe me, the airlines have their best interests at heart, NOT YOURS. You are forewarned by many.

[Coolmama_1]

I don't think that personally I would do it. I would stress the whole time and that takes the fun out of the cruise. Plus, it is not just your ship disembarking, sometimes it is several plus the travelers coming in for the next cruise.

[CruiseAwayWithMe]

I would personally try to get an earlier flight. When I went on Carnival Pride in 2002 our flight was 10:20 AM and we were stuck in the run way for about an hour because of a storm. We took off around 11:30 AM and were landed about 2:00 PM in Orlando. Then, we took an hour bus ride to port canaveral and we were on the cruise ship by 3:55 PM and it took off at 4:00 PM. Although, I understand that there are different circumstances and it may be a bit different. We usually go out Miami but we went out of Port Canaveral about two times. So, I think the early flight the better. It also depends how long your flight takes. My flight usually takes 2 hours and 45 ish minutes but we usually get on the ground in 3 hours. Welll, good luck with your flights :)

[momofmeg]

Star Princess out of Ft Lauderdale. Only about 20 min from airport. Can I make an 11:05 flight?

 

Probally but there is always the chance of immigartion problems. that happened to us in Tampa and we were noon getting off and did not make our 1 p.m. flight-forunately the 4p.m. flight was wide open and we flew standby.

 

I would rather book a later flight-say 2 p,m. for just in case and then if you were able to get to the airport sooner-you could fly standby earlier.