Reasonable time to land FLL and get to my ship that day via taxi, etc?

[PaperSniper4]

Yes, you are missing something and doing something wrong......On the flights down on the 5th, 6th or 7th I'm seeing one way fares of $104 to $129. Something odd is going on with the return because it's showing a lot of sold out flights. ......

 

I'm cheating a bit and using a Saturday to FLL and a Friday not near a holiday in October 2017 on SW's website. As you said, their schedule doesn't go to January 2018 yet.

I have been looking at SW RT trips, but I noticed that the one way flights were either from MEM or BNA were around $310, and a paired return flight was about the same. If I am doing something wrong I cannot figure out what, as the "summary" that SW shows after my simulated booking is for one person, RT either BNA-FLL or MEM-FLL.

 

On the other hand, I did find yesterday a Delta RT BNA/FLL for $250, so that is probably what I will book, but not until about 3 months before the January 2018 cruise. And of course I will check all other airlines also. I will fly or drive to FLL the night before the cruise and stay in a hotel I've booked already that offers an airport shuttle and port shuttle for $8 pp. Since I'll use the FLL hotel whether I decide to fly or drive to FLL, I figured I'd book now for "only" $230. YIPES! At least there is no cancellation fee.

[EnterCruise]

I'm cheating a bit and using a Saturday to FLL and a Friday not near a holiday in October 2017 on SW's website. As you said, their schedule doesn't go to January 2018 yet.

I have been looking at SW RT trips, but I noticed that the one way flights were either from MEM or BNA were around $310, and a paired return flight was about the same. If I am doing something wrong I cannot figure out what, as the "summary" that SW shows after my simulated booking is for one person, RT either BNA-FLL or MEM-FLL.

 

On the other hand, I did find yesterday a Delta RT BNA/FLL for $250, so that is probably what I will book, but not until about 3 months before the January 2018 cruise. And of course I will check all other airlines also. I will fly or drive to FLL the night before the cruise and stay in a hotel I've booked already that offers an airport shuttle and port shuttle for $8 pp. Since I'll use the FLL hotel whether I decide to fly or drive to FLL, I figured I'd book now for "only" $230. YIPES!:o At least there is no cancellation fee.

 

You're not kidding you like to drive because you don't fly much, do you?

 

Airfare prices are not static, sometimes they change hourly and definitely from one day to the next. With Southwest, you can book them at one price and they may or may not go down, but once inside 30 days they usually do nothing but go up. The biggest mistake you are making is October is the bottom of the low season and January is almost the peak of high season in South Florida. Higher demand means higher fares. I'm flying from BNA to FLL on June 27 for $57, but I booked it a couple months ago. Today that same exact flight is $135 and that exact same flight next Tuesday is $235.

 

Also, book your trip in two separate one way trips. In the event you want to change the outbound or return, it will be much easier to do so. One of the legs may drop in price, but the other may go up, so you don't want to lose the lower fare of one while you are trying take advantage of a lower fare on the other.

 

Be patient and wait until June 22nd when Southwest extends their schedule. Right now you are wasting your time in an exercise in futility.

[PaperSniper4]

Nashville resident here; fly SW almost everywhere, including FLL, and have never paid anything close to that. Wait until SW extends the schedule on June 22 and put in your actual travel dates.

 

The same day plan you've outlined is a recipe for disaster.

 

Roz

 

Thanks. I plan on re-checking all the flights BNA-FLL RT the end of June. Hopefully I can get a reasonable fee for SW to FLL. I did find a DL RT from BNA for $230 which is acceptable. We'd drive to BNA on Saturday morning, then fly BNA-FLL that afternoon/evening, spend Saturday night in FLL. Ship departs Sunday at 1600, so that ought to work well.

[EnterCruise]

Thanks. I plan on re-checking all the flights BNA-FLL RT the end of June. Hopefully I can get a reasonable fee for SW to FLL. I did find a DL RT from BNA for $230 which is acceptable. We'd drive to BNA on Saturday morning, then fly BNA-FLL that afternoon/evening, spend Saturday night in FLL. Ship departs Sunday at 1600, so that ought to work well.

 

Do not wait until the end of June to check Southwest's fares. Write yourself a note to do it early on June 22nd. Again, airfares are not static and can increase by the hour. Sometimes airlines will put a few seats out at a low price and once they are sold, fares automatically increase. With Southwest you can always rebook if they drop prices. You don't get a refund but you can save the difference as a credit for a future flight up to a year.

[eandj]

Aww, thanks. Well, no - I haven't talked an awful lot about it on the boards but my cancer has returned, and it is very serious. I have been told by my oncologist not to travel.

 

I live vicariously through all of you now, so take me somewhere fabulous! :D

 

.

 

I am happy you are here adding to the discussions with your experience.

I hope that things turn more hopeful for you and yours. Bless you.

[PaperSniper4]

Do not wait until the end of June to check Southwest's fares. Write yourself a note to do it early on June 22nd. Again, airfares are not static and can increase by the hour. Sometimes airlines will put a few seats out at a low price and once they are sold, fares automatically increase. With Southwest you can always rebook if they drop prices. You don't get a refund but you can save the difference as a credit for a future flight up to a year.

 

Advice heeded on the 22 June reminder. Also the one way tickets, although we fly so rarely that a credit would probably be wasted on us.

[EnterCruise]

Advice heeded on the 22 June reminder. Also the one way tickets, although we fly so rarely that a credit would probably be wasted on us.

 

If you book and the price goes down, you might as well have the free credit. Right now fares from BNA to FLL are as low as $60 in December. Maybe you could come down for a pre-cruise visit with the credit?

[PaperSniper4]

If you book and the price goes down, you might as well have the free credit. Right now fares from BNA to FLL are as low as $60 in December. Maybe you could come down for a pre-cruise visit with the credit?

 

I haven't booked anything yet, so I don't have that credit. However, I am thinking about a cruise from SEA next summer.................