Ships returning to FLL at 6am

[johnmik1]

Hi folks,

 

About to take my first cruise in over a year, and just booked the Regal out of FLL in March. I've noticed the last year or so they show the arrival at 6am (it used to be 7am). Are they starting express walkoff before 6:30am now?

 

I'm looking at using an award ticket for a flight down and back from home, but the return time flight is at 7:45, and I wanted to see if express walk off does begin at 6:30, I could probably make that work.

 

Anyone done express walk off around 6:30am?

 

Thanks!

We disembarked Regal on 12/3 and were in the 6:20 walkoff group that began at 6:30.We have Global Entry which includes TSA precheck and we were seated at the gate at 7:10.We had a 9:00 flight but I wouldn't book anything much earlier then that.It can be done but the stars have to be aligned.Good Luck!

[kywildcatfanone]

We disembarked Regal on 12/3 and were in the 6:20 walkoff group that began at 6:30.We have Global Entry which includes TSA precheck and we were seated at the gate at 7:10.We had a 9:00 flight but I wouldn't book anything much earlier then that.It can be done but the stars have to be aligned.Good Luck!

 

Thanks. We have had this experience as well. But I do understand the risks of any flight before 9am.

[whatcruiseisnext]

We normally do walk off in Fort Lauderdale when sailing on the Royal and Regal and book a flight around 9:30-9:45am. We have made it every time. That being said there is absolutely NO WAY I’d book a flight leaving at 7:45am. Sure you might make it but chances are you’ll be stuck in Fort Lauderdale a few extra days as the outbound flights will be full.

 

 

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[M4dC0w]

By the OPs responses, they aren't going to take our advice.

 

Just do it, and report back later on this thread what happened.

 

Looking forward to the cricket sounds.

 

why ruin a perfectly good vacation by trying to save a few dollars, and stressing out?

 

can't wait until the next tread started by someone asking if a 7:30 flight is too early.

[myfuzzy]

By the OPs responses, they aren't going to take our advice.

 

Just do it, and report back later on this thread what happened.

 

Looking forward to the cricket sounds.

 

why ruin a perfectly good vacation by trying to save a few dollars, and stressing out?

 

can't wait until the next tread started by someone asking if a 7:30 flight is too early.

 

AND they WILL be forthcoming for sure..................

[Todd320]

This has been my prior experience as well. If you are in the first group or two off, no issues with customs/taxi's etc. It's part of why I asked, we would be in the first group off in this scenario.

 

I don't know why people get so worked up on this issue. You were just asking for recent experiences with express walk off regarding early flights.

Everybody knows all the hazards and mine fields with early flights. It's not like you were asking for their advice or blessing on the issue.

Edited December 26, 2017 by Todd320

[lstone19]

Airports require you to be through check-in and security 90 mins. before take-off, an hour might do in a pinch, so your flight time probably doesn’t work.

 

As a retired airline employee, I hate statements like the above. Airports do not set airline policies. Airlines set their own policies (and the airline operation at an airport is generally referred to as a "station" so that we can have station management who are our people running our operation and airport management who are the people running the physical facility but have no business telling us how to run our business). Lots of airports have political appointees as managers and they like to feel they're important so they put out policy statements that mean absolutely nothing. For an airport to try to make airline policy makes as little sense as having your local shopping mall operator trying to set the returns policies of the merchants in it.

 

That said, their are, as have been mentioned, airline policies to consider. The check-in time cutoff and baggage check cutoff tend to be hard times that are never waived (unless a flight has already posted a delay). You must check bags by the cutoff or they aren't going. A check-in waiver may be allowed for those with no bags to check.

 

At the gate, things are more fluid. Yes, most airlines have a must be on-board time but the main purpose of that is to get people who should be there on the plane so there is time for all the close-out tasks. If boarding goes normally, then at the time, people not on board are likely to have their reservation cancelled. Obviously if boarding was delayed and people are still waiting to board, nothing happens right away (no airline should cutoff the boarding line with people in it because of the time). If everyone who should have been able to board on-time does so by the cutoff, then there's plenty of time for things like the "runners" (people with delayed connections who are running to the plane - note I said above that the cutoff applies to those who should have been able to board on-time which is not true of the runners), working the standby list (as a retired employee who usually travels employee standby, we're rarely getting on a plane before the cutoff time unless it had lots of empty seats), and any other issues.

 

 

So for the OP, as a local originating passenger, you will be expected to be on-board by the cutoff time, not running to the gate (and any airline employees who were on the cruise, they might be trying the same thing you are doing knowing those early flights may be their best shot of getting out; and once given to a standby, even an employee standby, they're usually not getting pulled off the plane to let a late arriving customer on who should have been their on-time as that just causes delays).

 

That all said, for the last three cruises I or my family have been on, where we used Princess transfers post-cruise, we just told them we were booked on the first legal (to Princess) flight but then once at the airport, did whatever we needed to do since once at the airport, Princess no longer has a say in the matter.

[kywildcatfanone]

I don't know why people get so worked up on this issue. You were just asking for recent experiences with express walk off regarding early flights.

Everybody knows all the hazards and mine fields with early flights. It's not like you were asking for their advice or blessing on the issue.

 

Thank you. I do appreciate the opinions of others, but this is what I was looking for, recent experiences with express walk off since I hadn't done it for a while. I appreciate people who can plan for a leisurely travel back home, but that isn't always the case for some of us.

[DrivesLikeMario]

OP, you're assuming everything will go perfectly well and you'll arrive into FLL on time. I used to assume that too until we had a problem on one cruise. The crew couldn't get one of the tenders loaded up right. It took an extra 8 or 9 hours. We arrived into FLL 3 hours late. Talk about mayhem! Wow. What a mess. Because of that one cruise, I will never book a flight before 11:30 out of FLL. Hundreds missed their flights on that cruise. We were lucky and didn't but it was a learning lesson for us. ;)

[Cuizer2]

Hi folks,

 

About to take my first cruise in over a year, and just booked the Regal out of FLL in March. I've noticed the last year or so they show the arrival at 6am (it used to be 7am). Are they starting express walkoff before 6:30am now?

 

I'm looking at using an award ticket for a flight down and back from home, but the return time flight is at 7:45, and I wanted to see if express walk off does begin at 6:30, I could probably make that work.

 

Anyone done express walk off around 6:30am?

 

Thanks!

 

I did express walk off on December 10, 2017 and I was at the ticket counter at 7:10am, which is too late for a 7:45am flight. I highly recommend that you do NOT try to make a 7:45am flight out of FLL and if you do try to make a 7:45am flight, you better have a fail safe backup plan.

[Cuizer2]

Not trying to be difficult, just looking for opinions for those who have chosen to do walkoff on 6am returns to FLL. As I stated earlier in the thread, I've booked 9am flights and had plenty of time to spare with a 7:20am walk off time. But I know that there are any number of factors that play into it, so I was asking for any recent cruisers to share theirs. Seems like a fair question to me.

 

I realize many people just assume you need a flight after noon to not have any stress, and generally I would agree with that, but for those who have a need to get home as early as possible, I think it's entirely possible. Like I said, just looking for comments from those who have done express walk off recently and what was their experiences.

 

What is your back up plan? :confused:

[weedpindle]

Please do it. Then be sure to report back as to how much extra you paid for the afternoon flight.

[happiness is cruising]

Please do it. Then be sure to report back as to how much extra you paid for the afternoon flight.

 

 

 

Where are you flying too??? That makes a HUGH difference.. WHY use an award ticket for a low priced ticket?? Book a regular ticket home and SAVE the award ticket for a HIGHER PRICED destination!!! I fly FLL to LGA and can easily make the 9am DL flight.. I walk off.. did it twice in 2017 and several times in 2016 .. and planning on doing it on Friday. February 1, 2018.. Cost of the ticket 84.00!!!! just sayin'

 

 

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[luckyinpa]

is 6 ships in FLL a large amount? just looked up thats what it will be on my day. is it the same customs for all the ships funneled into 'one line' so to speak?

i've only left out of NY before and never had more than one ship

[happiness is cruising]

is 6 ships in FLL a large amount? just looked up thats what it will be on my day. is it the same customs for all the ships funneled into 'one line' so to speak?

i've only left out of NY before and never had more than one ship

 

 

 

YES!!! this makes A NIGHTMARE at FLL!!! and supply and demand come into play!!! My same 84.00 ticket in February was 249.00 .. Same DL 9am flight!!! did this on 5 November 2017...we had 6 ships in port!!!

 

 

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[Hlitner]

Airports require you to be through check-in and security 90 mins. before take-off, an hour might do in a pinch, so your flight time probably doesn’t work.

 

 

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That is not true! "Airports" do not "require" anything regarding check ins. Each airline has their own policy but, as a general rule, you need to be at the gate at least 15 min before the scheduled departure time. Most airlines will let you check luggage (for domestic flights) up until 45 min before a flight.

 

All that being said, we would never consider a flight as early as the OP's. Why? Ships do not always dock on time, CBP may hold up ship clearance (we have been held on one cruise until nearly 9:30), and there can be delays getting through Passport control. We were recently (last month) on the Regal and did arrive at Port Everglades by around 6. The walk-offs did not start until about 7:20! If one was lucky enough to be among the first off the ship (what a hassle to fight the crowds) they might have been able to get to FLL a little before 8. But we were just on another cruise this past week (got off on Monday) and it took nearly 25 min to get from the port to the airport because of some road construction near the port. So one never knows.

 

Hank

[Todd320]

YES!!! this makes A NIGHTMARE at FLL!!! and supply and demand come into play!!! My same 84.00 ticket in February was 249.00 .. Same DL 9am flight!!! did this on 5 November 2017...we had 6 ships in port!!!

 

 

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We were on the Regal Nov 5 and we were #5 into port out of 7 ships that morning. The Royal was over at 21. If your at the tip of the spear (first 10 or so off) it doesn't seem to make a difference. We were at the gate by 6:58AM.

[kywildcatfanone]

I did express walk off on December 10, 2017 and I was at the ticket counter at 7:10am, which is too late for a 7:45am flight. I highly recommend that you do NOT try to make a 7:45am flight out of FLL and if you do try to make a 7:45am flight, you better have a fail safe backup plan.

 

A 7:45am flight was not really what I wanted, but was looking for feedback on those who had recently done express walk off. By some of the responses, I'm sure many folks don't do express walk off, which is fine, to each his own on travel plans home.

I was able to find another flight option that leaves FLL at 9:15am, so I booked that. Based upon my past experiences, assuming all things are normal, I could make a 7:45am flight, but I really didn't want to chance it.

Didn't realize it was a hot button topic on here. For those that don't do express walk off, I think that is great if you don't have a reason to get home as early as possible, but some of us have other responsiblities to tend to.

 

I do appreciate the responses though.

[riclop]

Hi folks,

 

About to take my first cruise in over a year, and just booked the Regal out of FLL in March. I've noticed the last year or so they show the arrival at 6am (it used to be 7am). Are they starting express walkoff before 6:30am now?

 

I'm looking at using an award ticket for a flight down and back from home, but the return time flight is at 7:45, and I wanted to see if express walk off does begin at 6:30, I could probably make that work.

 

Anyone done express walk off around 6:30am?

 

Thanks!

Forget that one.

[whatcruiseisnext]

Glad you found a flight that works!

Edited December 27, 2017 by whatcruiseisnext

[Steelers36]

Airports require you to be through check-in and security 90 mins. before take-off, an hour might do in a pinch, so your flight time probably doesn’t work.

 

 

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Nonsense. Airports don't "require" anything. Airlines do have cut-off policies, sometimes different for domestic versus international. Otherwise, the 90 minute time you mention is a suggestion.

[myfuzzy]

Don’t forget if the flight is leaving at 7:45, they will most likely be boarding between 7:00 and 7:15am, with the door closing by 7:30. Plus you will have to get through security at the airport. Oh, and were you planning on checking any bags?

 

 

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So, the ship docks at 6, flight 7:45, should allow 90 minutes to get through security etc at airport, boarding times usually 30 min before --7:15 ish.... that would mean you would need to be off ship say 5:45

[wblynch]

FLL: 10am flight -- do-able?

 

I figure we could get to the airport by 8am. should work, no?

[deliver42]

We got off the Regal on Dec,17th. Due to a medical emergency on board, and a detour, we didn't get into port until 7:30.

[satxdiver]

Several years ago we were returning to port everglades. For some reason we were not able to leave the ship until 9:30 or so in the last walk off group. Many missed their flights that day. We found out later that there was a shortage of immigration officers that caused the delay and indeed when we finally arrived at immigration there seemed to be half the number of agents present. The first walk off group left the ship about an hour before us. The PES lounge was over full with pax not able to even get in due to the lengthy delay. Luckily that particular cruise we had decided to spend the night in a local hotel before flying home the next day. I imagine not only missing flights that day it was a nightmare at the airport with pax needing new flights.