Another disembark in Miami ??

[riffatsea]

First Oceania cruise for us. We generally travel light and carry off our own bags. We have TSA precheck too.

Our travel agent said we shouldn't book any flight before 1PM but it seems that we should be able to manage a 12: 15 flight given normal

circumstances. Insignia is due to arrive in port at 8AM from a 7 day Cuba cruise on a Saturday.

What do you all think??

 

[StanandJim]

If everything goes as planned on Debarkation morning, you'll have PLENTY of time, in fact, you will probably find yourself waiting at the Gate in the Airport for a good while.

 

However:

 

If there is some sort of irregularity with Customs and/or Immigration, and you know how bureaucrats can be, nobody leaves that ship until EVERYBODY is cleared. 

 

It is a Godawful feeling, sitting in the lounge with your luggage while Mr. XYZ is repeatedly summoned over the loudspeakers as you realize that your "early" flight is drawing nearer and nearer,  

 

Let your conscience be your guide  😉

Edited December 25, 2018 by StanandJim

[robbie21]

What Stan and Jim said 😀

 

Stuff happens and it seems to happen more often in Miami.  We have had customs delays (too many ships in port they said).  Ship not getting cleared because some foreign passport holder did not report to the lounge and could not be found (J&S example).  Heart attack on the gangway; not kidding, nothing moved for over an an hour.  At the airport;  over an hour to check baggage and another hour in security (pre precheck) due to 5 ships arriving at about the same time (like 10-15,000 people hitting the airport within an hour or two). 

 

I really hate Miami port and airport!

[LHT28]

the only way to be sure to avoid issues is to take a flight the next day

We usually book the 12:20 pm flight  & only 1 time we almost missed getting to the airport in time

[warburg]

StanandJim and LHT28 are right. If all goes as planned is iffy in Miami. We live on South Beach and really love it. However, we know better than to expect perfection. 

Mary

[riffatsea]

Thanks for the advice! I had no idea that Miami was sooo iffy!

We've never taken a cruise out of that port before this one.

We usually have good luck but you are right to remind me that nothing is ever certain!

[ORV]

I’d personally risk it. Actually I don’t consider that time a big risk at all, even with delays. 

[riffatsea]

Yes, DH will want to book the 12:15ish flight and risk it. I will never live down the time I booked a 3PM flight out of Seattle because I was told to book after 1PM after an Alaska cruise and we were at the airport at 8AM with NO possibility of changing to an earlier flight!!  Now THAT was terrible!

[glenneagle]

We got off the ship at 8am last wednesday and were at the gate  8.45....

That being said  I would check how many ships dock that day.

Enjoy your cruise

 

[riffatsea]

Just checked the schedule and I see 5 ships (including Insignia) docking at just about the same time(6AM-7AM). That seems like a lot to me!

[Shawnino]

From my experience the delay in MIA isn't in berthing nor in actually passing through the checkpoint, but in clearing the luggage put outside rooms the night before.

Why this affects the carry-on crowd I'm not sure, but it does.

[pinotlover]

Did the OP even consider looking a mere two threads down on the page to see the exact same question posted with 40 replies????!!!! That wouldn’t even involved using the search function.

[Paulchili]

3 hours ago, riffatsea said:

Yes, DH will want to book the 12:15ish flight and risk it. I will never live down the time I booked a 3PM flight out of Seattle because I was told to book after 1PM after an Alaska cruise and we were at the airport at 8AM with NO possibility of changing to an earlier flight!!  Now THAT was terrible!

What might be even worse is if you miss your 12:15 with NO possibility to change to a later flight 

[PaulMCO]

The biggest issue is crew and the union porters.  All luggage must be offloaded and moved to the customs halls before they will clear the ship. It takes normally 1 hour to off load the luggage on an R ship. 

Edited December 26, 2018 by PaulMCO

[riffatsea]

@pinotlover, Yes the OP read the other thread on the same page which is why my title is ANOTHER disembark question.

NO one forced you to answer me .

[ORV]

2 hours ago, PaulMCO said:

The biggest issue is crew and the union porters.  All luggage must be offloaded and moved to the customs halls before they will clear the ship. It takes normally 1 hour to off load the luggage on an R ship. 

I've seen this statement time and time again on various cruise boards and I can't count the times I've been disembarking while the forklifts are still taking carts of luggage off the ship. I've never understood this??

 

Especially on larger ships is where I've seen it, but I also think on Oceania. 

Edited December 27, 2018 by ORV
Clarity

[StanandJim]

2 hours ago, ORV said:

 I can't count the times I've been disembarking while the forklifts are still taking carts of luggage off the ship. 

 

All of the non-hand luggage has to be in the custody of customs  before the ship is cleared.  

They may take possession on or off of the ship; the salient point being that inspected luggage cannot ever be accessible to the passenger before they claim it again on the wharf.     

 

 

 

 

[PaulMCO]

That is why immigration is generally fast.   With all the luggage in place, they do a run with the dogs to check for food/drugs etc.

Those that they they wish to do a more through check have been pre-identified.  One time we were given a hole punched CBP form in Miami.  Bad boy -- just checking whether you declared xxx and yyy.

[ORV]

8 hours ago, StanandJim said:

All of the non-hand luggage has to be in the custody of customs  before the ship is cleared.  

They may take possession on or off of the ship; the salient point being that inspected luggage cannot ever be accessible to the passenger before they claim it again on the wharf.     

 

 

 

 

Aha, that makes sense then.