9:05 flight out of FLL-Will we make it??

[kkat10]

We will be sailing the Allure out of FLL in February. I was only able to get a 9:05am flight out of FLL. Will we be able to get off ship and make this flight? Whats the best option for us to get to FLL quickly for transportation?

[CruiserBruce]

If you look around the board, there are many discussions on this topic. The pluses, in your case? RCI gets priority for their "Monsters of the Seas", including Allure, to get into port earlier, and start offloading, usually around 6:30 am.

 

Taxi is always recommended as the fastest route to the airport. Carrying your bags off the ship and being in a very early group getting off is important.

 

Some will say you can make it. I wouldn't encourage it, but if you follow the suggestions, you have a chance.

[cruisegirl1976]

You are going to cut it close.... you never know when the ship will be cleared so the passengers can get off, ... the earliest I have seen people getting off the ship is 7:30am.. and then you have to go through customs, and then you would have to get a taxi to the airport, then check-in and security. , and usually boarding on the flight would be around 8:30am.. I would see if you can change your flight... , also what week are you there?  Superbowl is going on and it will be busy. 

[cruisegirl1976]

40 minutes ago, kkat10 said:

We will be sailing the Allure out of FLL in February. I was only able to get a 9:05am flight out of FLL. Will we be able to get off ship and make this flight? Whats the best option for us to get to FLL quickly for transportation?

I see you are from ct?.. I am in Mass..,,so you must be going out of Bradley as am I ,  We have the Allure booked for Feb also, and taking Jetblue .. and my return flight in not until 4 in the afternoon,.. didn't want to chance it.

[bouhunter]

You might make that.  Run off the ship and run to a taxi.

 

No way we would book a 9:00AM flight off any ship at any port.  Good luck

[spammie]

1 hour ago, kkat10 said:

We will be sailing the Allure out of FLL in February. I was only able to get a 9:05am flight out of FLL. Will we be able to get off ship and make this flight? Whats the best option for us to get to FLL quickly for transportation?

 

Hi.  We have made a 9am flight.  We carried our own luggage off the ship and left the ship at 6:45am.  We were in line for self disembarkation 30 minutes before they started disembarking.  Grabbing a cab will be the fastest way to get to the airport which is only a 10 minute ride away.  Make sure you have a back up plan and good luck!  

[TNcruising02]

I see you are cruising on Royal and am not sure if they offer this, but on Carnival you can get a letter from guest services if you have an early flight.  Then on  the morning you leave you can wait in a special area and walk off of the ship with your luggage right after the priority passengers.  Maybe Royal has something similar.

It will help if you travel with carry-on luggage so that you won't have to stand in line to check your bags at the airport.  Also, TSA pre-check REALLY speeds up going through security.

[CruiserBruce]

1 hour ago, cruisegirl1976 said:

You are going to cut it close.... you never know when the ship will be cleared so the passengers can get off, ... the earliest I have seen people getting off the ship is 7:30am.. and then you have to go through customs, and then you would have to get a taxi to the airport, then check-in and security. , and usually boarding on the flight would be around 8:30am.. I would see if you can change your flight... , also what week are you there?  Superbowl is going on and it will be busy. 

It is commonly reported here that the huge RCI ships get in earlier, and release pax earlier. And you need to clear Immigration...that is the more potentially complex operation as they haven't been collecting the Customs forms recently.

 

But I still won't encourage a 9am flight. I would spend the night and take the 9am flight the next day.

[Tapi]

1 hour ago, kkat10 said:

 I was only able to get a 9:05am flight out of FLL.

 

Where are you flying to?

 

The answer to your question is maybe yes, maybe no. When we sailed on Allure specifically we were at the airport around 9am. But there are times when we’ve been at the FLL airport as early as 7:30am. It truly depends on whether everything aligns perfectly, which you won’t know until that day. 

[JohninDC]

For a 9:05 flight you need to be at FLL by about 7:30, and earlier is better with standard TSA chaos. With the ride from PE to the airport taking 15+ minutes (can fare should be $15+), that translates into off the ship, with bags and clear of customs and immigration by about 7:00.

 

I would never book a flight this early, but it is your call. Good luck - you will need it.

[BostonGal35]

wowza that would make me paranoid my entire cruise.  you can probably do it assuming all is on time and you are lined up in the stairwells (against their request) and ready to get off teh ship.

[Roz]

Not picking on OP, but why do people book early flights,  then come to CC to ask if they can make it? The time to ask for advice is before booking,  not after.  I guess if they don't make the flight they'll come back here and blame us. 

[cruisegirl1976]

15 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

It is commonly reported here that the huge RCI ships get in earlier, and release pax earlier. And you need to clear Immigration...that is the more potentially complex operation as they haven't been collecting the Customs forms recently.

 

But I still won't encourage a 9am flight. I would spend the night and take the 9am flight the next day.

Last time I was on the Oasis .. we were able to walk off the ship at 7:30am.. but I still didn't take a chance and booked a flight later in the day.. I don't want to be stressed on my last day of vaca,  I would rather sit in the airport than worry to catch a flight. 

[Paulinda]

Like some have said... perhaps you will make it, perhaps you won't.  What are your back up plans if you don't make it? 

 

We would probably look at other airlines or possibly other departure cities for later flights.   Orlando and Ft Myers are a couple of hours away.  Tampa a bit further.  Just a thought.

[jess9654]

@kkat10  We must be looking at the same flights (im also on that ship and live in CT).  There are no good options that day or the next day, everything is such a late flight.  I'm not going to chance it with that early flight, I think I'm going to have to pay double for the 4:30 flight and spend the day at the airport.  😞

[JohninDC]

22 minutes ago, jess9654 said:

@kkat10  We must be looking at the same flights (im also on that ship and live in CT).  There are no good options that day or the next day, everything is such a late flight.  I'm not going to chance it with that early flight, I think I'm going to have to pay double for the 4:30 flight and spend the day at the airport.  😞

Welcome to the boards! 😎

 

You could also look at spending another night in the FLL area and then catching the early flight the next day.

 

Whatever you do, do not choose to sit at FLL all day.  You can pay to store your bags at the FLL airport and then explore - water taxi, beach, boozy brunch, Las Olas, etc.  www.sunny.org has lots of FLL area tourist info.

[capriccio]

1 hour ago, jess9654 said:

@kkat10  We must be looking at the same flights (im also on that ship and live in CT).  There are no good options that day or the next day, everything is such a late flight.  I'm not going to chance it with that early flight, I think I'm going to have to pay double for the 4:30 flight and spend the day at the airport.  😞

 

In addition to John's great recommendations, most (all?) cruise lines offer disembarkation day tours.  Your luggage travels with you on the bus.  Popular tours from Port Everglades to private attractions on the edge of the Everglades for airboat rides, etc. and/or Flamingo Gardens, and/or a ride on the Carrie B or the Jungle Queen.  After the tour you and your luggage are dropped at the airport.

[nhraformula00]

9 hours ago, Roz said:

Not picking on OP, but why do people book early flights,  then come to CC to ask if they can make it? The time to ask for advice is before booking,  not after.  I guess if they don't make the flight they'll come back here and blame us. 

so we can have fun laughing

[marco]

OP:    We are snowbirds in Fla , so we drove to/from the port, but friends who were on the cruise with us flew.  They texted us saying they were sitting at thier gate at quarter to 8.  They did self walk off and grabbed a cab.  Assuming there are no snafus with docking, disembarking, immigration or customs, you should be OK. However, we were o a 10 day cruise and returned mid-week and there were only 2 ships in that day. If you are returning on a Sat/Sun with several other ships, that may pose a delay both getting to and at the airport.

[katiel53]

My last cruise on Allure, which was in June, I had an 8:30AM flight on Southwest.  I was in line with my luggage at 6:20AM and off the ship soon after 6:30.   There were not a lot of people going through customs as it was early and not the busy time as it would be later in the morning.

 

I do have a passport, so there were only a few people in the passport line.  I breezed through the line and within a few minutes I was in a cab.  I was at the airport by 7:15 and I do have TSA precheck, so I was through security with no problem.  I had time to grab a coffee and get to the gate before boarding began.

 

I do have to say I wasn't stressed about doing this as I did have a backup plan if I couldn't make the flight.  I wouldn't do what I did without one.  I have been on Allure 5x and only once did I do a flight at 11:30.  All the rest were 9:30-10:30.  

My first flight that was 9:30 had me at the airpot in time to make an 8:15 flight, but the cost to change to that flight was about $300 more and my final destination's arrival was later than my original flight as the connecting flight  was at a different airport.

 

If you are comfortable doing an early flight, go for it, but I wouldn't do it without a backup plan.

[nhraformula00]

https://pevvesseltraffic.broward.org/webx/

I would check the port scheduel to see how many ships are in port that morning of arrival. There can be as many as 7-8 in the winter months and the airport will be a nightmare. Those posting that they were off the boat and at the airport by xxx hours most likely were in port with only 2-3 ships. This is why we always stay annother day in town and not sweat the details. GOOD LUCK!!!

[BlueHerons]

In June or July?  Yes, I'd probably chance it and go for it.

 

February?  Absolutely not.  

[DaveOKC]

14 hours ago, nhraformula00 said:

https://pevvesseltraffic.broward.org/webx/

I would check the port scheduel to see how many ships are in port that morning of arrival. There can be as many as 7-8 in the winter months and the airport will be a nightmare. Those posting that they were off the boat and at the airport by xxx hours most likely were in port with only 2-3 ships. This is why we always stay annother day in town and not sweat the details. GOOD LUCK!!!

Good tip.  We have found that sometimes we can save enough on airfares for 2 to justify staying over another day and taking an early flight out the next day.  That way no rushing to catch your plane.