Mode of Transport to FLL airport...

[NavyCruiser]

Our first time flying home from Ft Lauderdale airport.

Onboard Apex now, have a 11:22 am flight on Sat.

So what's the best/earliest way to depart the ship to make it to FLL airport in time?

Self debark at 7:30am, carrying our own luggage, grab Uber, Lyft, or taxi to airport?

Or use Celebrity's bus service?  Do you know how early their bus depart for the airport? 

Cost doesn't matter to us, whether it's $10 - $20 for Uber, or $32 thru Celebrity, just which method is fastest/least worrisome to the airport.

Thanks,

[ymncruise]

We walk out of the cruise terminal to the taxi stand and take a cab to the airport. 

[DCPIV]

The quickest thing is to walk off with your self-debark luggage (i.e., don't put it outside the night before) and then get a taxi.  There usually are a whole bunch of taxis just waiting.  Cost is around $15.

 

You can go with Uber/Lyft, but you may find yourself waiting up to 15 minutes for one.  The price difference between Uber/Lyft and a taxi is negligible (taxi may even be cheaper by a couple bucks, depending on Uber/Lyft pricing at the time.

 

There's no guarantee that the self-debark time will be 7:30, but that's usually around when it starts.  The time depends entirely upon the port.

[Alakegirl]

You should have no trouble making that flight no matter which mode of transport you choose

[Arizona Wildcat]

Definitely self disembark if allowed and take a taxi.  If all goes well you have just enough time.

Presume that no testing to disembark or enter the US will be required.

Edited January 6, 2022 by Arizona Wildcat

[Jeremiah1212]

There are a million what ifs and horror stories people will want to share, but if you self carry off (which is not really necessary) and grab a taxi, there's a good chance you will be at the airport by 8am or shortly after.

[Antropos]

Last Monday we were in debarkation group 5 (Equinox, Terminal 29) with a debarkation time of 07:45. We had our luggage and got through customs at 08:00. We had to do a COVID test and couldn't leave the terminal until a little after 9 AM. Ordered an Uber, which took 8 minutes to arrive and brought us the the airport in 10 mins for $16.

[kathynorth]

We walk off with our luggage and grab a taxi. 

[Treasure Hunter]

We get the first debark time ( 8:00 am) get a porter in the terminal near the luggage ( they have the right to cut all lines)  they grab our luggage. Zoom thru immigration facial recognition) out of terminal in 5 minutes. Porter takes us to head of taxi line across the street from the terminal. At airport by 8:30 the latest.  Tip the porter well, they work really hard and have had a tough time.

[LGW59]

1 hour ago, NavyCruiser said:

Our first time flying home from Ft Lauderdale airport.

Onboard Apex now, have a 11:22 am flight on Sat.

So what's the best/earliest way to depart the ship to make it to FLL airport in time?

Self debark at 7:30am, carrying our own luggage, grab Uber, Lyft, or taxi to airport?

Or use Celebrity's bus service?  Do you know how early their bus depart for the airport? 

Cost doesn't matter to us, whether it's $10 - $20 for Uber, or $32 thru Celebrity, just which method is fastest/least worrisome to the airport.

Thanks,

taxi

[NavyCruiser]

Thanks for all the awesome responses above.   

So we've just went down to cancel our celebrity bus service,  & told them we'll self disembark ourselves. 

We're global entry & flying back domestic to Texas,  so no testing required, & hopefully immigration will be quick.

Thanks

[LGW59]

1 minute ago, NavyCruiser said:

Thanks for all the awesome responses above.   

So we've just went down to cancel our celebrity bus service,  & told them we'll self disembark ourselves. 

We're global entry & flying back domestic to Texas,  so no testing required, & hopefully immigration will be quick.

Thanks

Good luck!  And while I am a regular user of Lyft and Uber, when I go to airport, I do taxi, most airports still allow them to get very close to departure and pick-up terminals.  Ride shares are now often times a good 10+ minute walk from each.

[Treasure Hunter]

Good move. Bus is a no no ( you have to wait for it to fill up and someone is always late or lost.) If you have a lot of heavy luggage you really don't need to drag it off the ship. Remember elevators could be busy. Just remember to keep a carry-on over night so you can put your bathroom stuff and pjs in it in the morning. And don't pack your clothes/shoes for going home. My girl friend's husband packed without telling her and she had to leave the ship in a robe and change in a bathroom in the terminal. TRUE.

[NavyCruiser]

Yes, will use taxi, good to know there's plenty available. 

Unlike open ports like Miami & Galveston, there was a gate guard to the entrance of Port Everglades, who gave our Uber driver issues when dropping us off at the port earlier, since he didn't have proper paperwork/documentation...

[phoenix_dream]

In Lauderdale we always take a taxi rather than concern ourselves with Uber as the cost is about the same (and actually during Covid times the Uber cost is sometimes higher).  Never had an issue quickly catching a cab, and the airport is very close by.

[Husky61]

We put our luggage out the night before and don't see it until we arrive at our destination airport. A taxi or uber gets us to the airport well in advance of departure time.  We also have pre-check and clear which usually has us through security in less than 5 minutes.

[PTC DAWG]

Another vote for walk off and taxi…

[jelayne]

We have disembarked many times with flights departing between 10:30am -11 30.

We don’t do self debarkation but do request a low number for our luggage tags.

We pick up our luggage in the terminal & are out the door- no more lines for customs.  In October we left the ship at 8:15,  called a Uber and were in the airport  at 9 for our 11:10 flight.

[hcat]

 

Celeb bus  worst choice and No saving monetarily.. why crowd in with others on a bus?? Same with a shared van.

 

Plenty of taxis  lined up.  Get off early and grab one..do not share!

 

 Celeb bus has to wait for everyone's luggage to be retrieved and loaded..one misplaced bag and they delay.. same with pax for the bus..Then it's the slow unloading process at various airlines. 

 

Vans are crowded and drop off at various locations slow the process.

 

[hcat]

Just now, jelayne said:

We have disembarked many times with flights departing between 10:30am -11 30.

We don’t do self debarkation but do request a low number for our luggage tags.

We pick up our luggage in the terminal & are out the door- no more lines for customs.  In October we left the ship at 8:15,  called a Uber and were in the airport  at 9 for our 11:10 flight.

Agree..self disembark can sometimes  be a hassle without saving time.

Go on your own..a porter will get you into a taxi quickly or do it yourself!

[LGW59]

4 minutes ago, hcat said:

 

Celeb bus  worst choice and No saving monetarily.. why crowd in with others on a bus?? Same with a shared van.

 

Plenty of taxis  lined up.  Get off early and grab one..do not share!

 

 Celeb bus has to wait for everyone's luggage to be retrieved and loaded..one misplaced bag and they delay.. same with pax for the bus..Then it's the slow unloading process at various airlines. 

 

Vans are crowded and drop off at various locations slow the process.

 

Even in "normal" times this is super sage advice!

[skrufy]

1 hour ago, LGW59 said:

Even in "normal" times this is super sage advice!

As a comparison, we made an 11.55 flight shuttling from POM. We were off the ship by 800am, in a shuttle by 830am and at FLL by 1010am. FLL 15 minutes away you should have no problem. No need to rush. Check with the ships services, ask if they will give you a low debarkation number because of your early flight. 

[capriccio]

4 hours ago, NavyCruiser said:

Yes, will use taxi, good to know there's plenty available. 

Unlike open ports like Miami & Galveston, there was a gate guard to the entrance of Port Everglades, who gave our Uber driver issues when dropping us off at the port earlier, since he didn't have proper paperwork/documentation...

Couldn’t the driver just show his/her ID? All port literature (www.porteverglades.net) says everyone in the vehicle must provide identification.
 

Port Everglades has all that security because it is also a cargo port and one of the largest petroleum ports in the country (and has the tanks to prove it that require security from terrorists and others with destruction on their minds).

[NavyCruiser]

Wow. 

Thanks for the awesome suggs above.

We requested & got luggage tags #8, so we're 10 minutes behind the self-disembarkers, scheduled at 7:40am vs 7:30am.

#8 was called at 7:50

luggage was ready

Immigration took 5 seconds, Port Everglades terminal is the fastest & most efficient ever.

Out of terminal at 8am

In taxi 8:05am

We did see 2 big empty busses to the airport waiting for people... 

arrived airport 15 minutes later, 3 hours for our flight.

Awesome!

Thanks everyone!!!

[HALrunner]

Can someone remind me the flight departure cutoff time (FLL) if taking the Celebrity transfer? Hoping to catch an 11am flight.