Port Everglades Fort Lauderdale disembarking

[skatie]

Hi we are on the celebrity Beyond and have an AC flight back to YYZ from FLL at 11:05 am on Sunday Dec 4.  Can anyone walk me through what happens now with disembarking procedures for a non-US citizen so I can visualize what we need to do!   Ideally we can get first group tags to be first off as I’d rather not have to lug our bags off the ship but want to ensure if we leave by 7:30or 8 that it’s enough time to go through the luggage pick up and Customs which I suspect a different and longer process than Americans. I have a Nexus card but my husband doesn’t so I don’t know if that would be any help.   We plan to hop a taxi to airport once we get through customs.  Thanks!

[gold1953]

What time do you dock?  Unless you walk off with luggage you may not be out that early

[lx200gps]

6 hours ago, skatie said:

Hi we are on the celebrity Beyond and have an AC flight back to YYZ from FLL at 11:05 am on Sunday Dec 4.  Can anyone walk me through what happens now with disembarking procedures for a non-US citizen so I can visualize what we need to do!   Ideally we can get first group tags to be first off as I’d rather not have to lug our bags off the ship but want to ensure if we leave by 7:30or 8 that it’s enough time to go through the luggage pick up and Customs which I suspect a different and longer process than Americans. I have a Nexus card but my husband doesn’t so I don’t know if that would be any help.   We plan to hop a taxi to airport once we get through customs.  Thanks!

I believe you'll find that most cruise terminal have moved to a much simpler facial recognition system. The last three cruises we have taken, over the last year, ending at PE, Manhattan and Brooklyn, all used the same system. You walk up to a camera attached to a tablet, it takes your picture, then when the light turns green, you walk out of the terminal and into your ride to the airport. We have never even  had to speak to an agent when clearing, the camera does everything. There were no Global Entry lines visible, I can't say whether us Canadians/non-Americans have a special line. Since we always do the earliest possible self walk-off, we are always among the very first in the line for the cameras so we always breeze right through. As to Nexus, there was a time when you could flash your card and it would get you into the dedicated (and much shorter) Global Entry line, but I don't know if that still exists.

[skatie]

1 hour ago, lx200gps said:

I believe you'll find that most cruise terminal have moved to a much simpler facial recognition system. The last three cruises we have taken, over the last year, ending at PE, Manhattan and Brooklyn, all used the same system. You walk up to a camera attached to a tablet, it takes your picture, then when the light turns green, you walk out of the terminal and into your ride to the airport. We have never even  had to speak to an agent when clearing, the camera does everything. There were no Global Entry lines visible, I can't say whether us Canadians/non-Americans have a special line. Since we always do the earliest possible self walk-off, we are always among the very first in the line for the cameras so we always breeze right through. As to Nexus, there was a time when you could flash your card and it would get you into the dedicated (and much shorter) Global Entry line, but I don't know if that still exists.

Interesting about face recognition!  The last time we got off at PE that was not available so that’s good news.  Do we have to answer customs type questions the night before and submit them so they line up with our faces or is this just now a security check linked to our passports and off we go?

I believe we dock at 6am - on other cruise lines I have been able to get 7:15am luggage tags so we didn’t have to do walk off.  But if that’s not available we will do the walk off.  I know it’s very quick to get to airport but I don’t want to be too rushed!

 

[CaptainBazz]

 4 cruises in the past 10 months all had facial recognition for disembarking, including FLL. They take your picture and hopefully you get a 'cleared to enter' sign. Then off you go...no customs to go through. You should easily make your flight. If I was you I would carry your luggage off but that is just my preference.

[LHT28]

Pre covid  in the HAL terminal they had a NEXUS line  but it was sort of hidden to the side  so many did not see it 

[gold1953]

So this is pier 29 and it seems that we get shuttled from the ship to where we get our rides. The Dec, 4th cruise has delayed sail away by one hour due to the extra time needed for shuttling pax. This may affect your exiting time!

[lx200gps]

6 hours ago, skatie said:

Interesting about face recognition!  The last time we got off at PE that was not available so that’s good news.  Do we have to answer customs type questions the night before and submit them so they line up with our faces or is this just now a security check linked to our passports and off we go?

I believe we dock at 6am - on other cruise lines I have been able to get 7:15am luggage tags so we didn’t have to do walk off.  But if that’s not available we will do the walk off.  I know it’s very quick to get to airport but I don’t want to be too rushed!

 

The last three times we did the facial recognition thing at a US port of entry (PE, Manhattan and Brooklyn) there was nothing to fill out, no questions, no interaction with a human. We walked off the ship with bags in tow, walked up to the camera and when the light turned green, we exited the terminal and were gone.  I imagine that by using the camera, you are by default telling them you have nothing to declare beyond your personal exemption, and if you did have something to declare, you'd have to go and talk with a human agent. Presumably if someone gets the dreaded red light, then either they have a problem or they have been selected for a random check.

[bebe08]

We have had early flights from FLL back to Canada (YOW) a few times and have done the self walk off and taken a cab to the airport and has worked well for us.  I feel safer keeping my luggage with me when we have an early flight.  So far so good!  

We have not cruised out of FLL since Covid though...last time was in 2019 I believe.  

[Tango99]

18 hours ago, skatie said:

Hi we are on the celebrity Beyond and have an AC flight back to YYZ from FLL at 11:05 am on Sunday Dec 4.  Can anyone walk me through what happens now with disembarking procedures for a non-US citizen so I can visualize what we need to do!   Ideally we can get first group tags to be first off as I’d rather not have to lug our bags off the ship but want to ensure if we leave by 7:30or 8 that it’s enough time to go through the luggage pick up and Customs which I suspect a different and longer process than Americans. I have a Nexus card but my husband doesn’t so I don’t know if that would be any help.   We plan to hop a taxi to airport once we get through customs.  Thanks!

Your Nexus card is most efficient in airports and it’s exclusive to your identity. Everyone’s equal through customs no matter what nationality. If you are porting in FLL the airport is very close. Miami is about 45 minutes away.  Of course how efficient is the customs process going to be on your day? Any queue jumpers getting off too soon. You know it will be close so I’d suggest you just go with whatever means you have to get to FLL. And have a back up plan. We had 2 experiences with customs in Miami since March and we had facial recognition in Miami and it was seamless. We were through in less than an hour from the time our bag tag was called. Yesterday in Miami we were ready at 730 and scheduled off at 815. We waited close to an hour in the customs line up at as the officials were swamped, rather than facial recognition. We were lucky.  Check out which ships will be in port when yours is. That will give you an idea how many folks will be milling around the terminals. If you can manage it, I think self assist is the way to go as it’s called as soon as the ramp is ready, after the ship is cleared. 

[skatie]

9 hours ago, gold1953 said:

So this is pier 29 and it seems that we get shuttled from the ship to where we get our rides. The Dec, 4th cruise has delayed sail away by one hour due to the extra time needed for shuttling pax. This may affect your exiting time!

I’m not sure I understand. Do you mean Beyond will not be docking at its normal pier and every disembarked passenger will have to wait for a bus to shuttle them to a central location to catch taxis?  Thanks. 

[LHT28]

It looks like the Beyond  at least for  Nov 20th is at #25 so maybe the next cruise will be there  or not?

The only thing  I saw about #29   was shuttle to /from the parking garage & the port building

 

https://www.porteverglades.net/cruise/cruise-terminals/terminal-29/

[Ret MP]

I'm retired from being the General Manager of the Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport parking facilities and at Port Everglades Cruise Terminals and Convention Center.  I can tell you that we never use Terminal #29 the entire time I was there for Passenger Cruises.  It's old and very run down, unless they refurbished it since I retired in 2005.  

[LHT28]

26 minutes ago, Ret MP said:

 I can tell you that we never use Terminal #29 the entire time I was there for Passenger Cruises.  It's old and very run down, unless they refurbished it since I retired in 2005.  

do the photos in the above link look the same as when you worked there 17 yrs ago ??

[Ret MP]

On 11/14/2022 at 10:31 PM, LHT28 said:

It looks like the Beyond  at least for  Nov 20th is at #25 so maybe the next cruise will be there  or not?

The only thing  I saw about #29   was shuttle to /from the parking garage & the port building

 

https://www.porteverglades.net/cruise/cruise-terminals/terminal-29/

Well, it does look like they've put some paint on the floor and walls.  The garage pictured is not the garage next to terminal 29.  It's next to, or just to the east of Royal's main terminal.  When I was there, that garage was called the "MidPort" garage, not Palm.  They are trying to keep up with the Airport's naming of the garages with tropical themes.  

[LHT28]

1 hour ago, Ret MP said:

Well, it does look like they've put some paint on the floor and walls. 

Maybe that is an upgrade  😁

[Crown Vic]

Just as an ‘aside’, on Thursday, December 1, the Celebrity Equinox was delayed by port traffic and docked one hour late. Getting off the ship was straight forward. Everyone went through the same Immigration line. No Facial Recognition but very fast. Lotsa taxis available outside. Always best to factor possible delays into your plans. BTW, the incoming flight for the 11.05 departure was delayed leaving YYZ and was rescheduled to 11.25. Helped off set the ship’s delay in docking. 

Edited December 3, 2022 by Crown Vic

[skatie]

Just an update as I sit at the airport waiting for 11:05 flight back to Toronto.   We walked off the ship with our luggage at 7:25, Walked up to the face recognition which took two seconds and then right out to a taxi (cost $25 to FLL airport for the two of us with two bags).  Was at air Canada counter by 7:45 and through security and in Starbucks lineup by 8am. Probably the longest part of this was trying to get an elevator down to disembarking level.  So we took an up elevator and just rode it up and stayed on to get down to fifth floor!   Not sure how it would go if we didn’t walk off with our luggage. 

[LHT28]

34 minutes ago, skatie said:

Just an update as I sit at the airport waiting for 11:05 flight back to Toronto.   We walked off the ship with our luggage at 7:25, Walked up to the face recognition which took two seconds and then right out to a taxi (cost $25 to FLL airport for the two of us with two bags). 

Wow  inflation has hit FLL

 2019  it was $15

[skatie]

23 hours ago, LHT28 said:

Wow  inflation has hit FLL

 2019  it was $15

I think I saw on sign posted that it was $11 per person and then I think they add upcharge for # of bags.  So yes, like everything else, cab fares went up post pandemic.  We were charged $20 on the trip from airport to the port, so seems like this is now standard fare.  When we checked Uber for ride to the port, it was a similar charge, so we just went with taxi which was closer to where we came out from airport.

[rodndonna]

On 12/4/2022 at 9:12 AM, skatie said:

Just an update as I sit at the airport waiting for 11:05 flight back to Toronto.   We walked off the ship with our luggage at 7:25, Walked up to the face recognition which took two seconds and then right out to a taxi (cost $25 to FLL airport for the two of us with two bags).  Was at air Canada counter by 7:45 and through security and in Starbucks lineup by 8am. Probably the longest part of this was trying to get an elevator down to disembarking level.  So we took an up elevator and just rode it up and stayed on to get down to fifth floor!   Not sure how it would go if we didn’t walk off with our luggage. 

 

We had a similar experience yesterday to fly back through Toronto (AC) yesterday. We knew there were 6 ships in and was hearing that could cause delays, so we walked off the ship with our bags, facial recognition, taxi, badadoom, badabing.. but then had we arrived too early and had wait to check in our bags until 3 hours before our flight. For delta (domestic) was 2 hours before flight to check in bags. There were no line ups or delays after our bags were checked, so was pretty impressed with the speed.

 

 

[lx200gps]

3 hours ago, rodndonna said:

 

We had a similar experience yesterday to fly back through Toronto (AC) yesterday. We knew there were 6 ships in and was hearing that could cause delays, so we walked off the ship with our bags, facial recognition, taxi, badadoom, badabing.. but then had we arrived too early and had wait to check in our bags until 3 hours before our flight. For delta (domestic) was 2 hours before flight to check in bags. There were no line ups or delays after our bags were checked, so was pretty impressed with the speed.

 

 

Exactly and precisely what we went through a few weeks ago on our way to Montreal. T2 is mostly Delta, so their 2 hour rule really caused huge traffic jams inside the concourse. No seats available, people sitting on luggage with no room to move. But as you say, once check in started we flew through the bureaucracy, no wait at security on the TSA-Precheck side. We're doing exactly the same trip in mid-February, but we will sit at the ship for as long as possible to avoid the lines at FLL since we have a 13:20 departure. That means we will not be able to check in until 10:20. The annoying thing is that AC's own website still clearly says bag drop can be up to 4 hours before departure.

[3Shelaghs]

Late return flight to Canada (thanks AC)….but surprise…it was Business class! We booked day use room at Riverside Hotel($120.)Walk past all buses lined up to right of port door, (taking booked pax, )to standing cabs. Jumped in $20. to hotel. Hotel then called a cab for airport at 4pm. $20 to airport. Checked into ticket counter, had snack, 2 hour wait for boarding, and home in bed at 0230. Facial recognition not working at port. All passports hand checked only.