Post Cruise - Day Hotel or Airport

[LuCruise]

We have Icon booked out of Miami in December.  Can't wait.

Our flight back is probably the worst time of day...right in the middle of the afternoon at 4:30pm (back to Ontario Canada).

We've done a day hotel before when we have an evening flight, but not sure if it's worth it for a few hours.

 

For others, would you bother with a day hotel (looking at one near the airport with a shuttle)?  Or you wouldn't bother and just head to the airport?  I know we are kicked off early so might be a long day.  

[smokeybandit]

A third option is looking into post-cruise excursions that take you to the airport

[LuCruise]

3 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

A third option is looking into post-cruise excursions that take you to the airport

Yeah.  Thanks for the suggestion.  Only thing is there are 4 of us, and trying to keep the cost down.  (Otherwise, we may have gone for the pricier flight home with a better timing).  

[neverbeenhere]

Trolley to bayside marketplace, check your bags at a nearby hotel, go do what you want. 

[LuCruise]

7 minutes ago, neverbeenhere said:

Trolley to bayside marketplace, check your bags at a nearby hotel, go do what you want. 

Thanks, but we'll have lots of luggage (and time, but not a ton of time) so thinking either a day hotel or just spend the day at the airport.  I'm thinking the former since  it'll split up the day.  Kids can swim if they want if weather cooperates.  DH is thinking the latter since we probably have to check out of the hotel anyways at 2pm or 2:30pm.

Edited September 1 by LuCruise

[Ken at the beach]

39 minutes ago, LuCruise said:

We have Icon booked out of Miami in December.  Can't wait.

Our flight back is probably the worst time of day...right in the middle of the afternoon at 4:30pm (back to Ontario Canada).

We've done a day hotel before when we have an evening flight, but not sure if it's worth it for a few hours.

 

For others, would you bother with a day hotel (looking at one near the airport with a shuttle)?  Or you wouldn't bother and just head to the airport?  I know we are kicked off early so might be a long day.  

Need to be at the airport 3 hours early for an international flight means 1:30 then transport from hotel to airport and packing up at the hotel. Not enough time to worry about for me.  I'd just do the last disembark possible and hang out at the airport

Edited September 1 by Ourusualbeach

[LuCruise]

6 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Need to be at the airport 3 hours early for an international flight means 1:30 then transport from hotel to airport and packing up at the hotel. Not enough time to worry about for me.  I'd just do the last disembark possible and hang out at the airport

We'd pick a hotel near the airport with a shuttle (or uber/taxi may save some time) but good point.  Thanks.  Probably just head to the airport.  Long day but more straight forward.

[elaine5]

I’d try to stay on ship as long as possible-maybe until 9:30+, then head to airport. Either go to airport lounge, or eat a nice lunch at an airport restaurant.  

[Ken at the beach]

11 minutes ago, elaine5 said:

Either go to airport lounge,

Excellent idea, they could look at purchasing lounge passes

[ARandomTraveler]

I've done that evening flight out of Miami after a cruise and regretted it because we couldn't check our bags until 4 hours before our flight, so we had to sit for 3 hours in the entrance/ticketing terminal of the Miami airport (which isn't very nice and doesn't have a lot of seating). 
 

To top it off, it seemed like every other cruise passenger was doing the same thing, so the area was jam packed for hours. Now I always spend the extra money for that noon-1pm flight, but if I had 4 people to pay for, or the price difference was really high, I'd suck it up and wait at the airport again too.
 

It's not fun, but if your phone is charged and you have some headphones, and you get there before all the seats are taken, you'll be fine. I don't know if there's lounge access on the baggage claim side. None that I could access anyway. 

[LuCruise]

27 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Excellent idea, they could look at purchasing lounge passes

I'd have to check with DH but I think we might have some kind of access based on our Aeroplan.

[LuCruise]

25 minutes ago, ARandomTraveler said:

I've done that evening flight out of Miami after a cruise and regretted it because we couldn't check our bags until 4 hours before our flight, so we had to sit for 3 hours in the entrance/ticketing terminal of the Miami airport (which isn't very nice and doesn't have a lot of seating). 
 

To top it off, it seemed like every other cruise passenger was doing the same thing, so the area was jam packed for hours. Now I always spend the extra money for that noon-1pm flight, but if I had 4 people to pay for, or the price difference was really high, I'd suck it up and wait at the airport again too.
 

It's not fun, but if your phone is charged and you have some headphones, and you get there before all the seats are taken, you'll be fine. I don't know if there's lounge access on the baggage claim side. None that I could access anyway. 

Good point. We may have to wait to check in our luggage.  Think we'd still try and get off as late as we could if we go straight to the airport.

P.S. - For evening flight, we'd for sure get a day hotel, and we've done that a few times.  For afternoon flight, it may not be as worthwhile.  Flights are often delayed, but of course, we can't count on that.

Edited September 1 by LuCruise

[ARandomTraveler]

1 hour ago, LuCruise said:

Good point. We may have to wait to check in our luggage.  Think we'd still try and get off as late as we could if we go straight to the airport.

P.S. - For evening flight, we'd for sure get a day hotel, and we've done that a few times.  For afternoon flight, it may not be as worthwhile.  Flights are often delayed, but of course, we can't count on that.

If the day hotel isn't hugely expensive, go for it. Even if you don't stay long, it gives you something more pleasant to do. 
 

Otherwise, head for the airport. I think our flight was around 5pm and we couldn't check in until 1pm. Got off the ship at the last minute (close to 10am) so we were sitting at the check-in area for almost 3 hours, and then another 4 hours until our flight left. That 7 hours wasn't worth the couple hundred dollars I saved on flights. If I'd thought ahead about a day hotel, it would have been worth at least $300 to me. 

[Sunshine3601]

Is Royal offering luggage assist anymore?   If yes, that would be good to purchase then you could wander around Miami and maybe get some lunch before heading to the airport. 

 

[Hoopster95]

4 hours ago, LuCruise said:

Our flight back is probably the worst time of day...right in the middle of the afternoon at 4:30pm (back to Ontario Canada).

 

Just a thought for next time.... your best option would've been the 11:45am flight out of FLL. Usually less $ than the MIA flight, perfect timing and the best plane in the AC fleet (A330-300)

[LobsterStalker]

4 hours ago, LuCruise said:

We have Icon booked out of Miami in December.  Can't wait.

Our flight back is probably the worst time of day...right in the middle of the afternoon at 4:30pm (back to Ontario Canada).

We've done a day hotel before when we have an evening flight, but not sure if it's worth it for a few hours.

 

For others, would you bother with a day hotel (looking at one near the airport with a shuttle)?  Or you wouldn't bother and just head to the airport?  I know we are kicked off early so might be a long day.  

Get off the ship as early as reasonable to make it feel most worth your time and go enjoy some last hours in the sun before heading back to our miserable December weather !

 

Cheers

[LuCruise]

17 minutes ago, LobsterStalker said:

Get off the ship as early as reasonable to make it feel most worth your time and go enjoy some last hours in the sun before heading back to our miserable December weather !

 

Cheers

True....cold and probably snow end of December back home.  I know Miami isn't always warm that time of year but certainly beats home.

[LuCruise]

50 minutes ago, Hoopster95 said:

 

Just a thought for next time.... your best option would've been the 11:45am flight out of FLL. Usually less $ than the MIA flight, perfect timing and the best plane in the AC fleet (A330-300)

Yeah, but we already spent $$$ for Icon at xmas holidays (only time we can go with both kids).  I don't remember the difference but the flight times we took were worth the less cost.

[LobsterStalker]

4 hours ago, LuCruise said:

Thanks, but we'll have lots of luggage (and time, but not a ton of time) so thinking either a day hotel or just spend the day at the airport.  I'm thinking the former since  it'll split up the day.  Kids can swim if they want if weather cooperates.  DH is thinking the latter since we probably have to check out of the hotel anyways at 2pm or 2:30pm.

Sounds like your household is as split as the opinions on this board . You'll have to let us know if a conclusion is reached ! 

 

 

[LuCruise]

3 minutes ago, LobsterStalker said:

Sounds like your household is as split as the opinions on this board . You'll have to let us know if a conclusion is reached ! 

 

 

Lol true.  I'll discuss with DH again (not that the places are open for booking for our date).

I saw one for about $100 CAD, which isn't too bad.  We've used that one before and it was fine (plus nice pool). Will let you know.  Thanks.

[LuCruise]

1 hour ago, LobsterStalker said:

Sounds like your household is as split as the opinions on this board . You'll have to let us know if a conclusion is reached ! 

 

 

Booked the place for now.  We still each feel the same, but it'll split the day up a bit and he's not set against it (and not pricey ).

[RCTransatlanticLover]

From my experience, I like to get off the ship early with Self Assist and then get to the airport, with a flight leaving no earlier than noon or so. 
 

I know that most airlines limit baggage checkin time to a maximum of four hours, but surprisingly, coming back from a cruise in Galveston, TX, I arrived at Houston-Hobby Airport at just after 9 am and my flight wasn’t until 4 pm—the agent let me check my bag and it arrived at my destination with no problems. I tried to get on an earlier flight, but they were full. 
 

So, I recommend going to the airport so that you don’t have to worry about missing your flight.