Arriving at 3:15 in Fort Lauderdale...possible to make ship sailing at 5?

[tripman]

This is not me, so please don't tell me that I should come earlier in the morning or even a day earlier, it is someone traveling in my group who refuses to listen to reason. We are sailing on the Caribbean Princess next saturday. The ship leaves at 5 (probably all aboard at 4:30). A family is arriving at Fort Lauderdale at 3:15, is it possible to make it? I know the port is very close, but after getting off the plane, walking to get the luggage, waiting for the luggage, getting to the transportation, etc, will they make it?

 

The ARE flying with cruiseline air, but Princess told them that they do not guarantee they will make it because they chose to switch to a later time.

 

So, can they make it?

[hotmike98]

Your "friends" are being foolhardy. Is it possible? Yes. Likely? No. If the plane touches down on time, it probably still won't have the doors open til 3:25. Unless they are riding in first class, it will take 10 minutes to deplane, and at least 10 minutes to baggage claim. If the luggage is there by the time they reach baggage claim (unlikely) the earliest they would get a cab would be 3:45 p.m. The pier is only a 15 minute ride, barring any traffic problems, so they would get to pier earliest at 4:00p.m., which is supposed to be the limit for a 5 p.m. departure, and they still have to check in before boarding. So if even one of these things is more than 15 minutes off, the ship will sail without them, which is the reason the cruise told them they would not wait when they changed their flight time. You, of course, will have to hear all about how it is the fault of the cruise line, the airline, the baggage process and/or the taxi driver after they miss the boat and have to pay close to a thousand dollars to fly to the next port. Print out a copy of this thread after a few others confirm what I am telling you, and just hand it to them and tell them you don't want to hear a single word about the subject;even if they make the ship, they will be frazzled, and who needs to hear about that when you want to enjoy your vacation?

[Globaliser]

If they refuse to listen, then it's almost pointless offering an opinion, isn't it? :D

 

They can make it - if all goes right. But not much would have to go wrong before they missed the ship. A small (eg 60 minute) delay to the inbound flight, for example, and that would be it.

[Keith1010]

I think you know the answer to this. It is very risky. Any delay will result in the person missing the ship.

 

Keith

[zqvol]

I'm going to have to disagree with the other posters in this thread. I am not going to be so fool hardy as to suggest that they have any chance of making it.

 

FLL is not small airport (though it is not an ATL or ORD either), but there is no way that they are going to make the ship unless there plane is early.

 

For the past two to three weeks thunderstorms have been popping up central and south Florida every afternoon like clock work. There is a much greater chance that the plane is delayed a few minutes by one of these storms than there is that it arrives on time.

 

So, tell your traveling companions to go ahead and book their airfare to the first port of call now at their own expense and you will see them when they join the ship there.

[DanJ]

Maybe you guys who are smart enough to go earlier can divide your friends luggage up amongst yourselves, and let them travel with carryon only. That will save them the dash to baggage claim and the wait there, and they can get off the plane and go right to a taxi. Not sure how big your group is, but if, say, one couple took a suitcase, and another couple took a suitcase, that should help things out. Of course, for these people to be so foolish, it sounds like they are first time cruisers, and will likely have way overpacked anyway LOL. But I find it hard to beleive, and I know somebody else will pipe up with a story, that the ship would sail without them if they are at the check-in counter at 430. Even before online registration, you were no more than 10 minutes or so from check-in to ship.

[hightownCO]

I was just about to respond with DanJ's suggestion.

 

My one experience with FLL was on a busy Saturday and luggage took 45 minutes.

 

Friends who live in FLL say it's the worst airport they've experienced as far as on time stats.

 

Good luck to them. It's genuinly hard to believe they would risk a vacation costing thousands to arrive so late but too late to do anything about it now.

[books0209]

?????? Everything must be right. Your flight delayed, your done!

How about your luggage is late coming off aircraft.. Your done!!!

 

I would fly earlier. much earlier!

 

But, if you do choose to fly on your friends schedule, and you get to FLL, call Princess, and tell them you are at airport. maybe they'll wait??

[Lightsluvr]

I foresee a week in Fort Lauderdale for the OP's friends...

 

LL

[BEAV]

The ARE flying with cruiseline air, but Princess told them that they do not guarantee they will make it because they chose to switch to a later time.

 

So, can they make it?

 

So the question is, why did they ask Princess to schedule them on a later flight?

[falcon5travels]

NO! No!

[falcon5travels]

NO! NO! NO!. (I would have just said no once but an error message said my reply was too short):confused:

[Desert Cruisers]

Ditto what everyone else has said. Just make sure that you don't miss the cruise. I traveled 20 years for business and I can ensure your "friends" that flights do get delayed. Why take the risk? Why don't they want to get on the ship earlier and begin to enjoy their vacation?

[tripman]

So the question is, why did they ask Princess to schedule them on a later flight?

 

Good question. The majority of the group is traveling from the eastern time zone. They are a family living out west, and they do not want to take a red-eye flight. Come a day early you ask? Of course we suggested that, but to no avail because they don't want to miss a day of work.

 

And no, amazingly enough, this is NOT their first cruise.

 

My next question is, and perhaps I should ask this on the Princess board, but the first port is Princess Cays...can you even get there via traditional transportation? Or will they have to wait 3 days until Grand Cayman?

[FlyerTalker]

Be a good friend and give them the URL for Cayman Airways. They'll need it.

 

Or maybe just their toll free number - 1-800-GCAYMAN.

[FlyerTalker]

One more thought.

 

Let's see, we have three choices:

 

1) Miss a day of work - Nope!

2) Take a redeye flight - Nope!

3) Take a flight that will likely miss the ship - Sounds good to me!

 

You have done all that a friend can be expected to do. You can now enjoy your cruise with a clear conscience, and an overwhelming urge to say "I told you!"

[DanJ]

I'm not sure if you could get to the ship at Princess Cays or not. I'm assuming that stop is the day after you sail, so time might be a little tough. Princess Cays, while not the isolated island it appears when you are there, is still a long way from anyplace you can likely easily get to in a day of last minute planning.

 

They would almost have to fly to Nassau that night after missing the ship, then try to find a sea plane to take them to Eluethra Island. Bannerman Town is the closest settlement to the Cays after looking on Google Earth. There is an airstrip far to the north at Tarpum Head, but who knows what kind of service there might be to there.

 

At any rate, any of this will make losing a day's pay sound cheap.

[Lightsluvr]

I'd love to hear if they made it. This is better than a soap opera.

 

Just for grins, why not refer your friends to this thread?

 

LL

[Cruisingoose]

Please keep us looped... this is riveting!!!!

 

Why would you chance wasting all of that money over 1 extra day's vacation..? Your friends obviously have money to burn.

[sunlover5]

No way, Like DanJ posted maybe you all could help out with the luggage, but FLL is a bigggggg airport. :eek: Especially fly from the west coast with storms, etc. I'm sorry, but what were they thinking??????:confused:

Please let us know how it turns out! Have a great cruise!

[tripman]

No way, Like DanJ posted maybe you all could help out with the luggage, but FLL is a bigggggg airport. :eek: Especially fly from the west coast with storms, etc. I'm sorry, but what were they thinking??????:confused:

Please let us know how it turns out! Have a great cruise!

 

The luggage thing won't help, they live 5 states away, which is why they are different flights.

 

I didn't think there'd be so much interest, but I guess I'll tell what happened when I get back, but the cruise leaves on 7/15, so I won't be able to until I get back on 7/22.

[Cruisingoose]

It is kind of like watching a train wreck. You can't look away and their stage is set.

[venicia]

After reading some of the advice, I have to ask, do you really want the responsibility of taking someone else's luggage? (If you are flying in, do you know what they packed and are you willing to carry their luggage on YOUR vacation?) Since these people do not appear to be responsible enough to get themselves to the port in time, why would anyone want to be hampered with their luggage. It would appear they could not care less about the passengers that arrive at the dock at an appropriate time for the ship to leave on schedule, so go forth and enjoy your vacation. They have made the decision to stay in Ft Lauderdale or arrive at the dock as they watch the ship sail away with "on time" happy cruisers.

[dorothyh]

 

I didn't think there'd be so much interest, but I guess I'll tell what happened when I get back, but the cruise leaves on 7/15, so I won't be able to until I get back on 7/22.

 

Oh I am definitely interested!!!!

 

Maybe you can save this thread and post it on this thread; that way those of us who want to know can have it flagged to let us know anytime there is a reply.:o

 

If they keep their current travel arrangements, I predict they are going to miss the ship.

 

If there is any way they can switch to an earlier flight, maybe fly standby for the red-eye flight or the day before, I would strongly encourage them to do that, or else they are really setting themselves up for disappointment.

[Lightsluvr]

I don't want to miss the end of this story. Thanks and bon voyage tripman!

 

LL