Disembarking/flying out of FLL on Super Bowl Sunday

[amybeth601]

Hi everybody! We will be disembarking the Westerdam on 2/4/07, Super Bowl Sunday. We're planning to take advantage of self-disembarkation so we can get an early start to the airport (I understand the FLL airport is close to Port Everglades), but I'm wondering what is the earliest flight out of FLL that I should consider? The Super Bowl will be in Miami in '07, so I imagine the airport at FLL should also be busy, but then again, the fans are coming and we're leaving!! Do you think we could make a 11:25 domestic flight out of FLL? The Wdam is slotted to arrive back to port by 8 AM, and I understand that there are 6 other ships that will have pax disembarking at Port Everglades that day as well. Any thoughts and opinions would be greatly appreciated!!

 

Amy

[cool change]

I would do it, but thats just me. I hate waiting at the airport all day and in the past 5 cruises out of that port we have never been late getting off of the ship. So I would risk it. No sweat. I would also expect that flight to not be very crowded leaving Fort Lauderdale. I never had a problem making a noon flight.

[tarps14]

We are embarking on Sat, 02/03/07, and I think I would be more concerned on Sat rather than Sunday. The game is on Sunday, therefore most should already be in Miami. I think I would be more concerned about the six ships :eek: than the crowds at the airport. I think an 11:25 flight is definitely doable!

[kryos]

I would imagine people coming to the Superbowl would already have flown in ... and won't be flying out until much later in the day, or even the following day. I don't think the Superbowl should impact your ability to get out of Fort Lauderdale Airport after you disembark your cruise.

 

I wouldn't make the return flight any earlier than 11:00 a.m. Barring any unusual problems ... such as the ship being delayed getting back to Fort Lauderdale ... you should be fine. Believe me, they will get you off that ship early. They WANT you (and everybody else) off the ship ASAP on the morning of disembarkation so that they have plenty of "turnaround" time for the next cruise.

 

But, I would make sure I had my flight home locked in with the airlines. Do it now ... long before Superbowl Sunday. Just on the off-chance that a lot of airplanes get chartered by groups for their round trips to the Superbowl, you don't want to get stuck not being able to reserve a flight and then having to overnight in FLL.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[kryos]

I would do it, but thats just me. I hate waiting at the airport all day and in the past 5 cruises out of that port we have never been late getting off of the ship. So I would risk it. No sweat. I would also expect that flight to not be very crowded leaving Fort Lauderdale. I never had a problem making a noon flight.

I've made 11:00 a.m. flights.

 

I made the mistake once of letting HAL arrange my flights. They booked me on a 3:30 flight out of Miami on disembarkation day. I was at the airport by 10:30 or so (Miami Airport is about a one-hour bus ride from Port Everglades), and then had about five hours to sit around the airport. Unfortunately, the airline they booked me on had nothing else leaving earlier for Philadelphia. That was a very, very boring five hours.

 

Now, I always arrange my own air, and always set myself up with a flight around noonish ... even as early as 11:00 or so ... and leaving from Fort Lauderdale, not Miami. That gives me plenty of time to get to the airport in a relaxed manner, and even grab a bite to eat (Mickey D's) before boarding the plane.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[jhannah]

Yes, an 11:30 flight should work out fine for you. It's just a "stone's throw" from the port to the airport. And I agree that being Super Bowl Sunday should not impact your flight at all.

[AZjohn]

I would think the most important question about your flight is… does it get you home before the Super Bowl starts??? (I guess I should rephrase that as an important issue for me deciding on a flight…LOL:D ).

Have a great trip!

John

[sail7seas]

I would book it. Port Everglades and the FLL Airport are 10 minutes apart. It would be a most rare event for you to miss that flight.

 

[amybeth601]

Thank you so much, folks! As always, you are willing to give good advice to those who seek it!

Now I'm not sure what to do....I was expecting Southwest Air to have the same itinerary for 2/4 as they did in January. Yesterday you couldn't reserve anything beyond 1/9, so I looked at what their itinerary was for Sundays from FLL to IND, and I based my original post on that information. Now just today, SW Airlines have opened up reservations for the dates beyond Jan. 9, and hence they no longer offer the flight for February 4th that leaves at 11:25. (I hope what I'm writing makes sense!) Their last two flights on 2/4 that leave FLL to IND are at 10:50 and 10:55 (why would they have two flights leaving 5 minutes apart:confused: ) Based on what you all have posted, surely I could make a flight at either 10:50 or 10:55....does anybody disagree with my presumption? Are delays really all that common that keep guests from disembarking the ship on time?

Thanks again, (embarrassed sigh :o )

 

Amy

[wrp96]

Their last two flights on 2/4 that leave FLL to IND are at 10:50 and 10:55 (why would they have two flights leaving 5 minutes apart:confused: )

 

The difference is one is a flight to Tampa and one is a flight to Baltimore.

[sail7seas]

That thirty or thirty-five minute difference may not mean much but it gives me a tiny twinge. I am comfortable booking 11:30..... a little less so something thirty minutes earlier.

 

I would book it and take the chance and the odds are very strongly in your favor but that half hour was, for me, 'the breathing room'.

 

I would book it though.

 

[rpach10115]

We are also leaving out of FLL on 02/04/2007 on jet blue. We have an 11:45 flight, because I could not find anything earlier at a reasonable price.

 

We have left from FLL many times. I would make the flight no earlier than 10:00am. You will be fine with the 10:50/10:55am flights.

[sail7seas]

I wouldn't dream of booking a 10 A.M. flight when coming off a cruise. Way too risky. That is not my idea of how to end a vacation.....stressing if the ship will clear and we will be off in time to be at the airport for screening etc in time to make the flight.

 

 

If your ship is one of 6 or 7 others in Port Everglades that morning, that's tens of thousands of people who need to process through that airport....needs to get taxis.

 

 

 

[amybeth601]

Thank you all for your help! I rattled the marbles around in my head a little bit more :rolleyes: , and then had a "DUH, I'm a blonde" moment....uh, if the 10:50 and 10:55 flights are the last flights that SW Airlines have going out of FLL to IND for the day, I really would hate to miss them for some unforeseen reason. This is the reason why: to fly home with another airline would be extra big bucks out of our pocket, and we couldn't stay the night with the intention just to fly home the next day through SW Airlines. Well, we could, but we would be sleeping on the airport floor, I'm sure....I can't imagine finding a last minute hotel room in FLL on Super Bowl Sunday, and even if I did, the room might require a three night minimum at a rate of $500 or so a night. Hmmmm, I think I'll pay a few bucks more and fly a later flight with another airline!

 

Thanks for helping me sort through my marbles! *LOL*

Amy