Can I catch 9:50 am flight while the arrival time is 7am?

[fengrun]

I have planned a cruise for my family. Liberty of the Seas (7-night western Carribean) will arrive at the port at 7am on 9/29. We need to catch a flight at 9:50am from Miami to NY. Do you think we can make it?:confused:

 

How long does the disembarkation usually take? :confused:

 

How long (and how much) does it take to get to the Miami airport by taxi?:confused:

 

This is really urgent as I have to ticketing today. Thank you very much!

 

This is the first cruise ever for all of my family members. I really hope this would turn out to be a great experience for us. So if you have any other tips about taking that cruise, we are deeply grateful! :p

[pboedeker]

I would not book that flight. Miami's port traffic can be iffy sometimes and you can't control that. You could "walk off" the LOS by 8:15, but that wouldn't give you enough time to travel to MIA and get checked in!

[KC_fn]

I agree with pboedeker. These days, you're supposed to be at the airport 2 hours ahead of your departure, and obviously that's not even a remote possibility in this case.

[fengrun]

I would not book that flight. Miami's port traffic can be iffy sometimes and you can't control that. You could "walk off" the LOS by 8:15, but that wouldn't give you enough time to travel to MIA and get checked in!

Thank you very much ！Seems like I have to switch to the 11:40am flight. But that would leave me too much time between disembarkation and flight checkin.:rolleyes:

 

Any suggestions on how and where we can hang around during that couple of hours (8:15-11:40, 3 hours for traffic before checkin would be more than enough)? That'll be our first time in Miami too. We are 2 seniors, 2 adults and a 20 months kid.

 

Thank you!

[fengrun]

I agree with pboedeker. These days, you're supposed to be at the airport 2 hours ahead of your departure, and obviously that's not even a remote possibility in this case.

:( 2 hours ahead of departure? Horrible. I though half hour would be enough for inland flight within the US.:confused:

 

What is the distance and cost by taxi from Miami port to airport?

[KC_fn]

:( 2 hours ahead of departure? Horrible. I though half hour would be enough for inland flight within the US.:confused:

 

Well yes... the govt has been recommending 2 hours since shortly after 9/11. And at a large international airport, you're going to need most of that time, what with security checkpoints, long lines at ticketing, and possibly having to walk some distance.

 

BTW, arriving a half hour before your flight will pretty much guarantee that your luggage won't be flying with you.

[fengrun]

Well yes... the govt has been recommending 2 hours since shortly after 9/11. And at a large international airport, you're going to need most of that time, what with security checkpoints, long lines at ticketing, and possibly having to walk some distance.

 

BTW, arriving a half hour before your flight will pretty much guarantee that your luggage won't be flying with you.

 

Well, I get it. I'll go with the 11:40am flight. :)

 

BTW, is there any place that toddlers can enjoy around Miami port or airpot?:rolleyes: Sounds like we don't have extra time to go extra place.:(

[odblnt]

Well yes... the govt has been recommending 2 hours since shortly after 9/11. And at a large international airport, you're going to need most of that time, what with security checkpoints, long lines at ticketing, and possibly having to walk some distance.

 

BTW, arriving a half hour before your flight will pretty much guarantee that your luggage won't be flying with you.

 

I don't know about Miami (but have heard stories), but I did see Seattle on a weekend with three cruise ships having just returned that day and, as the saying goes, "It wasn't a very pretty sight." :eek:

[KC_fn]

Well, I get it. I'll go with the 11:40am flight. :)

 

BTW, is there any place that toddlers can enjoy around Miami port or airpot?:rolleyes: Sounds like we don't have extra time to go extra place.:(

 

LOL I think that's a sensible decision.

 

But let's see... the ship docks at 7am. That doesnt mean you'll be getting off at 7 though. Debarkation is done in stages, beginning at maybe 7 or 7:30 and running as late as 10:30 or so. When your group is called, you'll still have to go thru Customs, which will take a little time. Then you need to get to the airport, then ticketing, security, and getting to your gate. I'm not sure you're going to have as much time on your hands as you think. 11:40 sounds just about right.

[Happy ks]

Well, I get it. I'll go with the 11:40am flight. :)

 

BTW, is there any place that toddlers can enjoy around Miami port or airpot?:rolleyes: Sounds like we don't have extra time to go extra place.:(

 

 

You probably will not have nearly the time you think you have. The ship docks at 7, many times the first pax aren't disembarking for at least a half hour to an hour. Then, you do have to remember that, even with self -disembarkation, there will be a line to wait in for customs. If you have the cruise line haul your luggage off for you, factor in another 15 minutes or so. If you take a taxi, there may be a short line for that. Then, a 20-30 minute ride to the airport. At the airport, especially on cruise ship days, the security line can take an hour or so. Hopefully you have gone online to check in for your flight, so you don't have to stand in line there as well.

 

My point being, you may have just enough time to get to the ariport for an 11:50 flight. Your toddler may not have as much time to get as bored as you think.

 

What you want to make sure you do is to go the to Guest Relations Desk during the cruise and let them know you have an early flight (anything before noon is considered early). You will get early-off luggage tags that allow you to disembark before the other groups are called.

 

It takes hours to diembark a cruise ship, you don't just walk off when the ship returns to port. We have been off as early as 8am, as late as 10am. It is controlled by group colors, they won't allow you to disembark until your color is called.

 

Have a fun cruise and stop thinking about the getting off part so soon ;) :)

[dutchess43]

The most important thing that effects your disembarkation is immigration. If people don't move their behinds & go to immigration when they are called it can delay disembarkation for a very long time. I have been on enough cruises to see this delay happen. Once the ship has been cleared then the colored luggage tag announcements can start. Keep in mind that you have to go through security at the airport with an enormus amout of people that just got off of this cruise, & possibly other lines as well. I would rather see you waiting a while then running(have been there) through the airport to make your flight.

[romy]

Thank you very much ！Seems like I have to switch to the 11:40am flight. But that would leave me too much time between disembarkation and flight checkin.:rolleyes:

 

Any suggestions on how and where we can hang around during that couple of hours (8:15-11:40, 3 hours for traffic before checkin would be more than enough)? That'll be our first time in Miami too. We are 2 seniors, 2 adults and a 20 months kid.

 

Thank you!

 

Good call making the switch Fengrun. I too have an 11:40 flight out of MIA and was initially a little concerned that even that was too early. I kept waiting for the fares to go down and finally booked yesterday as they started to go up again:eek: . Now I'm stuck with almost a 4 hour layover in DFW, ack:( .

 

The airlines suck:mad: , anyhoo, have a wonderful cruise!!

 

Romy

[Lois R]

Hi, I agree with everything Kathy just posted~she is totally

correct:) Hi Kathy!

11:40am flight?.....You should be ok time wise but I wouldn't be

concerned with doing "other things" except going through customs in

a decent amount of time, getting to the airport, checking in and

going to your gate.

3 hours will go by that quick......and there is always a chance

some inconsiderate passenger will hold up immigration:rolleyes:. Remember,

everyone has to clear customs before anyone is allowed off.

 

Enjoy your cruise:)

[firefly333]

Thank you very much ！Seems like I have to switch to the 11:40am flight. But that would leave me too much time between disembarkation and flight checkin.:rolleyes:

 

Any suggestions on how and where we can hang around during that couple of hours (8:15-11:40, 3 hours for traffic before checkin would be more than enough)? That'll be our first time in Miami too. We are 2 seniors, 2 adults and a 20 months kid.

 

Thank you!

 

I dont think you have too much time on your hands?? What happens if you miss elevators for half an hour because they are full when you are self embarking...that happened to us. Everyone is trying to self disembark at the same time.

 

We went to breakfast the earliest you can eat 6:30 and then right back to our cabin to get our suitcases and its a zoo. If you think thats too early, ??

 

Maybe you all, even the seniors are better than us and can run up the stairs with your luggage to get off faster. There is no guarantee btw that you can get off that fast, thats if everything is going just perfect.

 

You all could skip breakfast and probably get in line to get off faster...we needed coffee and a fast bite. We didnt even take the time to eat a full breakfast.

[donh1]

We all have more stress in our lives than we really want or need. To stress over the possibility of not making your flight can be easily avoided. Take the 11:30 flight. Check in early and spend whatever extra time having a coffee, reading a newspaper or whatever. You will definitely spend far more than a couple hours of your cruise wondering whether or not you will make the earlier flight. With the later flight you will sleep like a baby the last night on the cruise ship. ;)

[romy]

I dont think you have too much time on your hands?? What happens if you miss elevators for half an hour because they are full when you are self embarking...that happened to us. Everyone is trying to self disembark at the same time.

 

We went to breakfast the earliest you can eat 6:30 and then right back to our cabin to get our suitcases and its a zoo. If you think thats too early, ??

 

Maybe you all, even the seniors are better than us and can run up the stairs with your luggage to get off faster. There is no guarantee btw that you can get off that fast, thats if everything is going just perfect.

 

You all could skip breakfast and probably get in line to get off faster...we needed coffee and a fast bite. We didnt even take the time to eat a full breakfast.

 

Anyone consider using the BAGS program? Many airlines offer this through the cruiselines where the last evening you leave your bags outside your cabin as usual, then you don't see them again until you reach your final destination. I've not used this service yet, but am considering it. I would imagine it would make debarkation smoother and possibly quicker.

 

I asked AA yesterday and they said to call the cruiseline and they would take care of it.

 

Romy

[candelle]

Milllennium docked at Fort Lauderdale, but the ship couldn't obtain the necessary permissions for disembarkation of passengers. We all had to wait and wait and wait and it must have been around 11.30am before passengers were allowed off the ship.

 

I don't know haw rare this situation might be, but it certainly happened to us. Many passengers were upset as they could see their planes departing (you see the flight path out of Fort Lauderdale airport) from the ship, but were not on them!

 

If your flight ticket is changeable, you probably won't have a problem, presuming that you can be rebooked (if there should be a delay) but if your ticket is non-refundable I would book a later flight, perhaps from 1.00pm onwards.

[eandj]

Once the OP experiences the Miami airport, she/he will realize why you'd want to be there 2 hours ahead of time. The experience says it all. It's a great place to take and deep breath and people watch as you're waiting for your flight. Why stress on the last day of your vacation? Get checked in and pick out the people as they run by panicking about missing their flights!;)

[blindrid]

No way. I normally book an early afternoon flight if possible and then the morning is leisurely instead of harried. I have breakfast, hang out and enjoy my last few hours on the ship.

 

To the airport is only about 15 minutes so that's not an issue. Like stated before immigration can take awhile. Good luck and have fun.

[kitty9]

You've obviously never been through the Miami airport. Without a doubt, it's one of the worst, if not THE worst airport in the US. It's crowded and insane. You can stand in line for more than an hour just to check in, and then another hour for the VERY long security line. And, you'll be lucky to start disembarking the ship by 9am if everything doesn't go exactly right---and I've been on many cruises when things were greatly delayed. The ship has to first be cleared by agents, then they have to off load thousands of pieces of luggage. Then the authorities have to clear all non-US citizens and anyone who has gone over their Custom's allowances. If all does not go well, you can count on not starting disembarkation until after 9 later. Then you have to have your baggage color tag called, you get off the ship, hunt for your bags, stand in a long line to go through Customs, find your transportation to the airport, travel at least 20 minutes from the dock to the airport and then the real fun begins. If you're delayed even a little bit on the ship, you might not even make the 11:40 flight.

[raynla]

We walked off the LOS on 8/11 at 6:45am. We were the first color called (white), flew through customs and arrived at Miami airport at 8am, plenty of time for our 11:20 flight. I guess the stars were aligned for us that day b/c it was a piece of cake w/time to spare. JMO

[martinimadam]

Kitty9 is absolutely right. You haven't experienced anything until you've gone through Miami (zoo), especially on a Saturday! If I were you, I'd think of an even later flight, just to relieve the stress. I'm guessing that traveling with 2 seniors and a baby may add enough stress already on that day, and that you probably won't be able to handle the luggage yourself for self-disembarking.

 

I'll be landing in Miami on a Sunday, with three other disembarking ships! I'm hoping I can make a 3pm flight, and that's with a private car on order and using the first class check in!

[jerseygirl3]

As others have said, you aren't going to have nearly the amount of time to kill that you think you will. First of all, just because the ship docks at 7 a.m. doesn't mean you have to rush off the ship (especially if you have time to spare). Have breakfast and take your time. But don't take too much time. Miami airport can be a nightmare. My son called me from MIA this a.m. He had a flight that was connecting in Miami from Boston to Costa Rica and he had 1 1/2 hours to spare in Miami. He almost missed his flight because the security lines were atrocious. He said he asked to be moved up in the security line so he wouldn't miss his flight and they refused (he said that's where speaking Spanish may have helped!!!LOL). Anyway, he said finally someone came by and told all those passengers in line who were boarding flights to Costa Rica or Caracas should go to the front of the line so they wouldn't miss their flight. And here he thought 1 1/2 hours to spare in Miami would be plenty of time. Actually, if you take the advice of the cruiseline, you shouldn't plan a flight earlier than noon after debarking the ship.

 

Good luck and enjoy your first cruise. I have a feeling we'll be "seeing" more of you after your return.

[doctordi]

I've only flown in and out of MIA once and that was over Superbowl weekend this past February. Took me 40 mins from getting off the plane to get my luggage and almost missed my cruise. I wished that I had been able to fly in the day before but I couldn't. On the way back I had plenty of time but would always err on the side of caution. I agree that an early afternoon flight is safest.

[KC_fn]

Anyone consider using the BAGS program? Many airlines offer this through the cruiselines where the last evening you leave your bags outside your cabin as usual, then you don't see them again until you reach your final destination. I've not used this service yet, but am considering it. I would imagine it would make debarkation smoother and possibly quicker.

 

I asked AA yesterday and they said to call the cruiseline and they would take care of it.

 

Romy

 

Romy, it sounds very tempting, if I could be guaranteed that my bags wouldn't be lost. But the way I look at it, every transfer is just one more chance for them to go astray. So I probably won't be using it. :(