First time with NCL - Disembarkation flying out question.

[yomaryjo]

I know that there have been other posts about this but, do you think it would be crazy to book a return flight for 12:30 from Fort Lauderdale when we arrive back to Miami port on Sunday, November 2nd? How easy is it to be one of the first to get off the ship? We are planning a car pick-up service from Miami to Fort Lauderdale. Thanks for your help. We can get such a cheap rate flying Allegiant Air but they only have one flight back and that is at 12:30 from FLL. Thanks for any help.

[WinterSky]

We are also first time cruisers and since reading posts about delayed arrival of ships, difficulty locating luggage, congestion in the stairwells and elevators at some embarkation times, lineups for pickup, traffic jams etc., we decided to book a flight for 5 p.m. Of course, I'm not crazy about living on the edge!

[granger]

We did express check out , taking our own luggage, phoned the limo service while waiting in line and made it to FLL with plenty of time for our 12.30 flight. Will be doing the same next week and next month for our upcoming cruises.

[slotaddict]

We were on the Pearl in October and had a 12:30 pm flight out of Fort Lauderdale. we did not do express check out. We arraigned for a limo service to pick us up at the pier at 9:30 am, no problem. We were at the airport with time to spare. You will be fine.

[ntune]

Our flight was at the Miami airport at 11:15 am. We were off the ship and in a taxi by 8:45, using Express, if that is any help.

[yomaryjo]

Thanks to everyone for your replies. One more question, please: when I arrange for the car service, do I just tell them the name of the ship and the day we arrive and then where do we go from there? The only other time we cruised, we were with friends who had their car right there so we never had to take a car service before. Thanks again for your help. MJ

[bullydogsmama]

We were on the jewel (Jan 27-Feb10). And we also had a 12:05 flight. There were 4 of us with 10 pieces of luggage. Get the white disembarkment tags and you will be in the first group off the ship after the express walk offs. We just went into the terminal collected our luggage, with was very well organized by the way, and get a porter loaded it up went right through customs and went out and the porter got us a cab van nice guy drove us to Ft Laudadale Airport with 2 hours to spare! I don't know the price of a car service but the van ride was about $63.00 plus tip.