Princess Disembarkation - flight time?

[waid10]

Hello. My wife and I are new to cruising. We are sailing on the Caribbean Princess on Feb 19th out of Port Everglades. I am currently trying to book our flights. What is the earliest time of day recommended to book a flight home from Ft. Lauderdale? I don't want to hang out at the airport all day, but I also don't want to miss my flight home.

 

I know we are supposed to arrive back into Port Everglades at 7:00 a.m. on the 26th. Does anyone have experience disembarking from the Caribbean Princess. How long does it usually take?

 

Thanks for any help you can provide.

[AdrieneAGD]

Just from my past experience on RCCL, I would not book a flight earlier than noon. Sometimes the ships get delayed getting into port, and then you have to clear customs, etc. We weren't off of the ship for our last cruise until about 10:00 or so.

 

However, I'm not sure about Princess (as we will be first-time cruisers with them come March), but I know that most lines do offer early disembarkation to those with early flights.

[karen2cruz]

I agree with Adriene. Also, there are two things you can do to speed the process. Ask Princess for early disembarking tags and take a taxi or shuttle, not Princess transfers. Enjoy your cruise.

[Toto2Kansas]

We have always attempted to book our flights out of Fort Lauderdale for 11:30 or after. Never had a problem or had to rush around. But it all does depend on how early your ship clears and is able to allow passengers off.

If you choose a flight around noon you will definitely have plenty of time to make it to the airport.

[CruiseFever]

Hello. My wife and I are new to cruising. We are sailing on the Caribbean Princess on Feb 19th out of Port Everglades. I am currently trying to book our flights. What is the earliest time of day recommended to book a flight home from Ft. Lauderdale? I don't want to hang out at the airport all day, but I also don't want to miss my flight home.

 

I know we are supposed to arrive back into Port Everglades at 7:00 a.m. on the 26th. Does anyone have experience disembarking from the Caribbean Princess. How long does it usually take?

 

Thanks for any help you can provide.

We got off the Caribbean Princess two days ago. They started disembarkation at before 8am, we were about half way in the order of when groups are told they may disembark and we were on the on the curb waiting for our ground transportation at 9:03am. If you had an early flight and requested early off tags for your luggage you could have been to the airport by 8:30am easy ON THAT DAY.

 

BUT

 

I still would not book anything before noon just to be safe, on a previous cruise we waited to embark while a full inspection of the ship was performed (Star Princess) and those people ran a bit later.

[waid10]

We are looking at an 11:30 a.m. flight. I know it may cut it close, but the rate is so much better than anything a little later that day.

[LARGIN]

We are looking at an 11:30 a.m. flight. I know it may cut it close, but the rate is so much better than anything a little later that day.

You should have no problem as the airport is within minutes of the the post..

[tom-n-jules]

We're flying out before 11:30 our next 2 cruises.

 

If you have an "early" flight, people have posted here that upon embarking you should take your flight docs to the Purser's desk and have them "bump you up" to an early disembarking group.

[mec524]

We just got off the Caribbean Princess Sunday and had a 11:15 flight. We had our tags changed to an early group. We were at the airport by 8:30. We always take a cab instead of Princess Transfers and that speeds things up. You shouldn't have any problem with an 11:30 flight.

[Diane F]

When I called Princess they said anything after 10:30 is fine. I have a flight booked for 11 a.m.We should be one of the first ones off the ship, which will be nice.

[zurmoly]

Waid10, we are on the same sailing. Our flight is at 11:35..:)

[virgenia]

Don't guess--just call Princess customer service and ask them what the earliest time you can get a flight. They have that information for each cruise.

[kryos]

We are looking at an 11:30 a.m. flight. I know it may cut it close, but the rate is so much better than anything a little later that day.

Based on how long I had to hang out at the airport on my last cruise ... a flight at like 3:30 p.m. ... I set up my own air for my upcoming Princess cruise and my return flight is at 11:55 a.m. Barring some unforeseen disaster with disembarkation, everyone I've spoken with assures me I'll have absolutely no problem making that flight.

 

On my past cruises (HAL, not Princess), I've been off the boat by no later than 9:00 a.m. Now, of course, I'm talking Fort Lauderdale here ... where the airport is only about a mile from the cruise terminal. I don't know what the situation is at other ports.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[NancyM]

I just returned from from Ft. Lauderdale and the Regal Princess on Christmas Eve. Our flight left at 12:30. Being Christmas Eve, we thought there'd be a lot more hub-bub at the airport, and we departed the ship with RED3 tickets (we disembarked at 8:35 am) We were through security and sitting at the gate at 9:40 am. We had a LONG wait.

 

I've had a flight at 11:00 am in October, 2001 after sailing on the Golden - security was much more disorganized.. but still made it in plenty of time.

 

If you pick a flight about noon, you shouldn't have any problem.

 

-Nancy