Earliest Flight - Port Canaveral

What is the earliest you have booked a flight out of Orlando when sailing into Port Canaveral? We are on the Oasis in a GS and our best flight option leaves at 10:45 am. Is this possible?

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What the cruise line suggests:

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/details.do?pagename=frequently_asked_questions&pnav=5&pnav=2&faqType=faq&faqSubjectId=324&faqSubjectName=Air+Travel&faqId=2724

If there are no delays, you are willing to be at the front of the self-assist line, and have private transportation (no waiting for a bus/van to fill), you can probably get to the airport by 8:30am.

What is the earliest you have booked a flight out of Orlando when sailing into Port Canaveral? We are on the Oasis in a GS and our best flight option leaves at 10:45 am. Is this possible?

 

 

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I would only call it your best flight option if it was the ONLY flight available for that day...or the latest flight option for that day.

As the previous poster suggests, you should be able to make it IF everything works perfectly. To minimize the stress of hoping you make it, be sure you have a game plan for alternative flights if there is an issue that gets you back to port late and causes you to miss that early flight.

Though not Orlando, a story of late arrival for you...this past March our cruise was late pulling in to Port Everglades due to a medical evacuation that changed our course two days prior. The captain warned everyone we would be 60-90 minutes late back. There were more than a few very concerned about the early flights they booked because 'the airport is so close...its easy to make an early flight'.

A 60-90 minute delay back to Port Canaveral could severely impact your ability to make that flight.

We had a 10:30 am flight from Orlando after our Oasis cruise in April. We booked a private car to meet us at 8am outside the terminal. Did self-debarkation leaving our cabin at 7am. Made it to the airport in plenty of time to be met with the longest lines at check-in, both curbside and inside, we've ever seen. We did the "shorter" curbside line and made it through security with enough time to get a quick to-go breakfast at McDonalds, use the potty just before boarding started. I'm sure if there was an accident or other long delay on the highway we would have been stuck but it all worked out.

Flown out of there twice and that's a little to early for my comfort. But if you want to chance it follow the above suggestions.

I am hoping if we speak to the Concierge on the first day he can help us get off the ship quickly. Not making the decision yet. Thanks for all the advice.

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MCO is notorious for having horrible security lines. Lots of people from all the amusement parks, conventions, etc., besides cruise lines. The port is an 45 minutes to an hour away from the airport. And who wants to be stressed after a vacation?

And who wants to be stressed after a vacation?

That's my thoughts. However, I will say our security processing at MCO has always gone pretty fast. We have Pre-Check so that helps.

What is the earliest you have booked a flight out of Orlando when sailing into Port Canaveral? We are on the Oasis in a GS and our best flight option leaves at 10:45 am. Is this possible?

 

 

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That's my thoughts. However, I will say our security processing at MCO has always gone pretty fast. We have Pre-Check so that helps.

Royal Fan, do you have TSA pre-check or Global Entry?

What is the earliest you have booked a flight out of Orlando when sailing into Port Canaveral? We are on the Oasis in a GS and our best flight option leaves at 10:45 am. Is this possible?

 

 

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Do you have pre-check?

The port to MCO is 40 minutes by cab, uber or car (faster if you're willing to push it on the b-line).

If you have pre-check you're probably looking at, at worst, 30 minutes from airport entrance to gate which means you need to leave the port by 8:40 or so to be totally safe.

If you have to do regular security, then add an hour or so. In which case you should still be okay if you do self-assist and get off early.

Note: these are really conservative. I frequently leave home here well south of the port two hours before departure from MCO and knowing the airport well and with carry-on bags and pre-check still have time for a drink before boarding.

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Do you have pre-check?

 

The port to MCO is 40 minutes by cab, uber or car (faster if you're willing to push it on the b-line).

 

If you have pre-check you're probably looking at, at worst, 30 minutes from airport entrance to gate which means you need to leave the port by 8:40 or so to be totally safe.

 

If you have to do regular security, then add an hour or so. In which case you should still be okay if you do self-assist and get off early.

 

Note: these are really conservative. I frequently leave home here well south of the port two hours before departure from MCO and knowing the airport well and with carry-on bags and pre-check still have time for a drink before boarding.

 

ETA: If you haven't booked travel yet, look at DL out of MLB. It's about the same distance from the port but a much easier airport and you can do curb to gate in 5-10 minutes.

 

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We usually book a later flight when in that exact situation, but know that if we high tail it to MCO, we are able to get on the earlier flight. Obviously involves an early private pick up with walk off alone or with concierge. It seems that the earlier flights have room, and the midday flights are quite booked so they are happy to accommodate if you show up early. Anyway, that's just our strategy as change fees with AA are waived on DOS.

I always look at the time that RCCL states as the earliest flight for a ship transfer as a gauge. Getting off the ship is the least of the problem, I think.

I know a lot of people stress and have questions around flight times when returning home, so I wanted to share our experience with Oasis out of Port Canaveral. I have always been comfortable booking early flights from Fort Lauderdale following Oasis class cruises due to the proximity of the airport and the ease of terminal 18, but use more caution with Port Canaveral.

 

We arrived back in Port Canaveral on Sunday morning. Self-assist disembarkation runs from 6:45 AM - 7:45 AM. We had a cup of coffee and headed to the gangway at 7AM exactly. We were out of the terminal and were picked up in front of the building at 7:10AM (yes- just 10 minutes to get off the ship and through customs). Our ride got us to the airport at 8AM and Delta allowed me to bump my 11:20 flight to the 9:25 flight, so I was back in Atlanta by the time my original flight would have left Orlando :). We even had time to grab another coffee in the terminal before the earlier flight left.

 

I definitely would not recommend booking a 9:25 flight since there can always be a holdup with the ship being cleared or customs, however, I would have no issue booking an 11AM flight out of Orlando following Oasis as long as you carry your luggage off. If you get there early, you can always request to be bumped up, sometimes for a fee.

 

Anyways- an early flight is absolutely do-able if you plan accordingly and everything goes smoothly.

See above for our recent experience.

I am hoping if we speak to the Concierge on the first day he can help us get off the ship quickly. Not making the decision yet. Thanks for all the advice.

 

 

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Are you traveling in a suite? The concierge on Freedom took 2 groups off the ship on our cruise this past April. One was early(7:00 i think) and the other was 8:30. If you have concierge access, I'd say you should be ok, but personally wouldn't chance it. With a ride like that to the airport, any traffic could be a big problem for you.

That's my thoughts. However, I will say our security processing at MCO has always gone pretty fast. We have Pre-Check so that helps.

Does everyone in the group need to have Pre check?

Does everyone in the group need to have Pre check?

Yes, it's an individual thing.

Does everyone in the group need to have Pre check?

Only those that want to get through the line faster. ;)

The answer is "yes", everyone does in order to benefit from it.

I live in Orlando. My advice? Don't do it! One accident on the Bee Line (only highway from PC to MCO) and you will not make it. My kids arrived at Orlando Airport two hours early for their flight recently. TWO HOURS! They made the flight by the skin of their teeth - literally as they were closing the jetway doors! Why? The lines for both South West and for airport security were insane!

Personally I would not want to end my vacation in a panic.

Do you want to spend your cruise worried about making your flight home? :confused:

Do yourself a favor and book a flight leaving at noon or later, then sleep in (a little), enjoy one last breakfast in the MDR, and leave your self some wiggle room in your schedule just in case...

Good luck! ;)

This is an old thread, and I think I'll be fine, but I changed my 3pm flight to 11:45am leaving out of MCO. Got a reservation with Cortrans for 8:30 am. Plan to self embark, no kids with me and have TSA pre-check.

Thoughts?

Angela

This is an old thread, and I think I'll be fine, but I changed my 3pm flight to 11:45am leaving out of MCO. Got a reservation with Cortrans for 8:30 am. Plan to self embark, no kids with me and have TSA pre-check.

 

Thoughts?

 

Angela

You should be fine as long as any delays are minimal.

Yes, that’s the key factor... no delays

Thanks!

[emoji57]

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This is an old thread, and I think I'll be fine, but I changed my 3pm flight to 11:45am leaving out of MCO. Got a reservation with Cortrans for 8:30 am. Plan to self embark, no kids with me and have TSA pre-check.

 

Thoughts?

 

 

Angela

We just used Cortrans after our Oasis cruise and would have easily made an 11:45 flight. We made the 9am shuttle, even though we had booked a later one. We also had TSA pre-chek and were through security before 10:30 and this was after doing some shopping at the Disney store and SeaWorld stores at the airport.

Thanks for putting my fears at ease! [emoji4]

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