How long to FTL airport?

We're coming back from our cruise on Royal Caribbean, Harmony of the Seas on Saturday 11/25. Our ship docks in Fort Lauderdale at 6:15am. How long will it take to disembark and get to the airport. What is a reasonable time to book a flight out of Fort Lauderdale?

If the ships docks on time it usually takes at least thirty minutes before the debarkation process begins. The ride to FLL from Port Everglades takes only ten minutes. If you are carrying your luggage off I would believe that a 10:00AM flight is doable. I personally wouldn't book anything earlier than 11:00AM. It also depends on the time of the year. Low season is from late April to mid October when there are only a few ships that cruise from Port Everglades. High season is mid October to late April when up to eight ships can berth at Port Everglades at the same time. More ships mean more passengers heading to FLL for early flights.

The Fort Lauderdale airport (FLL, not FTL) is visible from pier. It is typically a 10-15 minute cab ride. How long it takes to disembark can vary greatly. If you do the self walk off, you can be off the ship and through customs within a few minutes.

We're coming back from our cruise on Royal Caribbean, Harmony of the Seas on Saturday 11/25. Our ship docks in Fort Lauderdale at 6:15am. How long will it take to disembark and get to the airport. What is a reasonable time to book a flight out of Fort Lauderdale?

What are your time options with the flights/carrier you're considering?

The Fort Lauderdale airport (FLL, not FTL) is visible from pier. It is typically a 10-15 minute cab ride. How long it takes to disembark can vary greatly. If you do the self walk off, you can be off the ship and through customs within a few minutes.

This correction reminded me of my Dad who worked for American Airlines before I started with them in 1982 and he wrote me (back then was a snail mail letter) and asked if he could have a pass to go to SAC and I had just finished training and learned all my city codes so quickly corrected him, "you mean SMF?" what I would give to be able to correct him now :( Love and miss you Dad!

Keep in mind that is the Saturday after Thanksgiving so the second worst day to fly and probably the most expensive. I would go with a later rather than earlier flight as security will probably be long.

quickly corrected him, "you mean SMF?" what I would give to be able to correct him now :( Love and miss you Dad!

Ditto, Dad. Maybe he really did want to go to SAC they do have a great burger at the cafe as do most general aviation airports.

Ditto, Dad. Maybe he really did want to go to SAC they do have a great burger at the cafe as do most general aviation airports.

;p:D

On a "normal" cruise turn around day, we waited over an hour in the security line at the airport. just about made it to the gate in time to board the plane. The line literally was on the sidewalk into the terminal.

Having flown into Ft. Lauderdale airport more than 100 times for cruises and work alike...it has to be one of the most traveller-friendly airports in the country. In addition, airport-to-cruise-terminal and cruise-terminal-to-airport transfers couldn't be easier or faster 99% of the time.

On a "normal" cruise turn around day, we waited over an hour in the security line at the airport. just about made it to the gate in time to board the plane. The line literally was on the sidewalk into the terminal.

At FLL?!? I have never seen such a thing. Maybe it was just a very unique situation.

This is also another reason why everyone should be getting Global Entry/ PreCheck. Airport security lines are a thing of the past. Personally, I'd book a flight no earlier than 10:30 - 11A. And if you book on the earlier side, do self-disembarkation and carry your own luggage off. You can easily make it to the airport which is, as others said, barely 10 minutes away. The airport and cruise port are across the street from each other.

Getting off Oasis in October, we did self-disembark and were home 20 minutes west of the port by 7:20AM.

Keep in mind that is the Saturday after Thanksgiving so the second worst day to fly and probably the most expensive. I would go with a later rather than earlier flight as security will probably be long.

That was a good catch.

When making your decision make sure you are aware that self-disembarkation means just that. No help from any cruise line staff as far as handling your luggage. You have to be able to carry/handle your own bags from your cabin to the parking lot/cab stand. This may mean stairs, ramps, escalators, etc. Something to be aware of if you have a lot of bags, children to care for, etc.

We're coming back from our cruise on Royal Caribbean, Harmony of the Seas on Saturday 11/25. Our ship docks in Fort Lauderdale at 6:15am. How long will it take to disembark and get to the airport. What is a reasonable time to book a flight out of Fort Lauderdale?

If you're traveling light or can a handle a lot of luggage, self-disembark would be the way to go. Have always regretted going through regular disembark process at Port Everglades. Shoreside operation always seems so disorganized. Even when we've walked off ship considerably later than our scheduled time, we've had to wait and wait for our luggage.

At FLL?!? I have never seen such a thing. Maybe it was just a very unique situation.

 

This is also another reason why everyone should be getting Global Entry/ PreCheck. Airport security lines are a thing of the past. Personally, I'd book a flight no earlier than 10:30 - 11A. And if you book on the earlier side, do self-disembarkation and carry your own luggage off. You can easily make it to the airport which is, as others said, barely 10 minutes away. The airport and cruise port are across the street from each other.

 

Yes, There's usually no problem getting off the ship to the airport, I always allow myself at least two hours before my flight to get through security, and this time we really cut it close. It was the second week of November two years ago.

I've never actually understood why anyone uses standard disembarkation as opposed to self-disembark. Leaving your bags unattended in a hallway at night and hoping they arrive in the terminal doesn't appeal to me, especially when you consider the only thing it saves you is an elevator ride with your bags. It saves you barely a short walk with your bags essentially, why would anyone not just carry your own bags off? It's not as if passengers don't still have to pick up their bags right when you get off the ship and carry them through customs and to their transportation anyways.

I've never actually understood why anyone uses standard disembarkation as opposed to self-disembark. Leaving your bags unattended in a hallway at night and hoping they arrive in the terminal doesn't appeal to me, especially when you consider the only thing it saves you is an elevator ride with your bags. It saves you barely a short walk with your bags essentially, why would anyone not just carry your own bags off? It's not as if passengers don't still have to pick up their bags right when you get off the ship and carry them through customs and to their transportation anyways.

Spoken by a Floridian living near a port. If you have a 5pm flight and not in a hurry to get off the ship it might be different.

I've never actually understood why anyone uses standard disembarkation as opposed to self-disembark. Leaving your bags unattended in a hallway at night and hoping they arrive in the terminal doesn't appeal to me, especially when you consider the only thing it saves you is an elevator ride with your bags. It saves you barely a short walk with your bags essentially, why would anyone not just carry your own bags off? It's not as if passengers don't still have to pick up their bags right when you get off the ship and carry them through customs and to their transportation anyways.

It is not a short walk! First you have to snag an elevator having walked what could be a long corridor full of stewards, carts, etc. You frequently have a long line of people doing the same thing. Then you have to walk down a ramp, take an elevator, escalator, etc.

If you have a heavy, full-sized suitcase, a standard carryon, and then some kind of purse, tote bag, it is not easy. As an older traveler who is traveling solo there is no way I would walk off.

Personally use the luggage valet program as much as possible.

Please don't make it sound so simple - for people with young kids, older travelers, etc. it is not as easy as you make it sound.

It is not a short walk! First you have to snag an elevator having walked what could be a long corridor full of stewards, carts, etc. You frequently have a long line of people doing the same thing. Then you have to walk down a ramp, take an elevator, escalator, etc.

 

If you have a heavy, full-sized suitcase, a standard carryon, and then some kind of purse, tote bag, it is not easy. As an older traveler who is traveling solo there is no way I would walk off.

 

Personally use the luggage valet program as much as possible.

 

Please don't make it sound so simple - for people with young kids, older travelers, etc. it is not as easy as you make it sound.

We travel with 2 young children and find self assist as simple as can be. I understand it's not for everyone. But I simply don't think rolling a suitcase for an extra 2 1/2 minutes is all that difficult. We leave with self-assist and don't wait in any sort of lines or fight for elevators what-so-ever. We walk right off, right to customs, and right to the car. If someone is frail or decides to pack 6 months of luggage for a 7 day cruise, I can understand why they may prefer the luggage valet. Another poster pointed out that they like to get off last, and in that case I might consider it as well. But playing the "is my bag there" lottery doesn't appeal to me and I'd just as rather sit at a restaurant at the airport than in a chair in an empty lounge on the cruise ship, so I'd still just leave early and hang out at the airport... or drop my bags off at the airport and uber somewhere else if I had a late flight.

At FLL?!? I have never seen such a thing. Maybe it was just a very unique situation.

 

This is also another reason why everyone should be getting Global Entry/ PreCheck. Airport security lines are a thing of the past. Personally, I'd book a flight no earlier than 10:30 - 11A. And if you book on the earlier side, do self-disembarkation and carry your own luggage off. You can easily make it to the airport which is, as others said, barely 10 minutes away. The airport and cruise port are across the street from each other.

 

Getting off Oasis in October, we did self-disembark and were home 20 minutes west of the port by 7:20AM.

When I was at FLL in July, the line to check bags was an hour (Delta), but the security line was about 3 minutes long.

I've never actually understood why anyone uses standard disembarkation as opposed to self-disembark. Leaving your bags unattended in a hallway at night and hoping they arrive in the terminal doesn't appeal to me, especially when you consider the only thing it saves you is an elevator ride with your bags. It saves you barely a short walk with your bags essentially, why would anyone not just carry your own bags off? It's not as if passengers don't still have to pick up their bags right when you get off the ship and carry them through customs and to their transportation anyways.

Understand this. Picture 2500 passengers or more, all with a suitcase and maybe a carry on. No one would get off the ship at a reasonable time.

We're coming back from our cruise on Royal Caribbean, Harmony of the Seas on Saturday 11/25. Our ship docks in Fort Lauderdale at 6:15am. How long will it take to disembark and get to the airport. What is a reasonable time to book a flight out of Fort Lauderdale?

Well I hope you get off the ship very quickly so that I may board the ship a.s.a.p. that day!:cool:

Understand this. Picture 2500 passengers or more, all with a suitcase and maybe a carry on. No one would get off the ship at a reasonable time.

No kidding....spot on!

A "mass exodus" would be a logistical nightmare for customs as well.

There's a reason they "tier" passengers to disembark...to avoid the crazy scenario you correctly described. Doing things with at least some resemblance of planning and order is the only approach that makes sense...and even more importantly...has worked on thousands of cruises on multiple cruise lines.

We travel with 2 young children and find self assist as simple as can be. I understand it's not for everyone. But I simply don't think rolling a suitcase for an extra 2 1/2 minutes is all that difficult. We leave with self-assist and don't wait in any sort of lines or fight for elevators what-so-ever. We walk right off, right to customs, and right to the car. If someone is frail or decides to pack 6 months of luggage for a 7 day cruise, I can understand why they may prefer the luggage valet. Another poster pointed out that they like to get off last, and in that case I might consider it as well. But playing the "is my bag there" lottery doesn't appeal to me and I'd just as rather sit at a restaurant at the airport than in a chair in an empty lounge on the cruise ship, so I'd still just leave early and hang out at the airport... or drop my bags off at the airport and uber somewhere else if I had a late flight.

Sorry to so totally disagree. Perhaps you have been very lucky. There is frequently a long line to disembark and go through customs. Frequently sail from FLL and have always seen lines.

As far as luggage valet - are you even familiar with the program? Nothing to do with amount of luggage or being frail! You obviously don't fly home! Luggage valet takes my bag - I walk off, often in a line with the self-disembarking passengers. Don't even see the bag until the carousel at my home airport. Luggage valet is by far the best for many people.

I am happy you have never encountered a line and find it so simple, but I think anyone reading this for the first time needs to know it's definitely not always that easy.

Luggage valet takes my bag - I walk off, often in a line with the self-disembarking passengers. Don't even see the bag until the carousel at my home airport. Luggage valet is by far the best for many people.

LV is the greatest thing since sliced bread. I schedule my flights around it. I never see my bags until I get to Sacramento. I walk off with a backpack, go through ICE/CBP in a few minutes (hopefully less now that I have GE), and carry/roll almost nothing.

Only thing better is flying Virgin America where they will deliver it to your house.

BTW: never lost a bag in +30 years and +40 cruises. I keep the important stuff with me and the rest is why I have AMEX.