Fort Lauderdale (Allure) - Ship to Airport timing - 9:20 am flight out?

We will be cruising on the Allure on Feb 25th, 2018. Our return flight time options aren't great... either 9:20a or 3:20p. We'll be a party of 6, with 3 young children; I'd rather not have to find things to do to fill our day until our 3:20p flight. The ship 'arrives' at 6:15. I wouldn't normally even ask about a flight only 3 hours later, but the port is so close to the airport (FLL)... do you think we can make it? Is there someone at RCCL I could try asking that would know the details about our options for getting off the ship as quickly as possible on the last day?

To much stress after a wonderful cruise(vacation ) Don't even try it, one hiccup and you will be sitting at the airport trying to find another flight. 6 seats won't be easy to find either if you miss it. Earliest off, and that is if you can walk off carrying all 6 peoples bags would be 7:30- 7:45 at the earliest.

If you do the normal getting off the ship meaning leaving your bags outside your door the night before.......you won't be off until after 9am at the earliest..never make it through security at FLL.............Lots of ships in FLL.the airport in the morning will be super busy!

What are your options flying home from Miami?

Jimbo:)

I agree. A 9:20AM flight is far too risky. There are too many things that can delay your arrival in port and subsequent debarkation and while I understand the issue with young children cooling their heels in an airport for many hours, it's not worth it to miss your early flight. Just my opinion. :)

I have done it many times and never had a problem. Do Express Departure. Get off ship at 7 and you will have plenty of time. I would never sit around waiting for that later flight. The worst thing is you end up on it anyway.

I would honestly opt for the 3:20 flight. Just because your arrival time is 6:15, it doesn't always mean you can get off the ship at that time. With 3 young children, I would think it be easier on them to let them sleep until 9 or so, eat breakfast and then get off the ship at a leisurely pace. This will give you plenty of time to go through customs, find transportation to the airport, check in and get through security without stressing. I have done it both ways and I highly recommend the later flight. There will be many others trying to be the first off the ship to make an early flight so you will need to line up early if you decide to book the 9:20 flight. It is certainly do-able. We have done it but I was highly stressed the entire time and I decided I would never do an early flight ever again. Good luck and have the best time on Allure. She is fabulous!

With 3 young children, I would think it be easier on them to let them sleep until 9 or so, eat breakfast and then get off the ship at a leisurely pace.

The cabin steward will want you out by 8 and very little to eat after 9. They'll come looking for you if not off by 10.

We will be cruising on the Allure on Feb 25th, 2018. Our return flight time options aren't great... either 9:20a or 3:20p. We'll be a party of 6, with 3 young children; I'd rather not have to find things to do to fill our day until our 3:20p flight. The ship 'arrives' at 6:15. I wouldn't normally even ask about a flight only 3 hours later, but the port is so close to the airport (FLL)... do you think we can make it? Is there someone at RCCL I could try asking that would know the details about our options for getting off the ship as quickly as possible on the last day?

Can it be done......yes ! If all goes well, and your back in port on time and you get off as quickly as allowed and there are no problems getting thru customs. The taxis are just outside the terminal and you would be at the airport in 15 minutes . All this being said, you should be at the airport by 8 and hope the other 6,000 people onboard didn't have the same plan or another ship is in port also.

With all that being said, if you are comfortable with everyone's opinion, give it a try. There is nothing to do at FLL as far as entertainment for several hours waiting. Personally , we would take the later flight and stay onboard till they kicked us off but that's just us. You will have a great cruise on a beautiful ship. Enjoy , and we hope all works out with whatever plan you choose !

To much stress after a wonderful cruise(vacation ) Don't even try it, one hiccup and you will be sitting at the airport trying to find another flight. 6 seats won't be easy to find either if you miss it. Earliest off, and that is if you can walk off carrying all 6 peoples bags would be 7:30- 7:45 at the earliest.

 

If you do the normal getting off the ship meaning leaving your bags outside your door the night before.......you won't be off until after 9am at the earliest..never make it through security at FLL.............Lots of ships in FLL.the airport in the morning will be super busy!

 

What are your options flying home from Miami?

 

 

Jimbo:)

I have done it many times and never had a problem. Do Express Departure. Get off ship at 7 and you will have plenty of time. I would never sit around waiting for that later flight. The worst thing is you end up on it anyway.

If there's seats available!

OP, no way would I attempt that with 3 small children.

We will be cruising on the Allure on Feb 25th, 2018. Our return flight time options aren't great... either 9:20a or 3:20p. We'll be a party of 6, with 3 young children; I'd rather not have to find things to do to fill our day until our 3:20p flight. The ship 'arrives' at 6:15. I wouldn't normally even ask about a flight only 3 hours later, but the port is so close to the airport (FLL)... do you think we can make it? Is there someone at RCCL I could try asking that would know the details about our options for getting off the ship as quickly as possible on the last day?

The ship arrives much earlier than 6:15 if it's on time. You can make it if no delays, but you'll need to be early in line for self debarkation and you'll have to handle all of your luggage yourself

We were on the Allure in November and they started calling self debarkation around 7:30 AM. Personally, why worry about it the entire cruise so book the later flight. I just got notice that our AA flight changed from 11:30 AM to 3:30 PM on Oasis out of MCO. We have two GD's (5&3) so now I'm trying to figure out what to do. We might book the Air Boat excursion to kill some time. I was even stressing over the 11:30 AM.

If it was DW and I we might chance it and try to use luggage valet with private transport; otherwise to much stress to the end of a vacation.

Besides that far out your flights will change, trust me.

Remember that with self debarcation you have to handle all your own luggage. I assume with 3 young children you will have more than one bag plus all their stuff. And assuming one adult is supervising the children, that's a lot of luggage to manage yourself down the stairs etc. No way would I do it.

No way would I push it that close..... I had the choice of an 11am flight or a 5pm flight.... I chose the 5pm flight so there would be absoluttely no stress over it... we'll find something to do.

It can be done.

You just need to have everything prepared and done early. Be organized, especially with the kids.

We have to get home early to pick up our dog before 3pm, so we always catch the 935am flight leaving from MIA and our last few cruises left from Fort Lauderdale. However, it's just me and my husband.

On the Allure, the line start moving about 630am. The line moved quickly. We where off the ship and in a taxi around 7am. We got off ASAP with luggage, thru customs and hailed a taxi. It's about 40 min to MIA airport. Normally, we get to MIA between 730a & 745a. We fly American, so I always have us checked in for the flight the day before.

We check our bags curbside. No lines. Once we get inside, we walk far down to the left to get thru security. We've found this entrance is never crowded at MIA.

Once inside security, we'll find our gate and have a bite to eat close by, normally its around 830a or so.

So again, if you're leaving from FLL, and youre docking in Fort Lauderdale, 920a flight shouldn't be a problem.

If you go for the earlier flight, my tips are:

Check everyone in the day before, if your airline allows this. Have everyone boarding passes printed.

Do self assist. Have everyone up and dressed ready to go by 6am. This is when the organization comes into play, especially with kids, so that theres no chaos in the morning. You probably won't have time to eat breakfast on the ship.

If youre checking bags, do curbside check in, if you can. It saves line time.

You already have your boading passes, just head to security. Eat breakfast at the airport near your gate.

Good luck what ever you decide.:)

We will be cruising on the Allure on Feb 25th, 2018. Our return flight time options aren't great... either 9:20a or 3:20p. We'll be a party of 6, with 3 young children; I'd rather not have to find things to do to fill our day until our 3:20p flight. The ship 'arrives' at 6:15. I wouldn't normally even ask about a flight only 3 hours later, but the port is so close to the airport (FLL)... do you think we can make it? Is there someone at RCCL I could try asking that would know the details about our options for getting off the ship as quickly as possible on the last day?

If you are willing to get in the self-assist line by 5am, you take a taxi (not a shuttle) to the airport, and there are no delays, you should be at the airport before 7am.

We will be cruising on the Allure on Feb 25th, 2018. Our return flight time options aren't great... either 9:20a or 3:20p. We'll be a party of 6, with 3 young children; I'd rather not have to find things to do to fill our day until our 3:20p flight. The ship 'arrives' at 6:15. I wouldn't normally even ask about a flight only 3 hours later, but the port is so close to the airport (FLL)... do you think we can make it? Is there someone at RCCL I could try asking that would know the details about our options for getting off the ship as quickly as possible on the last day?

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You'll probably make it but personally I would not do it because of the stress and I wouldn't want to end my vacation on that kind of note.

BTW, I along with my DW will be on this sailing. We are going to stay an extra day in the Fort Lauderdale area so that the departure is even less stressful.

BTW, I along with my DW will be on this sailing. We are going to stay an extra day in the Fort Lauderdale area so that the departure is even less stressful.

The best solution.:)

We'll be a party of 6, with 3 young children;.... Is there someone at RCCL I could try asking that would know the details about our options for getting off the ship as quickly as possible on the last day?

No need to ask RCCL; To get off the ship as quickly as possible you must be in the first group, which is those who are self-disembarking. That means those who are carrying ALL their own luggage off the ship with them, rather than putting it in the hall the night before and getting it from the baggage carousel in the morning. I would imagine that with 3 small children, carrying all your own luggage off would be nearly impossible so I personally would not plan on that.

I have done it many times and never had a problem....The worst thing is you end up on it anyway.

Nope. Ending up on the 3:20 flight anyway is far from the worst that could happen. The OP is a party of 6 including 3 small children. They would need 6 seats to be available on that next flight and there is no guarantee of that. So what would happen that could be worse?

• They end up having to stay overnight, at their own expense, and take a flight the next day.
  
• They end up being re-accommodated on a flight itinerary that includes multiple connections to get home (again, all with 3 small kids in tow) and get home super late with 3 extremely cranky kids and everyone is miserable
  
• They end up having to split the party up, with 1 or 2 kids going on one flight with one adult, another kid on a different flight with another adult, etc. They would end up departing at different times, arriving home at different times (could be an issue then, with ground transportation on the other end as well)
  
• In all of these scenarios, as well as the one in which they luckily get 6 seats on the 3:20 flilght, they would be getting accommodated at the last minute and the available seats would likely be scattered all over the aircraft, meaning mom and dad won't be sitting together, and they'll likely be at the mercy of strangers to trade seats so that the kids get to sit by at least one parent.
  
• Oh, and depending on the airline, if they miss the 9:20, the airline has the right to charge them either a change fee to rebook them, or to charge them a brand new fare at last-minute rates. Unlikely, but it could happen, as it would not be the airline's fault that they missed the originally booked flight. (And actually, if they're looking at a super low cost carrier like Spirit, I'd say it's very likely the airline would completely screw them on the rebooking.)
  

So no, I would not be so cavalier as to say "oh just book the 9:20, the worst that happens is you end up on the later flight anyway."

BTW, I along with my DW will be on this sailing. We are going to stay an extra day in the Fort Lauderdale area so that the departure is even less stressful.

We're off Celebrity this December in FLL and will spend 4 days in Fort Myers afterward. Gettin' that stress level down even further.......:p

OP - I wouldn't try it especially with a group of 6 that includes 3 young kids. You can probably make it if everything goes right, but who knows. And it would be stressful regardless. Some posters made a good point that if you missed the flight, finding 6 seats for a later one that day isn't guaranteed. Waterbug provided a good summary of all the bad things that could come from missing that flight. None of them pleasant.

Wow! I didn't expect to get so many replies... I really appreciate it!!! (Even though it has left me as confused as I was initially!)

As much as I'd love to extend our vacation, staying one more night isn't an option due to work and school schedules. But, if there is something fun we could do that Sunday until the 3:20p flight, I'd certainly be up for that. Any suggestions? (I'll do some more searching on these forums of course.) I guess I'm just really unclear as to what the heck we'd do with our luggage while we are out and about.

Wow! I didn't expect to get so many replies... I really appreciate it!!! (Even though it has left me as confused as I was initially!)

 

As much as I'd love to extend our vacation, staying one more night isn't an option due to work and school schedules. But, if there is something fun we could do that Sunday until the 3:20p flight, I'd certainly be up for that. Any suggestions? (I'll do some more searching on these forums of course.) I guess I'm just really unclear as to what the heck we'd do with our luggage while we are out and about.

The earlier flight is "do-able" but as many others have said it would be way to stressful and the risk far outweighs the reward. Another little tip is that FLL doesn't allow you to check in at the desk until 3 or 4 hours before your flight (cant remember) and they don't allow you to go through security until 2 hours before your flight... So you get to sit out in the check in area for hours with the hundreds of other people who have later flights... we have had to do this a couple of times already and the last time was with kids... NEVER AGAIN! FLL airport is a pain in the rear...

My point of all of this is to try and find something to do for a few hours after getting off the ship so you don't get stuck waiting in a stuffy airport check in area with your kids where no food/stores are available.

We're off Celebrity this December in FLL and will spend 4 days in Fort Myers afterward. Gettin' that stress level down even further.......:p

 

OP - I wouldn't try it especially with a group of 6 that includes 3 young kids. You can probably make it if everything goes right, but who knows. And it would be stressful regardless. Some posters made a good point that if you missed the flight, finding 6 seats for a later one that day isn't guaranteed. Waterbug provided a good summary of all the bad things that could come from missing that flight. None of them pleasant.

We will be doing the same thing in October getting off the Allure. WAYYYY less stressful :') And we get to depart from RSW instead of FLL!!

Have responded to OP on other posts. Given the three kids are so young, I think under 6, there is no way I would attempt this, even though you have your MIL along for help. You will have to line up very early, probably not much chance to feed kids, and you are told ahead of time "you are on your own." No help with luggage.

I doubt that you will be able to use escalator in the cruise terminal. Every time I have used our party was told you had to have a free hand to use. Parties with small kids are often directed to the elevators, which can be another delay. You will probably also need a van-type cab, which will add more time. Not a lot, but all those little delays add up.

Water bug was very definitely correct about finding extra seats if you try and miss your flight - probably not going happen.

If you are still thinking of doing this, would suggest checking flights out of Miami - might be something available mid morning.

Better still, depending on your airline, stick with the afternoon flight and use the luggage valet program.