9am flight--will i make it??

First cruise and we booked a 9am flight home---after reading the previous messages thinking we won't make it. What time does everyone normally fly out?

What is your port of embarkation and what time is the ship scheduled to dock?

Where are you docking ?

What time the ship arrive ?

Important details

We never book before noon ...ANYWHERE

What is your port of embarkation and what time is the ship scheduled to dock?

Porting out of Ft Lauderdale—scheduled back Saturday April 28th at 530 am.

it is unlikely you will make it but maybe try to get off in the 1st group carrying your own bags get a taxi quickly

If you can change your flight I would do it now

Sorry....first cruise.....let us know how it works out.....

As a first time cruiser. Just because you get into port at 5:30 doesn't mean you get off the ship right then. The luggage has to be off loaded first....then checked by the K9 group. Customs and immigration need to process the entire ship, including crew. When the longshoremen show up for work, things get going...but that doesn't even take into the factor of weather or any other delay the ship might encounter. Accounts need to be settled on board, I don't know how many times I hear so and so's name(s) being called to passenger services... Then and only then when the ship is cleared you will be able to disembark, sometimes 7 ish, maybe not.....

No.

it is unlikely you will make it but maybe try to get off in the 1st group carrying your own bags get a taxi quickly

If you can change your flight I would do it now

No other flights available—would have been nice to know this prior 😩. I’ve gotten mixed reviews from people I’ve asked. I guess we will just have to hope for the best.

No.

You think there is no way? Have you ported at 530 and tried to get off ASAP and not made it?

I sure wouldn't cut things that close!

Make sure you have a Plan B...

ask on the RCCL forum maybe someone can answer if they made the early flight or not

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=83

Please read my previous post. If you don't have any cruising experience, it is for sure an unknown of when to book your flights. You also have to factor in how many ships are in port that day. You may be able to get off the ship in a timely manner, but have you considered the security line at the airport? Once we allowed ourselves two hours to get our bags checked and through security and we made it to the gate in time for boarding. Others have said they have been off the ship and at the gate in 15 minutes...you never know in Ft Lauderdale

Sure hope you can change your flight. Lesson learned. Next time ask that question before you book your flights.

No other flights available—would have been nice to know this prior 😩. I’ve gotten mixed reviews from people I’ve asked. I guess we will just have to hope for the best.

Your comment is kind of harsh, being that you have no prior knowledge. People here at CC have pretty much, been there, done that. When you booked your cruise your TA or cruise line should have guided you on what times to book your flights. I know Princess has a guideline on when to book your return flights home, I believe its after 11 domestic and 1 overseas.

While the odds are against you, it is not hopeless. To give your self a chance:

1. Check in and print your boarding passes the prior evening.

2. You must carry off all your luggage. That means that you must be able to manage it without assistance.

3. Be in the first debarkation group. Talk to Passenger services if assigned to a later group.

4. Take a taxi to the airport.

You think there is no way? Have you ported at 530 and tried to get off ASAP and not made it?

The thing is, you don't get off the ship at 5:30. It takes a while to clear the ship, usually 30 - 60 minutes. There are hundreds of others who want to get off with you at that time, not to mention there will probably be other ships at Port Everglades that day and they all need Customs officials to meet them.

I checked, and I think you mean Saturday April 28, and you are one of 3 ships that morning. The port will be busy, taxis and Ubers will be busy, the airport will be busy. There is NO way I would book a flight earlier than 11 am (for my comfort) but others will encourage you to do it.

You let us know how you made out.

Your comment is kind of harsh, being that you have no prior knowledge. People here at CC have pretty much, been there, done that. When you booked your cruise your TA or cruise line should have guided you on what times to book your flights. I know Princess has a guideline on when to book your return flights home, I believe its after 11 domestic and 1 overseas.

I apologize if I sounded harsh—not sure which comment came off that way. I am truly thankful for everyone’s input :). As you said I have no clue and know people on CC on usually good to ask.

Sure hope you can change your flight. Lesson learned. Next time ask that question before you book your flights.

Yep-next time I will know :). Fingers crossed 🤞🏻

The thing is, you don't get off the ship at 5:30. It takes a while to clear the ship, usually 30 - 60 minutes. There are hundreds of others who want to get off with you at that time, not to mention there will probably be other ships at Port Everglades that day and they all need Customs officials to meet them.

 

I checked, and I think you mean Saturday April 28, and you are one of 3 ships that morning. The port will be busy, taxis and Ubers will be busy, the airport will be busy. There is NO way I would book a flight earlier than 11 am (for my comfort) but others will encourage you to do it.

 

You let us know how you made out.

Yes Saturday thank you :).

I apologize if I sounded harsh—not sure which comment came off that way. I am truly thankful for everyone’s input :). As you said I have no clue and know people on CC on usually good to ask.

Surprisingly everyone here on CC has one time or another been a first time cruise and did not know the ins and outs of it. We ALL learned the hard way, and here on CC hopefully is an easier way for new cruises to be ahead of the game...good luck

First cruise and we booked a 9am flight home---after reading the previous messages thinking we won't make it. What time does everyone normally fly out?

Book a later flight and enjoy your first cruise without the stress of making an early flight.

No other flights available—would have been nice to know this prior 😩. I’ve gotten mixed reviews from people I’ve asked. I guess we will just have to hope for the best.

OK, since you have already booked this flight and cannot change, please follow the wise advise posted here:

While the odds are against you, it is not hopeless. To give your self a chance:

1. Check in and print your boarding passes the prior evening.

2. You must carry off all your luggage. That means that you must be able to manage it without assistance.

3. Be in the first debarkation group. Talk to Passenger services if assigned to a later group.

4. Take a taxi to the airport.

I will add that I think you should self-disembark. This means you do NOT put your luggage in the hall the night before. If you are self-disembarking ("walking off"), you keep your luggage inside your cabin and carry it with you in the morning.

After you clear C&I, go outside and grab a cab. There is no flat rate to the airport; it is metered and should cost about $14.00 plus tip (approximately).

Enjoy your Freedom cruise. :)

When the ship returns at 5:30AM you should figure that it takes at least an hour for the ship to be cleared by the authorities. If you carry off your luggage you will be in the first group to leave the ship around 6:30AM to 7:00AM. You then have to clear customs before heading to FLL and when Customs starts they usually start with a smaller crew of workers at the beginning. There are plenty of cabs available for the short fifteen minute ride to FLL. Depending on the lines at security at the airport I would bite the bullet and pay the change fee for a later flight. Personally I would never book a flight that early but most likely you will miss your flight. In a scenario like this you have no cushion for an unexpected incident to totally screw you up. I wish you would have asked this question before you purchased your flight.

All good advice about doing a self-disembark, especially about NOT putting your luggage out the night before.

You will receive paperwork from the ship asking about your plans for disembarkation. DO NOT put any flight number down. Request self-disembarkation.

You will then receive luggage tags that are coded for disembarkation. Check the corresponding key (you'll get all this in your cabin) and if you are not in the first walk-off group, head over to Customer Service and ask for the appropriate tag.

On the morning of disembarkation, be ready on the deck where disembarkation takes place. Remember to have your cruise card handy as it will be scanned as you leave the ship.

Once you get to the airport, if the security line is LONG, and your departure time is less than an hour, ask people if you can step in front of them as you have little time to get to your gate. Most people will probably accommodate you.

Good luck!

And please come back here and tell us what happens.

I can only provide our experience with an early flight out of FLL off Allure a few years back. We did regular night before luggage pick up outside our stateroom. We disembarked at 7:00 AM, which had as as one of the first groups off the ship. Our luggage was waiting for us and we got through Customs quickly. Got a cab out front an arrived at FLL at 8:00. Made through security and at the gate at 9:00 for a 9:50 AM flight. BTW for that cruise that was the only flight available until later in the afternoon, which we did not want to wait for.

We normally book flights after 11:00 and this was a rare exception. I would not likely do that again even though everything fell into place but never any guarantees of that. As to a 9:00 AM flight all I can say is good luck - but I would never do that and don't think the odds are too good for that one.