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Express Walk Off - Fort Lauderdale


Wesley66IN
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I just booked a 9:53 am flight from FLL... what has been the times folks get to the airport if they do express walk off? I have 24 hours to cancel my flights but sure hate too. Lowest cost, direct flight, etc.! Thanks

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Assuming normal Customs clearance, you can be off the ship at about 7:30 and at the airport by 7:45. And FLL isn't that big an airport.

 

The problem that could occur is a delay from CBP....that can't be predicted, but is rare on a "normal" sort of cruise. The delays seem to happen on trans-Atlantics and Panama full transits (at least in my personal experience), and cruises coming from South America (by report of others).

 

You'll probably be fine, but you need to explore what your options would be if you would miss the flight...just in case. Then decide.

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Yesterday it took us 45 minutes to walk off, wait for an Uber and get to the airport. That's with no delays upon docking. I'd be nervous with anything before 11 but it's doable especially if you have priority air and TSA precheck.

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I'm nervous too booking a 10 am flight BUT the trade off is more than 50% lower flight and getting home mid afternoon versus later in the evening. Plan B becomes using AA freq flyer miles...and getting what we get :) With all that said, we aren't typically risk takers and will fret that AM (if we go with the 10 am flight).

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I just booked a 9:53 am flight from FLL... what has been the times folks get to the airport if they do express walk off? I have 24 hours to cancel my flights but sure hate too. Lowest cost, direct flight, etc.! Thanks

 

9:53am should be plenty of time. If your ship docks at 6am, and you are in one of the first 2-3 walk off groups, you will be at the airport by 7:30am. If it docks at 7am, you should be in the first 2 groups off, should get you there by 8am easily enough.

 

My flight is 9:45. I almost booked an 8:45, but that was a little close for comfort with a 7am docking time.

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Cost of a cab from Port Everglades to FLL is generally less than $20. Compare that to Uber. How many other ships will be in port that day? Crowded?

 

 

 

Jim

 

Cab is the right answer. It's not worth the $5 you might save with Uber to me. And I hate cabs.

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There is a reason that the early low cost flight from FLL is available . Air/Sea cruise guests have doubts . It is possible but is it worth worrying all cruise about making that flight ? [emoji848]

If you miss it , then what ? [emoji45]

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

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As long as the OP's ship arrives on time and CBP is efficient there should not be a problem if they do the unassisted walk off. Our experience has been that the ship arrived on time and all went well. However on one cruise, a through canal, CBP was dragging their feet and we did not get off until after 10 AM (we had checked bags). I don't know why other than they only had 3 agents checking passports. Another time the ship arrived over an hour late into port due to fog and congestion with the bad results of pax missing flights. The OP's odds of making the flight are good given our experiences but be prepared. There has always been a taxi waiting to take us to the airport so no need for uber/lyft.

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I just booked a 9:53 am flight from FLL... what has been the times folks get to the airport if they do express walk off? I have 24 hours to cancel my flights but sure hate too. Lowest cost, direct flight, etc.! Thanks

You should be fine.

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We have disembarked dozens of times at that port and I can assure you that there are no guarantees. Anecdotal experience does not do much good if your ship happens to be one that docks late, has issues with CBP, etc. The odds are certainly in your favor to make that flight, but stuff can happen. We have been on two cruises (over many years) where nobody was able to disembark the vessel until after 9am due to issues with CBP. On one other cruise our ship had some mechanical problems which delayed our arrival until nearly 10am! And on another cruise we did not arrive to nearly 11 because the ship had to make an emergency stop (the previous morning) to medically evacuate a crew member.

 

We will sometimes book early flights with Southwest because they do not charge penalties if you must reschedule your flight. But even Southwest will then require you to pay the current fare which is often much higher then the fare you originally obtained.

 

Hank

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We were on the CP last March and did the 7:30 walk off. We also had private transportation (Howard Transportation) waiting for us. He dropped us off at Delta and we all were at Gate D5 before 8 am.

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