Enough Time For Early Flight After Cruise?

[GrandmaVegas]

Disembark & Taxie From Port To The FLL Airport???

Carnival Miracle Returning On March 12, 2010 Would We Have Enough Time To Book An 11am Flight Out Of Fort Lauderdale?

[Northender]

That is cutting it pretty close. I personally would not chance it.

You need to be at the airport at least 1 1/2 hrs. before flight and FLL is crazy, especially after a cruise ship comes in. And March is Spring Break time somewhere.

 

If it were me, I wouldn't book anything before 12:30pm. :cool:

[GrandmaVegas]

Thank You, Northender

I Was Hoping To Grab The Only Non-Stop Flight Home, But Its Certainly Not Work The Risk.......40 Years Ago.....Maybe! LOL

 

Sounds Like We Had Some True Friends In Common:D

[cruisewiththekids]

Just a note that I had no problem making a 9 am flight out of FLL. Ship docked at 7 am. I was in the third group called. Was at my gate by 7:30. Now the only reason I attempted this was because I knew there was only one ship in port that morning. And I also had a backup plan in case it didn't work out.

[bills blasters]

We have cruised out of Ft. Lauderdale 6 times. The first 5 times we were at the airport and checked through security by 10:00. Had a long wait for our afternoon flight.

Last Jan. we must have hit the airport on the busiest day. It took us over an hour and a half just to get through security. Plus the lines to check in were terrible.

We did not get into the terminal until after 12. Thank goodness our flight did not leave until 1:00

You never know. I would not chance an early flight.

[eandj]

Wouldn't do it in Miami. However in FLL, if you disembark with the first group, I wouldn't worry. ANd I AM one that doesn't like stress.

[CharlotteNCCouple]

Unless you have preferential disembarkation, I wouldn't risk it. My wife and I arrived into Fort Lauderdale on 11/11, we didn't leave the ship until 8:15am, claimed our bags and went through customs, grabbed a cab to the airport and we were standing at the US Airways tcket counter at 9am. We had booked a 2:50pm departure but got out on the 10:05am. Being a high mileage flyer didn't hurt. That trip was before the RCCL "Oasis" began sailing and potentially adding as many as 6,300 additional passengers per sailing out of FLL. You may want to check their schedule and see if they are arriving in port the same day you do.

[cruisewiththekids]

I did express walk-off with my carry-on bag (no checked luggage) and already had my boarding pass printed (no need to stop at counter).

[toots13]

We were able to make it to the FLL airport by 9am from Port of Miami over President's Week which is very crowed. We had an 11am flight that everyone said we wouldn't make. I highly recommend you walk off early with your own bags and arrange transportation (we used SAS) or take a cab if you are going to try. The price difference of the flights was worth the risk to us and I actually would do it again. You really have to do the preferential disembarking (or whatever they call it) and do your own transportation though.

[eandj]

Remember that FLL will be dealing with the OASIS every Saturday now. :eek:

[Jenner9]

There was a problem with our ship clearing customs in December. Put us 2 hours behind getting off the ship. Then we had problems with our shuttle not showing up. Luckily we had a later flight but another couple waiting for the same shuttle had a 12:55PM flight. We ended up sharing a taxi to FLL. They made just in time but only because we shared a taxi and the driver was speeding all the way there!!! You just never know what can happen....I wouldn't take the chance.

[toots13]

Well for us it was a $1400 price difference for the flights for 7 people so we were willing to chance it. I think it is definitely doable if you walk off with your bags and take cab or arrange shuttle. We actually got there closer to 8:30 on a big holiday weekend. Security was pretty empty too since we got there before the cruise hoardes started arriving. If you don't have checked bags, carry on only, you can cut it pretty close, too. It is a risk though. If the flights are cheaper you have to decide if it's worth it. I'd make sure there was space on later flights just in case you miss your flight and have to take a later one. My DH and I are business/frequent travelers and are comfortable risking taking a later flight and being stuck in the airport for hours since the savings were so much.