9:40AM flight Ft. Lauderdale w/ self disembarkation

[jdvmd]

I thank everyone for their input. This is what makes this board so great.

 

So I have decided I will stick with the 9:40 flight. I know it is a risk, but I haven't read anyone yet say they actually missed their flight if they did self disembarkation (i know on other threads, there are horror stories, power going out, etc). The rewards outweigh the risks. Free flight, get home quicker, and 2 hours less travel time.

 

But I think I will likely book fully refundable tickets for a later flight, and get a refund if I don't need them.

 

I think you will be just fine. I have done that early nonstop from FLL to BNA several times after disembarking from a cruise.

[Lsimon]

I'd try this too if I had back up plan that I'd be happy with as you do. The back up plan sounds like the key to a low stress disembarkation to me.

[titansfanatic]

The important thing is, it will be low stress for my wife, which makes it lower stress for me :D

 

jdvmd,

 

Thank you for your comment. Knowing you have done the exact same flight, and same ship/disembarkation as mine makes me feel even better with my choice.

 

It will be very nice not having to wait. If all works well, I will be home at 11am, which is before the cruise even recommends scheduling a flight.

[jdvmd]

The important thing is, it will be low stress for my wife, which makes it lower stress for me :D

 

jdvmd,

 

Thank you for your comment. Knowing you have done the exact same flight, and same ship/disembarkation as mine makes me feel even better with my choice.

 

It will be very nice not having to wait. If all works well, I will be home at 11am, which is before the cruise even recommends scheduling a flight.

 

You've got to love Southwest!

The last time we did that flight, it was actually delayed. Just as long as you know what your options and that something could go wrong with the ship's disembarkation and customs etc. I routinely take the 11:10 a.m. FLL flight and that is with me disembarking from Miami and have had no problems.

If you haven't filled out your Celebrity forms online yet, when you get to the point regarding flight times etc., it will probably give you the red message saying "your flight time is blah, blah." Just ignore.

[Jade13]

I am looking for people's opinions who have done self-disembarkation or been in the 1st group to get off.

 

Back in May, I took a cruise on the Solstice, and disembarkation was smooth. We had green tags, and were in the 3rd or 4th group to be called, I think. No sure how many were ahead of us. To my memory, we were sitting in the airport lounge/terminal, waiting on our flight by 9:20 - 9:30. Customs was smooth and so was the TSA line, which was long, but only took 5 minutes.

 

If I was either in the 1st group, or in the self disembarkation, it seems like it would be easy to be in the airport by 8:40. What do people who have done self disembarkation think?

 

P.S. we have a free flight with SW, but the only time available that day are the 9:40am.

 

Is the ship docking in Ft Lauderdale or Miami?

 

For a free flight I would go for it knowing if you miss the flight you will have to wait for and possibly pay for another one.

[Greghouseo]

I say plenty of time, go for it.

 

It may be doable, but to say "Plenty of time" is pretty irresponsible to say the least.

[titansfanatic]

Is the ship docking in Ft Lauderdale or Miami?

 

For a free flight I would go for it knowing if you miss the flight you will have to wait for and possibly pay for another one.

 

 

It docks in Ft Lauderdale. It is the Eastern Carib cruise on the solstice, starting 12/5/10.

[fleckle]

.........If you haven't filled out your Celebrity forms online yet, when you get to the point regarding flight times etc., it will probably give you the red message saying "your flight time is blah, blah." .....

Easiest just to skip that section completely. It is optional, not required, and has nothing to do with your disembarkation time. They assign disembarkation times by the form you fill out when you are actually on the ship.

[titansfanatic]

For anyone curious, the flight worked out beautifully. We disembarked about 10 minutes late. Taxi took all of 10 minutes. Then when we got to the airport, there were over 100 people in the skycap lane, and more than that inside. It took us probably 20 to 25 minutes to get our bags checked. But security only took 5 minutes. Once we were sitting down, waiting to board, it was about 8:40, so we had 1 hour to spare.

 

There would have to be MAJOR screw ups to cause us to miss our flight, considering the long line to check the bags and the slightly delayed disembarkation. Don't get me wrong, I know that something can and has happened to cause people to miss flights, but as long as there are no huge delays, and you do self disembarkation, it works smoothly with time to spare!

[Gonzo70]

For anyone curious, the flight worked out beautifully. We disembarked about 10 minutes late. Taxi took all of 10 minutes. Then when we got to the airport, there were over 100 people in the skycap lane, and more than that inside. It took us probably 20 to 25 minutes to get our bags checked. But security only took 5 minutes. Once we were sitting down, waiting to board, it was about 8:40, so we had 1 hour to spare.

 

There would have to be MAJOR screw ups to cause us to miss our flight, considering the long line to check the bags and the slightly delayed disembarkation. Don't get me wrong, I know that something can and has happened to cause people to miss flights, but as long as there are no huge delays, and you do self disembarkation, it works smoothly with time to spare!

 

I am glad you made your flight, but please be careful about encouraging people to take such an inadvisable risk. There are MANY things that can happen to cause somebody to miss a flight that early and this can lead to very significant financial consequences (and the possibility of being stranded a day or two). There is a reason the cruise line does not recommend people to take such an early flight; it is not rare for delays to occur that cause someone to miss such flights. I would encourage you to pick a later flight next time; just because you got lucky this time has no bearing on what may transpire next time.

[phoenix_dream]

Of my 25+ cruises, I would say up to 20% of the time there was a delay due to Customs where we could not disembark until 9:00 or later. 19 of those cruises were with Celebrity. Yes, you can make early flights and I am glad for your sake you did, but anyone who counts on making such an early flight and has no back-up plan is asking for trouble IMHO.

[CaroleLee]

I am looking for people's opinions who have done self-disembarkation or been in the 1st group to get off.

 

Back in May, I took a cruise on the Solstice, and disembarkation was smooth. We had green tags, and were in the 3rd or 4th group to be called, I think. No sure how many were ahead of us. To my memory, we were sitting in the airport lounge/terminal, waiting on our flight by 9:20 - 9:30. Customs was smooth and so was the TSA line, which was long, but only took 5 minutes.

 

If I was either in the 1st group, or in the self disembarkation, it seems like it would be easy to be in the airport by 8:40. What do people who have done self disembarkation think?

 

P.S. we have a free flight with SW, but the only time available that day are the 9:40am.

 

Its VERY close. If the cruise has a luggage valet service-where you go directly to the airport & your luggage is transported & checked in then MAYBE. IMO its just too close

Carole

[Lsimon]

Its VERY close. If the cruise has a luggage valet service-where you go directly to the airport & your luggage is transported & checked in then MAYBE. IMO its just too close

Carole

 

Luggage valet won't accept early departures. One of the conditions is always departures after a certain time, usually between 11:30 and 1 depending on port and distance from airport. They need time to collect all the luggage after you've passed through customs, transport it to the airport, and deliver it to each airline in time for it to be processed.