Port Everglades to the airport

[I'm on holiday]

How scary would it be to book a 9:45am flight out of Ft. Lauderdale after our Liberty cruise?

[Kevin's girl]

Don't do it. You never know what you will run into trying to get off. Port Everglades has become a very busy port and Customs is not really great at keeping up. We have waited hours to get through.

[NorbertsNiece]

As above. Not viable imo. Have to self disembark, jump in cab, arrive at least an hour before take off to check bags in for an internal flight. Way too stressful.

[traveling1969]

How scary? Very! One snafu and you've missed it. On the other hand, some folks love to live dangerously. We had a 10am flight once. Ran like fools at the airport and got to the gate with nary a minute to spare. Never again!

[I'm on holiday]

I figured it was a bad idea, but was wishful thinking. I guess we'll happily pay a few more bucks for the 12:25pm flight.

 

Thanks to all for your quick replies.

[maggieq]

We just did a 9:30 a.m. back in May. Did express debarkation of off the Oasis and was at the airport with plenty of time to spare. Do you need to do express....imo yes.

 

Can things happen....yes....but your later flight can be cancelled/delayed as well. If you have a back up plan, you should be ok.

[waterbug123]

As above. Not viable imo. Have to self disembark, jump in cab, arrive at least an hour before take off to check bags in for an internal flight. Way too stressful.

 

There are risks for sure, but if you self disembark it is certainly viable. While I probably wouldn't recommend it to others, I'd book it for myself in a heartbeat.

[TWELVEOHONE]

How scary would it be to book a 9:45am flight out of Ft. Lauderdale after our Liberty cruise?

It is possible but it is also a big risk.

9:45 flight, should be at airport no later than 9:00.

Possible problems are

1) Long line at airport checking in or going through security

2) Ship arrived into port late.

3) Customs and/or immigration slow in clearing the ship, passengers cannot leave until this is donei

4) Traffic problem getting to airport. accident, fire whatever.

 

Depending on airline plan B could be expensive.

[vickiw0318]

I got off the Liberty last Monday and we had a delay clearing customs. The self-disembark passengers hadn't even been called when we went to breakfast after 8:30. The OP's later option might cost more, but there's a peace of mind factor in there somewhere.

[mymollysue]

We got off of the Liberty today. We did the luggage valet and check in through the cruise line which meant we could walk off the ship as soon as the boat cleared customs. We had no lines and got into a shuttle by 8:30. We were at the airport by 8:45. I think we got very lucky and a 9:45am flight is cutting it close. Our flight was 11:45 so we had to wait around a bit. To be safe though, I wouldn't book a flight before 11am.

[NorbertsNiece]

Just to clarify what I said earlier....if you have check in baggage for the airline you HAVE to have checked them in one hour before the flight is scheduled to depart. I have personal experience of missing a flight for this very reason a week ago. This certainly applies to AA.

[mymollysue]

One other thing....in order for the cruise line to check you in and handle your bags for you like we did ($20 pp to do this), your flight has to be after 11:30am.

[Bklyn11214]

Not as scary and stupid as booking an 8:30 flight out of FLL when the boat docks at 7:00. What was I thinking????? Just wanted to get home in time for Christmas eve in Los Angeles. Now, after reading everything on this board, I am soooooo stressed out. Royal Caribbean mentioned express debarkment but really didn't go into any detail. Can anyone tell me what that entails? My daughters and I will carry off our own luggage. We will even get up at 4:00 to be the first one off the boat, if that is even possible.:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

[Bklyn11214]

MyMollySue, what time did your ship dock?

[DanJ]

Not sure the itinerary the OP is doing but I noticed the Liberty is doing many of the same 4 and 5 day cruises the Navigator did last winter. After the 5 day Haiti and Jamaica, we didn't dock until 7am, the last ship in port that morning. We did the self assist program and didn't get out of the terminal to curbside until just after 9.

 

Bklyn, the express debarkation is where you take your luggage with you off the ship instead of putting it out the night before. You and probably 2500 other people will be trying to get off the ship that way.

[Eng23]

Not as scary and stupid as booking an 8:30 flight out of FLL when the boat docks at 7:00. What was I thinking????? Just wanted to get home in time for Christmas eve in Los Angeles. Now, after reading everything on this board, I am soooooo stressed out. Royal Caribbean mentioned express debarkment but really didn't go into any detail. Can anyone tell me what that entails? My daughters and I will carry off our own luggage. We will even get up at 4:00 to be the first one off the boat, if that is even possible.:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

Well you can get up at 4:00am but if you are the first off the boat at that hour you will be very wet from the swim into the port. Express disembarkment means you carry off all your luggage and this takes place as soon as the ship is cleared by Customs.