Ft Lauderdale Airport to Cruise

[mopartime]

Asking for experienced cruisers advice here. Flying into FLL on day of cruise and will arrive at 12:50. So getting bags and everything looking like 1:30 to go to port. Is this enough time to make by boarding time? And what is the best way to get from airport to port without rental car shuttles? Taxi's? Looking for some advice, could come the day before but would have to pay parking at departing airport for the week.

[karen s]

Best bet is a taxi

[DebJ14]

As long as your cruise is leaving from Port Everglades and not Miami you should be fine. The port is maybe 10 minutes from the airport. Best bet is to just hop in a cab - it will be cheaper than cruise line transfers.

[roe2ship]

Taxi is the best way....I must say that 12:50pm arrival is too close for comfort. Good luck!

[LBumb]

no doubt taxi. no more than 10-15 minute drive.

[Grandma Dazzles]

Taxi is the best way....I must say that 12:50pm arrival is too close for comfort. Good luck!

 

Agree! Cab is the quickest way, but you are cutting it close. We were delayed recently flying in to Fort Lauderdale because of thunderstorms. Always easier and less stressful to fly in the day before.

[mopartime]

Yes I will be sailing on Allure out of Port Everglades. So seems like time wise I should be ok and a taxi ride is the best transfer!!!!! So looking forward to this cruise after looking at everyone's pics and reading all the posts.

[Kew Gardens Cruiser]

You are cutting it too close. The airport is less than 15 minutes from the cruise terminal but if your flight is delayed at all you have a very good chance of missing the ship. I used to fly in the day of the cruise but after reading a few horror stories on these boards I always fly in the day before now and it is so much less stressful.

If you must fly in the same day, book the earliest flight out possible to give yourself some breathing room.

[BillOh]

Asking for experienced cruisers advice here. Flying into FLL on day of cruise and will arrive at 12:50. So getting bags and everything looking like 1:30 to go to port. Is this enough time to make by boarding time? And what is the best way to get from airport to port without rental car shuttles? Taxi's? Looking for some advice, could come the day before but would have to pay parking at departing airport for the week.

 

A taxi is probably best. Go to Google Earth or something equivalent and you will see how close it is. Yes, you will probably make it no problem if all goes well. I've done it, but I've become a convert of flying in the day before, so much less stressful. I recognize that may not be an option for you, but if there is anyway to get there earlier I recommend it.

[BillOh]

As long as your cruise is leaving from Port Everglades and not Miami you should be fine. The port is maybe 10 minutes from the airport. Best bet is to just hop in a cab - it will be cheaper than cruise line transfers.

 

Great point I made an assumption and you know what they say about that. :D

[JMG]

Have to agree with all that have suggested flying in the day before. Yes, it does mean a hotel and parking fees but we look at as insurance. If the flight is delayed for any reason we know that we have time to still get to our destination. Also, we can sleep in the next day and are not boarding ship totally stressed and tired.

[Langley Cruisers]

Looks like OP is sailing July 1 and flights are booked. It's not always easy or cheap to just change the flight times. We all know this. All of us who have cruised know this will be a tight connection. Having said that, OP - get in a cab as soon as possible and makes sure the driver turns on the meter. The ride should cost between $13 and $15, plus tip.

 

Enjoy your cruise. :)

[RazorbackIslandGirl]

Cab all the way! Be first in line at luggage claim. Cabs are right out the door behind you! I must warn you about same day flights!!! Have you ever lost your luggage while flying? I have!!!:eek::eek::eek: If you fly in the day before, they at least have 24hrs to find it & you have 24hrs to shop if need be!;) At the very least, pack as much as possible in your carry on! (Formal attire & expensive items!) You can grab a swimsuit & flipflops anywhere cheep. It may be the best $100 spent all week for long-term parking! If you can... fly in the day before!;) Any whooza, YEAH on your cruise!!!:D Happy sailing!!!

[3dog]

As a number of folks mentioned, a taxi will be the quickest and cheapest way. And if everything goes reasonably according to schedule, you will have time. However, if things get delayed, you could find yourself catching the ship in the next *available* port, and if this is a Western Caribbean cruise, that could be Falmouth.

 

 

My guidelines for when to arrive for a cruise (and hence this post - so sorry for a partial thread hijack):

 

• Be at the port town no later than 11am on the day of the cruise
  

This is the guideline that we are really trying to hit that prompts all the other guidelines. Planning to be there by 11 gives plenty of time if there were a delay or last-minute issue (you realized that you forgot your passport - might be hard to get an acceptable facsimile if you only have an hour before boarding closes).

 

Note that this guideline is also for travelers that are traveling by car, as it will give time to get where you need to be and take care of the car before starting a vacation.

 

• Allow for one extra day of travel for each plane change
  

Every time you change a plane, your bags change too. And for each change, delays can cause ripples - such as a late arriving plane can cause a missed connection. And if your bags don't arrive, not only have you spent a fair amount of time at the airport trying to track them down, you will likely be without them for a fair amount of time on the cruise if there isn't time for them to arrive.

 

• Allow for one extra day of travel if traveling with others
  

I might push limits when traveling by ourselves, but not when traveling with others. This allowance makes sure everybody has arrived and easily covers the first guideline, and my personal observation about traveling with others, is that it often takes much more time.

 

• Allow for one extra day for flights over 8 hours
  

Time changes or long flights not only mess up your body clock, it potentially upsets the time schedule. And flights of this length pretty much means traveling to another country where customs and immigration can significantly slow you down. Also here, long flights usually mean fewer flights. So if your bags are delayed (possibly also due to a plane change), they probably won't arrive till at least the next day.

 

• Allow for extra time or days if traveling during times when known that there is higher possibility of weather problems (i.e. winter).
  

Even if

your

travel doesn't include airports or cities that might be impacted by weather, your plane likely is. And that flight from Dallas to Miami that is canceled because it required a plane that is grounded by snow in Chicago will at best add stress, but could cause missing the entire cruise. This extra time could be a few hours of extra layover or arrival time, but can be a day or two should there be fewer flights between the destinations.

 

 

I'm sure some here have others to add and these are guidelines (if you have already allowed two days, you might not need more should you fit in all of the points), but if it is a U.S. departing two hour or less non-stop flight traveling in late May (keeping in mind that there can be weather delays to and in FL in the spring and summer) , it will probably be fine (though could be tight). But if the travel is from Canada in December making two connections, I suggest trying to get in a day or two earlier.

[mopartime]

Looks like OP is sailing July 1 and flights are booked.:)

 

OK, so how did you decipher that I was on the July 1 cruise? Am I that transparent?

[3dog]

OK, so how did you decipher that I was on the July 1 cruise? Am I that transparent?

 

You posted it in another thread.

[emelvee]

I hope OP purchased travel insurance.

[justforkicks]

OK, so how did you decipher that I was on the July 1 cruise? Am I that transparent?

All they have to do is look at all of your posts. Click on your avatar and see all posts.

:eek:

[lordian]

Good Luck getting there on time. I am also getting into FLL airport at 12:50 tomorrow to go on the Oasis. I am a little nervous about arriving so late and am keeping my fingers crossed that the weather will behave.

[mopartime]

Good Luck getting there on time. I am also getting into FLL airport at 12:50 tomorrow to go on the Oasis. I am a little nervous about arriving so late and am keeping my fingers crossed that the weather will behave.

 

 

Please let me know how things turn out for you. After reading all the posts I'm starting to search for day before flights.

[Matt&Heather]

I am also arriving at FLL at 1pm for my cruise in a few weeks. We really had no other option unless I wanted a 20 min layover and the risk of my luggage not making it. :( Would have loved to come in a day early but we couldn't do it.

 

And as far as leaving earlier...can't do that either. Leaving BOS on first flight out: 5:30 AM. Once we got to Philadelphia, it was either leave in 20 mins, or wait for the next flight (the one we booked). Sigh. Not super happy about it, but I have to work with what's available.

[SnappyNappi]

I will be watching this thread for updates on flying times on cruise day... I am going in November on the Oasis out of FLL and booked flights at 6:30 AM from our home airport, which will arrive into FLL at 9:15 AM to hopefully get in with enough time to spare...

 

TA advised that if I am going to fly on the day of the cruise (instead of leaving the day before) that I should absolutely take the very first flight out that the airline offers and fly the airline who's hub you are leaving from. If you look at the flights on-time percentages, you will absolutely find that the earlier the flight, the higher the on-time percentage to get to your destination. Also, this gives enough time that if they have any delay or issue, they can get us on a different flight out, with enough time to get to the port before the ship leaves.

[Puffinater]

In case it has not been mentioned. You are cutting it close but should be ok. Only a few minutes from port so run out and grab a cab.