11:00am flight?

[CRUISING71]

We are usually off the ship by 8am and head to the airport to catch our 11am flight. I have read a few review on the Reflection and a lot of people was delayed due to custom. I wondering is it safe to continue to book the 11am flight. Next flight is 3:45pm.

[PNW Traveler]

Our debarkation in Fort Lauderdale was delayed for several hours due to a heavy rainstorm last year. There was no major tropical storm, just heavy rain. The dock workers would not operate the cranes and other mechanical equipment required for loading and unloading until the heavy rain subsided. All passengers with morning flights missed their flights. Rain just happens; unpredictable events can mess up even the best of travel plans.

[Keith1010]

I recommend noon. Yes, you may wait at the airport but if there are delays you will have the time needed.

 

Keith

[waterbug123]

We are usually off the ship by 8am and head to the airport to catch our 11am flight. I have read a few review on the Reflection and a lot of people was delayed due to custom. I wondering is it safe to continue to book the 11am flight. Next flight is 3:45pm.

 

Most people, and the cruise line itself, will tell you no, and that you should not book a flight before 12:00, but it will be up to you to determine if the risk is worth it based on your personal situation. There is no way to predict whether any particular ship on any particular date will get into port late, or if there will be a shortage of customs personnel that day, or whatever. Is it likely you will be off the ship by 8am if you self disembark? Yes. Can you be guaranteed of being off the ship at 8am? No. Likewise, assuming you are off by 8am, is it likely you can get to the airport, get checked in and get through security by 10:45? Probably. Can you be guaranteed of the same? No.

 

For me personally, I would book an 11:00 flight without thinking twice, BUT...1) I am both willing and able to self disembark, 2) I don't rely on cruise shuttles to get to the airport, 3) I have elite status with my airline that allows me to use a priority check in line, 4) I have elite airline status AND Pre Check clearance to get through TSA security faster. And 5) my elite airline status also gives me a rebooking advantage if I do happen to miss my flight. Those advantages make the risk of an 11:00 flight worth it to me. YMMV

[Lois R]

I can't give the "delay information" on Reflection but I can for Silhouette

which leaves from Ft. Lauderdale. I don't like self-disembarkation and so

I leave the ship as late as possible. I know from first hand experience

(sailed her in April) and disembarking? Long, long, lines.....I originally

had a noon flight booked and to be honest, we did not get off the ship

on time to have been to the airport within the 2 hour time pre-flight

thing......I had changed my flight to 3:45 after reading so many threads

back in Feb/March about the delays with disembarkation. Pier 24/25 in

Port Everglades? Definitely needs an upgrade.

 

I don't know how long the lines were for self-disembarkation but I am

on the other side of the coin from Waterbug......I would not book an

11am flight home but then again, I don't self disembark.

 

So, it depends on you and your comfort zone.

[Gonzo70]

Generally an 11:00am flight can be made, especially if you self-disembark (which allots you extra wiggle room). However there is some risk incurred and there is insufficient wiggle room for most travel insurance policies to pay out in the event you miss the flight and have subsequent additional expenditures. If the only choices are 11:00am and 3:45pm I would opt for the 11:00am, but would be just a tiny bit nervous. If you cannot self-disembark or if you are not a seasoned traveler that would be able to negotiate a missed flight I would advise settling for the later flight.

[beltane]

It's always a crap shoot. Out of 8 cruises, we have arrived back late twice! Once we were on the Legend when it lost one engine near Cozumel and we limped back into Tampa by 2:00 pm! The other time we were on our homeward leg of the cruise and a passenger took ill. They had to turn the ship around BACK to Puerto Rico, helicopter the patient off the ship, then head back to Fort Lauderdale. Both things so out-landish who would ever predict? But it can happen.

[wallie5446]

We are usually off the ship by 8am and head to the airport to catch our 11am flight. I have read a few review on the Reflection and a lot of people was delayed due to custom. I wondering is it safe to continue to book the 11am flight. Next flight is 3:45pm.

 

Is your flight out of Miami or FLL?

[celebrityprincess]

After a cruise in April, I had a 10:40 am flight home from Ft. Lauderdale. I was so concerned about catching that flight because of everything I'd read about disembarkation in Ft. Lauderdale, but we made it with no problem. We were in one of the first groups called and were at the airport by 9 am. I know not everyone is that lucky, but I would book an early flight and take my chances. I'd rather have an early flight and if I miss it, rebook a later one.

[Lois R]

After a cruise in April, I had a 10:40 am flight home from Ft. Lauderdale. I was so concerned about catching that flight because of everything I'd read about disembarkation in Ft. Lauderdale, but we made it with no problem. We were in one of the first groups called and were at the airport by 9 am. I know not everyone is that lucky, but I would book an early flight and take my chances. I'd rather have an early flight and if I miss it, rebook a later one.

 

I would too if money were no object. But if you miss that fight? You are

paying full price for another flight (usually). But since those greenbacks

are important (to me anyway;)).....I usually book the later flight and

stay on the ship as late as possible.

[wallie5446]

Lois we are with you! And this year we are staying in Miami the night we get back so we can do our dangest to be the last ones forced to leave the Reflection!

[CRUISING71]

We are on the Reflection, so it is out of MIA. There is a perfect flight of 1:45pm, but it will cost us $ 80 more per person and we have 4 of us.

[Gonzo70]

I know not everyone is that lucky, but I would book an early flight and take my chances. I'd rather have an early flight and if I miss it, rebook a later one.

 

You are aware it is not as simple as jumping on the next flight? If you miss your flight the airlines can and might cancel your ticket and force you to purchase brand new tickets (at current last minutes prices - often exorbitantly higher than what people generally pay when purchasing well in advance). At a minimum the airline is likely to charge change fees (typically $150 per/person) AND the difference between the cost of the current last minute price and what you paid for your tickets. You are at their mercy; sure they sometimes give someone a break (especially if they are frequent flyers and have a lot of status with the airline), but that is the exception more than the norm. The other exception would be if you purchased pricey tickets that are not subject to any change fees and contact the airline before your flight goes to make the change or fly an airline such as Southwest that does not charge a fee for changes (you still would have to pay any difference in fare and hope that later flights have space).

 

Also keep in mind that most all travel insurance policies require significant wiggle room be built in before they provide relief, so miss an early flight and you are on your own for any additional expenditures. Furthermore these days more than ever flights tend to fly full to mostly full, so getting on another flight may be difficult - you could be stranded a day or two.

 

Early flights are enticing; they are often less expensive, you arrive home sooner and minimal waiting around but there is risk. One has to be fully informed of the risks and then make a decision based on what they are willing to tolerate.

[4774Papa]

We are usually off the ship by 8am and head to the airport to catch our 11am flight. I have read a few review on the Reflection and a lot of people was delayed due to custom. I wondering is it safe to continue to book the 11am flight. Next flight is 3:45pm.

It took us an hour and a half to go though FLL customs. It was the worst I have been through coming back to the US.

[wallie5446]

We are on the Reflection, so it is out of MIA. There is a perfect flight of 1:45pm, but it will cost us $ 80 more per person and we have 4 of us.

 

We are on Reflection in Nov, but our flights are to/from Ft Lauderdale because Southwest does not go to Miami from Dallas, which is why I asked which airport you would use. What is your home airport? S/W has a big sale thru the 19th.

 

11:00 should work from Miami if there are no hicups along the way.:)

[Ontario Cruiser]

We have a 10:30am flight with United and they told me if we miss it they will put us on the next one (FLL Nov 16th) We will do self disembarkation and will try and be one of the first ones in line. It worked in January so here's hoping. Ontario Cruiser :eek:

[wallie5446]

We have a 10:30am flight with United and they told me if we miss it they will put us on the next one (FLL Nov 16th) We will do self disembarkation and will try and be one of the first ones in line. It worked in January so here's hoping. Ontario Cruiser :eek:

 

Does the Eclipse dock in FLL or Miami?

 

FLL, no problem, heck you will have time for a drink in the airport. Docking in Miami and grab a cab to FLL, could get a tad tight.

[Gonzo70]

We have a 10:30am flight with United and they told me if we miss it they will put us on the next one (FLL Nov 16th) We will do self disembarkation and will try and be one of the first ones in line. It worked in January so here's hoping. Ontario Cruiser :eek:

 

Hope you have that in writing! How did the person know there would be space on the next flight? And did they specify it would be at no charge? :confused:

 

If there are no delays these early flights certainly can be made, but it is when things go awry that early flights are in jeopardy.

[waterbug123]

a 10:40 am flight home....were at the airport by 9 am. I know not everyone is that lucky,

 

You were lucky on even more counts. It's not just about getting to the airport by 9:00; you were also lucky that check in lines were short enough, and security lines were short enough, to get you to the gate in time. I've seen check in terminals that were a nightmare post-cruise more times than I care to count.

 

I would too if money were no object. But if you miss that fight? You are

paying full price for another flight (usually).

 

Actually, you are more likely to pay a change fee and the difference in fare between what you paid and the price of a same day, walk up ticket, and that is probably less than than the total cost of a same day, walk up ticket (unless your original ticket was less than $150.) Still likely to be a lot though.

 

Another thing that can cut the cost: Some airlines (I know for sure Delta offers it) offer something called "same day confirmed." If you change your flight the same day, it may cost as little as $50 to get confirmed onto another flight, so if you see you are not going to make your flight you could try that option. A couple of warnings though: There is no guarantee that seats will be available on a later flight, especially if lots of other pax are in the same boat as you. And there may be limits on the time of day, in relation to the time of your original flight and/or the time of the flight you want to change to, as to when you can exercise this option. But you're late getting to the airport and see that there is NO WAY you are going to make the flight, you have nothing to lose by proactively trying to do this. It likely won't work though, if you wait until AFTER you've missed the flight.

[waterbug123]

We have a 10:30am flight with United and they told me if we miss it they will put us on the next one (FLL Nov 16th)

 

Really? I suspect what they told you was not "We will put you on the next flight," but rather, "We will attempt to put you on the next flight on which we have available seats." Such a flight could be later that day or possibly the next. It could also be later that day, but too late to make any further connections, thus stranding you in another city. And as Gonzo said, did they promise you there would no associated change fees? Unless you have it in writing, don't expect to get very far with "But the person I talked to on the phone said....."

 

We are on the Reflection, so it is out of MIA. There is a perfect flight of 1:45pm, but it will cost us $ 80 more per person and we have 4 of us.

 

How expensive will that $320 seem if you end up paying a change fee of $150 x 4 people? or more? or hotel and meals for another night for 4 people? Not saying it would come to that, but it is something to consider when evaluating the price of one flight vs. another.

[cruisestitch]

To the OP -- you have left out one important detail -- will you be flying within the US or is this an international flight?

[Bosjoe]

If you are able to carry your own luggage and your flying out of Miami, you should have no problem making the 11am flight I made an earlier flight out of FLL coming off of Reflection last December. Just get off as soon as you can, grab a cab and you will be on your way. Hopefully there is no major changes in Miami this upcoming year. I will do the same again this year, I knock on wood as I have not run into any problems with my cruises and early flights.

[wallie5446]

Joe see ya in 150 days!:D

[Bosjoe]

5 Months to my B-day cruise hmmm Drunk123. :)

[Lsimon]

We are on the Reflection, so it is out of MIA. There is a perfect flight of 1:45pm, but it will cost us $ 80 more per person and we have 4 of us.

 

What is the cost of your backup plan? You do have a backup plan don't you?