Our flight got changed. Will we make the new flight?

[Pam in CA]

This morning I was off the Royal at 7ish and in the airport at 8. Definitely doable- as long as the ship gets in on time.

Apples and oranges. You're comparing mid-December with February in Ft. Lauderdale. Very, very different times of the year as mid-December is off-season between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and February is the height of cruise and vacation season as well as Spring break. This is a huge vacation time in Florida.

 

If you miss your flight in February, chances are you'll have a hard time finding a seat (or two) on another flight as flights are almost always sold out. The airport will be a zoo with very long lines at check-in and through Security.

 

While an early flight is makable at times, it won't be in February. I'll go out on a limb and guarantee it. Could be wrong but why end your cruise stressing over making a flight?

Edited December 16, 2013 by Pam in CA

[jagoffee]

Thanks for everyone's suggestions. I was able to change our departure flight from Fort Lauderdale to 2:29. I think much more doable!:D

 

Good call.

 

Enjoy your cruise. Of course it will not be the F.P. but it will be a longer cruise for probably less money. Hope you are doing well. We included picture of Kathy and I in the water in Bora Bora with the mountain in the background in our Christmas card and we have received a lot of comments about how great it must have been. Everyone is always surprised when we tell them that we were standing on our knees.

[candide333]

God you changed your flight. We made the mistake of thinking we could take a taxi to Ft. Lauderdale and our flight did not leave until 1pm. Unfortunately, initial disembarkation was delayed over an hour, there were no taxis picking up passengers, only ones discharging. We finally paid for an expensive shuttle after standing in the hot sun for over 2 hours. We missed our flight. The Princess shuttle would be the best bet.

[jennmaybe]

We did express walk-off this past Saturday at Port Everglades & it was a complete nightmare! There were only 2 TSA lines open, so we had the normal delay. Then, when we finally made it through Customs, 1 1/2 hours after we arrived to the dining room to disembark, we had to wait another 30 minutes outside for a taxi. There were NO taxis at our terminal when we arrived outside. :mad:

 

No way do we ever book a flight before noon when cruising out of Port Everglades.

[helpmesailaway]

We did express walk-off this past Saturday at Port Everglades & it was a complete nightmare! There were only 2 TSA lines open, so we had the normal delay. Then, when we finally made it through Customs, 1 1/2 hours after we arrived to the dining room to disembark, we had to wait another 30 minutes outside for a taxi. There were NO taxis at our terminal when we arrived outside. :mad:

 

No way do we ever book a flight before noon when cruising out of Port Everglades.

 

Hi Jenn

 

What time did you get off the ship with no cabs waiting and what time did you arrive at the airport? I'm getting nervous because we are planning self disembarkation, grabbing a cab for an 11"20 flight.

 

Thank you

[jennmaybe]

Hi Jenn

 

What time did you get off the ship with no cabs waiting and what time did you arrive at the airport? I'm getting nervous because we are planning self disembarkation, grabbing a cab for an 11"20 flight.

 

Thank you

 

We had to be in the MDR by 7:30am, but we arrived at 7:00am and there were already at least 100 people already in there in line. They started letting people off a little before 7:30am, but stopped it within the first 5 minutes. They didn't start letting us off again until 8:00am. Once we got off the ship and into the terminal, it took us another 30 minutes to get through Customs.

 

So, it was about 8:35am-8:45am when we arrived outside in the taxi line. There were about 75 people in front of us waiting for a taxi and by the time taxis began arriving, there must have been 300 people in line.

 

There was a lady Sheriff there organizing the taxis for us (she was super friendly), but she did advise that since we were at the last terminal and there were 5 other ships in that morning, the taxis tend to forget about the Princess terminal. We waited a good 30 minutes before taxis began to appear. Once they did, it moved very quickly.

 

If you get off around 7:30am (try to be at your debarkation location around 7am), you should be ok with an 11:20am flight.

 

Since the airport is not far from the port, once you get into a taxi, you're pretty good to go. Just the stress before getting into the taxi is what's so stressful. :)

 

Have a wonderful cruise!!!

[pablo222]

Hi Jenn

 

What time did you get off the ship with no cabs waiting and what time did you arrive at the airport? I'm getting nervous because we are planning self disembarkation, grabbing a cab for an 11"20 flight.

 

Thank you

 

There are many, many posts here claiming that getting a cab is easy. As you can see from some of the posts, this isn't always true. It's unfortunate that people make such posts, and give the gentle readers a false sense of security. In my experience... If you are are at berth 2, and walk off, you should be able to get a cab with no problem. If you are at berth 21, it depends on how many other ships are at the nearby berths, as all the berths in that area compete for cabs simultaneously. If you are at berth 2, ask a porter or guard for a cab, as most queue outside the terminal area, and then are allowed into a section of the parking garage where they accept passengers. It is also possible to grab a cab under the portico as they drop people off.

[dstables]

Good call.

 

Enjoy your cruise. Of course it will not be the F.P. but it will be a longer cruise for probably less money. Hope you are doing well. We included picture of Kathy and I in the water in Bora Bora with the mountain in the background in our Christmas card and we have received a lot of comments about how great it must have been. Everyone is always surprised when we tell them that we were standing on our knees.

 

Thanks I'm sure we will enjoy our cruise. I know snorkelling will never be the same in the Carribbean now. We are thinking of going again in 2015 but this time finishing in Australia. Hope you and Kathy have a very Merry Christmas.

Melanie.

[philv]

Just got notification from the airline that they have changed our flight to depart at 10:53 now. Should we get the airline to change our reservations to a later flight or do you think 10:53 is doing. We have too much luggage to do express walk off.

 

I think you can make it. Princess has disembarkation down. I'd go to purser desk when you get on and ask for first disembarkation group. You will be off in plenty of time. Grab a taxi and I expect you will be at airport at least an hour before flight.

Edited December 17, 2013 by philv

[helpmesailaway]

Thank you both for information. I was planning to get the last group of self disembarcation but now I'll try for the first group - I think it leaves around 6am:eek:

 

This will allow extra time to get a taxi - and I'd rather be at the airport VERY EARLY than wringing my hands at the terminal!!!

 

The Royal arrives in FLL on a Sun and I think there will be 5 ships.

 

Thanks again.