Saturday disembarkation at Port Everglades- Better than last season????

[SunAura]

After reading about many long delay and missed flights, because of customs delays, last season, due to 'sequester' (did I get that right? Please don't flame me if not :() - Has this issue been resolved this cruising season?

 

Not too many people have posted - Does this mean all is good? We're sailing out on the Eclipse on a very busy port day(Saturday) along with four others. We arrive back 2 weeks later, again, with four others - both include the port pig, "Oasis" :D. They will be in the better berth.

 

We'd originally booked our flight at noon - the recommended minimum. Now, the airline has moved it to 11:20. Last year, we self-disembarked and were at FLL by 8am, but that was on a Friday with NO port load.

 

Any comments of your experiences from those of you recently arrived back most appreciated!!!

[marti2282]

We got off the Silhouette on Dec 22 with 8 ships in port. We were driving so didn't need an early debark. Had luggage tags 16 and were called at 8:50. Got our bags, through customs and on the Park n Fly shuttle within 30 minutes.

 

I didn't hear how the earlier folks fared, but it was a breeze for us.

[iSailor]

After reading about many long delay and missed flights, because of customs delays, last season, due to 'sequester' (did I get that right? Please don't flame me if not :() - Has this issue been resolved this cruising season?

 

Not too many people have posted - Does this mean all is good? We're sailing out on the Eclipse on a very busy port day(Saturday) along with four others. We arrive back 2 weeks later, again, with four others - both include the port pig, "Oasis" :D. They will be in the better berth.

 

We'd originally booked our flight at noon - the recommended minimum. Now, the airline has moved it to 11:20. Last year, we self-disembarked and were at FLL by 8am, but that was on a Friday with NO port load.

 

Any comments of your experiences from those of you recently arrived back most appreciated!!!

Next time I will do express walk off.

The wait for custom is unbelievable :mad::mad::mad:

[porrah]

We disembarked on Friday Dec 20th at pier 18. (Equinox). Our flight was at 12.55 but I said on the form it was at 11.55. We were given a disembark time of 8.15. Got off the ship at 8.25, picked up luggage, lined up for about 40 minutes, no line up for taxis, arrived at the airport just before 9.30. I could have booked an earlier flight but didn't dare risk it. If you are not self disembarking, tell them your flight is earlier than it is and try to get in the first group off.

[Eva 51]

How would one find out how many ships will be in port fll on a certain day. Specifically on Friday January 31 :confused:

[Lsimon]

How would one find out how many ships will be in port fll on a certain day. Specifically on Friday January 31 :confused:

 

There are several web sites that have schedules of ships in port which ships are in port but Cruise Critic blocks their addresses from being posted here because they are considered competing web sites due to travel advertisements on them. You can find these with a little work on Google searching for ships in port. Also, while most of these sites are informative none of them are 100% accurate. Port Everglades also maintains a website where they have schedules of ships at their port.

 

Fridays and other weekday schedules are not nearly as busy as Saturdays and Sundays at Port Everglades or Miami. Also, the Equinox, which runs the 10/11 day schedule, uses the large terminal at Port Everglades which is very modern and designed for the giant Oasis class ships so there is plenty of capacity there for the Equinox embarkations and disembarkations.

Edited December 29, 2013 by Lsimon

[marieps]

There are several web sites that have schedules of ships in port which ships are in port but Cruise Critic blocks their addresses from being posted here because they are considered competing web sites due to travel advertisements on them. You can find these with a little work on Google searching for ships in port. Also, while most of these sites are informative none of them are 100% accurate. Port Everglades also maintains a website where they have schedules of ships at their port.

 

Fridays and other weekday schedules are not nearly as busy as Saturdays and Sundays at Port Everglades or Miami. Also, the Equinox, which runs the 10/11 day schedule, uses the large terminal at Port Everglades which is very modern and designed for the giant Oasis class ships so there is plenty of capacity there for the Equinox embarkations and disembarkations.

 

Only Equinox and Island Princess are in PE on 1/31.

[snh01]

After reading about many long delay and missed flights, because of customs delays, last season, due to 'sequester' (did I get that right? Please don't flame me if not :() - Has this issue been resolved this cruising season?

 

Not too many people have posted - Does this mean all is good? We're sailing out on the Eclipse on a very busy port day(Saturday) along with four others. We arrive back 2 weeks later, again, with four others - both include the port pig, "Oasis" :D. They will be in the better berth.

 

We'd originally booked our flight at noon - the recommended minimum. Now, the airline has moved it to 11:20. Last year, we self-disembarked and were at FLL by 8am, but that was on a Friday with NO port load.

 

Any comments of your experiences from those of you recently arrived back most appreciated!!!

 

Disembarked Eclipse on Sat 28th. Used express (self luggage) disembarkation at approx. 730am. Took about 30 mins to get through customs as only one officer on duty until about 800am (then increased to 3) so lines were backing up behind us. But once through lots of cabs etc to get to airport.

[Jen1000]

I got off the Equinox as well. I was on a ship excursion and we headed out about 8:15 and I was on the bus about 1 hour later (line to get off ship, find luggage, customs). I think there were 4 customs officers. The line was getting longer and longer as time went on. I did see some people getting upset because the line was long and they had flights. I have never sailed from PE but this is the longest it has taken me to get off a ship (2 x San Diego, Tampa and Vancouver).

 

We disembarked on Friday Dec 20th at pier 18. (Equinox). Our flight was at 12.55 but I said on the form it was at 11.55. We were given a disembark time of 8.15. Got off the ship at 8.25, picked up luggage, lined up for about 40 minutes, no line up for taxis, arrived at the airport just before 9.30. I could have booked an earlier flight but didn't dare risk it. If you are not self disembarking, tell them your flight is earlier than it is and try to get in the first group off.

[CHEZMARYLOU]

Only Equinox and Island Princess are in PE on 1/31.

 

Equinox sails Dec 30 so I hope it isn't in port on the 30 th. If it is I'll be very upset.

 

Mary lou

[upwarduk]

How would one find out how many ships will be in port fll on a certain day. Specifically on Friday January 31 :confused:

 

Try this link.

https://pevweb01.broward.org/Public/PublicMovements.aspx

[Dawniepoo]

We parked at the port this month while on the Constellation. I hated the whole thing, really. The traffic was heavy, and it was confusing where we had to drop off our luggage. I was really high strung that day :o

[rakes5]

Here is a quote from our Nov 30 Eclipse trip. I'm sure the delay getting in isn't usual, but you never know. If you do walk off you should beat the madhouse at the airport. Just a different experience from all of our other cruises

 

I thought getting off the ship today sure took a long time, until I arrived at the FLL Airport.

 

I think we weren't docked until 7:00 am, and the first departures weren't until 8:00. We had tag #23 and they called us just after 9:45. We had our bags and were waiting in a long line for a taxi by 10:15. At the airport by 10:40.

 

At FLL, we were flying Southwest and they weren't letting people check in until 2 hours before their flight. We has a scheduled 1:20 flight, and right when we got there, they announced that they were accepting 3 hours before, so we checked our bags and went to get in the security line. It was the longest we have ever seen. Across the bridge, and completely around the rental car area. Took us 1 hour 15 minutes to get through security

[Hlitner]

Here is a quote from our Nov 30 Eclipse trip. I'm sure the delay getting in isn't usual, but you never know. If you do walk off you should beat the madhouse at the airport. Just a different experience from all of our other cruises

 

We were also on that cruise and the debarkation on Dec 14th was the worst we have ever seen in PE (and we have been through that port dozens of times). The problem was not Celebrity, but a combination of issues including a slow Passport Control operation, too few Customs agents (who just slow down things and seldom search a bag) and the worst taxi queue we have every seen at any port. And then FLL was a total zoo with the TSA security line taking more then 1 1/2 hours (we never found out how long because they pulled us out of the long queue since we had to catch a flight).

 

Hank

[lindy sails]

I was on the Eclipse 12/14-28 and got through customers in about 30 minutes. Luckily I did not need a cab. The line was tremendous. Plan for another means of transportation. There were 7 ships in port least Saturday. To me that was the hold up not customs.

[Happy2cruise]

If you are not self disembarking, tell them your flight is earlier than it is and try to get in the first group off.

IMO this seems unfair to passengers who do have an earlier flight:(. If everyone took this advise it would be a worse nightmare than it already is.

[hulamoon]

Our Friday equinox disembarkation was horrid. Left room at 8:45. Left ship at 10:30 although scheduled for 9:00. Cleared customs at 11:45. Worst ever.