11am flight?

[carlp]

getting off the Epic in Miami -if we "walk-off" can we make an 11am flight from MIA airport?

[swedish weave]

getting off the Epic in Miami -if we "walk-off" can we make an 11am flight from MIA airport?

 

 

You are at the mercy of US Customs and Immigration. If they allow disembarkation at a reasonable time, you can make it. If not, you need to decide if the risk is worth trying to make an early flight.

[Fivehole]

I would check with your air carrier and see if they will allow standby later in the day for no/little charge in the event you don't make the 11 am. Otherwise, you could be out some $$ on a nonrefundable flight. Customs can delay the ship, or weather can delay it's arrival, or any other number of factors. Unless it's an all-out weather fiasco in the region the airlines will not be very sympathetic if you miss the flight and you may run into rebooking fees plus the difference in fare from your original flight! You may end up needing a vacation from your vacation if the trip home gets stressful.

[time2cruise1]

Last winter I did walk off and was in my car by 7:20am. Anything can happen but on a normal week 11:00 is very posible. Just be prepared to pay the price if you are delayed.

[garycarla]

Question comes up at least once a week.

 

The vast majority of folks indicate that self disembark and a cab will have you there in time.

 

A smaller group will share that it is tight.

 

And, even smaller group will share the time that customs held everyone up and it would not happen.

 

And important issue to consider is what are your options if you miss that flight? Most flights leave full these days.

[SMerritt]

getting off the Epic in Miami -if we "walk-off" can we make an 11am flight from MIA airport?

 

We were off the ship and at FLL Airport for our flight at 9:50 a few weeks ago

 

Take a cab to MIA - not a van etc. and you should be ok....

 

As above, customs could be slow or late but rarely

 

We also were in the Haven so, had priority disembarkation (express elevators and escorted to front of lines), you probably should be ready and "downstairs" and ready when the ship is cleared - the elevators full of cruisers can get ugly :D

 

MIA can also be miserably slow.....but we have made many 11:00 am flights from MIA on disembarkation day

 

If a little later "doable" flight was available to us (and you), I would definitely book it - 12+ cruises and I still stress-out

Edited February 20, 2014 by SMerritt

[Va. Plumber]

Just be sure they are not runng the Miami Marathon that day. We got off Epic on Feb.2. Traffic was totally snarled. Took our shuttle from Lauderdale 2.5 hours to pick us up. Fortunately, we were flying on Monday.

[HokiePoq]

Normal cruises, doable.

Problem cruises not so much. The cruise before our Jan. 19th on the Star had high levels of noro. The CDC had people speaking to a doctor before they were allowed to leave. The last ones did not get off until around noon. We had arrived early and watched the process through the glass and this is what we were told by an employee. Our embarkation was delayed a couple of hours while the ship was sanitized. (Code red on our cruise but illness was held to a minimum.)

[Paddy41]

getting off the Epic in Miami -if we "walk-off" can we make an 11am flight from MIA airport?

 

 

Your post doesn't say where you live. If you live outside the U.S. then you would need to be at the airport around 9 a.m. and I would definitely NOT book at flight that early.

[johnsak123]

Why ruin a great cruise by having the stress of trying to make a flight

Anything can happen with the ship or customs

[newmexicoNita]

We usually shoot for a noon or later flight, but I think 11am is fine. Our next cruise I think our flight is just before noon.

[dalgirl]

Got off the Epic in December flying back to Atlanta - walked off at 7am-ish and made a 10:50 flight no problem.

[Vyhanek]

Yes, you will have no problem.

 

Do self disembarkation. Get a taxi to get you to the airport.

 

I always get these morning flights. It's very rare for customs to have issues or the cruise line. NCL's goal is to get passengers off ASAP so they can turn the ship around for the next sailing. They want you off the ship asap.

 

I'm always at the airport by 9am. You will be fine.

[DISNEY1975]

NCL's goal is to get passengers off ASAP so they can turn the ship around for the next sailing. They want you off the ship asap.

 

 

On my last cruise, everyone had to be out of the cabins by 8am. Then they called in order to get off the ship. Although we were technically off the ship, my hubby was pulled aside from customs and brought to some room (customs office??). We waited 30+ minutes in line with other passengers. The customs officer asked for his passport and customs paperwork. He looked it over, checked something in the computer, signed the customs form and let us go! He wouldn't even tell us what that was all about. Bottom line is it was an hour process. But we were off the ship, so NCL didn't care! Luckily our flights werent until 2pm.

 

This trip out of MIA I had a choice (non stop) of 10:45am and 7:30pm. I didn't want to risk the 10:45 or wait for the 7:30pm, so I decided to book a hotel for the night, relax and take the 10:45 the next morning.:)