debarkation in POM and flight times, first time cruiser questions

[pinkmagnolia]

We are on our first-ever cruise in April 2015 and am struggling with flight times that are convenient. Our ship (Carnival Breeze) is scheduled to debark at 8:00 am on a Saturday.

 

We don't have our flights yet, and have not decided which airport to fly to/from (although it will probably be FLL)

 

I am wondering the following:

 

1. What does debarkation look like? If it's at 8:00 am, what time would we realistically be off the ship?

 

2. What flight times should I be looking at for both FLL and MIA. What times would be convenient, yet conservative. There is a flight I'm looking at that departs at 11:25 from FLL - is this risky?

 

3. What is the smartest way to get back to the airport (FLL and MIA) from POM.

 

We still have a pretty long drive ahead of us once we land, so I'd like to make this a smart, efficient travel day ;)

[LHT28]

I would not book any flight before noon for MIA ..maybe later for FLL if docking in Miami

YMMV

 

There is a shuttle service from POM to FLL you can pre book

 

Taxi is the best pom to MIA

 

Just because the ship docks at 8am you may not be cleared until later

 

One cruise we did not clear until 9:00 am then the taxi line took 1 hr we just made it before cut off for our 12:30 flight

next trip we were at the airport @ 9:30

 

you just never know

[pinkmagnolia]

Thanks - this helps a lot.

 

It's tough for me as I want to be conservative (I'm a worrier by nature...) but I don't want to spend too much time waiting around for our flight either.

 

A quick Google search says that the taxi fare is about $25 from POM to MIA, and it takes about 20 minutes. Is this still accurate? There would be 4 of us (2 adults, 2 children) in the cab.

Edited August 4, 2014 by pinkmagnolia

[kdawg954]

We are on our first-ever cruise in April 2015 and am struggling with flight times that are convenient. Our ship (Carnival Breeze) is scheduled to debark at 8:00 am on a Saturday.

 

We don't have our flights yet, and have not decided which airport to fly to/from (although it will probably be FLL)

 

I am wondering the following:

 

1. What does debarkation look like? If it's at 8:00 am, what time would we realistically be off the ship?

 

2. What flight times should I be looking at for both FLL and MIA. What times would be convenient, yet conservative. There is a flight I'm looking at that departs at 11:25 from FLL - is this risky?

 

3. What is the smartest way to get back to the airport (FLL and MIA) from POM.

 

We still have a pretty long drive ahead of us once we land, so I'd like to make this a smart, efficient travel day ;)

 

Port of Miami is pretty fast, I think you'd be off the ship between 09:00 a.m. and 09:30 a.m. if you take your time. If you want to be one of the first people off, you can probably get off at 08:30 a.m. Of course this assumes no customs issues or anything like that. You MUST do Self disembarkation to ensure yourself getting off with the first groups. If you leave your bags out the last night you can forget about it.

 

The 11:25 flight from FLL is definitely risky. You'd want to be at the airport no later than 10:00 a.m. (10:15 a.m is pushing it, but it's doable) In a perfect world, it's easily accomplished as the cab ride from POM to FLL is only 40 minutes . . . but with traffic, weather, customs delays, etc . . . who knows. It's a risk many people have tried and been successful with . . . even earlier times at that. But no question there is a gamble involved.

 

Cab is the "smartest way" considering there will be 4 people. You won't save much on a shuttle and a cab is the most direct way to either airport.

 

The cab ride to MIA is a flat rate of $25 plus tip . . . the FLL trip will run closer to $80.

[LHT28]

depends on how much stress you want after the cruise ;)

You can hang around the airport or you can stress at the dock trying to make an early flight

 

I believe the shuttle to FLL from POM is about $15-18 PP

Friends of ours use it as the flights for them are better out of FLL

 

It is a personal choice

[kelkel2]

We just did this on our last cruise out of POM and we did self disembark, which is what we always do since we can manage our own luggage. But be aware if you do this, you don't put your luggage out at night and you must be able to handle all of your luggage yourself. We were off of the ship by 8:30 at the latest and were at FLL by 9:15 easy. We had a flight booked at 11:30 and we just had to sit there and wait. FLL is very picky about what time they let you check your bags and they stick to it. IF all goes well it can be done. But like I said if all goes well. I tend to choose FLL because it's far cheaper than MIA for me, because I fly to Chicago and use Southwest. But you'll just have to play with it.

If you use MIA I wouldn't stress as much about the time. if everything goes to plan you can easily make an 11am flight. Easily...But again that's if everything goes right!

[Cruisin Kay D]

You must remember that Ft. Lauderdale airport will have TONS of people disembarking from cruise ships in Port Everglades (in Ft. L) as well as those coming up from Miami.....being your 1st cruise with 2 children, I would NOT fly out of Ft. Lauderdale airport before 1 pm....

[kdawg954]

depends on how much stress you want after the cruise ;)

You can hang around the airport or you can stress at the dock trying to make an early flight

 

I believe the shuttle to FLL from POM is about $15-18 PP

Friends of ours use it as the flights for them are better out of FLL

 

It is a personal choice

 

Cab is definitely a better option in their situation with them having 4 people. You end up almost even with cost and the cab is the quickest, most direct way of transportation to get around.

[pinkmagnolia]

OP here - thanks so much for all your super helpful replies!

 

I think we're going to go with MIA. There is a flight at 2:00 that will work (and is a bit less expensive). I'd much rather wait an extra hour at MIA than be stressed about making it on time.

 

I have two more questions.

 

1. If we take the later (2:00) flight out of MIA, we aren't really in a big rush anymore. What time do we need to be off the ship? Do they serve breakfast on debarkation day?

 

2. I'm looking at our flights to MIA now. Not forgetting I'm a worrier :D DH is trying to talk me into arriving at MIA in the morning (at 10:00 am) instead of the night before. What do most people do? I'd rather save a few dollars and not fly in the night before - do you think a 6-hour cushion is enough in case something (delays, etc..) happen? Our ship leaves at 4:00 pm. - the flight leaves YYZ at 6:30 am and arrives at 10:00 am. This is April, so no real weather worries either.

 

Thanks so much again - I really appreciate all of your input

[kdawg954]

OP here - thanks so much for all your super helpful replies!

 

I think we're going to go with MIA. There is a flight at 2:00 that will work (and is a bit less expensive). I'd much rather wait an extra hour at MIA than be stressed about making it on time.

 

I have two more questions.

 

1. If we take the later (2:00) flight out of MIA, we aren't really in a big rush anymore. What time do we need to be off the ship? Do they serve breakfast on debarkation day?

 

2. I'm looking at our flights to MIA now. Not forgetting I'm a worrier :D DH is trying to talk me into arriving at MIA in the morning (at 10:00 am) instead of the night before. What do most people do? I'd rather save a few dollars and not fly in the night before - do you think a 6-hour cushion is enough in case something (delays, etc..) happen? Our ship leaves at 4:00 pm. - the flight leaves YYZ at 6:30 am and arrives at 10:00 am. This is April, so no real weather worries either.

 

Thanks so much again - I really appreciate all of your input

 

1. Safe flight time . . . try to be the last person off the ship if you can. They definitely serve breakfast the morning of debarkation. Make sure you do the Luggage Tags for Disembarkation and leave your bags outside the room on the last night (instructions will be there). Most cruise ships like if people are out of their room by 8:30 a.m. but once you eat breakfast and wait in the public areas it can be after 10 a.m. before "last call"

 

2. Again, in theory, you should be fine, you just leave no room for error in case something happens on the way to your home airport or any delays at MIA. This is South Florida, crappy weather can happen at anytime and traffic accidents that backup traffic for hours can happen at any time. It's all about your cost though . . . if you can swing a pre night cruise stay, that would be the best option over flying in the day of . . . just like booking a "later flight" in Miami is a better option than an 11:30 a.m. flight out of FLL. It all can be done but there is some risk involved either way.

[LHT28]

2. I'm looking at our flights to MIA now. Not forgetting I'm a worrier :D DH is trying to talk me into arriving at MIA in the morning (at 10:00 am) instead of the night before. What do most people do? I'd rather save a few dollars and not fly in the night before - do you think a 6-hour cushion is enough in case something (delays, etc..) happen? Our ship leaves at 4:00 pm. - the flight leaves YYZ at 6:30 am and arrives at 10:00 am. This is April, so no real weather worries either.

 

Thanks so much again - I really appreciate all of your input

 

I would still go the night before ..

There is usually a 12:30 flight to YYZ out of MIA non stop on AC

we usually book this one

 

Enjoy

[Keith1010]

Try to go with Noon or later.

 

And just take a taxi assuming you fly out of Miami.

 

Do not arrive to Miami the day of the cruise. I flew almost weekly when I worked and I can spend hours talking about all of the cancelled and delayed flights and the wide range of items that caused the delays. Do yourself a favor and arrive the day before.

 

Keith

[Marie51]

Yes, breakfast is served on debarkation morning. Of course they try to get you off the ship as soon as possible so they can get ready for the next group. Customs can be fast or slow. Depends on how many passengers are getting off ships the same time as you. You can be through customs in a few minutes or it could take an hour.

If your ship leaves at 4pm you have to be onboard 90 minutes in advance of that time so this would be 2:30. So you don't really have a 6 hour cushion. The passenger manifest has to be turned in by then. If all goes well you can make it but I have had so many flight delays/cancellations as well as lost luggage that I always go at least one day early and sometimes two days early. It is the only way I have peace if mind. This is entirely up to you if you want to chance it and fly the day of the cruise.

If you are a worrier why take a chance on ruining your trip.

Edited August 5, 2014 by Marie51

[Giantfan13]

Since you are a new cruiser and you came here for advice from experienced cruisers, take it. As you say, you are a worrier, so why bring it on yourself just to save a few hours or a few dollars. Do you want to spend your entire cruise worrying about making an earlier flight than you really need to do. The idea of a vacation is to relax and enjoy, so why not make it easy on yourself. Book the later flight, relax, enjoy breakfast and make them kick you off the ship.

 

I can only speak for myself, but, I'm sure, most of the other cruisers will agree that you should always TRY and fly in the day before. You just never know what can happen at an airport. Years ago, you miss a flight and you can catch the next one. Not as much today, you may have to wait a day or so to get out, depending on why the flight was cancelled.

I live outside NYC and I have seen too many times, JFK (or any of the other area airports) shut down for hours because some person left a bag unattended, a guy came back to kiss his girlfriend goodbye, an unexpected storm anyway along the way.

Again, why worry when you don't have to. Unless work prevents you from leaving a day early and even that shouldn't be tolerated, give yourself some time to relax and get ready to enjoy your first cruise. Cruising is remarkable, enjoy it.

 

Cheers

 

Len

Edited August 5, 2014 by Giantfan13