Later Flight out of FLL - What do you do with your Luggage?

[LuCruise]

Flights for our trip should open up in the next couple of months. I'm wondering if we were to book a flight out of FLL for later in the day, what do you do with your luggage? I see that there are Fort Lauderdale shore excursions offered so I assume this is an option...or we could just head to a mall or something for a few hours. But again, what do you do with your luggage? Obviously the ship itself wouldn't hold your bags as they are getting ready for the next cruise.

Edited March 19, 2015 by LuCruise

[BArtisan]

Flights for our trip should open up in the next couple of months. I'm wondering if we were to book a flight out of FLL for later in the day, what do you do with your luggage? I see that there are Fort Lauderdale shore excursions offered so I assume this is an option...or we could just head to a mall or something for a few hours. But again, what do you do with your luggage? Obviously the ship itself wouldn't hold your bags as they are getting ready for the next cruise.

 

Use the ships luggage valet program.

[LuCruise]

Use the ships luggage valet program.

 

Never heard of that, but am looking at RCL's site now and I don't think we qualify as we have booked a Promenade room (and Gold Crown and Anchor status). It looks like it's only for suites? Or maybe I'm misunderstanding.

[MADflyer]

Luggage Valet from the cruise line has been mentioned.

 

As far as the day tour with return to FLL airport, I would just caution that I have seen these tours cancelled at the last minute on several occasions leaving those booked to find other options. If I choose this option I would have a back up plan.

 

Being that transportation options are limited a rental car can be a good alternative.

 

If you book Alamo or National you have a free shuttle to the airport location. If you book Budget, Avis, Sixt, Hertz, Dollar among others you need to book to the port everglades shuttle location. You can then book with return to the airport. If searching even close in this can be very affordable at times.

 

Airline rules on how early you can check in will vary. There is a baggage storage facility at the FLL airport as well.

[Big_G]

Never heard of that, but am looking at RCL's site now and I don't think we qualify as we have booked a Promenade room (and Gold Crown and Anchor status). It looks like it's only for suites? Or maybe I'm misunderstanding.

 

For suites and Pinnacles it's a perk but anyone can purchase it for $20 pp. We use it all the time. Flights out of FLL must leave after 11:30am and only Southwest has 6:00pm cut off time but we've learned that it's a flexible deadline. Unless something has changed, it's also restricted to domestic flights.

Edited March 19, 2015 by Big_G

[reallyitsmema]

Never heard of that, but am looking at RCL's site now and I don't think we qualify as we have booked a Promenade room (and Gold Crown and Anchor status). It looks like it's only for suites? Or maybe I'm misunderstanding.

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/contentWithHero.do?pagename=luggage_valet_service

[MADflyer]

Never heard of that, but am looking at RCL's site now and I don't think we qualify as we have booked a Promenade room (and Gold Crown and Anchor status). It looks like it's only for suites? Or maybe I'm misunderstanding.

 

I think it is $20 per person or something for other guests, but unsure.

[LuCruise]

Thanks for the replies and for clarifying that anyone flying out of /cruising out of the mentioned ports can use it. Cool...so the luggage valet looks like a great option if we fly out later in the day. Just have to be careful with our carry-ons since we'll be lugging those around. Or renting a car is an option too to hold our luggage and get us 'somewhere' to do something.

Thanks for the warning about the FLL excursions.

Edited March 19, 2015 by LuCruise

[jmf123]

Never heard of that, but am looking at RCL's site now and I don't think we qualify as we have booked a Promenade room (and Gold Crown and Anchor status). It looks like it's only for suites? Or maybe I'm misunderstanding.

 

LuCruise, it is available at Ft. Lauderdale for cruises four nights or longer. Here is additional info from RCI's website: http://www.royalcaribbean.com/search/processSearch.do?ip_server=prdiphrase-unstruct-new222.dmz.rccl.com%253A200&ip_text=luggage+valet+ft.+lauderdale. You may also want to consider booking a day room at a local hotel. (Ex: http://www.hotelftlauderdale.net/dayroom.html). Or check the Florida Departures board for threads on day rooms: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/search.php?searchid=68918955. :)

[BArtisan]

Never heard of that, but am looking at RCL's site now and I don't think we qualify as we have booked a Promenade room (and Gold Crown and Anchor status). It looks like it's only for suites? Or maybe I'm misunderstanding.

 

The luggage valet is complimentary for suite guest. The cost to others is $20.00 p/p. It is an awesome program, just sign up for it, and place your luggage outside your cabin with the appropriate tags and like normal on the last night of sailing and you do not see it again until your home airport.

[novalab]

Flights for our trip should open up in the next couple of months. I'm wondering if we were to book a flight out of FLL for later in the day, what do you do with your luggage? I see that there are Fort Lauderdale shore excursions offered so I assume this is an option...or we could just head to a mall or something for a few hours. But again, what do you do with your luggage? Obviously the ship itself wouldn't hold your bags as they are getting ready for the next cruise.

 

 

Last April, DD & I sailed on Allure. We too had a late flight. We booked a ships excursion, while on board, for the early morning on departure day. The tour was a FLL inter coastal & city tour. It was actually a very nice tour as it was part bus & part boat (large boat, 2 story with a snack stand). On departure morning we met at the tour desk on the Promenade (early before the self assist passengers were let off). From there we took our luggage through the terminal, through customs & were directed to our tour bus that was waiting for us outside of the terminal. Our luggage was stowed on the bus with us in the luggage compartment.

 

When the tour was finished, around 12:30, the bus took us to the airport (there were 2 buses on this tour, one for FLL airport & the other for Miami...it was important that you followed directions & got on the right bus). We were dropped off, along with our luggage, at the curb side check in counter of the airline that we were flying home on. They promised us that we would be dropped off at the airport no later than 1:30 pm (we were there at 1:00)

 

It worked out really well for us.

Edited March 19, 2015 by novalab

[Gilpet]

A friend cruised from Southampton to Fort Lauderdale last November and had her return flight arranged by RCI - 9pm from Miami! Much to her surprise there are lockers available at Miami airport. I know it's not exactly what you asked but it might be of some help.

 

Gill

[LuCruise]

Last April, DD & I sailed on Allure. We too had a late flight. We booked a ships excursion, while on board, for the early morning on departure day. The tour was a FLL inter coastal & city tour. It was actually a very nice tour as it was part bus & part boat (large boat, 2 story with a snack stand). On departure morning we met at the tour desk on the Promenade (early before the self assist passengers were let off). From there we took our luggage through the terminal, through customs & were directed to our tour bus that was waiting for us outside of the terminal. Our luggage was stowed on the bus with us in the luggage compartment.

 

When the tour was finished, around 12:30, the bus took us to the airport (there were 2 buses on this tour, one for FLL airport & the other for Miami...it was important that you followed directions & got on the right bus). We were dropped off, along with our luggage, at the curb side check in counter of the airline that we were flying home on. They promised us that we would be dropped off at the airport no later than 1:30 pm (we were there at 1:00)

 

It worked out really well for us.

 

Cool...sounds like a nice way to end your cruise if you have a flight mid to later afternoon. Kind of breaks the blow of the cruise ending. ;)

[kinesiologynerd]

We had a 5pm departure from Miami and rented a car at FLL. I bid for it on priceline and paid less than the cheapest shuttle (for 2) that I could find. Went to the beach and had a nice lunch on Virginia Key overlooking the bay. It was great.

[Jenhem31]

We always rent a car for the day.

[garycarla]

Another option for late flight:

 

Rent a car.

 

You now have a place to store luggage.

You now have transportation to go wherever.

You now have transportation to the airport.

You now are in control.

[cb at sea]

If you do a ship's excursion post-cruise, your luggage goes with you.

 

How late will your flight be? It's HELL trying to "kill time"...I would compare prices for rental car, excursion, day room at a hotel to booking an earlier flight!

[Travalerie]

We have flown out late many times the day after a cruise. With two kids with us, it has always been easier to throw the car seats in a rental car and enjoy the area for the day. We have been to malls, gone to the movies, gone to parks, and visited museums. We have never had a hard time filling a few hours until our flight.

Edited March 20, 2015 by Travalerie

[LuCruise]

If you do a ship's excursion post-cruise, your luggage goes with you.

 

How late will your flight be? It's HELL trying to "kill time"...I would compare prices for rental car, excursion, day room at a hotel to booking an earlier flight!

 

Our cruise isn't until next April so flights aren't open yet for booking (they go until next February). But this thread has ensured me that there are options if we go with a later flight. When i check other dates for flights from Fort Lauderdale to Toronto for the days of the week we would travel, I'm seeing times like 10:50am, 3:40pm and then 6 or 7pm and later. So if a later flight is cheaper, then we might go with that option (especially with flight costs these days)