Fort Lauderdale Cruise Terminal, Not Good!

[Fouremco]

FWIW, different cruise line and different port but similar issue on a cruise last month terminating in Montreal. HAL's disembarkation form, where you indicate your preferred time, stated that there would be a drastic shortage of taxis and advised passengers that they should take the HAL shuttle service. As the shuttle for the two of us would be $30 more than the 20 minute fixed-rate cab ride and we weren't in a hurry, we opted for the taxi, even if we had to wait. We exited the terminal and found no lineup of passengers and dozens of taxis. We were loaded and on our way in 30 seconds!

 

At the risk of sounding cynical, I see this as just a final grab for passengers' money. Like other shore excursions, offering less for more and using scare tactics to try to steer you their way. :(

[cle-guy]

 

At the risk of sounding cynical, I see this as just a final grab for passengers' money. Like other shore excursions, offering less for more and using scare tactics to try to steer you their way. :(

 

It can equally be that generally there are bottlenecks at certain ports and on some days and times there may be none. I have experienced 45 minute taxi lines getting off Connie in FLL when Oasis was also docked, and all were sharing the same taxi line. There were just ZERO taxi's coming into the port that morning or stuck in the security getting in.

 

It can also be they are purposely trying to move as many to buses in order to help ensure the taxi lines do move well for those who do need a taxi. Imagine if most took taxis. That'd be 1000 taxi rides or so for a full ship, assuming each takes 1 minute to get luggage in and loaded and move on, it would take 16 hours to clear all those rides. :eek:

Edited October 8, 2015 by cle-guy

[Desertbelle]

I feel badly for someone who allows an hour or two of difficulty to shadow their whole cruise experience.

 

People do seem very rushed and cranky on disembarkation day, and it can be troublesome, especially waiting in long lines, but it's a minor fraction of the whole cruise experience and it's a shame to make a big deal of it.

 

Airport check-ins, TSA checks, customs, immigration checks.....all of it has become a very unpleasant part of traveling these days, and it is best to experience this with good humor and a light heart, and let it go as soon as it's over....not dwell on it afterward. :)

[Fouremco]

It can equally be that generally there are bottlenecks at certain ports and on some days and times there may be none. I have experienced 45 minute taxi lines getting off Connie in FLL when Oasis was also docked, and all were sharing the same taxi line.

 

It can also be they are purposely trying to move as many to buses in order to help ensure the taxi lines do move well for those who do need a taxi. Imagine if most took taxis. That'd be 1000 taxi rides or so for a full ship, assuming each takes 1 minute to get luggage in and loaded and move on, it would take 16 hours to clear all those rides. :eek:

My less cynical side agrees that shuttle buses are perhaps needed to help with the volume of passengers heading to the airport, but normally mass transportation is less expensive, not more. It just doesn't seem right to have to pay more to be crammed into a busload of people than to sit comfortably in the back of a cab.

[POA1]

After reading these posts' date=' I'm nervous about making our 12:20pm flight from FLL on a Saturday from Infinity Panama Canal sailing!:eek:[/quote']

You'll be fine. :)

[CRUZBUDS]

On our last two cruises were at the airport at 8:15 and 7:30 -- no guarantee

 

This is another subject with a ton of threads :)

[Algebralovr]

My less cynical side agrees that shuttle buses are perhaps needed to help with the volume of passengers heading to the airport, but normally mass transportation is less expensive, not more. It just doesn't seem right to have to pay more to be crammed into a busload of people than to sit comfortably in the back of a cab.

If disembarking in Port Everglades and transferring to MIA, the cruise bus might be a better bargin than a taxi.

 

Plus, it is easy and they make sure they have a wheelchair lift available on at least one transport. I have friends who take the cruise shuttle for the wc lift.

 

They fly in day of, because is the only way the cruiseline will guarantee them accessible transportation. Their response to the idea of flight issues is "that is what travel insurance is for". Celebrity guaranteed an accessible transport from FLL to Port Everglades and the return after the cruise. Since the person in the WC cannot self-transfer to a seat, but must be lifted into the bus then use the tiedowns in the bus for the chair, it is their best solution.

 

Sent from my SM-N910P using Tapatalk

[Member123]

On the same cruise as CaptDave, so I need to chime in here with an opposite experience and maybe a tidbit of information that might make the experience easier for someone in the future.

 

We had such a late flight out of FLL that we weren't anxious to get off the ship. In fact, we left with the last call of passengers. We usually take luggage off ourselves and we did the same thing this time.

 

When we entered the cruise ship terminal, I was amazed to see a Global Entry sign. We've had Global Entry for a few years, and I'm very aware that I've never been able to take advantage of it for a cruise ship customs experience. I asked the guard what was going on with the Global Entry sign? He directed me to 1) walk around the huge area where people were snaking through the customs line to the far wall and follow the signs... which I did. 2) The signs directed me to an area where a guard told me to enter a line that contained two people in front of me! When I got to the customs agent, I asked what he needed? My Trusted Traveler Cards? He told me that they haven't installed the Global Entry kiosks YET (he actually used the word "yet!") and told me that all he needed was my passport and that they were honoring the Global Entry program manually until the kiosks arrived. Waved me through. I was in the customs area about 5 minutes and that was just because I had to walk across the terminal.

 

I know that there's been a lot of discussion, here, about the fact that Global Entry is only for airlines. I was surprised. But, at least in Ft Lauderdale, Global Entry got me through customs in an extremely expedited fashion.

 

Going out to the taxi line, I simply followed the signs for taxis. There was a security guard there who was directing people into various taxis. The taxis were lined up under numbered signs; the people in front of me were sent to #6 (I think because they needed a bigger taxi for more luggage) and I was sent to #1, which was at the beginning of the line of taxis. Meter was a little over $12 from the cruise terminal to Southwest at FLL.

 

For me, this was an incredibly easy disembarkation. I'm sorry, CaptDave, that you had such a miserable experience.

[#4'smom]

Member123, that's great news about Global Entry coming to Port Everglades. Hopefully we will be able to use ours in December 2015..

[cle-guy]

I know that there's been a lot of discussion, here, about the fact that Global Entry is only for airlines. I was surprised. But, at least in Ft Lauderdale, Global Entry got me through customs in an extremely expedited fashion.

 

 

The actual wording on the Global Entry website said (didn't check recently) something like "Global Entry Kiosks are presently not available for entry via sea ports" or something to that effect.

 

So sounds like that "presently" is about to (has) change(d)!

[CYNSport]

I feel badly for someone who allows an hour or two of difficulty to shadow their whole cruise experience.

 

People do seem very rushed and cranky on disembarkation day, and it can be troublesome, especially waiting in long lines, but it's a minor fraction of the whole cruise experience and it's a shame to make a big deal of it.

 

Airport check-ins, TSA checks, customs, immigration checks.....all of it has become a very unpleasant part of traveling these days, and it is best to experience this with good humor and a light heart, and let it go as soon as it's over....not dwell on it afterward. :)

 

Love your spirit! Hope our paths cross on a cruise. Cheers!

[MandB]

For me every time but one the customs clearance at Ft Lauderdale has been very smooth and the agents have been very polite. That one time, though, was an event. I clearly picked the wrong line because all the others were going along very smoothly. For some reason there was a person in a military type uniform grilling every passenger going through the line. This was in addition to the agent behind the counter. By the time he got done with the father, mother, and teenage daughter in front of me the mother and daughter were sobbing. He spent 10 minutes grilling me on why I had taken the cruise and did I enjoy myself (I was on the cruise by myself so I assume that had something to do with it). He went on and on as if he was trying to get me to break down and say I had gone to get drugs or something. It was humiliating but at least I was not alone in getting this treatment.

[Desertbelle]

Love your spirit! Hope our paths cross on a cruise. Cheers!

 

Thanks! I hope we do cross paths some day! I'll be the one with the big smile on her face. :D

[FunCruiser56]

We always do self walk off by 8 or so and are at the airport by 915-930 so an early flight has been easy to do. We use one of the many cab/shuttles waiting. Customs is always a challenge, mostly the wait in line. A positive outlook will take you far :)

Bev

[c-legs]

The actual wording on the Global Entry website said (didn't check recently) something like "Global Entry Kiosks are presently not available for entry via sea ports" or something to that effect.

 

So sounds like that "presently" is about to (has) change(d)!

 

Port of Vancouver has installed similar booths effective this past summer....and it did speed up the process immensely.

of course, this is for embarking guests as disembarking guests go thru CBSA , our version of C&BP.

[Andy]

Hi CaptDave,

Sorry you had a lousy experience. We've sailed from Port Everglades dozens of times. Sometimes it's great, sometimes mediocre, sometimes awful. The one thing they are consistent on, is being inconsistent :)

We're sailing from Port Everglades tomorrow morning, on Royal Princess. I plan to post my insights on the embarkation, in a few days. Stay Tuned !

[marienbad]

[quote name='Host Andy']Hi CaptDave,

Sorry you had a lousy experience. We've sailed from Port Everglades dozens of times. Sometimes it's great, sometimes mediocre, sometimes awful. The one thing they are consistent on, is being inconsistent :)

We're sailing from Port Everglades tomorrow morning, on Royal Princess. I plan to post my insights on the embarkation, in a few days. Stay Tuned ![/QUOTE]

Please check to see if they and other cruise lines have global entry.

[lovestx]

Very helpful thread about disembarking at PE. We have Global Entry so will look out for that!

We are boarding Equinox after she returns to the US from transatlantic. Am I right to assume that we will board later than usual? Would you expect we'd get an email to that effect?

[Andy]

[quote name='lovestx']Very helpful thread about disembarking at PE. We have Global Entry so will look out for that!

We are boarding Equinox after she returns to the US from transatlantic. Am I right to assume that we will board later than usual? Would you expect we'd get an email to that effect?[/QUOTE]

Hi Lovestx,

I'd say the answer is "probably", to both of your questions. Hope this helps !

[suzyed]

[quote name='Desertbelle']I feel badly for someone who allows an hour or two of difficulty to shadow their whole cruise experience.

People do seem very rushed and cranky on disembarkation day, and it can be troublesome, especially waiting in long lines, but it's a minor fraction of the whole cruise experience and it's a shame to make a big deal of it.

Airport check-ins, TSA checks, customs, immigration checks.....all of it has become a very unpleasant part of traveling these days, and it is best to experience this with good humor and a light heart, and let it go as soon as it's over....not dwell on it afterward. :)[/QUOTE]

I agree! Why ruin a perfect vacation by sweating the small stuff and just stressing yourself out!!

[ischeer]

[quote name='marienbad']Please check to see if they and other cruise lines have global entry.[/QUOTE]

I don't think Port Everglades (or any other cruise port) has Global Entry. Only airports have this service.

[lovestx]

Thanks, Andy!

[captdave]

[quote name='Host Andy']Hi CaptDave,

Sorry you had a lousy experience. We've sailed from Port Everglades dozens of times. Sometimes it's great, sometimes mediocre, sometimes awful. The one thing they are consistent on, is being inconsistent :)

We're sailing from Port Everglades tomorrow morning, on Royal Princess. I plan to post my insights on the embarkation, in a few days. Stay Tuned ![/QUOTE]

Andy

Please check it out.

After a 17 day Infinity Aqua 1 Panama Canal Cruise why would Celebrity have us treated so badly by trying to make a few more bucks at the Cruise Port by making us take that overpriced Hell Buss? Doesn't seem right that this is the last thing we remember of out cruise?

Go out to a 5 star restaurant for an expensive anniversary dinner, over tip everyone and have them hit you with the door on the way out? That doesn't make sense for Celebrity?

[IMG]https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5832/22107588621_a0852edfed_c.jpg[/IMG]

CaptDave

[marienbad]

[quote name='ischeer']I don't think Port Everglades (or any other cruise port) has Global Entry. Only airports have this service.[/QUOTE]

Some posts on this thread say that they have global entry or are getting it at Port Everglades.

[Member123]

[quote name='marienbad']Some posts on this thread say that they have global entry or are getting it at Port Everglades.[/QUOTE]

Hi, there.

So, I was wishing that I'd taken a picture of the Global Entry sign at Port Everglades because I know how difficult it is to try to inform people of something that they think they already know... even if it's a pleasant change.

Anyway, I found something even better! When I google searched, I came up with the Cruise Guide 2016 Port Everglades, What's New booklet. I did a copy of the relevant information and here it is:

What’s New/FAQs

Global Entry Now Available at Port Everglades

Global Entry is a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) program that allows expedited clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travelers upon arrival back in the United States. Upon debarkation, signage will direct cruise guests who are Global Entry participants to the front of the line in all cruise terminals.

Travelers must be pre-approved for the Global Entry program. All applicants undergo a rigorous background check and in-person interview before enrollment.

While Global Entry’s goal is to speed travelers through the process, participants may still be selected for further examination.

Coming soon to Port Everglades is CBP’s Mobile Passport program, an app on your mobile devise that will expedite the entry process into the United States. To learn more about the Global Entry program, visit cbp.gov/global-entry/about.

This information can be found at

[url]http://www.bluetoad.com/publication/?i=274849[/url]

go to page 16 in the booklet.

I think that, according to the customs agent I spoke with, the kiosks are going to be installed soon, but in the meantime... they are honoring Global Entry. Look for the signs directing you to the proper line. This will make coming into Port Everglades a much more pleasant experience, IMO.