8:55 am flight home from FLL?

[sad549s]

I am on the Royal Princess arriving back in Ft Lauderdale at 6:00 am in a few weeks. I have a later flight booked but am considering booking the 8:55 am flight home as well (I will keep the later flight as well as it is refundable...just in case I miss the 8:55 am flight). Do you think we can make the 8:55 am flight?

[weedpindle]

Sure. Go for it. Just have some money ready for a new ticket when you miss the flight.

[CruiserBruce]

Discussed on the Florida Departures board daily:

 

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=495

 

 

The Mods might even move this thread there.

 

 

8:55 is crazy. Way too early. Docking at 6am doesn't mean getting off the ship at 6:05.

Edited November 17, 2015 by CruiserBruce

[Coral]

I am on the Royal Princess arriving back in Ft Lauderdale at 6:00 am in a few weeks. I have a later flight booked but am considering booking the 8:55 am flight home as well (I will keep the later flight as well as it is refundable...just in case I miss the 8:55 am flight). Do you think we can make the 8:55 am flight?

 

Nope. There were times when no passengers were not allowed off the ship until after 8 am due to Customs and Immigrations.

 

I think 10:30 is realistic but I usually book my flights after this.

[Hlitner]

If you will lose nothing for missing that 8:55 flight then you could gamble with express debarkation. We would estimate your odds of making that flight at no better then 50-50.

 

Hank

[moki'smommy]

It isn't just a matter of being at the airport that early. You'll have to check luggage, make it thru security and to the gate. Good luck. I don't think you can make it.

[skynight]

Just because the ship is due to dock at 6am does not mean Immigration and Customs is ready to process you. If you take early walk off, wheeling all your own luggage, you most likely will depart the ship between 7 and 7:30. You have some time to get through immigration and on to the airport maybe by 8am. It's your call.

[mary caracciolo]

I would go for it but you must walk off the ship by yourself good luck

[sunsetbeachgal]

If all goes smoothly, the ship is cleared on time, you elect to do express disembarkation and are among the first off, IF US Customs and Immigration has adequate staffing, taxis are available, and the security lines at FLL aren't too long, I would think it is do-able but very very tight.

 

Although we drive to the pier, We have had the above variables work for us, and have gotten to our car parked at an offsite lot, and been on I 95 North before 7 AM multiple times. But if I was flying there are way too many variables that if only one goes wrong you miss the flight.

Edited November 17, 2015 by sunsetbeachgal

[partybarbie]

The earliest I have made it to my departure gate is 8:25 am, for a 10:25 am flight. It's doable, but we were the only ship in port that day and it was a smaller ship, the Island Princess. Our ship docked at 7:00 am, and we were the first walk-off group from the Elite disembarkation lounge. They let us off the ship around 7:30 am, so it took about an hour to get from the ship to the airport gate. It really was a "perfect world" scenario.

[Kenosha Cruiser]

Just thought I'd past this information along. We just got off the Regal Princess this past Sunday in Ft. Lauderdale. They started disembarkation at 6:00 AM for people who did the express walk off carrying their own luggage. They changed our itinerary arriving into port from 7:00 AM to 6:00 AM a few months prior. The ship was docked way before 5:00 AM. If you do the walk off with the same disembarkation time you shouldn't have any problems.

Edited November 17, 2015 by Kenosha Cruiser

[Pam in CA]

Just because the ship is due to dock at 6am does not mean Immigration and Customs is ready to process you. If you take early walk off, wheeling all your own luggage, you most likely will depart the ship between 7 and 7:30. You have some time to get through immigration and on to the airport maybe by 8am. It's your call.

This is so very true. You sail "in a few weeks" which I assume means over the holidays. If so, FLL will be a freaking zoo with very long lines to check in and go through security. Not just cruise passengers will be flying home. The FLL area is a huge vacation destination. It's a little better in January but not by much.

 

Any recent reports mean nothing since it's not "in season" in south Florida for another month.

[mmckm]

Lol

[SadieN]

If you can, fly out on the 8:55 the next morning. Many times a later flight can be more expensive than the early flight and a hotel room for the night.

Edited November 17, 2015 by SadieN
Autocorrect strikes again

[Grego]

I would go for it but you must walk off the ship by yourself good luck

 

Not good advise. You would be lucky to even get off the ship until after 8:00, get through customs, find transportation to the airport, go through that security

and get to the gate.......not possible. Even then your luggage will make the later flight you had booked so you will have to wait for that plane to land. Not my idea of ending a cruise that you booked to relax and enjoy only to go through that stress.

[OCruisers]

Way too "dicey"! Consider taking a later flight!

[janetz]

I am on the Royal Princess arriving back in Ft Lauderdale at 6:00 am in a few weeks. I have a later flight booked but am considering booking the 8:55 am flight home as well (I will keep the later flight as well as it is refundable...just in case I miss the 8:55 am flight). Do you think we can make the 8:55 am flight?

 

I do not. Keep your later flight. Less stress. ;)

Edited November 17, 2015 by janetz

[Tralynn]

I am on the Royal Princess arriving back in Ft Lauderdale at 6:00 am in a few weeks. I have a later flight booked but am considering booking the 8:55 am flight home as well (I will keep the later flight as well as it is refundable...just in case I miss the 8:55 am flight). Do you think we can make the 8:55 am flight?

Normally, I would say as long as you self disembark and there are no issues with customs or traffic, you should make it. (That's a whole lot of "ifs")……But, this is the onset of the busy season in FLL. This could make for longer lines and longer wait times at security. I would personally choose a flight a bit later.

Edited November 17, 2015 by Tralynn

[Who Knew]

In addition to all of the other reasons stated above, there is always that one in a million circumstance to throw the wrench in the works. Most of our trips have gone relatively smoothly, but there was one time several years ago, where we were not permitted to leave the ship by almost an hour after scheduled debarkation times. I can't remember what the reason or the port actually was, but it seemed like they were looking for one specific passenger who they kept paging every couple of minutes for that whole hour (that I remember, lol).

 

If you are willing and able to lose the fare of that first flight, you could try for it, otherwise I don't think I would risk it.

[f-mattox]

Even if everything goes like clockwork your chances are not good; why put yourself through the stress. Shoot for the later flight.

[MarcsSharon]

Oh please let us know if you make the flight...inquiring minds will want to know :p

[chief30]

The last 3 cruises we did early walk off we have been at our gate @ 8:30. you are cutting it to close for me.

[treesah]

Why put all that unnecessary stress on yourself? Pick a flight after 10:30 am. Your heart will thank you.

[MJSailors]

Why put all that unnecessary stress on yourself? Pick a flight after 10:30 am. Your heart will thank you.

 

Well said.

Hopefully,the OP will have a relaxing and enjoyable cruise vacation.

Why negate that experience by immediately stressing over getting off the ship, going through customs,waiting for a taxi, driving to the airport,checking luggage and going through security in time to catch that early flight?

Also, FLL airport will be getting busier in the next few weeks with the annual Snowbird arrival and passengers involved in holiday travel.

If I were flying home, I would try to keep the vacation mode going a little longer and not rush to get a flight.

[huskerc]

I would not hesitate to book this flight if my other options were many hours later.

 

Some people are nervous travelers and just can't stomach the possibility of missing the flight--you certainly need to be prepared for that, although it's very unlikely. I admit that being Diamond with Delta colors my approach a little bit because I know I will be taken care of.

 

Either way, you have to judge your own tolerance for this. Some people say that they aren't comfortable flying out the day of the cruise at all--that it's too stressful for them. That doesn't make any sense at all to me but to each his own.

Edited November 18, 2015 by huskerc