How early can your flight home be?

[aprilgwynne10]

Hi, we are on the Celebrity Equinox in April and would like to know how early flights home can be. There is a 9:43 am which seems like there is no way we could make it, but due to cost and time away from my children- it would be amazing if we somehow could. I haven’t cruised in years and this is my first time on Celebrity. Any insight would be fabulous. Thanks in advance.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[neverbeenhere]

What port?

[neverbeenhere]

Miami:

 

You might make it with carrying your bags off. The group says have a backup plan.

[aprilgwynne10]

Miami:

 

 

 

You might make it with carrying your bags off. The group says have a backup plan.

 

 

 

It is Miami.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[neverbeenhere]

We go for 11am or after. But, we have made very early flights, so if you are a risk taker --- go for it. But as stated, have a plan, if you miss the flight.

[easyboy]

If everything happens on time, it may be doable. But with so many factors, I would personally not take a risk. I would prefer a stress-free disembarkation day.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[riclop]

Hi, we are on the Celebrity Equinox in April and would like to know how early flights home can be. There is a 9:43 am which seems like there is no way we could make it, but due to cost and time away from my children- it would be amazing if we somehow could. I haven’t cruised in years and this is my first time on Celebrity. Any insight would be fabulous. Thanks in advance.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

We have made a 927 a couple of times but it can be stressful.

[Alakegirl]

Here are some things to consider.

 

1.Can you self-disembark, i.e. Get all your luggage off the ship with no assistance? Maybe up or down a flight of stairs?

 

2.How do you plan to get to the airport?

 

3.Do you have airline frequent flyer status that would help you get through check-in queus ?

 

4.Do you have TSA PRECHECK?

 

5What is your alternative ahould you miss the flight? What is the cost of flying standby later in the day?

[eandj]

You need to be at the airport 1 1/2 hours ahead. Figure a 20 min. ride. Figure 10 min. to catch cab/uber. Two hours. So ....if you are carrying your bags off the ship with the early birds as soon as customs clears the ship, you'll make it. As mentioned, it'll make for a busy morning, and maybe restless sleep worrying if you don't have a back up plan.

[alcpa1]

I don't agree with those who have encouraged you to try for a 9:43 flight without asking a few pertinent questions....

Alakegirl is absolutely correct.

You could also face a delay at CBP if you have exceeded your customs allowance or have peaked an agent or dog's interest. It is always a possibility. From past experience we always add 20 minutes to the time equation. If you're trying to evade customs, you won't make a noon flight.

If you're not in the very front of the early disembarkation line your wait for a cab or Uber could be longer than 10 minutes and you certainly do not want to wait for a bus or van to fill.

At any time airport security could increase and Miami is already notorious for slow TSA and some airlines have long walks to their gates. If your flight is domestic things should move a little bit faster.

I don't know your airline but a schedule change is still possible for an April flight. If the cruise is early in the month then you are already facing holiday fare structures which would also explain the larger fares you are trying to avoid,

Our first, and only, self disembarkation required us to tote our luggage down steps as the elevators were packed. We were younger and far more agile than we are now and I just cannot recommend self disembarkation in order to make a flight that early.

[CruiseGal999]

What time does the ship arrive at port? Disembarking isn't the minute the ship arrives at the port.

[Keith1010]

It is risky and if stress bothers you I would not do it.

 

Keith

[caribill]

Celebrity has a suggested minimum time after ship arrival for scheduling your flight home. If this time is not obvious to you in provided documents, give them a call and find out what that time is.

 

Most people end their gambling when the casino closes the last night of the cruise.

 

But some people continue to wager and bet they can make an earlier-than-recommended flight home. This is a bet that most people will win, but there will also be times when some people will lose that bet.

[GUT2407]

Too early for me.

 

I guess it depends if you want to be stressing on the last day.

[clivey]

I did the walk off option in July on the Equinox and caught the 8:40 flight to Atlanta. Miami requires 45 minute check in versus 30 minutes so we were checked in by 7:55. This was after waiting to disembark and waiting on Uber. We only take one bag each and plan to be the first off the ship if possible.

[leaveitallbehind]

Not by choice but by necessity with other family arrangements, we had a 9:50 AM flight from FLL (45 minutes from the port - MIA is about 20 minutes closer) on our July Equinox from the Port of Miami. With early self departure and pre-reserved Uber (which can be done when going from the port to the airport) we were able to make that flight with time to spare. But the risk of a delay with getting off the ship or with traffic to the airport would not be something I would want to do on a regular basis, and as such, we typically book flights around 11:00 as an early target. But as we were able to do it, it clearly can be done.

[dkjretired]

Last thing I want to do is go on a nice cruise and worry the whole time whether I'm going to make my flight at the end of the cruise.

[gold1953]

Also what day of the week?

For self disembark people line up long before the suggested time. You must get in line very early . We have done it and there have been delays so we would not have made an early flight

[villauk]

I did the walk off option in July on the Equinox and caught the 8:40 flight to Atlanta. Miami requires 45 minute check in versus 30 minutes so we were checked in by 7:55. This was after waiting to disembark and waiting on Uber. We only take one bag each and plan to be the first off the ship if possible.

 

What’s time do you start lining up to be off the ship first? Just curious as we’ve seen the queues snake around the ship on US disembarakations and wondered how long pax at the front had been standing there? I will say, it’s taken us well over an hour at Port Everglades in the immigration queue on some of our cruises :o.

[clivey]

We got in line around 6:30 and we were about 30 people from the front. We got off at 7:20 and there was no delay in customs. We waited on Uber and got to the airport around 7:50. Did the same thing last year at Port Everglades coming in on the Oasis. We walked off at 6:30 with no wait and was through security at FLL by 7:30.

[villauk]

We got in line around 6:30 and we were about 30 people from the front. We got off at 7:20 and there was no delay in customs. We waited on Uber and got to the airport around 7:50. Did the same thing last year at Port Everglades coming in on the Oasis. We walked off at 6:30 with no wait and was through security at FLL by 7:30.

 

Thanks for replying. So pax at the front of the queue are waiting in line for about an hour before the ship clears? I realise being from the US you usually clear customs much quicker than those from other countries, but if one is waiting in the queue on the ship and then again in the arrivals hall if not US citizens, potentially they could be standing for a couple of hours - interesting to know :confused:.

[Texed]

Last thing I want to do is go on a nice cruise and worry the whole time whether I'm going to make my flight at the end of the cruise.

 

Great post. :)

[Covepointcruiser]

Great post. :)

I second that!! Of course being retired now that gives us more leeway.

 

Normally you are okay with a 11am and later flight. Exceptions being transatlantic when the ship is arriving in the US after 6 months away. The crew members must undergo a more stringent clearance. Another factor is the number of ships in port that day. If Miami is busy we have had only one customs, immigration official for US citizens and one for foreign citizens. Obviously our line was much longer. If you have to dodge storms in the Atlantic or Pacific you may have a delayed arrival. We were five hours late on one crossing.

 

Better to have a later flight and to relax.