9am flight--will i make it??

[volk904]

Dmd as a few others have said it is not impossible. The key is everything has to go perfect.

 

1. You have got to walk off with your luggage so don’t overpack. 1 large rolling bag and maybe a backpack or carry bag works great.

 

2. Lots of people walkoff so you need to get in line early to be at the front of the line once that start letting people off.

 

In general most shops start walkoffs by 7 if customs is ready. First off the ship can get through customer in less than 30 min for sure.

 

So if all goes right you walk off by 7:15, and through customs by 7:45 and 10 min cab ride to FLL gets you there by 8:00. You cab get through TSA in 30 min again if all goes right.

 

If you miss your flight if it is a major carrier you can go on standby for another flight. At some point you will get home.

 

 

 

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[davekathy]

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I wasn't aware that GE was being used at cruise terminals these days? I'm pleased if so, not that I'm ever in a huge hurry when I'm leaving (or have a ridiculous line), but I thought it was more the norm to just have regular immigration for everyone because there wouldn't be enough "special cases" to justify special lines.

GE is in place at PE.

[volk904]

Follow up on suggested luggage I was trying to say 1 large rolling bag per cruiser.

 

I have never tried 9 at FLL but I have made 9:45 flights at both FLL and Miami with plenty of time to spare.

 

 

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[wheezedr]

GE is in place at PE.

GE was said to be in place but on 2 of my 3 cruises they were not operating. Saving grace was that I was off early and the lines were very short anyway

[Suzanne123]

I used GE last week with no problems, and I was out of the terminal in maybe three minutes. I also used luggage valet ( best invention since sliced bread :))

[leaveitallbehind]

....And, of course, the close call on times on disembarking day will be on their mind for the entire cruise.

 

Well if it wasn't going to be, it certainly will be now......:D;)

[Bizmark'sMom]

Part of the question was "When does everybody fly out?"

 

If I am flying out the day the ship gets to port, I book a flight for early afternoon. That's enough time to get to the airport and get checked in without stressing. I would much rather have time to get a coffee and read a magazine at the gate than sprint through the airport desperately hoping I make the flight.

 

If I have to catch a morning flight, I book a hotel and stay the night in the port city. Again, it comes down to stress levels. I hang out in the port city, have a good sleep, and get to the airport in plenty of time to make my flight.

 

Honestly, despite my best planning I end up literally running through airports to make connections sometimes. I don't want to start the journey that way.

[Z'Loth]

Ye gads! I considered myself fortunate in that I have a good time for my flight home on my upcoming cruise (1:30 PM flight for a ship that is scheduled to arrive back in port at 7 AM on a Monday). Even then, because I'm flying cross-country, I have a tentative PTO day (vacation day) scheduled for the Tuesday that I return to work "just in case".

[GottaKnowWhen]

...What time does everyone normally fly out?

 

 

For me, I have always scheduled my flights no earlier than 10:00-11:00am the next day. No fretting about schedules during the last days of the relaxing cruise, no rush the next morning. But I know many (most?) fly out sometime in the afternoon of disembarkation. Always a few in a hurry to get away from vacation and back home. You can see them lined up ready to dash off the ship as soon as possible. If you must go early, have a backup plan in case it doesn’t work out.

 

Stan

[CruiseGal999]

Dang ... I USUALLY fly home the next day. This October I'm cruising out of LA ... and I am scheduled to fly home same day we dock.

Ship docks at 6:15. I only bring carry on luggage. It'll be an early walk off.

Flight out of LAX 11:30 a.m. It's only a 2 hour flight home to Utah.

You all are making me a little nervous. Oh, well ... I can maybe change my flight and book a hotel. Just wanted to avoid that just 1 time.

[diane.in.ny]

Dang ... I USUALLY fly home the next day. This October I'm cruising out of LA ... and I am scheduled to fly home same day we dock.

Ship docks at 6:15. I only bring carry on luggage. It'll be an early walk off.

Flight out of LAX 11:30 a.m. It's only a 2 hour flight home to Utah.

You all are making me a little nervous. Oh, well ... I can maybe change my flight and book a hotel. Just wanted to avoid that just 1 time.

 

Even assuming you don't get off until 8 am, that still leaves you 3 1/2 hrs before flight time. You should be fine.

[broberts]

No other flights available—would have been nice to know this prior 😩. I’ve gotten mixed reviews from people I’ve asked. I guess we will just have to hope for the best.

 

Did you check flights out of MIA? Palm Beach International (PBI) might also be an option.

 

I believe all the cruise lines provide suggestions for earliest flight departure times. A phone call would have provided the necessary information.

 

Ship arrival and departure times are always approximate and are the time at which the ship is expected to arrive at or leave a pier. These times are not when passengers can embark or disembark the ship. (Unlike aircraft, the process of readying a ship to allow passengers on or off takes a fair bit of time.)

[CruiseGal999]

Even assuming you don't get off until 8 am, that still leaves you 3 1/2 hrs before flight time. You should be fine.

 

That's what I was thinking ... here's hoping.

[Vertical1]

No further tips to add. There are a lot of variables but I think you certainly have a chance. We had a 600am Port Everglades arrival Easter Sunday on Princess. We were in the first group to start self-embark process at 620am. Taxi to MIAMI Airport and walked into terminal at 745am, which was WAY earlier than needed for our flight.

[Velvetwater]

I don't know if there's anything left to say apart from good luck and enjoy your cruise.

 

Look at it this way, even if you do miss your flight there are worst places to do it. :)

 

You will have a fabulous time (Royal are a fantastic line) and don't let all this craziness put you off booking another!

[evandbob]

There is a dedicated Global Entry line at both FLL and MIA US Customs exit that can speed up your departure a bit. However, there's a lead time of sometimes 6 weeks to get approved, so this won't help the OP, but might help others. One needs to bring the G.E. photo card to get on the dedicated line.

The Global Entry line at the port is generally way less crowded than the regular one. With an early arrival about 8AM at either airport, the G.E. line there is about as empty and deserted as the regular one. I realize cruisers experience the airports as a zoo, but that is for later times. At 8AM, getting through airport security is a breeze and G.E. is just about useless.

I generally book an 11AM flight, well within my comfort zone, and once at the airport, see if I can switch to an earlier departure. Airline loyalty rewards can mitigate the switching costs, and the earliest I've left on a plane from MIA is 8:30AM, and from FLL, 9:30AM.

[Flatbush Flyer]

There is a dedicated Global Entry line at both FLL and MIA US Customs exit that can speed up your departure a bit. However, there's a lead time of sometimes 6 weeks to get approved, so this won't help the OP, but might help others. One needs to bring the G.E. photo card to get on the dedicated line.

The Global Entry line at the port is generally way less crowded than the regular one. With an early arrival about 8AM at either airport, the G.E. line there is about as empty and deserted as the regular one. I realize cruisers experience the airports as a zoo, but that is for later times. At 8AM, getting through airport security is a breeze and G.E. is just about useless.

I generally book an 11AM flight, well within my comfort zone, and once at the airport, see if I can switch to an earlier departure. Airline loyalty rewards can mitigate the switching costs, and the earliest I've left on a plane from MIA is 8:30AM, and from FLL, 9:30AM.

 

 

 

Just to be clear: the "lead time" for the entire Global Entry process can take up to a year, even for an uncomplicated assessment of your application. The "earliest" appointment times for the CBP interview depends very much on your location. Airports like SFO can sometimes have a 6 month wait.

[JMorris271]

It might suck to have to do, but perhaps you would enjoy your voyage more if you just booked another flight and cut your loses instead of rolling the dice and loosing the bet to have to catch another flight anyway IF you could find one.

Or you could just take cheap luggage and leave it on board. JK.

Edited April 15, 2018 by JMorris271

[dmb3281]

We made it with plenty of time to spare—was off the ship by 630, at the airport by 645, and through security by 715.

[nat9511]

Congratulations!!!!!

[sail7seas]

Good, good, good. :) How was your cruise

[diane.in.ny]

Great to hear!

 

Thanks for reporting back.

[Reina del Mar]

Wow! you did well.

 

Still not sure my nerves could stand it, but well done you !

[dmb3281]

Good, good, good. :) How was your cruise

 

It was great! Thanks for asking.

[Langley Cruisers]

We made it with plenty of time to spare—was off the ship by 630, at the airport by 645, and through security by 715.

 

Wonderful! Happy for you. Glad you made it easily with time to spare. Well - too close for our comfort but thank you for reporting back.

.