More FLL Questions

[seamagic]

I still haven't booked our flights in and out of FLL. The times are horrible! We either have to be there way before the cruise lines recommend or we have to wait all day long to get a flight out.

 

The other option is going to Miami, but I keep hearing we should avoid that airport at all costs.

 

When can we reasonably expect to disembark and fly out of FLL?

[PoohUnderstands]

I live locally and fly out of FLL. I am always there 2 hours before my flight leaves. So if I were flying out of FLL after a cruise from Port Everglades, I would not want to book a flight before Noon. For my nerves, the optimum time for me to have a flight out would be at 1 to 1:30. Where are you flying to? What time are the flights out that you are looking at?

 

Pooh

[Bequia]

I still haven't booked our flights in and out of FLL. The times are horrible! We either have to be there way before the cruise lines recommend or we have to wait all day long to get a flight out.

 

The other option is going to Miami, but I keep hearing we should avoid that airport at all costs.

 

When can we reasonably expect to disembark and fly out of FLL?

 

You did not mention which cruiseline and port your cruising out of. Regarding the cruiselines recommended boarding times, in reality you can usually arrive by 11 am and be on the buffet line by 12pm with most cruiselines.

If your cruising out of Port Everglades the Ft Lauderdale airport is less then 10 minutes away. You can easily fly out 12-12:30pm. If your cruising out of Miami and flying out of Miami a 1pm flight would be safest.

[seamagic]

We are cruising RCCL out of Port Everglades. I'm in East Tennessee, so since I'm not near a major city, I either have to drive to Atlanta or Nashville, or I have to take the times available at a smaller airport.

 

Right now the best price is out of Knoxville, but the flight arrives in MIA and then we depart from PBI. That's about $330 per person. It's not any cheaper flying from a larger city, and I'd also have to add driving time and the costs of gas and parking fees if I do that.

 

So, if I book these flights, I need to figure out the best way to get from MIA to the port, and then from the port to PBI. The flight leaving PBI is at 12:45, so I think we may be able to make it. The next one out isn't until 7pm, which is an awfully long time to wait around the airport.

 

Last year when I cruised out of Port Canaveral, I rented a car for the day and drove it from Orlando to the rental agency. Then, they shuttled us over to the port. They were also there to pick us up and take us back to rent another car for the drive back to MCO. Is there anything like this that would work for me in the airports I've mentioned?

 

Any suggestions would be great!

[Bequia]

Last year when I cruised out of Port Canaveral, I rented a car for the day and drove it from Orlando to the rental agency. Then, they shuttled us over to the port. They were also there to pick us up and take us back to rent another car for the drive back to MCO. Is there anything like this that would work for me in the airports I've mentioned?

 

Absolutely. Cruisers out of FLL or MIA do it all the time. Sounds like your best bet. The subject comes up quite frequently under the "Hotel" thread. ;)

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=285998