Miami Disembarkation Time?

[mebruch67]

I'm getting ready to book my first Virgin Voyage and am wondering what time disembarkation starts in Miami at the end of the cruise?  I'm trying to figure out how early I can schedule a flight home.

 

Thanks for any advice!

[Db85]

Earliest I would expect is about 730 and then there's no automatic immigration in the Virgin terminal so 30-40 minutes to get out the terminal. Then 20-30 minutes uber to airport. 

 

I wouldn't book a flight any earlier than 11 am.

[cantgetin]

Disembarkation is generally 7:30-10:30.  We had a 10:45 time per the schedule but they started announcing that everyone needed to be off by 10:30.

 

Most cruise line don't recommend a flight before noon.  The issue is that you never know what might happen to delay the ship's arrival into port.  We had no problem in Miami and could easily have made a much earlier flight, but you can't depend on it!  11 is the earliest I'd book.  Consider the downside to not making your flight.  If you're on SW and 3 others can get you home that day...you might choose to go for an earlier on.  If there is a monster change fee, probably not.

[mebruch67]

Thank you so much for your input!  I agree it's better to be safe than sorry and book a flight a bit later in the day.

[raphael360]

I carried all of my bags off of the ship in Miami last week and was through immigration and in the parking lot at 8 AM. With that said, and after 50+ cruises, this was the exception.  Virgin is the best for getting off us passengers off the ship (all be it we only had 800 passengers on our ship that week).

 

I had a 5 PM flight out of FLL after a Seabourn cruise and barely make the flight.  This was an extreme situation because the ship was 8 hours late arriving into Ft. Lauderdale due to a medical emergency.   We also 'almost' missed our 5:45 pm flight out of Saint Maarten because the airport only had one TSA screening machine line open. We stood in line for 7 hours to get through screening.  2000 passengers, one screening station. 😞   Poop happens

 

Stress free and happy travels

 

 

[cantgetin]

You've cited both extremes.  I got off a cruise once in Port Canaveral and was at the airport by 9am, but that was once out of many cruises.

 

Your ship can be late getting into port for any number of reasons.  I've personally experienced fog, medical, and picking up/stopping to help a migrant vessel in distress as well as a situation where one engine "went out" so the ship was slowed (they needed to be in port to fix it per the announcement) NONE of these were on Virgin.  I also had an experience in San Juan where the Customs line took MANY hours.  We had a 3 something flight and I was getting worried.  On the other hand, I looked up flight prices a future cruise.  I inadvertently looked up Saturday first, then correctly Sunday.  THe difference between morning and afternoon is unreal.  We may stay overnight and fly out early the next day..Checked both FLL and MIA

[mebruch67]

9 hours ago, cantgetin said:

THe difference between morning and afternoon is unreal.  We may stay overnight and fly out early the next day..Checked both FLL and MIA

 

The cost difference is truly outrageous!  We also checked FLL and MIA and opted to leave first thing the next morning from MIA.  So we'll get to enjoy a day in Miami after the cruise!

[gordiej]

One of our party had an 11am from FLL, but he was off the ship by 8am and said it was pretty deserted in the terminal at that hour (the VV clientele seems to like to sleep in, same thing with pool chaises LOL). We had 11:30am from MIA, walked off the ship a little before 9am and were curbside for the Uber by maybe 9:20 at the latest, and had plenty of time at the airport. 

I think 11am is fine from MIA (we knew the FLL was a little risky) but of course if the ship is delayed then you could have a problem. I don't know how often that happens. We came from Bimini the evening before, and that's only like 60 miles away so we were probably docked by 4am or something. 

The other factor is whether you have status and can use priority bag-check lines and whether you have CLEAR and/or TSA to get through security faster.