Early Fort Lauderdale flight...are we crazy?

[DaveOKC]

Great points so far on this topic.  A party of 7 adds to issue of course.  Two weeks ago on a Wed we were at our gate at 8:30 am, so it can be done, but you do need a backup plan IMO.

[broberts]

It really comes down to the group's tolerance of stress and the financial consequences should something go wrong.

 

Personally, I have a very low stress tolerance. I have taken a late evening flight rather than risk one that requires me to carry my luggage off and hope the various choke points are not overwhelmed. But I grew up waiting in airports and don't have a great deal of difficulty waiting. 🙂

 

[skrufy]

Slightly crazy. I would not bet on getting off at 7am, but  it could happen. Too much could go wrong in a very short period of time. If you have a backup plan go for it.

[capriccio]

6 hours ago, azbirdmom said:

You are 3 minutes earlier than the earliest allowed flight through EZAir so no, you're not crazy.  We are actually on a 9:54 flight out of FLL a week later. 

OP is thinking of a 9:57 am flight.  I thought the earliest flight on EZAir was 11 am - at least that was what is was in July.  When did it change?

 

Added:  I just did a mock booking out of FLL and it wouldn't let me chose any time before 11 am.

Edited November 15, 2023 by capriccio

[azbirdmom]

20 minutes ago, capriccio said:

OP is thinking of a 9:57 am flight.  I thought the earliest flight on EZAir was 11 am - at least that was what is was in July.  When did it change?

 

Added:  I just did a mock booking out of FLL and it wouldn't let me chose any time before 11 am.

 

This is what I see for a mock booking for their cruise - note the prepopulated "Leave at" time is 10 AM:

 

As I mentioned we board the same ship on the day that the OP departs so I already knew the allowable departure time for this cruise.  And the arrival time in port on disembarkation day is exactly the same for the OP's cruise and my cruise.

 

 

The ship arrives in Fort Lauderdale 6 AM and the domestic guideline is that flights should not be booked no earlier than 4 hours after arrival.  This appears in the Itinerary in the Cruise Personalizer for my cruise:

 

 

So I stand by my comment that the OP is asking about the feasibility of taking a flight that is 3 minutes before the earliest departure time recommended by Princess.

[capriccio]

1 minute ago, azbirdmom said:

 

This is what I see for a mock booking for their cruise - note the prepopulated "Leave at" time is 10 AM:

 

As I mentioned we board the same ship on the day that the OP departs so I already knew the allowable departure time for this cruise.  And the arrival time in port on disembarkation day is exactly the same for the OP's cruise and my cruise.

 

 

The ship arrives in Fort Lauderdale 6 AM and the domestic guideline is that flights should not be booked no earlier than 4 hours after arrival.  This appears in the Itinerary in the Cruise Personalizer for my cruise:

 

 

So I stand by my comment that the OP is asking about the feasibility of taking a flight that is 3 minutes before the earliest departure time recommended by Princess.

Interesting!  Flying to DC and the ore-populated leave time is 11.  I wonder where the Op is flying to (Hartford or Worcester maybe).

[azbirdmom]

2 minutes ago, capriccio said:

Interesting!  Flying to DC and the ore-populated leave time is 11.  I wonder where the Op is flying to (Hartford or Worcester maybe).

 

Maybe the fine IT folks at Princess had a hard time determining which airports were domestic when they programmed what departure time to populate?  😄

[CruiserBruce]

9 hours ago, DHP1 said:

The earliest you can get off the ship will be around 7. Then you have to go through Customs at the Port (assuming they’re open at that time). At 7:30 you get a taxi for a 20 minute ride to the airport. Around 8 you go through security at the airport (at that time there shouldn’t be any line up). At 8:30 - 9 you should be at your gate for your flight home. 
 

To clarify things...

 

You won't be allowed to exit the ship unless the authorities were there and ready to process people coming off the ship. Immigration will be the issue, not Customs. Currently,  most Immigration checks at Port Everglades are biometric checks, and go very quickly. 

 

That being said, with 9 people,  I would not try to catch a flight this early.

[mistyPA]

Thanks to all for your input. 

 

We are a group of 7, but all move well and have walked off several cruise ships together. So, in that regard, we are all good with the pace. We are ok accepting the risk.

 

Really wanted to know if people who have done it recently could imagine the logistics of it all.

 

We are taking a chance, but if it doesn't work out, we are ok, we will have a plan B and C, but wanted to know if plan A was plausible.

 

Will let you all know how we make out.

[Denversail]

13 hours ago, mistyPA said:

Hi Anyone who can offer any information -

 

We are a party of 7, possibly 9, traveling Enchanted Princess 4/20-4/27. There is only 1 direct flight leaving FLL to our area and it leaves at 9.57 am. We are doing walk-off with carry on bags, so when we get to airport all we would have to do is go thru security. We would be flying Jetblue and would get Blue Extra for priority security (provided FLL offers). 

 

Are we crazy to even attempt this? Anyone have any thoughts?

I’ve done way earlier off of Royal many times. I’m not familiar with Princess but if she docks early like Royal and you take your own bags off you should have plenty of time. I think this question is more about temperament. If you can flow with the headaches, possible delays, and close calls then do it. The folks telling you not to do it are the ones that can’t take risk. I always do it!

 

Full disclaimer.. I have folks calling me crazy on another thread because I have a 50 minute layover in Munich from the US. 🤷‍♀️

[SargassoPirate]

The issue for me is not just willing to accept the risk, but to accept the stress as well.  Why go on a cruise if it ends up a hot mess?

 

I generally book an overnight stay in Fort L after the cruise and fly out the next day.  We lounge about until last call for disembarking passengers, saunter through immigration, and either roll our bags to the Hilton or the Embassy Suites on 17th.

 

No stress.  We arrive home rested and ready for the next adventure.

[ericosmith]

15 hours ago, SargassoPirate said:

The issue for me is not just willing to accept the risk, but to accept the stress as well.  Why go on a cruise if it ends up a hot mess?

 

I generally book an overnight stay in Fort L after the cruise and fly out the next day.  We lounge about until last call for disembarking passengers, saunter through immigration, and either roll our bags to the Hilton or the Embassy Suites on 17th.

 

No stress.  We arrive home rested and ready for the next adventure.

I've often found that the next day flights were less expensive and the difference paid for the hotel room.

[jean87510]

On 11/15/2023 at 7:18 AM, mistyPA said:

Hi Anyone who can offer any information -

 

We are a party of 7, possibly 9, traveling Enchanted Princess 4/20-4/27. There is only 1 direct flight leaving FLL to our area and it leaves at 9.57 am. We are doing walk-off with carry on bags, so when we get to airport all we would have to do is go thru security. We would be flying Jetblue and would get Blue Extra for priority security (provided FLL offers). 

 

Are we crazy to even attempt this? Anyone have any thoughts?

hmmm.  We have made flights at 9am out of FLL with the 2 of us.  We get the taxi which is faster to get to then ride share.  We have TSA precheck.  Husband is platinum or whatever on American.  We have no physical limitations and can easily sprint through airport.  Plus it's a domestic flight.  Normally I'd say yes but with 9?  Hopefully you do what we did.

[diesel1973]

We recently got off the Equinox in FLL The line to walk off the front was the length of the ship ..Were scheduled to leave at 7:30 but snuck off the back door (where the suite and retreat passengers exit) and were off the ship at 7:15. Grabbed a taxi ($13 ) and were at the airport at 7:45 for a 10:45 SW flight . Flight was delayed 1/2 hr. Very lucky!

[xcell]

Is your cruise port Miami or FLL?   I'm assuming FLL but couldn't find it in your post, because that would make a BIG difference...

[erby2283]

On 11/15/2023 at 10:56 AM, kywildcatfanone said:

Have done 10am flights several times.  Only had one hitch and we still made our flight.  I have no concerns booking a 9:30 or 10am flight if the ship is docking by 7am.

 

Our hitch:  Last year on Emerald after Panama Canal. I had booked a 10am flight that got changed by Delta to 9:30.  We were supposed to dock at 6am so I wasn't really worried about it.  Our last port, had strong winds and we were 3 hours late leaving.  Captain said he couldn't make up all of that time getting back, so I tried to call and see what my flight options were.  None for that day, so they advised keep our current flight and see if we can make it.

Ship arrived back at Port Everglade at about 7:30, but they did not start letting us off till about 8:20.  Lots of people trying to catch a flight.  We were off and at FLL by 8:45.  Got in baggage line, and a Delta rep asked if anyone was on the 9:30.  They pulled a few of us out of the line and took us up and got our bags checked, and we got through security and on the plane at 9:10 and made our flight.

 

I try to stick to no early than 10am normally, which you should be fine if the ship is on time.

Hi! Question for you! American Airlines has changed our flights twice now - but this is flying home from MIA.  Original flight was 1:40, then changed to 11:40 and now 10 AM.  Only problem is, my friends who are traveling with me, have a connection at 2:56 and unless we make the 10am, the don't make that connection so we'd have to change both flights home for them.

 

Would you risk staying on the 10 am flight (from MIA to CLT) or would you just go ahead and ask the airlines to switch to the 1:40 flight which then gives them a 7-hour layover in Charlotte? We're on the Icon and a total of 3 ships dock in MIA that day (15,500 passengers). We dock at 6am, then the other ships dock at 7am and 8am.

 

Or, we can try and switch to an 11:43 flight from FLL but then they only have a 56 minute layover in Charlotte.

 

2 out of three of us are TSA pre-check and we don't mind carrying our stuff off the ship (self assist). 

Edited February 28 by erby2283

[kywildcatfanone]

2 hours ago, erby2283 said:

Hi! Question for you! American Airlines has changed our flights twice now - but this is flying home from MIA.  Original flight was 1:40, then changed to 11:40 and now 10 AM.  Only problem is, my friends who are traveling with me, have a connection at 2:56 and unless we make the 10am, the don't make that connection so we'd have to change both flights home for them.

 

Would you risk staying on the 10 am flight (from MIA to CLT) or would you just go ahead and ask the airlines to switch to the 1:40 flight which then gives them a 7-hour layover in Charlotte? We're on the Icon and a total of 3 ships dock in MIA that day (15,500 passengers). We dock at 6am, then the other ships dock at 7am and 8am.

 

Or, we can try and switch to an 11:43 flight from FLL but then they only have a 56 minute layover in Charlotte.

 

2 out of three of us are TSA pre-check and we don't mind carrying our stuff off the ship (self assist). 

If disembarking in MIA and flights out of MIA at 10am, I would do that with self disembarkation if it were me.