Pre-arranged Uber at Port Everglades?

[Mosaic]

We have an earlier than normal flight out of FLL.  Is pre-arranging an Uber a good idea?  Is there a separate pickup area at the terminals for that vs a taxi line???

Thanks!

[0106]

It is very easy to hop into a taxi to the airport.  They are waiting when you disembark.

[POA1]

I'd go with the taxi. We live in Fort Lauderdale and the taxi from ship to the airport or vice versa is simplest way to go.

[3rdGenCunarder]

Another vote for a taxi. It's a short ride, very easy. I have found that pre-arranged Ubers are much more expensive than simply ordering one when you're ready, so the taxi would probably be cheaper. 

 

If you're concerned about getting off the ship quickly, consider "self-help" or whatever HAL calls it when you carry everything off yourself. That's the first group called to disembark. 

[cruisinsusin]

Both times we have disembarked at Port Everglades recently, the Uber area has been packed with people waiting and we were

able to walk right up to a taxi and get on our way to the airport. Prices were very similar to Uber/Lyft

[Moriah]

I know you've already gotten this answer, but I want to add my voice to the crowd and say, please forget Uber when it comes to leaving a ship on your way to FLL.  Since your flight is early, just go to the gangway with everything you need to bring to the airport and try to be among the first off the ship - probably around 7:30 - and as others have said, just jump into a taxi - there will be a whole line of them waiting.  Can I ask what time your flight leaves?  I am usually too afraid to book anything for before noon, even though I've seen time and again that it would probably be just fine.  Then I kick myself, because the earlier flights are so much cheaper...

[Real NHDOC]

Just keep in mind there’s no guarantee the ship will arrive on time and no guarantee that they will get clearance to disembark on time. It’s a real risk to book a flight too early.
 

We have had three significant delays in disembarking cruise ships that would have caused us to miss flights booked too early (out of around 30 cruises) so it does happen relatively frequently.  Twice was due to late arrival and once due to customs in Boston harassing anyone who bought anything of value onboard the ship. 

[Moriah]

2 minutes ago, Real NHDOC said:

Just keep in mind there’s no guarantee the ship will arrive on time and no guarantee that they will get clearance to disembark on time. It’s a real risk to book a flight too early.
 

We have had three significant delays in disembarking cruise ships that would have caused us to miss flights booked too early (out of around 30 cruises) so it does happen relatively frequently.  Twice was due to late arrival and once due to customs in Boston harassing anyone who bought anything of value onboard the ship. 

 

I guess it's knowing this that always has me booking a much later (and more expensive) flight back up to the frozen North, 🙂  The OP will probably be just fine, but as you say, there is no guarantee.

[Mary229]

Adding , even prearranged Uber only waits so long then you are back to square one.  

[Real NHDOC]

3 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

Adding , even prearranged Uber only waits so long then you are back to square one.  

Yes, or you would be paying them to wait or paying them for coming and leaving. Either way you will pay a penalty if you are even just a few minutes behind your scheduled pickup time 

[Real NHDOC]

8 minutes ago, Moriah said:

 

I guess it's knowing this that always has me booking a much later (and more expensive) flight back up to the frozen North, 🙂  The OP will probably be just fine, but as you say, there is no guarantee.

If you think that’s expensive wait until you have to rebook a later flight at the last minute because the ship arrived late. We had to in San Diego but fortunately Princess paid the $600pp to rebook us. We had booked a 1:30 flight but the ship was 6 hours late so the earliest flights that could be caught were around 3pm. 

Edited January 21 by Real NHDOC

[horseymike]

What about a pick up for a group of 4 people ( one of which is handicapped ) and their luggage after a cruise to go to Delray Beach ?
Any suggestions on the best option for this situation ? 

[3rdGenCunarder]

15 minutes ago, Real NHDOC said:

Just keep in mind there’s no guarantee the ship will arrive on time and no guarantee that they will get clearance to disembark on time. It’s a real risk to book a flight too early.
 

We have had three significant delays in disembarking cruise ships that would have caused us to miss flights booked too early (out of around 30 cruises) so it does happen relatively frequently.  Twice was due to late arrival and once due to customs in Boston harassing anyone who bought anything of value onboard the ship. 

 

Boston is the worst for customs and immigration. Twice on QM 2, we weren't disembarking, it was just the first port in the US and it was awful. HOURS to be processed because they sent too few people. I have never experienced anything that bad in any other US port.

[3rdGenCunarder]

4 minutes ago, horseymike said:

What about a pick up for a group of 4 people ( one of which is handicapped ) and their luggage after a cruise to go to Delray Beach ?
Any suggestions on the best option for this situation ? 

 

For that I would do a prearranged limo service. I've used Go Airport Shuttle. You probably won't be able to book online, because the website looks like everything is for airports. But they do other services, and might have what you need.

 

Talk to them about timing and waiting charges. Maybe plan to be off toward the end of disembarkation to give yourself a little time cushion.

Edited January 21 by 3rdGenCunarder

[Real NHDOC]

5 minutes ago, horseymike said:

What about a pick up for a group of 4 people ( one of which is handicapped ) and their luggage after a cruise to go to Delray Beach ?
Any suggestions on the best option for this situation ? 

Ironically because you are going further than the airport the odds of you getting an uber to come faster is better. It’s because a lot of the uber drivers don’t like fighting the traffic at the port and airport for $20. So I would just call for an uber comfort when you are at customs and wait on the designated island. It will probably take about 10 minutes or less before you get a pickup 

[Hlitner]

Our norm at Port Everglades is to walk out of the terminal, gauge the waiting time at the taxi queue, and only order an Uber/Lyft if the taxi queue looks real nasty. Most recently (mid December) we walked off the Sky Princess about 7:45, quickly cleared immigration (they now use facial recognition which is very fast for most folks) had our luggage by 8, saw the taxi queue was short, and were at FLL by 8:20.  

 

In the past we have used Uber, and the wait has varied from as little as 3 minutes to over 30 minutes.  You just never know.   We do use Uber when we need to go to more distant locations (such as from Port Everglades to MIA or Port of Miami to FLL).    We also prefer Uber/Lyft when we are heading to any port from our hotel.  Hotel shuttle service (to the ports) can really suck given the waiting time and multiple stops at the port.

 

Hank

[3rdGenCunarder]

18 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

We also prefer Uber/Lyft when we are heading to any port from our hotel.  Hotel shuttle service (to the ports) can really suck given the waiting time and multiple stops at the port.

 

I do, too. So many posters obsess about finding a hotel with a free or low-cost shuttle. Not worth it. Many of the FLL hotels are close enough to the port that an Uber isn't very expensive. And it beats a shuttle that has passengers going to various ships--you can end up with a tour of the port instead of a quick transfer.