Earliest flight time departing FLL?

[HRHMadonna]

What is the earliest flight you would feel comfortable taking out of Ft. Lauderdale after returning from 7 day Millennium cruise scheduled to arrive port at 7 AM?

[DocJohnB]

What is the earliest flight you would feel comfortable taking out of Ft. Lauderdale after returning from 7 day Millennium cruise scheduled to arrive port at 7 AM?

 

Noon is very comfortable. 11 a.m. is doable.

[Host Walt]

Noon is very comfortable. 11 a.m. is doable.

Agree, but consider the possibilities. If there's any problem at all (a 20% chance at worst) such as a delay coming into port or a customs delay, you could be in trouble.

 

Worse, if you're like us, we'll start worrying at about the time dessert arrives the night before. A 1:00pm or later flight gets you home later but takes the "adventure" out of it as well.

 

And if you do get to the airport early, you may be able to get a seat on the earlier flight - just so long as your bags have not been checked in on a later flight.

[janetz]

11:30..Grab a taxi to the airport, NO shuttle. ;)

[flagger]

Based on our last experience, I would feel more than comfortable taking a 10AM flight.

[usha]

Here's what Celebrity's website has to say about it:

I am making air reservations separately from Celebrity Cruises, when should I schedule my flight home?

Subject: Air Arrangements

 

On the day of disembarkation, the ship will arrive fairly early (approximately 5:00am) and begin disembarkation around 8:00am. Guests who have purchased their air through Celebrity Cruises will disembark in priority order based on the times of their departing flights and then our cruise-only guests will disembark.

 

After this, you will claim your luggage in the customs holding area and submit your US Custom's declaration to a custom's agent who will then clear you for re-entry.

 

After this you will either board your transfer to the airport or are free to leave. In most instances, all guests are off the ship by 11:00am and if your are securing your own flights, we recommend (if you have your own transportation) and require (if you are taking a Celebrity Cruises transfer) that you allow an additional 30 to 60 minutes** travel time (depending upon your distance from the airport).

 

**Some pier locations which are further from the airport may require additional travel time. Please check the distance for your specific sailing before making flight arrangements on your own.

[dutchess43]

I would never book any flight earlier then 1 p.m.. We flew out of FLL Jan 2003 & what a disaster. It seems that a lot of cruises departed at the same time it took us 1 hour & 45 minutes to go through security. After we were on the line so long everyone seems to speak to one another to pass the time away. One lady whom seemed to fly out of FLL on numerous flight's told us that it seems that FLL cannot handle all of the ships on departure. You would think that after all of these years that FLL would be better prepared. We would rather try to get on an earlier flight once we check in then to miss the plane. My other concern is what happens if the ship does not dock at it's designated time(NCL N.Y.6/2004)?

[DrKoob]

We got off Infinity in Feb after a week long E. Carib cruise and were at the airport by 10:00 am. No problems. We did not have X air. And in four X cruises we have never been in late. Ever.

[janetz]

When you get to the airport early by taxi you avoid the masses of people from the cruise ships via shuttles. We grab a porter, who gets our luggage and gets us a taxi and have always been to the FLL airport before 9:30. By the time you check in and get though the security check, turn around and be glad you aren't waiting in the lines you see "behind" you. We would never book a afternoon flight. :)