FLL- 11:00am flight home

[Murphey]

Can I make this leaving FLL mid-week??? Opinions???

[Toto2Kansas]

That is the time we try for on our outgoing flights. Never had a problem making them in the past. Even around the holidays one year when there were 9 ships in port, we still made a 10:45 AM flight.

[98Charlie]

I would agree that, especially mid week, you could make the 11:00.

 

Now, if you miss it, blame Toto:D

 

Charlie

[caribill]

Should make it if the ship arrives on time.

 

Be sure to arrange to be among the first to leave the ship to have the most time and to be at the beginning of the line of a taxi.

[Toto2Kansas]

Now, if you miss it, blame Toto:D

 

Charlie

 

LOL...... ;)

[Kaye from Chicagoland]

How about an 11:25 on a Saturday? Will we be O.K.???

[Murphey]

Thanks...I thought it might be OK. Especially being Elite, I can request early disembarkation. Just checking with the experts.....aka Toto!!!!;)

 

It's not so much getting off the ship early, but that FLL can be a bear, especially on the weekends. If you have a later flight, they WILL NOT let you check in and get past security to wait. It can become a mob scene outside!!

[sunsetme]

I don't think you'll have a problem--totally doable.

[98Charlie]

Thanks...I thought it might be OK. Especially being Elite, I can request early disembarkation. Just checking with the experts.....aka Toto!!!!;)

 

It's not so much getting off the ship early,

 

but that FLL can be a bear

That's an understatement! It's a real train wreck with all the people in line and late arrivals bucking the line

"Comin' through, Comin' through. My plane leaves in 25 minutes." Geesh, plan a little better.,

 

especially on the weekends. If you have a later flight, they WILL NOT let you check in and get past security to wait.

We did find that the curbside checkin will sometimes be allowed to take bags 3 hours before departure. You still have to sit on the "unsecure" side of security until they decide to let you through but at least you're not sitting with all of your luggage. It can become a mob scene outside!!

 

Charlie

[dewats784]

We made an 11:25 am flight in January without any problem. It was on Saturday and we were at the airport at 9:10 am. Still had a pretty long wait at the airport until our flight. Enjoy!

[reggielew]

Hi!

 

We have done an 11:00 flight many times and have never had a problem. Tell the purser's desk that you have an early flight, and you will be given a luggage tag to be among the first groups off the ship. Ever more important, GET A PORTER. It's worth a few dollars because he will take you directly to a cab, avoiding the cab line. Barring any unforseen circumstances, you should be at your gate at least a couple of hours early.

 

Reggie

[98Charlie]

Hi!

 

We have done an 11:00 flight many times and have never had a problem. Tell the purser's desk that you have an early flight, and you will be given a luggage tag to be among the first groups off the ship. Ever more important, GET A PORTER. It's worth a few dollars because he will take you directly to a cab, avoiding the cab line. Barring any unforseen circumstances, you should be at your gate at least a couple of hours early.

 

Reggie

Excellent advice. Often the porters have their own line. (Last time at FLL they didn't though.) Once we passed the customs area and were outside our porter said, "Follow Me" and headed straight across the lot to the middle of the taxi line. Trunk popped open, bags in, we were off.;)

 

Charlie

[Lorey2007]

Never flown home from FLL. Our flight is on a Sunday 4:15 if we are early what will happen. Can we just wait in the terminal, are there restaurants & shops, before going to the gate. Also whats the latest you can stay in your room.

[Toto2Kansas]

Never flown home from FLL. Our flight is on a Sunday 4:15 if we are early what will happen. Can we just wait in the terminal, are there restaurants & shops, before going to the gate. Also whats the latest you can stay in your room.

 

You will have to be off the ship at the latest usually by 9:30-10:00 AM.

You will not be able to check your baggage in at the airport until the 3 hour time limit before your flight, so you must keep it with you.

 

My suggestion? Book one of the Princess tours that takes you to the Everglades and Flamingo Park to kill some time. Your luggage goes right along with you on the bus and they drop you at the airport around 1:00-1:30. These will be available to book onboard towards the end of your cruise, they will send around a flyer to your stateroom for booking.

 

Otherwise, you will be stuck sitting at the entrance to the airport, like I see so many others doing, with their luggage, until you can check it in for your flight. It makes for a very long day just sitting when you could be doing something else a lot more fun.

[98Charlie]

You will have to be off the ship at the latest usually by 9:30-10:00 AM.

You will not be able to check your baggage in at the airport until the 3 hour time limit before your flight, so you must keep it with you.

 

My suggestion? Book one of the Princess tours that takes you to the Everglades and Flamingo Park to kill some time. Your luggage goes right along with you on the bus and they drop you at the airport around 1:00-1:30. These will be available to book onboard towards the end of your cruise, they will send around a flyer to your stateroom for booking.

 

Otherwise, you will be stuck sitting at the entrance to the airport, like I see so many others doing, with their luggage, until you can check it in for your flight. It makes for a very long day just sitting when you could be doing something else a lot more fun.

Toto's right. If you can't get one of the tours maybe you could find a dentist who would watch your luggage while you have a root canal done. It would be more comfortable:p

 

The waiting area at FLL before going through security is very small and there is 1 overpriced understaffed snack bar.

 

Charlie

[Former Goalie]

Never flown home from FLL. Our flight is on a Sunday 4:15 if we are early what will happen. Can we just wait in the terminal, are there restaurants & shops, before going to the gate. Also whats the latest you can stay in your room.

First, you may want to book a tour to pass the time, as that's a late flight. We did the Everglades tour a while back, and liked it.

Second, there is a new fee based service for Southwest pax in Port Everglades. We used it, and it is WELL WORTH IT! It saves you the hassle of toting bags to FLL, then waiting in those long weekend lines, both sky cap and inside (we flew on a Sunday, probably the worst day). Because we avoided the wait in line to deposit baggage in FLL, the lines at security hadn't built up yet (they can be endless at peak times, as well), and we sailed through a very short queue. It made what can be an endless experience almost seamless. Following is the link:

http://www.baggagecheckin.com/cgi-local/press.cgi?new=26

[Pam in CA]

You will probably not have any problems making a 11AM flight. But, I would have a back-up plan just in case because you never know if there could be a delayed disembarkation or crowds at the airport. I remember one year that the ship arrived late in FLL and because of some international passengers who hadn't completed their immigration forms, disembarkation didn't start until after 9:30AM. And then it was a complete madhouse. I was soooo glad we'd booked the Princess transfers because while people were fighting (literally) for cabs, we boarded the bus and left 5 minutes later. Check-in was a nightmare at FLL, taking between 30 (outside) to 60 minutes (inside) to check in. We barely made it to the gate in time for our 11:20AM flight.

[melodyina]

I made my 11:15 with USAirways no problem. Had 7:30 group disembark (which was late) from the Vista Lounge. Finding luggage was quick (less than 5 minutes) no line through customs and before I knew it I was sitting in the bus for the ride to the terminal. Dropped off at an unloading zone, and wheeled the luggage to USAirways, where there was a short line, and I still had plenty of time. This was Saturday, the day before Easter and during all the Spring Break traffic. I will state though that the more popular airlines had longer check-in lines for their baggage. I never felt rushed.

[caribill]

wheeled the luggage to USAirways, where there was a short line, and I still had plenty of time. I will state though that the more popular airlines had longer check-in lines for their baggage.

 

 

Another reason to fly USAirways.