Would we be pushing it with a 9:41am flight going home?

[ccnwater]

We are crusing April 4th, Eurodam. I am having a hard time finding good times for a flight. (without paying 600.00 a person!) Spirit has a flight coming home April 11th out of FLL at 9:41am. I have always tried to book coming home after 11:00am, but am considering it???
Has the ship been docking at 7:00am? Thanks for any input!

[Druke I]

I personally would not try for a flight before noon.

Too many variables could impact a 09:41 flight.

[RuthC]

Under no circumstances would I consider a flight that early on the day of disembarkation. :eek:

[sail7seas]

I would not dream of booking a flight that early. Yes,,,,,,, there is an outside chance you might make it on a given day here to there but a much larger chance, you would not.

That flight is not a good choice for cruisers and could be one of the reasons it is priced lower....so many cruisers flying out of FLL.

[norcal2]

On any line that time would give me an anxiety attack. Unless you are very lucky that day, you may regret it. I don't know what the price difference is but you may be better served to book the more expensive one or book a reasonable later flight and do a little sightseeing or a tour.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Do not eve3n consider booking a flight before noon.

On both of our Eurodam cruises the self-disembaking passengers didn't start to leave the ship until 7:30 and 7:45.

Even though you have only a short taxi ride to the airport -- remember that you still have to go through security - and those lines can be long.

Keep in mind that the ship may get in late due to weather -- the ship may not get cleared right away.

Don't risk it!!

[timothy998]

Do you have the flexibility to stay an extra night in Ft Lauderdale. Even with a hotel and a few meals, depending upon the fare difference you could still come out ahead, plus you get to extend your vacation yet another day!

[Boytjie]

I would never book it that early. Say you miss the flight - what's your next option? Any later flights (if there are any) the same day could be full and you may have to stay a night (or more). And all of that may cost you more than the difference in airfare.

[sail7seas]

How about booking the less costly flight for the day after you leave the ship and use the money difference to pay for a hotel room and stay overnight to enjoy a day in FLL?

[sail7seas]

:D Great minds. ;)


The three of us were posting at the same time.

[norcal2]

Do you have the flexibility to stay an extra night in Ft Lauderdale. Even with a hotel and a few meals, depending upon the fare difference you could still come out ahead, plus you get to extend your vacation yet another day!

Tim that is what we did. The available flights for the timeframe at that time were so much more expensive than the next day that we booked a night at a hotel and we are pretty much even with an extra vacation day.

[whenzuc]

we left the ship at 8:15 and had the signature express check in for jet blue. We were in the terminal for final boarding for a 9:30 flight which we tried to get on to. First off, the security checkpoint was extremely slow at that time. Perhaps we were waiting for 15 minutes. Also, the flights were closing about 15 minutes before scheduled flight time and even our flight pushed back 10 minutes early due to weather issues in NYC. So,l long story short- definitely too close. Also if your haveing your luggage checked through- no way.

[hammybee]

If you miss your flight, then what?

You are stand-bye for later flights which are apt to be full, given the time of year.

Then you might end up having to stay the night, at your own expense and paying a fare differential and change fee to fly home the next day or even the day after that. And if there is a storm front somewhere in the U.S., playing havoc with schedules, well, oh me/oh my.

There might be more/better options using MIA. The cost of getting to/from MIA then becomes a factor.

[mamaofami]

Thinking about making a flight that early would give me anxiety the whole cruise.

[jhannah]

Some are saying you MIGHT make a 9:41 flight. I say, "NO WAY!" Please do as suggested and stay the day and leave the following morning. Alternatively, what about a LATE flight home, red-eye style? Sometimes those are much cheaper. While not fun to spend the day at the airport, it might make a big dollar difference.

[odiesam]

If it is Detroit you are looking to fly out of on Spirit - you may want to look at a different airport and save $$$. We are south of Detroit right on the OH/MI border and are cruising out of FLL for a cruise on April 4th. We couldn't find decent priced flights out of Detroit (or Flint or Toledo) so we are driving to Columbus where AirTran flies directly to FLL - $235 a piece. Our return flight leaves FLL 1:45 pm direct to Columbus. We figured the drive to Columbus was worth it since the fare was so much lower , decent flight times and not having to connect anywhere.

[navybankerteacher]

Royal Carribean Navigator of the Seas, Carnival Freedom, Ruby Princess and MSC Orchestra will be returning to Fort Lauderdale along with Eurodam on April 11. Many of the more than 15,500 returning passengers will be trying for taxis at the cruise terminal and checking in for flightsat the airport.

You must be kidding!

[chiapet]

Would we be pushing it with a 9:41am flight going home?

YES it's pushing it quite a bit ... and it seems that the consensus feels the same.

Look at it this way ... if you do miss, you'll be spending a heck of a lot more ;)

[sixpackeddie]

We are on the Eurodam out of FT lauderdale in March and have a 10:10 am flight out of Miami, is there a chance we will make it? I though we could be in the cab at 8am and at the airport by 9am?

[iflyrc5]

In Dec it took us 1 hour from pier to gate at FLL. The line at Northwest was short and the TSA line was not that bad either. The problem for us was that the Prinsendam docked at 7am but we did not start letting passengers off until 0915.

[hammybee]

We are on the Eurodam out of FT lauderdale in March and have a 10:10 am flight out of Miami, is there a chance we will make it? I though we could be in the cab at 8am and at the airport by 9am?

It all depends:

Will your ship return and dock on time?

Will some yahoo not report to immigration and hold up disembarkation for everyone?

Will authorities allow the ship to be disembarked in a timely fashion?

Will half the ship plan on bolting the minute they are allowed to do so?

Will there be enough cabs?

How many other ships are disembarking thousands of passengers at the same time?

Will the commute encounter traffic congestion?

Will there be lines at the airport, a thousand people long?

It all depends on things absolutely out of your control. There are reasons why cruise lines recommend that passenger return flights be scheduled for no earlier than X, dependent upon the port. X never = 10:00 A.M.

Having said all this, in all liklihood, you will make it, with time to spare.
Have a back up plan in the event that your choice does not result in the desired outcome.

[ccnwater]

Thanks everyone, we have cruised 4 times, have always had times around noon, but thought I would get some opinions. I would be very nervous with a flight that early.

Good news, ODIESAM!!!! Thanks! I am sooo glad I posted, just checked Airtran and can get decent times for about 325.00 a person! Driving to Columbus:) We are in Downriver, so about 30 minutes to the Ohio border, but could drop the pup off at my parents on the way, in Newport!

[Host Michell]

Thanks everyone, we have cruised 4 times, have always had times around noon, but thought I would get some opinions. I would be very nervous with a flight that early.

Good news, ODIESAM!!!! Thanks! I am sooo glad I posted, just checked Airtran and can get decent times for about 325.00 a person! Driving to Columbus:) We are in Downriver, so about 30 minutes to the Ohio border, but could drop the pup off at my parents on the way, in Newport!

Glad it's going to work out for you! From your post title I was ready to post -- "PUSHING it? Honey, that flight time will be rolling you over and over, wrapping you up, and sticking a label saying "postage due" on you!"

WAY too many variables involved with flights before noon -- there's a REASON flights from cruise docking ports are cheaper on docking day before noon -- nobody from the ship will make those flights! :D

[jhannah]

We are on the Eurodam out of FT lauderdale in March and have a 10:10 am flight out of Miami, is there a chance we will make it? I though we could be in the cab at 8am and at the airport by 9am?
That is not enough time.

[6rugrats]

We are on the Eurodam out of FT lauderdale in March and have a 10:10 am flight out of Miami, is there a chance we will make it? I though we could be in the cab at 8am and at the airport by 9am?

Certainly - if it leaves the day after your cruise.

Even if you were got to the airport by 9:00, you will then need to wait in the security lines and wait to check baggage. MIA is a total zoo and the lines can be incredibly long. Change your flight.

[Love Cruises]

We were recently on the msPRINSENDAM and got off of the ship on Dec. 19th. The ship docked a little before 7:00 am but the first call to let passengers off was not until 9:15 am. Everyone was off the ship within an hour though. I would definitely not schedule any flight before noon out of Ft. Lauderdale airport.

[ViolaSwamp]

We were due in port at 7am, but there was a slight delay of sorts - not sure what - as self-disembarking passengers, we couldn't leave the ship until after 8am if I recall correctly. :rolleyes: