Disembarkation - Miami Airport - Question

Our family currently have return flights after our Miami Disembarkation at 4:10pm. However there is a flight we could take at 12:00pm. Does anyone know if we would be able to easily make the 12:00pm flight?

I guess if we got off ship by 9am (is that possible?) and it took 30-40 min to airport we would still have 2 hours before flight.

However does anything ever go wrong with disembarkation and arriving at port that it would not be worth the change to take earlier flight and remain with our 4pm flight?

Would rather not hang around but at same time don't want to have panic mode after a great cruise vacation.

Appreciate any input / experience / suggestions.

You can make a noon flight. Just make arrangements to be first off the ship.

However does anything ever go wrong with disembarkation and arriving at port that it would not be worth the change to take earlier flight and remain with our 4pm flight?

If all goes well (and it usually does), you can make a noon flight easily. But you asked if anything ever goes wrong and the answer is yes, sometimes things go wrong:

• The ship could arrive late to port due to mechanical problems or weather.
  
• The ship itself could be delayed clearing customs, which must happen before pax can disembark.
  
• There could be a shortage of customs workers which keeps individual pax in line for hours to clear customs.
  

And once you leave the port:

• There could be an accident or construction that causes a traffic jam and prevents you from getting to the airport as scheduled.
  
• The airport could have excessively long lines at check in and/or security
  

So again, if things go well as they usually do, a noon flight shouldn't be a problem, just be aware that sometimes things do happen that prevent things from going well.

Appreciate the input from others. I was thinking of changing to earlier flight but after a great trip why end it with stress to get to flight if anything gets delayed. We will just store our luggage and tour around Miami port area a bit before going to airport.

Appreciate the input from others. I was thinking of changing to earlier flight but after a great trip why end it with stress to get to flight if anything gets delayed.

I've always wondered that too. People on this site seem to be very anxious to end their vacations ;)

My wife and I usually chill out. Take the relaxed road home. (Not literally a road. Usually a 737 or MD80.)

Have a great trip.

Keith

I do NOT want to linger after my cruise....we once had a 2pm flight, but were AT the airport by 9am....we paid $25 pp to move to an earlier flight!!! Sitting around is NOT relaxing! Expecially when you've spent a week or so "chilling out"!

Ha! CB I read your post 5 times to see if I was reading it wrong. That was some good humour for ending long week. Not sure if you were joking or not but either way good stuff. I too like to get home after a trip as we have three kids with busy schedules and we have full time jobs but not sure I would need to run to the airport after a great trip. Ha!. I think the stress of not catching an earlier flight is worse than having to sit a bit longer. "To each his own" Thanks.

Keep in mind that MIA can get VERY busy on a Sat or Sun morning/early afternoon as there can me MANY ships all dumping people at the airport at the same time. Plus don't forget all the folks who took land vacations in the Caribbean who are flying home that day is well. They all have to get checked in and get through security just like you do. There will always be a story of "it only took me 5 minutes while the next person had to wait an hour. Just remember Sat/Sun are busy days for tourists (many who don't fly often and take longer to do the simple things that experienced flyers take as routine) and it can bog down quickly.

Appreciate the input from others. I was thinking of changing to earlier flight but after a great trip why end it with stress to get to flight if anything gets delayed. We will just store our luggage and tour around Miami port area a bit before going to airport.

see if your cruiseline offers some excursions after you disembark. I know Carnival offer a few different options. Your luggage will be taken care of and you will get transportation to either Miami or Fort Lauderdale airport.

I do NOT want to linger after my cruise....we once had a 2pm flight, but were AT the airport by 9am....we paid $25 pp to move to an earlier flight!!! Sitting around is NOT relaxing! Expecially when you've spent a week or so "chilling out"!

1) I gladly pay for the privilege of sitting around doing nothing, so long as it is around a crowded swimming pool that I probably won't get into.

2) I don't want to voluntarily sit around doing nothing if it happens to be in an airport concourse.

Would love to hear the difference. Bring the same book, same sun hat and shades. And remember....you can get overpriced cocktails in both places.

There is a set taxi rate for transport from the cruise port to MIA. I think it is $24.

So, let's see if we have this logic correct:

 

1) I gladly pay for the privilege of sitting around doing nothing, so long as it is around a crowded swimming pool that I probably won't get into.

 

2) I don't want to voluntarily sit around doing nothing if it happens to be in an airport concourse.

 

Would love to hear the difference. Bring the same book, same sun hat and shades. And remember....you can get overpriced cocktails in both places.

Or you can go to Changi in Singapore and sit around the pool with an overpriced cocktail whilst waiting for your flight. That's how to do it.

(Says someone who heads to Changi in three days and doesn't have time for the pool)

(Says someone who heads to Changi in three days and doesn't have time for the pool)

And probably no time for the spa, the movie theater, and the butterfly garden either. Hopefully, you will get some time for some good hawker food and a chili crab or two. Have a Tiger for me.

All I know is a Noon flight out of Miami is fine.

And I would rather be on the safer side and wait at the airport then book too early a flight and miss it or spend half my darn cruise worrying about it. Of course I don't like stress.

I would book a Noon flight out of Miami but I would not book one earlier even if one time I made it there earlier where I could have gotten an earlier flight. Why? Because the odds say that pushing it too early will result in a missed flight. And I don't like that idea.

Keiht

OP, what would be the cost of changing your flight? $25, mentioned by one poster, is exceptionally cheap. I've found $150-$200 the norm, except on Southwest, which doesn't fly out of MIA (and even then you'd likely have to pay any fare difference). Not sure where you'll store your bags, but you may be able to check in with your airline early. I always want a longer connection time, at least if I can use an airline club or tour outside.