RCCL Harmony of the Seas -- Return Flight ?

Having a hard time finding reasonable airfare for our January cruise. We were on Allure last January, had low number to be called off ship to get luggage & go thru customs and were in the FLL airport by 9:00 a.m. Didn't know if we were lucky or if that's standard.

My question is … disembarking from Harmony vs. Allure … are we going to experience anything vastly different.

Considering taking a gamble and booking 10:45 a.m. return flight …. (I realize that's a huge gamble)

If you read down the board, you will see many comments about flight times at FLL, coming off the ships at Port Everglades. 10:30 is commonly discussed as the earliest recommended flight.

You will also see comments about the mega RCI ships. They almost always get into port first, by 5am or 5:30, and get cleared pretty early, starting disembarking by 6:30. So 10:30 is even more doable, as opposed to most ships, which don't start letting off pax until 7:15 or 7:30.

10:45 is not a gamble. If you want to reduce your stress even more, just do self-disembarkation around 6:45AM. You will carry your own bags off the ship with you and walk right off. There will be no crowd, no line, nothing. You walk right off easily. Hop in a cab, at the airport and probably sitting at your gate by 7:45.

I have done self-disembarkation on Harmony and we were home (20 minutes further than the airport) by about 7:30 on our last trip. Oasis before that we were home around 7:15! It's consistent and easy to get jump off early on these ships.

10:45 is not a gamble. If you want to reduce your stress even more, just do self-disembarkation around 6:45AM. You will carry your own bags off the ship with you and walk right off. There will be no crowd, no line, nothing. You walk right off easily. Hop in a cab, at the airport and probably sitting at your gate by 7:45.

 

I have done self-disembarkation on Harmony and we were home (20 minutes further than the airport) by about 7:30 on our last trip. Oasis before that we were home around 7:15! It's consistent and easy to get jump off early on these ships.

Thanks for your reply! We went with 10:45 return flight. You wouldnt have extra rooms for party of 11 to crash out the night before we leave would you ... LOL ... finding affordable accommodations is proving to be tricky

Thanks for your reply! We went with 10:45 return flight. You wouldnt have extra rooms for party of 11 to crash out the night before we leave would you ... LOL ... finding affordable accommodations is proving to be tricky

We could manage, lol. But my wife would have none of it.

But yeah, we live local and self disembark before 7am just because it's so darn stress free and easy. Do that and hang out at the airport. Outside of extraordinary circumstances like ship fire and crazy late because the engine broke or whatever, you will have way more than enough time.

I know I am pushing my luck and will be off the charts nervous the night before the flight, but I have an 830 flight home. I haven't been on Harmony, but on Allure 4 times and have been at the airport shortly after 7AM, so I am hoping for the same on this trip.

I would NEVER schedule a flight at this time except the only other flight on SW is at 5:30PM and I really don't want to sit at the airport that long, nor can I expect someone to pick me up at the airport at 11PM.

I just hope nothing delays things for me. I am nervous already and have several months until my cruise. I just have to put it out of my mind for now and keep checking to see if SW has another flight, which probably isn't likely.