making an early flight post-cruise

I have an 11:40 flight (booked thru HAL) after my cruise ending Dec 2 in Ft Lauderdale. Need suggestions / reassurances on the speediest way to get off the ship and to the airport to make my flight (international). Thanks.

My daughter & I had a noon flight after our cruise in March. We did the expedited disembarkation etc and had no problem grabbing a taxi to the airport.

I must admit I was anxious because we were a bit late getting into port because of a medical emergency but luckily it all worked out.

It's doable for sure but I didn't like it causing stress after a great holiday.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

If you can carry everything off yourself, the early disembarkation should be OK. I wouldn't book anything that early, but I'm a worrier.

According to Cruisetimetables.com there will be 3 ships in FLL that day. There should be plenty of cabs available just outside the terminal and it is a 10 minute ride to the FLL airport. If you can use the mobile passport App (download before you go and fill out the info when you know which terminal the ship is in) you should be able to get through immigration quicker. If you have TSA Precheck that will also help with security at the airport. Last week we got off the Veendam at 8:15 and were at our gate at the airport by 9:00. We only had one ship in that day.

You will need to do self disembarkation -- you have to carry all your luggage off the ship yourselves.

There are tons of taxis right at the pier.

The airport is just about a 10 minute ride from the pier.

What gif the ship is late coming into port Everglades? It happened to me a few years ago.

Most likely you will have no problem. Either do early walk-off, or get the earliest regular disembarkation.

There will be lots of taxis, and it is about a ten minute trip to the airport. Let's face it, there is always a chance that something will happen, like the ship being late into port. But the odds are in your favour.

We have done a flight as early as 10:30 out of FLL and it was fine. Good luck.

Also, as you have booked your flight through HAL, if the ship is late getting in, and you miss your flight, HAL will look after you. So even less of a worry.

For an international flight FLL recommends arriving at airport two hours prior - 9:40 should be doable, but you must self-disembark - and get yourself to the head of the line. It's not as though you are on a flight to New York with many later flights if you get delayed - which means that the "reassurance" I might offer is moot; then my "suggestion" is to get off the ship early - followed by a recommendation that you not play it so close next time if you do not enjoy stress.

snip..

Also, as you have booked your flight through HAL, if the ship is late getting in, and you miss your flight, HAL will look after you. So even less of a worry.

This is exactly what we did for our upcoming 21 day cruise. Since we return December 20 we wanted to fly home the same day so booked our flight through HAL. I will sleep better the night before docking!

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

This is exactly what we did for our upcoming 21 day cruise. Since we return December 20 we wanted to fly home the same day so booked our flight through HAL. I will sleep better the night before docking!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Do not go naively into this! You'll probably make it if you follow what others have said: travel LIGHT, self-debark, get into a taxi QUICKLY.

BUT, just in case: HAL says they will get you home; it does not mean they will get you on the next flight, doesn't even mean they will get you home that day. You'll have to get in line with others and wait until there is a seat available in your booking class (NOT just coach/first, but those FYBQMSLUT codes). You may have to split up on flights - one on flight #1, one on flight #2. Get online to an engine like Matrix and make a list of the possible alternative flights you could get on when you miss the original one.

Make sure you note that the flight is thru HAL. I am sure the front desk will get you in one of the first colors to go. Lucky for us as we live only 2 hrs. from the port so we always ask for one of the last colors to get off. That way the people who need to be off early have less people to contend with as they leave early and head for the airport.

I have an 11:40 flight (booked thru HAL) after my cruise ending Dec 2 in Ft Lauderdale. Need suggestions / reassurances on the speediest way to get off the ship and to the airport to make my flight (international). Thanks.

If you can, do the self-disembarkation (basically carrying your bags off yourself). That way you should have less of an issue with Customs and getting to the airport, plus beating the cruise buses to the airport really makes a difference. As already mentioned, a quick 10 minute taxi ride to the airport is the norm.

Since you are using HAL air. do you have HAL transfers as well?

I don't like to say this in public :D, but look for a (very small) sign in the port terminal building that says "non-US passport holders" and get in that line. It is shorter than the regular line. But it's a very small sign - about a 3 x 5 recipe card! If you have Nexus cards, there is a Nexus line at the airport, which also helps.

Do not go naively into this! You'll probably make it if you follow what others have said: travel LIGHT, self-debark, get into a taxi QUICKLY.

 

BUT, just in case: HAL says they will get you home; it does not mean they will get you on the next flight, doesn't even mean they will get you home that day. You'll have to get in line with others and wait until there is a seat available in your booking class (NOT just coach/first, but those FYBQMSLUT codes). You may have to split up on flights - one on flight #1, one on flight #2. Get online to an engine like Matrix and make a list of the possible alternative flights you could get on when you miss the original one.

Thank you for the warning and hints. Since this trip it is my husband and I it's not a huge deal if we don't make the

flight. (It was in March with my daughter only because she had to work the next day and we hadn't booked the flight with HAL).

We will do the self disembark, have Nexus, and get in line as quickly as possible for the taxi. If we have to stay overnight that's ok too. Will definitely not stress this time. We are retired so would offer our seats up to others if needed as well.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Book an Uber! No taxi line. Call them and you can even pre book and they’ll pick you up at the curb.

We’ve had flights before noon almost every cruise and had no problems. Yes, I know the ship can arrive late. It’s just never happened to us.

Thank you for the warning and hints. Since this trip it is my husband and I it's not a huge deal if we don't make the

flight. (It was in March with my daughter only because she had to work the next day and we hadn't booked the flight with HAL).

 

We will do the self disembark, have Nexus, and get in line as quickly as possible for the taxi. If we have to stay overnight that's ok too. Will definitely not stress this time. We are retired so would offer our seats up to others if needed as well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

What I remember most from our March cruise when the Captain said we won't be on time returning to Ft Lauderdale because of the medical evacuation was that anyone who had a HAL flight to let them know (I honestly can't remember if they were to come to the front desk or wherever). It sounded so reassuring just to know those people at least had someone to help them. We were booked on a Westjet flight and it was the last one of the day leaving at noon. We ended up having lots of time luckily but made for a bit of a restless sleep the night before docking.

I told my daughter if we didn't make our flight that's what credit cards are for-to stay overnight in a hotel and she could phone her employer. I didn't want her worrying any more than she was and tried to put on a good front. Just glad it all worked out.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

We disembarked FLL last Friday. There was a delay clearing the ship, so first off was not until 7:35. We were at our gate at 8:15.

We also disembarked FLL in April with five ships in port. We were at our gate at 8:25.

I didn't book a HAL transfer but can still do so on the ship.Thought a taxi would be faster and cheaper!

I didn't book a HAL transfer but can still do so on the ship.Thought a taxi would be faster and cheaper!

There were tons of taxis when we walked off-I think I'd prefer that rather than waiting for a HAL transfer.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

I didn't book a HAL transfer but can still do so on the ship.Thought a taxi would be faster and cheaper!

The "HAL transfer" is not the point - it will most likely take longer than your own taxi (as well as cost more) because you have to wait until the bus is full. The encouraging suggestion involved having a flight booked through HAL.

No problem whatsoever. Walk off early. Take a cab.... Print you boarding pass the night before. In our experience you will have bags of time.

I didn't book a HAL transfer but can still do so on the ship.Thought a taxi would be faster and cheaper!

Take a cab. Don't take a HAL transfer. As others have said, self-disembark, then go out to the huge line-up of cabs that will be waiting.

Yikes - I just looked and there are 6 ships coming in when we do in April. We depart from FLL at 11:55 am. Would you suggest that we walk off with our luggage? This is the earliest I’ve flown out after a cruise.

Yikes - I just looked and there are 6 ships coming in when we do in April. We depart from FLL at 11:55 am. Would you suggest that we walk off with our luggage? This is the earliest I’ve flown out after a cruise.

You should be able to make an 11:55 flight- but you should do the walk-off -- and take a taxi rather than cruise line transfer.

I didn't book a HAL transfer but can still do so on the ship.Thought a taxi would be faster and cheaper!

Don't take the transfer! It is much faster and cheaper to take a taxi.