recommended flight time for Fort Lauderdale

[hpreece]

Someone please tell me what the latest departure flight time is recommended for FLL. The flight that is almost $200 cheaper leaves at 10:31am....the cruise doesn't arrive back until 8am. Does anyone recommend this? Or do you think it would be too stressful? I'm not sure how smoothly Costa's self disembarkation process is either...:confused:

Thanks in advance,

Heather

[E-500]

Someone please tell me what the latest departure flight time is recommended for FLL. The flight that is almost $200 cheaper leaves at 10:31am....the cruise doesn't arrive back until 8am. Does anyone recommend this? Or do you think it would be too stressful? I'm not sure how smoothly Costa's self disembarkation process is either...:confused:

Thanks in advance,

Heather

 

Doable but very tight. A 10;30 flight will induce stress. You will have to hit all the marks to make it. I.E. the ship docks on time, clears customs quickly, you use self disembarkment, you clear customs and immigration quickly and a cab is right there at the curb. Print out boarding passes the night before.

 

My experience with Costa suggests a number of international guests that don't follow Costa's instructions resulting in multiple pages to visit the pursers office. Ship is not cleared and nobody gets off until they resolve the problem.

 

I'd be most comfortable with a flight after 12:00.

[Keith1010]

Don't take such an early flight. No one can guarantee you will make it and why stress out during the cruise worry whether or not you can make it. There are too many things that can go wrong including the delay getting the ship cleared and passengers off the ship. If this was me, I would take a later flight.

 

Keith

[candydane]

You should check to see how many other cruise ships will be docking the same day. I've been reading about the new behemoth cruise ships that will be doing the Caribbean. The more passengers also needing airport transportation, the harder it will be to make it to the airport.

 

At a minimum I would have a car (not a shuttle) pre-booked to pick you up at the pier & take you directly to the airport. And you should do the earliest debarkation you can get which will be the "carry all your bags yourself".

 

I wouldn't even attempt it. Travel days are bad enough without adding that kind of stress, probably impacting the last couple days of your cruise, not just your travel day.

[hpreece]

Thank you guys so much for your input. I decided against such an early flight and decided to depart the following day...that way we can visit Miami for the day and be stress free ;)

Thanks again,

Heather

[Keith1010]

Heather, great decision. Enjoy the cruise and your time in Miami.

 

Keith

[Treven]

Ditto, I think that's a wise move on your part. Look at it this way, you extend your vacation by one more day.