Need a quick answer please.. bonus points at stake

[Commieri]

I just signed up for an AMEX Blue Sky Rewards credit card specifically because once you charge $500 they will reward you with $300 towards travel expense. I'm booked on the Grande in Feb and already put the deposit down. I could book the air today on SWA and that will easily spend the $500 required for points but you know these deals...I have to wait for 6-8 weeks before the points are deposited.. this brings me just a day or so before I have to pay Princess final payment... so not much time to futz around to use the points towards the cruise fare. So the issue is... I see a nice RETURNING flight on SWA for 10:45 am. I believe I've seen on these boards that Princess will let you leave early for early fights.. Just checking as I can't call Princess today.. Sunday and can't find the info on the website.

I know when we've sailed before we are often at the airport by 9 or 9:20.

 

I guess this is a long and windy explanation but my Question is whether all the lovely and smart people know if in fact Princess still gets those with earlier morning slights disembarked a bit more quickly.

[Toto2Kansas]

You can sign up and self disembark, carrying your own luggage, and be some of the first off the ship. Although a 10:45 flight is early, we have made our flight at that time in the past, if everything goes as it should disembarking (but no promises) there should not be a problem out of FLL. ;)

[Astro Flyer]

I guess this is a long and windy explanation but my Question is whether all the lovely and smart people know if in fact Princess still gets those with earlier morning slights disembarked a bit more quickly.

If you are able to walk off with all of your luggage, you can choose that option which generally begins around 7:30. It's a better option because sometimes disembarkation times are based on your deck. Although if there are time slots available, you can go to the PSD to request an earlier time.

 

Without any idea when or where you'll be on the Grand, my Crown cruise said to not book return flights earlier than 1030 from FLL (info in Cruise Personalizer's Itinerary). While I've read posts about those who manage to walk off for a short cab ride to FLL for flights that early, I wouldn't count on it. Particularly if it's a busy port day with tens of thousands of passengers going to the airport which others say becomes gridlock at the airport.

[Commieri]

SWA has a non-stop home for us at 10:45 so it's tempting to go for it since we usually do end up sitting around the airport for a few hours. I'm thinking if I also do the EZ check with SWA that I read more about here, we should be ok. I remember in the olden days, they color coded you off the ship based on your flight time.

 

May wait for a few more opinions and then bite the bullet. thanks!

[cattolica]

Please realize there is a limit to how many passengers will be allowed to self disembark.

 

On the one cruise where we thought we needed off early (good thing we didn't), the self disembark slots were full. There were three groups and it was limited to 200 passengers per group (not couples, not families.......passengers).

 

They don't just let anyone who wants off early, walk up with their luggage at the end of the cruise and expect to head out. They do have a limit and an order to who gets off when otherwise there would be chaos at the gangway.

[Commieri]

Please realize there is a limit to how many passengers will be allowed to self disembark.

 

On the one cruise where we thought we needed off early (good thing we didn't), the self disembark slots were full. There were three groups and it was limited to 200 passengers per group (not couples, not families.......passengers).

 

They don't just let anyone who wants off early, walk up with their luggage at the end of the cruise and expect to head out. They do have a limit and an order to who gets off when otherwise there would be chaos at the gangway.

 

So what's they system they use to decide who self-embarks? Do you have to sign up for it?

[whatcruiseisnext]

You will haveno trouble making a 1045am flight. Even if you don't make it for self-disembarkation as long as you are in the first regular group off...no worries at all. Buy the ticket!

[Toto2Kansas]

So what's they system they use to decide who self-embarks? Do you have to sign up for it?

Yes, you sign up for it onboard.

[Astro Flyer]

So what's they system they use to decide who self-embarks? Do you have to sign up for it?

Near the end of the cruise, you receive a form with the option for Self Help - Express Disembarkation (handle your own luggage & not for those with mobility difficulties), Princess transfers or Independent Arrangements. There's also the option to request the same departure time with someone in another stateroom. Princess does a silent disembarkation without announcements so you go to the assigned location & from there you go to the gangway. The times given as estimates but generally I've been off before the assigned time but not always. As far as I know, it's based on how soon you drop off your request at the PSD...early bird gets the worm! :p

[Commieri]

THanks, you guys are "da bomb"!!!!