Disembarking at Port of Miami

[englishlee]

Over on the Celebrity forum there is a thread about disembarking in Port Everglades and how long it is taking to clear customs and immigration - several hours it seems, meaning that people are missing 1pm and later flights.

 

Anyone have any recent experience at the Port of Miami. We'll be getting of the Navigator on 11th April and need to catch a 1.15pm flight which I know from experience has been OK in the past. Anyone got any experience from this month which seems to be when the problems started, apparently and allegedly due to budget sequestration.

[Gcto]

not a problem, especially when you are with the Navigator (small ship, 450 pax).

On our last trip we arrived at the port at 6:30, there was a delay with the luggage, so 8 am start debarkation became 8:30, we were off by 8:35 and at the airport by 9:30 for a 1 pm flight...plenty of time. Airport is not that far.

[drcandon]

We were on the Zuiderdam a week ago and the disembarkation was frightful, literally 2.5 hours in line and we were lucky to be in a HAL suite so we got off with priority the line behind us stretched back out of sight. We did make our 1:30 flight with 45 min to spare. My wife was ready for another cruise just to calm down from that mess.

 

We also sail Regent and did I wish we were on that line. I found out that a fellow Canadian couple coming in a few days later made it through customs/immigration in about 30 min.

 

The Zuiderdam is not that big of a ship but for that instance they had 2 officials for US and one for any other nationality including the handicap folks. Plus to make matters worse some nationalities were given eye scans and fingerprint verifications which amounted to 15 to 20 minutes per group (if the group was small - say a couple).

 

So assuming they do the same for Regent - even if it is only one for US citizens and one for others, with 450 people, I doubt getting everyone through would take any more than an hour ...JMHO

[Keith1010]

1:15 PM is fine. I always recommend Noon or later for Miami.

 

The good news is that there are only two other ships in port with you that day.

 

Keith

[Hambagahle]

We were on Oceania's Riviera in January. Stopped in Key West en route to Miami and Immigration was done on the ship. Arrival in Miami was easy-peasy! no queue for Customs and a very charming Customs official at that!! And only a 5 min wait for a taxi.

[englishlee]

Thanks everyone. There is a later flight to Toronto (if there is still space on the day) which will give me just about enough time to connect to my flight to London. But I hope that it won't come to that.

[tombo]

Lee,

 

A good way to save time on disembarkation is to not put your luggage out in the hall the night before and to simply have it with you when they're ready to start letting people off the boat. Then you can get off and be among the first to clear customs and easily find a cab. This won't work for everyone, but it always works for us.

[EAGLESLOVER]

Over on the Celebrity forum there is a thread about disembarking in Port Everglades and how long it is taking to clear customs and immigration - several hours it seems, meaning that people are missing 1pm and later flights.

 

Anyone have any recent experience at the Port of Miami. We'll be getting of the Navigator on 11th April and need to catch a 1.15pm flight which I know from experience has been OK in the past. Anyone got any experience from this month which seems to be when the problems started, apparently and allegedly due to budget sequestration.

 

 

 

Hi Englishlee

 

We are on this cruise also. Looking forward to warm weather and total relaxation!!!!:):)

 

We will be renting a car when we disembark to visit my dad in West Palm.. Can anyone tell us where the rental company shuttles are located?? Thanks in advance.

Sharon

[MPCakes]

I believe we will clear immigration in Charleston when we return from Bermuda so I don't think there will be much of a wait.

[englishlee]

Lee,

 

A good way to save time on disembarkation is to not put your luggage out in the hall the night before and to simply have it with you when they're ready to start letting people off the boat. Then you can get off and be among the first to clear customs and easily find a cab. This won't work for everyone, but it always works for us.

 

Thanks, we did think about that and it's what we'll probably end up doing.

Lee

[englishlee]

Hi Englishlee

 

We are on this cruise also. Looking forward to warm weather and total relaxation!!!!:):)

 

We will be renting a car when we disembark to visit my dad in West Palm.. Can anyone tell us where the rental company shuttles are located?? Thanks in advance.

Sharon

 

Sharon

We're looking forward to some warmth as well. The winter here has been going on and on and on. Snowing again today and likely to continue cold and wet for at least the next week. It's officially the coldest March ever here in the UK.

Lee