Earliest flight home?

[11jrob11]

I am looking at a Carnival Cruise on the Fascination that is scheduled to arrive back in Jacksonville at 8:00.

 

What would you reccomend to be the earliest flight home?

 

Not sure how long it takes to go from the port to the airport.

 

Starting to look for flights and found a 10:45. Too early??

[Jobeth66]

I wouldn't book a flight before noon, and preferably not before 2-3pm. 10:45 is /way/ too early. Sure you MIGHT make it, but if there's any delay in customs, or in docking, or anything else, you're not getting off the ship in time.

 

I'd rather be wrong and spend 4 hours in the airport waiting for my flight than running through the airport stressing making the gate.

[kitty9]

Just because a ship arrives at 8 doesn't mean passengers can leave right then. The ship has to be cleared by port authorities and non-US citizens must go through Immigration before they will start allowing passengers leave. So, even if they start allowing people off at 8:30, which would be those who carry off their luggage, you still have to stand in line for Customs, find a taxi, get to the airport, stand in line for check in and security, and finally be ON the plane 15-20 minutes before departure. So, knowing all that, do you think that early flight is possible? I really don't. Cruise lines recommend flights after 12 noon

[cb at sea]

Most cruiselines say not to book prior to noon....I think that would be ample time.

 

I can think of little that is worse than getting of the ship (probably before 10am) and having to wait until 2-3 pm!.

 

Book something around noon...give or take a few mins...you'll be fine.

[donaldsc]

 

I can think of little that is worse than getting of the ship (probably before 10am) and having to wait until 2-3 pm!.

 

.

 

Just bring your Kindle or your computer. Times flies.

 

DON

Edited January 31, 2014 by donaldsc

[dorisis]

10:45 PM is okay if you like to live on the edge. Noon or later would be safer.

[Bonnie J.]

Once were supposed to get off the ship (walk off) at 6:15. We have done this many times before and were always off by 6:30 if not 6:15. But we had engine problems slowing us down. So we didn't make port at 6 but at 9 and walked off at 9:30. If we had put our luggage out we definitely would not have made the flight. That is just one reason. We drive but if we had to catch a plane at 10:45 we probably wouldn't have made it.

Last year passengers were still getting OFF the Ruby Princess at 11:30- we couldn't get on until much later.

Play it safe & take a book to read with you for a later flight.

Edited January 31, 2014 by Bonnie J.

[trish1c]

Do not look at what time the flight leaves. Look at what time you have to be at the AP to make that flight. For a 10:45 flight, I'd say you better be at the AP no later than 9:30 & even that's cutting it close. If it takes 1/2 hour to get from the port to the AP & about 1/2 hour to get off the ship do you really think you can make that? Sounds waaaaayyyy too stressful to me.

 

There is a reason the cruiseline tells you not to book before 1 p.m. (or 5 hours after your ship is scheduled to dock, whichever is later.)

 

How much of a gambler are you & what's your backup plan if you miss the flight?

[peety3]

I am looking at a cruise. Starting to look for flights and found one. Too early??

I've purposefully snipped out a lot of detail here. This is a simple question at its root: what do you gain by an early flight vs. what would it cost to rebook if you miss your flight? Given how full airlines run their flights, you could be looking at 18 hours, possibly 36 hours if you need to connect, to find a suitable seat home if you miss your flight.

[navybankerteacher]

Most cruiselines say not to book prior to noon....I think that would be ample time.

 

I can think of little that is worse than getting of the ship (probably before 10am) and having to wait until 2-3 pm!.

 

Book something around noon...give or take a few mins...you'll be fine.

 

Something worse would be getting to the airport after your flight leaves the gate and either having to pay a hefty change fee for a flight even later than 2-3 PM, or perhaps having to pay the same change fee for a flight the next day and spend the night at the airport or pay for a hotel, or how about getting your wallet stolen while sleeping at the airport.

 

With just a little imagination it is possible to come up with many things worse than getting off a ship about 10 AM and having to wait for a 2-3. PM flight.

[Lionesss]

Definetely would not book before noon....

 

Too many variables.

 

Sea ya