FLL flight after a cruise

[dng6325]

Our ship (Nieuw Amsterdam) will be arriving at Ft Lauderdale cruise terminal at 7am. Will we have enough time to make the 11am flight out of FLL?

 

Thanks!

[trish1c]

Probably not.

 

Do not look at when your flight takes off to answer that Q. Look at what time you have to be at the AP. For a domestic 11 am flight you should be there no later than 9:30 & 9:00 would be better.

 

Even though it's only a 1/2 drive, if you dock late or there is some other issue, you have no margin for error. Too stressful for my blood.

[CruiserBruce]

I disagree. If you make an effort to be in the first few groups off the ship, you can make an 11am flight pretty easy. HAL recommends flights at 11am or later.

 

Seek an early disembarkation time, or even carry off your own bags, and grab a cab. Done it several times. Have made flights as early as 10:30 with no stress.

Edited August 5, 2015 by CruiserBruce

[Straughn]

Depends on when the ship is cleared to start disembarkation. Generally ships arrive earlier than published. Last March, I had a 10:35 flight out of FLL. Celebrity recommended a flight time of no earlier than 11 AM. Over many years, we had made similarly timed flights from FLL. I opted to carry my luggage off, was thru customs and in a cab by 7:45, at the airport and thru security by 8 am with two hours to kill before boarding. Now this was on Sunday morning with absolutely no traffic and no airport lines for bag drop or security. The earlier you can get off the ship, the better. If there are many ships in port that day, the longer you wait to get off the ship, the more likely you are to have an issue as lines for customs, cabs, and airport lines will lengthen.

[lovevacadays]

We had an 11:00 flight the last time I cruised out of Fort Lauderdale. We arrived in plenty of time. We did go to the Purser's desk and asked to be in one of the early groups off the ship.

 

There is always a chance the ship could be delayed disembarking passengers because of immigration issues. Always a little risk booking earlier flights.

[Jenner9]

We had an 11:00 flight the last time I cruised out of Fort Lauderdale. We arrived in plenty of time. We did go to the Purser's desk and asked to be in one of the early groups off the ship.

 

There is always a chance the ship could be delayed disembarking passengers because of immigration issues. Always a little risk booking earlier flights.

 

Did you carry off your own luggage?

[Keith1010]

CruiserBruce has it right.

 

Key is to be in one of the first groups off the ship.

 

Keith

[Irishman45]

We usually get flights 11-11:30am after cruises an rarely had to "rush" to the gate at FLL. The key like others have said be off in one of the first groups an you shouldn't have a problem. Be sure to check into the flight/print boarding passes the night before on the ships computer (We do this right after dinner seen so many wait until after the shows an the line is nuts).