1st Celebrity...transportation question??

[suzyed]

My first Celebrity cruise and I just purchase my airfare and airport/cruise port transportation through Celebrity. Fort Lauderdale is where our cruise originates.

 

My questions: Will any of this show up on my Celebrity online booking profile anywhere, and where will it be?

 

How does the transportation work? Is it a shuttle van or a big bus and does it have a set time that it picks up from the airport? (My flight gets in at 8am)

 

Will I have a place to wait in port that early and what time do they generally let you on the ship. (Elite status)

 

Would I be better off just getting a taxi rather than the shuttle and what would a taxi cost?

 

On disembarkation day, what time does the transportation (bus or van?) leave the ship for the airport?

 

Thanks in advance!

Edited October 10, 2015 by suzyed

[cruisestitch]

My questions: Will any of this show up on my Celebrity online booking profile anywhere, and where will it be?

 

====No, it doesn't show up in the on=line profile.

 

How does the transportation work? Is it a shuttle van or a big bus and does it have a set time that it picks up from the airport? (My flight gets in at 8am)

 

====Could be either a van or a bus, depends on how many others booked the transportation.

 

Will I have a place to wait in port that early and what time do they generally let you on the ship. (Elite status)

 

====The previous passengers are usually finished disembarking by 10, it takes about an hour to change over the computers and other systems to be ready to board new passengers, so usually around 11 is the earliest you can board the ship. There are big waiting areas in the terminal. You are likely to be among the first to board with a flight that arrives that early

 

Would I be better off just getting a taxi rather than the shuttle and what would a taxi cost?

 

====Not necessarily better off, you are going to wait somewhere no matter what, either at the airport or at the terminal

 

On disembarkation day, what time does the transportation (bus or van?) leave the ship for the airport?

 

====They stagger the departures, again depending on how many have purchased airport transportation and what times their flights are. Early in your cruise you will be given a form to fill out so they know what time your flight is. Typically you'll be given disembarkation times starting around 7:30 through around 9 a.m. They want everyone off the ship by around 9 or 9:30. You'll have to go through Customs and Immigration after you claim your luggage, and the lines can be long. What time is your flight?

[az_tchr]

It is usually a bus and they start making loops to and from the port about 10am as others disembark. You can begin boarding process about 10ish. Going back to the airport it is a bus and as soon as one is filled it leaves and they start filling another. Lines can sometimes be a bit long.

 

Two thoughts - Unless you have multiple flight choices, I would never arrive the morning of my cruise. Too many things could go wrong. Would arrange a motel with shuttle to motel and in the morning to the port. Cabs easy at FLL. Go to ports and this is fully discussed there.

Edited October 10, 2015 by az_tchr

[cruisestitch]

The OP has already purchased their airfare.

[spearmint]

When we first started cruising, we booked Celebrity transfers. There was a rep with a "Celebrity Cruises" sign as we came into the departure/luggage area. That was nice. But, we discovered that a cab would cost us considerably less than $20, while the Celebrity transfer was $27 per person. That was not nice!

 

Bill

[drinkspackageexpert]

I have just printed out vouchers for my post cruise arrangements. 1.from ship to hotel. 1 from hotel to airport. And I have 4im3s printed for pick-up etc on my guest booklet information.

[cruisestitch]

UK customers have different transfer arrangements and often have a day room at a post-cruise hotel while waiting for their evening flights overseas.

 

The OP apparently lives in Florida, won't be using the same transfer arrangements.

[dkjretired]

If you are just going to and from the FLL airport and don't have any physical problems with a cab, I would definitely take a taxi. In FLL they are abundant and cheap and it is such a short ride, if it wasn't for highways and other barriers you could almost walk it. On the shuttle buses you will wait until they are full before they go.

[suzyed]

My questions: Will any of this show up on my Celebrity online booking profile anywhere, and where will it be?

 

====No, it doesn't show up in the on=line profile.

 

How does the transportation work? Is it a shuttle van or a big bus and does it have a set time that it picks up from the airport? (My flight gets in at 8am)

 

====Could be either a van or a bus, depends on how many others booked the transportation.

 

Will I have a place to wait in port that early and what time do they generally let you on the ship. (Elite status)

 

====The previous passengers are usually finished disembarking by 10, it takes about an hour to change over the computers and other systems to be ready to board new passengers, so usually around 11 is the earliest you can board the ship. There are big waiting areas in the terminal. You are likely to be among the first to board with a flight that arrives that early

 

Would I be better off just getting a taxi rather than the shuttle and what would a taxi cost?

 

====Not necessarily better off, you are going to wait somewhere no matter what, either at the airport or at the terminal

 

On disembarkation day, what time does the transportation (bus or van?) leave the ship for the airport?

 

====They stagger the departures, again depending on how many have purchased airport transportation and what times their flights are. Early in your cruise you will be given a form to fill out so they know what time your flight is. Typically you'll be given disembarkation times starting around 7:30 through around 9 a.m. They want everyone off the ship by around 9 or 9:30. You'll have to go through Customs and Immigration after you claim your luggage, and the lines can be long. What time is your flight?

 

Thanks for that info! My flight is at 5:30 pm! :eek:

[suzyed]

It is usually a bus and they start making loops to and from the port about 10am as others disembark. You can begin boarding process about 10ish. Going back to the airport it is a bus and as soon as one is filled it leaves and they start filling another. Lines can sometimes be a bit long.

 

Two thoughts - Unless you have multiple flight choices, I would never arrive the morning of my cruise. Too many things could go wrong. Would arrange a motel with shuttle to motel and in the morning to the port. Cabs easy at FLL. Go to ports and this is fully discussed there.

 

Thanks for this info.

 

My flight gets in at 8am...so I guess I will have breakfast in the airport and then get the shuttle.

My return flight is 5:30 PM.

 

I do usually fly in the day before, but traveling by myself, I prefer not to stay in a hotel the night before. I wouldn't usually go this route, but I live in St. Augustine, FL and thought about driving and parking at the port. I found I could fly for about the same amount for fuel and parking, but my only option for a non-stop flight is Jet Blue and that flight is at 7am.

If there is a problem with my flight, that can't be rectified with Celebrity air, I can still jump in my car and drive to the port and be there in about 3-4 hours.

[suzyed]

When we first started cruising, we booked Celebrity transfers. There was a rep with a "Celebrity Cruises" sign as we came into the departure/luggage area. That was nice. But, we discovered that a cab would cost us considerably less than $20, while the Celebrity transfer was $27 per person. That was not nice!

 

Bill

 

My roundtrip transfer from the airport to the ship and back again post cruise cost $33.50....I didn't think that was too bad. ;)

[ORV]

Thanks for this info.

 

My flight gets in at 8am...so I guess I will have breakfast in the airport and then get the shuttle.

My return flight is 5:30 PM.

 

I do usually fly in the day before, but traveling by myself, I prefer not to stay in a hotel the night before. I wouldn't usually go this route, but I live in St. Augustine, FL and thought about driving and parking at the port. I found I could fly for about the same amount for fuel and parking, but my only option for a non-stop flight is Jet Blue and that flight is at 7am.

If there is a problem with my flight, that can't be rectified with Celebrity air, I can still jump in my car and drive to the port and be there in about 3-4 hours.

 

Are you doing carry on only? The reason I ask is that many airports have no restaurants after baggage pickup. I'm not sure about FLL in this respect, but generally there is nothing but rental cars, transfer pickups and cabs after you get your baggage.

 

I don't know about you but I wouldn't want to leave my luggage down at the baggage carousel while I'm having breakfast back in the terminal area. If you're doing carry on then I'd definitely waste time at the airport.

 

Another thing to consider about waiting at the cruise terminal. Last January we cruised out of Ft Lauderdale, we showed up at the terminal around 11. We had to wait in line around 1/2 hour or so to get in to the area to sit and wait until they started checking us in. They were running a little behind that day, but until we got through that section there was no where for us to sit. I'd hate to just stand for 2 or 3 hours.

 

Having said that I've shown up multiple times around that time and cruised right in and was on the ship in no time.

[suzyed]

Are you doing carry on only? The reason I ask is that many airports have no restaurants after baggage pickup. I'm not sure about FLL in this respect, but generally there is nothing but rental cars, transfer pickups and cabs after you get your baggage.

 

I don't know about you but I wouldn't want to leave my luggage down at the baggage carousel while I'm having breakfast back in the terminal area. If you're doing carry on then I'd definitely waste time at the airport.

 

Another thing to consider about waiting at the cruise terminal. Last January we cruised out of Ft Lauderdale, we showed up at the terminal around 11. We had to wait in line around 1/2 hour or so to get in to the area to sit and wait until they started checking us in. They were running a little behind that day, but until we got through that section there was no where for us to sit. I'd hate to just stand for 2 or 3 hours.

 

Having said that I've shown up multiple times around that time and cruised right in and was on the ship in no time.

 

No I am checking luggage....I'm thinking there is food outside the baggage claim, but I will check that out for sure! Thanks for thinking of that!

 

Is there an Elite lounge to wait in before boarding?

[ORV]

 

Is there an Elite lounge to wait in before boarding?

 

There is no lounge, but what they had is separate areas for different levels to sit and wait, one for Zeniths & suite people, this area of course nice and had refreshments, another for Elite, another for Select, then everyone else if I remember correctly.

 

This is what I was saying, to get to these areas we had to wait in line, standing up, for about 30 minutes, the line snaked outside of the terminal doors. This was around 11am. Then when they opened we went in, went through security and then sat down and waited in our respective areas until they allowed us to start checking in. Probably at least another 30 minutes.

 

I'd hate to get there around 9 or 10 and not be able to get to that waiting area for a couple of hours.

Edited October 10, 2015 by ORV

[ORV]

No I am checking luggage....I'm thinking there is food outside the baggage claim, but I will check that out for sure! Thanks for thinking of that!

 

 

Maybe someone with regular experience there could chime in on that subject, but in most airports there are not restaurants after baggage claim.

[POA1]

Maybe someone with regular experience there could chime in on that subject, but in most airports there are not restaurants after baggage claim.

JetBlue used Terminal 3 at FLL. Here's the restaurant list:

 

http://www.broward.org/Airport/Terminals/Pages/Terminal3Restaurants.aspx

 

I'm pretty sure that there's a cart style food vendor on the lower terminal where baggage claim is. There's definitely food upstairs both before and after security.

 

UPDATED:

 

Found it.

 

 

http://www.broward.org/Airport/Terminals/Terminal3/Pages/Food.aspx

Edited October 10, 2015 by POA1

[suzyed]

Maybe someone with regular experience there could chime in on that subject, but in most airports there are not restaurants after baggage claim.

 

I know for sure Atlanta has restaurants outside baggage but on another level, as does Jacksonville, limited but they do have them. Going to check that right now! ;)

[suzyed]

JetBlue used Terminal 3 at FLL. Here's the restaurant list:

 

http://www.broward.org/Airport/Terminals/Pages/Terminal3Restaurants.aspx

 

I'm pretty sure that there's a cart style food vendor on the lower terminal where baggage claim is. There's definitely food upstairs both before and after security.

 

UPDATED:

 

Found it.

 

 

http://www.broward.org/Airport/Terminals/Terminal3/Pages/Food.aspx

 

Thank you so much!! Great info! Cafe Sienna looks like it's going to be it!!

[Turtles06]

I hate to say this, but unless it has significantly improved in the last year, the FLL airport is a dump. (There was a lot of construction going on, hopefully it did some good.) Spending practically an entire day there waiting around for a flight after a cruise imho would quickly destroy that nice vacation feeling. What about renting a car and driving home, even if you have to absorb the flight cost? You'd be home long before your flight even departs. I know this is subjective, but I can't imagine waiting around any airport for an entire day if I could drive home in 3-4 hours.

Edited October 11, 2015 by Turtles06

[sleepless]

Maybe someone with regular experience there could chime in on that subject, but in most airports there are not restaurants after baggage claim.

 

I have flown into Ft. Lauderdale several times. I have never noticed any type of a food court in the baggage claim area.

Edited October 11, 2015 by sleepless

[spearmint]

My roundtrip transfer from the airport to the ship and back again post cruise cost $33.50....I didn't think that was too bad. ;)

 

Return transfer at that price may not be too bad for one person; if it is per person for more than one, then it is way too much. I just cannot recall cab fare costs, as it has been a long time (we usually have a hotel with shuttle service from airport to hotel with either shuttle free or $10 per person from the hotel to the ship.) I don't recall that it cost even $20 for an actual cab one way from the ship to the airport. Perhaps others can tell you.

 

I can say that unless I have no other choice, I won't use Celebrity's transfer. In addition to a higher cost, the only time we used ship to airport transfer (in Miami), we were dropped off by bus outside the terminal, and all of us had to wait 15-20 minutes for a truck to also arrive which had our luggage. I was not impressed.

 

Bill

Edited October 11, 2015 by spearmint

[suzyed]

Return transfer at that price may not be too bad for one person; if it is per person for more than one, then it is way too much. I just cannot recall cab fare costs, as it has been a long time (we usually have a hotel with shuttle service from airport to hotel with either shuttle free or $10 per person from the hotel to the ship.) I don't recall that it cost even $20 for an actual cab one way from the ship to the airport. Perhaps others can tell you.

 

I can say that unless I have no other choice, I won't use Celebrity's transfer. In addition to a higher cost, the only time we used ship to airport transfer (in Miami), we were dropped off by bus outside the terminal, and all of us had to wait 15-20 minutes for a truck to also arrive which had our luggage. I was not impressed.

 

Bill

It's just me, so it's all good! And I have nothing but time! ;)