Time to catch flight that leaves Fort Lauderdale at 11:30 am

[Mrearl]

Our flight leaves Fort Lauderdale at 11:30 am we are on the Equinox disembarkation on Monday Feb 20th. We have to be out of the cabin by 7AM

will we be able to get to the airport by 10 am ?

[janetz]

Yes. One of the best tips I learned on CC many years ago was about getting to the airport.

Request to be in the first or second group called off.

As you enter the luggage terminal, hold up some cash for a porter. He will come and get your luggage and lead you through customs, to the outside and grab you a taxi.

We have never had an issue and always at the airport before 9:30. :)

[RickT]

11:30 Should be OK as long as "nothing goes wrong" ;)

 

The fact that you arrive on a Monday helps, but any number of things can cause an issue, most are unlikely but....

 

Here are some issues that have happened recently

- Severe weather delaying ships arrival

- Passenger jumping overboard (happened on Independence of the Seas in December)

- Lack of Customs/Immigration staff

- Delay in offboarding due to search of ship for drugs

 

Again, chances of the above are rare, but still something to keep in mind.

[Mrearl]

Janetz

Thanks for the information that helps me a lot

[ecslady]

Please keep in mind that Monday, Feb. 20 is President's Day. That may affect how many customs/immigration agents are working as it is a holiday. Also, it depends on how many ships in total are in port on that day.

 

You can always do self-debark in Fort Lauderdale. It's pretty easy there, then you will definitely be one of the first off. I did that when I had a 10:30 AM flight.

[MichaelCMTX]

11:30 Should be OK as long as "nothing goes wrong" ;) .

 

That's the exact thing keeping me off the 11:30 flight. Not that I want to spend an extra 2hrs in Ft. Lauderdale airport; but I'd rather be on my butt looking at other peoples' planes boarding than tapping my foot in the Customs line hoping we make it.

[JohninDC]

Lots of info on this topic if you check the FLA departure board: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=495

 

Taxi from PE to FLL is about a 10-15 min ride (fare should be about $15 for the cab, not per person). For an 11:30 flight you need to be at FLL by about 10 - earlier is better given the chaos of TSA at FLL. As long as you are off the ship with bags, and clear of customs/immigration by about 9:00 you should be okay.

 

Have a great cruise! :)

[wallie5446]

Our flight leaves Fort Lauderdale at 11:30 am we are on the Equinox disembarkation on Monday Feb 20th. We have to be out of the cabin by 7AM

will we be able to get to the airport by 10 am ?

 

The Equinox docks in Miami, which on a good non traffic time, is a 45+ minute drive to Ft Lauderdale airport. Monday, Federal Holiday, rush hour, accidents, road work, hummm. Don't dawdle over breakfast, walk off and get your form of transportation quickly, and you should be ok.

Edited January 26, 2017 by wallie5446

[wallie5446]

Please keep in mind that Monday, Feb. 20 is President's Day. That may affect how many customs/immigration agents are working as it is a holiday. Also, it depends on how many ships in total are in port on that day.

 

You can always do self-debark in Fort Lauderdale. It's pretty easy there, then you will definitely be one of the first off. I did that when I had a 10:30 AM flight.

 

Lots of info on this topic if you check the FLA departure board: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=495

 

Taxi from PE to FLL is about a 10-15 min ride (fare should be about $15 for the cab, not per person). For an 11:30 flight you need to be at FLL by about 10 - earlier is better given the chaos of TSA at FLL. As long as you are off the ship with bags, and clear of customs/immigration by about 9:00 you should be okay.

 

Have a great cruise! :)

 

Equinox docks in Miami now.

[janetz]

Janetz

Thanks for the information that helps me a lot

 

Your so welcome. :)

Never has failed us.

Don't forget to hold up that tip!

Edited January 26, 2017 by janetz

[ClaudiaB]

Oh my gosh, if you line up about 45 minutes before they tell you (get there about 6:45 a.m. with your luggage) and things go as expected, you can walk out of the cruise terminal about 7:45 and catch a taxi and be at the airport before 8. That's been our experience. Just don't take time for a leisurely breakfast. We always line up and take turns getting a drink and a muffin or something at Cafe al Bacio, or else we get a bagel or something at FLL.

 

One thing we've found is NOT to get a pre-arranged shuttle or get with a group. That just takes longer. If you're among the first off the ship, there will be a line of taxis and you just grab one and go. In November we got off and were surprised how many early birds there were. We were probably about 40th in line. Still, we made our 9:35 flight easily.

 

Have a great cruise!

[Cruise Raider]

The Equinox docks in Miami, which on a good non traffic time, is a 45+ minute drive to Ft Lauderdale airport. Monday, Federal Holiday, rush hour, accidents, road work, hummm. Don't dawdle over breakfast, walk off and get your form of transportation quickly, and you should be ok.

 

The February 10 - 20 itinerary sails in and out of Ft Lauderdale ... later in the year, the Equinox transfers down to Miami.

 

Actually, I could have caught an 8 AM flight before but had hours of waiting once we arrived at the airport. It is a very short ride and even if you go by Celebrity's suggested time, 11:30 is just fine. They almost always plan for a later flight so I think you will be just fine with much time to spare. There is only one other ship at Port Everglades that day (Independence of the Seas) so you shouldn't be competing with a lot of other passengers (just over 7000 pax total). I even understand that you will be docked at Terminal 18, which is state of the art. I hope the service goes with that for you.

[WestCoastFlyer]

I would recommend that you use the express walk off option. You will not set out your bags the night before and will carry your own luggage off as soon as the ship is cleared. This is normally around 7:00 AM or 7:30.

 

While this will put you at the airport much earlier than you need to, here are some things that you should consider.

 

Last week on our trip they were running about 30 minutes behind schedule for the disembarkation times. Our posted 8:20 disembarkation number (20) hadn't been called by 8:45. They said customs was backed up and requesting that the ship hold people on board. We finally walked off with group 17 and found our luggage waiting. When getting off the ship, they were asking people what number they had and turning them around if they hadn't called that group yet. They asked if we had 17 we said "yep" and walked off - they don't check.

 

Ft Lauderdale airport is typically very busy on a Monday. You have people from cruise ships combined with business travelers. Unless you have status with your airline or are not checking a bag you could have a wait at the counter to check your bag (consider checking it at the curb)

 

As others said, you should be able to request a low disembarkation number and offer a porter some money to walk you through customs and have plenty of time if all goes well. However, if you are an hour or more delayed by a combination of things it will get tight.

[Cruise Raider]

By the way, Celebrity has reinstated Luggage Valet and the earliest time for your flight out of FLL is 11:30 to take advantage of this program.

If you are no aware of what this is, in short, it is a service where you pay $25 pp with up to two bags each (plus any airline baggage fees). They print out your boarding passes for you on the ship and deliver them to your room the night before disembarkation. They also pick up your bags and you do not see them until you hit your destination airport. There are some limitations on this but if you are able to use it, you can save a little time at the airport as well.

[easyboy]

Our flight leaves Fort Lauderdale at 11:30 am we are on the Equinox disembarkation on Monday Feb 20th. We have to be out of the cabin by 7AM

will we be able to get to the airport by 10 am ?

As long as the ship docks and cleared on time, self disembark and not take a shuttle bus, you will be fine.

[wallie5446]

The February 10 - 20 itinerary sails in and out of Ft Lauderdale ... later in the year, the Equinox transfers down to Miami.

 

.

 

Thanks!

 

This changes everything. We have cruised and flown out of Port Everglades and Ft Lauderdale airport the last 3 years. We have had no problem making a flight as early as 9:45.

 

Sorry OP for the mis-information.

[Shadow9612]

I was on Equinox in December, had a flight the same time. Did self walk off and took a taxi to airport. Was at FLL at 7:05am. This was with a port arrival time listed as 7am! (We docked early and I was off the ship at 6:30am)

 

Overall a very smooth process (I do acknowledge it might not always be so smooth)

 

One thing I would recommend to pay attention to. When we exited the terminal, we were told to turn left, and walk around this curved pathway, to go to taxis. Just at the 'exit' of this pathway was an 'official' looking person trying to get us into a $10pp transport to airport, making it sound like a taxi. Instinct told me to pass and keep walking. I did, and then an official taxi dispatcher got me a cab right away for 2. I looked back and realized the first person was working for a shuttle that waited until it was full before departing to the airport. So I would've been waiting longer and the total cost (2x$10) would've been more than my taxi (under $20).

 

In hindsight this is all obvious but at 6:30am, I almost didn't realize it... For me it wouldn't have made a difference time wise because I was lucky to be early and out quick, but for others it may have slowed them down too much...Just something to consider.

 

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