Help Can I make a 9:20 flight out of FLL, Regal Princess gets in at 6:00 a.m.

[radraider]

Hi everyone I'm on Regal Princess in November and it gets into FLL at 6:00 a.m. Can I make a 9:20 flight out of FLL?

Has anybody booked a flight that is 3 hours and 20 minutes after the cruise ports? If I take my own luggage off the ship could I be off the ship by 7:30? This should give me enough time I would think because it's only a 10 minute taxi ride to FLL.

Thanks everyone.

[Stampingina]

Nooooooo.....you and 5,000+ other cruise passengers (3,500+ off the Regal) plus many thousands of passengers from the other cruise ships docking and debarking the same morning hours along with you all going to the same airport. Sigh....it is a hot mess embarking and debarking in Florida. It's one of the worst for getting off and off a cruise ship. Once off the ship in FLL just this April, on our shuttle it was a logger jam just inching along to get out of the parking que of many venicles! Your best bet is to book a flight from noon onward....Happy sailing! Let us know how clearing customs on the ship worked for you. People were passing out and medics were being called for having to stand in a long, very hot line to clear customs on the Regal in 2015.

 

ps....I'm will work to learn how to fix this Sailed thingie of when we sailed Venice to Florida which was 10 cruises ago. :)

Edited July 30, 2017 by Stampingina
read the ps

[paul929207]

Can you? Yes. Will you? tough call. Some days everything will work and you will make it. Other days, your ship will be at the end of the line sailing in, Customs and Immigration will be slow getting to your ship, etc.

 

Missing the 9:20am flight will usually mean spending most of the day at the airport hoping to get on a flight. You might even spend the night there and take an early flight the next morning

[Potstech]

Probably not. I would have a very good back up plan. Why end your vacation worrying about catching a flight home. Some will say they did it but I would not take the chance.

[elfinmagic]

Chances are slim to none, especially if on a weekend - book a hotel and stay a day unless you can get an afternoon flight

[flamomo]

I'd say to attempt it would be really pushing your luck.

Also .... will you be coming off at the end of a Caribbean cruise or a transatlantic cruise returning to the US from Europe? That matters a whole lot. At the end of TAs it seems to take longer for the ship to get permission for disembarkation to even begin, at least on the TAs I have done. I've had trouble making a 12:30pm flight, even with taking a cab to the airport, because of extreme slowness in getting thru immigration (not enough immigration agents), and very long lines in the airport for TSA screening.

Princess' usual recommendation for the earliest flight time out of FLL is noonish, and I guess there's a reason for that.

[Rigby the Dog]

Hi everyone I'm on Regal Princess in November and it gets into FLL at 6:00 a.m. Can I make a 9:20 flight out of FLL?

Has anybody booked a flight that is 3 hours and 20 minutes after the cruise ports? If I take my own luggage off the ship could I be off the ship by 7:30? This should give me enough time I would think because it's only a 10 minute taxi ride to FLL.

Thanks everyone.

We're on an 830am flight on Nov. 5.

[Grego]

Let's see if I have this right. You have just finished a relaxing voyage on one of the best cruise ships afloat and then you want to wipe all that out by trying to do the next to impossible!

 

It could work if the ship did arrive at 6:00 as planned, you have the first walk off, you have TSA Global Entry and the only one in line, you are able to find a cab, there are no other ships in that morning so the lines at the airport TSA are nil and your gate is the closest one.

 

The facts are, that in November the Regal is in port with many other ships. On most days she is there with 7 other ships and one of which is the Allure. There are only a couple of days she is there with 3 ships, but one of those is the Royal and that ship tends to get berth 2. Regardless, the Princess staff is spread out and the Customs agents are also spread thin especially with the thousands of passengers disembarking.

 

Do yourself a big favor and book something after 12:30, have an extra cup of coffee for breakfast and enjoy the end of the cruise and not suffer the anxiousness of racing to make a flight.

[cruiseryyc]

We're on an 830am flight on Nov. 5.

 

 

 

Good luck making that flight!!

 

 

 

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[ICUQT]

We're on an 830am flight on Nov. 5.

 

So pre-boarding starts give or take 30 minutes prior?? Good luck! Let us know how that works out for ya! Inquiring minds want to know....lol

[johnmik1]

On our last 4 cruises that ended in Ft Lauderdale we did the express walkoff and were seated in the airport terminal by 8:00AM.Obviously something could go wrong but under normal circumstances it can be done.

[Globehoppers]

The operative issue is NOT scheduled arrival time, which is mostly based on berth, rather when the ship will be cleared by US authorities, to include health authorities. Expecting that before 7:30AM is highly problematic. And then you have to clear US immigration and customs even taking bags off with you. Just back from a quick cruise to Cuba and it took us 1 hour just to get off the ship after it was cleared walking off with carry-on sized bags.

[Micahs Grandad]

You will probably be ok with sell assist but if any delay happens you could be in trouble

[Rigby the Dog]

On our last 4 cruises that ended in Ft Lauderdale we did the express walkoff and were seated in the airport terminal by 8:00AM.Obviously something could go wrong but under normal circumstances it can be done.

Exactly. And traveling to NYC there are four flights between ours - now 839 - and 1:00pm.

 

If we miss it then we take the next one.

[geoherb]

The earliest I'd be comfortable scheduling a flight home from FLL after a cruise would be around 10:30. There are too many times I've seen delays and long lines even when self-disembarking.

[Colo Cruiser]

Hi everyone I'm on Regal Princess in November and it gets into FLL at 6:00 a.m. Can I make a 9:20 flight out of FLL?

Has anybody booked a flight that is 3 hours and 20 minutes after the cruise ports? If I take my own luggage off the ship could I be off the ship by 7:30? This should give me enough time I would think because it's only a 10 minute taxi ride to FLL.

Thanks everyone.

 

 

Sign up for the first walk off group with your luggage and take a taxi.

Have a backup plan........

[capriccio]

We're on an 830am flight on Nov. 5.

 

Exactly. And traveling to NYC there are four flights between ours - now 839 - and 1:00pm.

 

If we miss it then we take the next one.

 

According to http://www.cruisemapper.com/ports/fort-lauderdale-port-44?tab=schedule&month=2017-11#schedule, there are 7 ships in port that day, at least one (the Royal; we are on it) and possibly others returning on a transatlantic. Returning TAs, as other folks have noted, are well known to have delayed disembarkation so, should you be on one, make sure you have all your alternatives lined up. In addition, the 5th is the last day of the International Boat Show in Fort Lauderdale which brings in 100,000 visitors. Obviously all of them aren't flying in or out on the 5th, but it does increase the air traffic over a 'normal' weekend so seat availability on later flights might be limited. The good news is that if you are successful in disembarking so early, you will be able to avoid the increased boat show car traffic!

 

I would be losing sleep over that flight time already and would never be able to enjoy my cruise. Good luck to you - hope it all works out!

[victory2020]

The operative issue is NOT scheduled arrival time, which is mostly based on berth, rather when the ship will be cleared by US authorities, to include health authorities. Expecting that before 7:30AM is highly problematic. And then you have to clear US immigration and customs even taking bags off with you. Just back from a quick cruise to Cuba and it took us 1 hour just to get off the ship after it was cleared walking off with carry-on sized bags.

Were you on the Sky? I have the choice of 12 noon flight & 2:10 pm, chose the 210 because of possible delays.

[floridalover5623]

We're always among the first walk-offs leaving the ship in Ft. Lauderdale & always passing the airport well before 8 AM so there's a very good possibility of making the flight. Get off the ship as early as possible, grab a cab & you'll increase you chances tremendously.

[antsp]

We're always among the first walk-offs leaving the ship in Ft. Lauderdale & always passing the airport well before 8 AM so there's a very good possibility of making the flight. Get off the ship as early as possible, grab a cab & you'll increase you chances tremendously.

No comparison if you are coming of a transatlantic cruise

[floridalover5623]

No comparison if you are coming of a transatlantic cruise

Absolutely. There are to many things that might slow down the process it's not worth the risk.

[LoriPhil]

On paper there might be several available flights back home if you miss your (8:39? 9:20?) flight, but many ships in port plus Boat Show means the actual availability/pricing might be a problem if you're trying to re-book for a missed flight. Good luck with your travel plans!

[polmcs]

The Fort Lauderdale port does have a Global Entry line and it's not very well used, so it's possible to be through immigration in 5 minutes, or less. However, unlike at an airport, GE eligibility is not associated with your passport/green card, so you have to bring the rfid card that you were given at the time of your approval as that card is needed for land/sea crossing entry back into the US.

[happiness is cruising]

Yes!!!

 

 

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[notentirelynormal]

Exactly. And traveling to NYC there are four flights between ours - now 839 - and 1:00pm.

 

If we miss it then we take the next one.

 

As long as those ones aren't full.