Will I miss my return flight?

[richwmn]

I’m scheduled to arrive at 5am the day of the cruise.

 

 

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You are setting yourself up for a very long first day. You don't say where you are flying in from, but if you can manage the day before, your first day on the ship will be a lot better.

[mollyeilis]

I feel bad for the OP. First time flying and they booked Spirit...

 

 

 

Exactly what I was thinking. That’s an airline for the experiences traveler making informed choices.

[TiogaCruiser]

I’m starting to gather that... my friends laughed when I told them, and said I’m going to learn a lot of lessons on this trip... (haha)

 

 

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And you will enjoy your second cruise even more than your first.

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic

[kenevenpar]

I feel bad for the OP. First time flying and they booked Spirit...

 

You got that right!

[kenevenpar]

I'm guess that you mean the Eurodam (not the European?) and if no one else has yet suggested the Luggage Direct Program through HAL, that will save you from the very long lines at the FLL airport just to check your bags. You will be able to go directly to the security line if you have your boarding pass.

 

The lines for Spirit luggage were almost nonexistent last week. YMMV

[bennybear]

People without global entry were taking nearly an hour to clear customs and our ship arrived late. Change your flight. Also since you are changing anyway, change to arrive the day before. Storms happen and you don’t want to miss the boat literally. Or hang around exhausted waiting to check in for hours! Consider using a good TA next time to give you advice before you book.

[vicd1969]

Are they still using Mobile Passport at Port Everglades? It's a phone app that can significantly expedite your customs and immigration process. You don't need to be on Global Entry to register for it, as long as you have a smart phone. It saved my group a lot of time when we disembarked from Eurodam last March. But with or without it, 9 AM is way too early. Spirit charges $100 just for reservation change in addition to the fare difference for a flight after 9 AM. It may not cost more to just book a one-way fare on another airline (cough, Southwest, cough) for your return leg and just no-show for your Spirit flight.

[TAD2005]

There's an old saw that says "You get what you pay for" and Spirit Airlines is the poster child for that saying. There's a good reason for no lines at Spirit baggage checkin....their checked bag fees are so high that everyone carries onboard. There's still a fee for that, but less that the checked bag fee. Spirit is the punching bag for all airline jokes. (coin receptors on the bathroom doors, a non-refundable deposit to use the life jacket. etc) Maybe if you have time to kill and you don;t care if you are bumped a few times, Spirit may work. But for a cruise, spend a few more $$$ and go with a reputable airline that you stand a 50/50 chance of getting there. Fly in the day before, spend a relaxing night in a hotel, have a nice dinner and book a noon or later flight home. Spend thousands on a once in a lifetime cruise, and cheap-out on the airline getting there and back makes no sense.

[Flatbush Flyer]

Hi all, I am 100% new to cruising. When I booked my return flight, the thought I had was I’ll walk off the ship and get a shuttle to the airport in no time at all. I’m set to arrive in port (from the European)at 7am on 12/31/2017. My flight leaves from FLL at 9am the same day. On a scale from 1-10, with 10 being the highest chance, how likely is it that I’m going to miss my flight?

 

 

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20.

 

 

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[Flatbush Flyer]

Ive never been to an airport or been on an airplane so I really don’t know. I’ll be arriving in port Everglades.

 

 

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I was wrong at 20. Make it 30 (unfamiliar with air travel, holiday, Spirit airlines.... a trifecta adding up to "worst case scenario").

OP: I'd start planning on spending New Year's Eve in Swamplandia

 

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Edited December 5, 2017 by Flatbush Flyer

[Krazy Kruizers]

Please OP -- pay the fee and change your flight time -- if you still can.

Maybe you will have to stay over a day. Of course, if you miss your flight -- you will probably still have to stay over a day.

Why arrive home stressed out?

[Krazy Kruizers]

I'm guess that you mean the Eurodam (not the European?) and if no one else has yet suggested the Luggage Direct Program through HAL, that will save you from the very long lines at the FLL airport just to check your bags. You will be able to go directly to the security line if you have your boarding pass. Still, I agree with everyone else that your flight is way too early. Too many variables (what if the ship gets in late, and/or there are long customs lines, a long taxi line, etc.) In addition, you are coming off of a holiday cruise, so there are bound to be lots of other ships/passengers in port that day. Way too stressful to try to make a 9:00 a.m. flight. Wishing you the best......and a wonderful cruise!

 

He can't use Luggage Direct. It is only for flights starting around 11 AM -- not his early time of 9 AM.

[Tony1017]

Are they still using Mobile Passport at Port Everglades? It's a phone app that can significantly expedite your customs and immigration process. You don't need to be on Global Entry to register for it, as long as you have a smart phone. It saved my group a lot of time when we disembarked from Eurodam last March. But with or without it, 9 AM is way too early. Spirit charges $100 just for reservation change in addition to the fare difference for a flight after 9 AM. It may not cost more to just book a one-way fare on another airline (cough, Southwest, cough) for your return leg and just no-show for your Spirit flight.

 

 

 

Now you’re all going to really laugh... I don’t have a passport, I’m just using a birth certificate and ID. Thankfully I’m traveling alone so it won’t inconvenience anybody that I know!

 

 

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[Krazy Kruizers]

If you intend to continue on cruising (or even traveling out of the US) -- GET A PASSPORT!!

[donaldsc]

One of the main reasons that we fly SW is the lack of a change fee. Yes, there will be the ticket price difference but at least there is no change fee. Flying back and forth to Houston and having our treatment schedule change has made me appreciate them.

 

But then, SW might not be an option where OP is headed.

 

That is assuming that there is space on any possible SW flight. If there is no space and that is very likely, the OP could be stranded in FLL until space on a SW flight is available.

 

The OP also better hope that there is no bad weather anywhere in the US on the day that he is flying to FLL. Want to bet that he is flying from Chicago and that he has a connecting flight w a short layover time probably in an airport where he has to get from terminal A to terminal D to get to his next flight.

 

DON

Edited December 6, 2017 by donaldsc

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

To the OP, I hope once you get all the airline issues figured out, that you have a very enjoyable first cruise. Let us know how it worked out.

[Tricia724]

Tony.....you don't have a prayer of making this flight. Even if the ship is in early and cleared in good time, it's a free-for-all once disembarkation starts. Everyone wants off the ship, and even though people are asked not to congregate in the disembarkation area, they still do.

 

In order for you to get off the ship in the first group, you would have to do self-disembarkation. That means you would have to wheel, carry, or drag all of your luggage off by yourself. Even for a strong, healthy person, that can be tough, especially under stress. I've done it several times myself, and sometimes it's a long walk through the terminal. The immigration people are there and mostly it goes well, but they can and do stop people from time to time.

 

Then you have to find a cab or shuttle or whatever transportation you plan to take to the airport. Someone mentioned that the Eurodam is the only HAL ship in port but there are four other ships, so there will be lots of people trying to get to the airport at the same time. And when you get there, Ft. Lauderdale Airport is a zoo on Saturday and Sunday with cruisers flying in and out. Even if you get checked in at your airline counter in good time, there could be a backlog going through security or getting to your gate.

 

The thing is, you are not a savvy, experienced traveler, and there are so many things that aren't familiar to you that could cause you delays. Please take the advice of the others who have posted and change your flight to a later time. Having to spend an extra day in Ft. Lauderdale isn't the worst thing that could happen to you (I've done that, too), but I'm sure you would rather spend New Year's Eve at home than stuck in a strange place.

[Storylady]

Now you’re all going to really laugh... I don’t have a passport, I’m just using a birth certificate and ID. Thankfully I’m traveling alone so it won’t inconvenience anybody that I know!

 

 

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Tony, they will deny you boarding the Eurodam unless you have a passport. Your cruise is going to foreign countries. So you need to get a Passport ASAP. Otherwise you will forfeit your cruise and if you didn't buy insurance you will get not refund.

[Tony1017]

Tony, they will deny you boarding the Eurodam unless you have a passport. Your cruise is going to foreign countries. So you need to get a Passport ASAP. Otherwise you will forfeit your cruise and if you didn't buy insurance you will get not refund.

 

 

 

I know this isn’t true because it’s a closed loop cruise.

 

 

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[Tony1017]

So I changed my flight to 10pm on the 31st. I don’t know what I’ll do with 15 hours in FLL, but it was the cheapest flight they had and the only one after 9am... only costed $72.00

 

 

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[puppycanducruise]

So I changed my flight to 10pm on the 31st. I don’t know what I’ll do with 15 hours in FLL, but it was the cheapest flight they had and the only one after 9am... only costed $72.00

 

 

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That's great!

Now you can enjoy a leisurely breakfast before disembarkation.

Have a great cruise. Please come back and tell us all about it!

[regnig]

So I changed my flight to 10pm on the 31st. I don’t know what I’ll do with 15 hours in FLL, but it was the cheapest flight they had and the only one after 9am... only costed $72.00

 

 

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Tony once onboard your cruise HAL will provide information about excursions in FLL on disembarkation day. One of them usually includes a visit to the Everglades and then transportation to the airport. You might consider doing one of those to kill some of your wait time.

 

Regardless of how you spend that day I really really hope you enjoy your 1st cruise and that it will not be your last!

 

BTW, many of us made major errors in judgement about traveling to/from our 1st cruise, I know we sure did as at the last moment it ended up costing us more getting to the ship and then back home due to a major storm. :eek: But that was 20 years ago and we still are sailing!

 

ENJOY!!

[TiogaCruiser]

Actually you could look at options for an excursion and transfer now, and even purchase through the HAL site if you find something of interest. Look in your personalized shore excursion file on the website. Shore excursions.com also offers shore excursion +transfer to the airport. If you are a Costco member you can get a discount.

[Alberta Quilter]

Tony, they will deny you boarding the Eurodam unless you have a passport. Your cruise is going to foreign countries. So you need to get a Passport ASAP. Otherwise you will forfeit your cruise and if you didn't buy insurance you will get not refund.

 

I know this isn’t true because it’s a closed loop cruise.

 

 

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Tony, where are you flying from on embarkation day? If you experience any weather or mechanical delays and miss the ship, you will likely need a passport to join the ship in the next port (depending on where it is - I'm not familiar with the itinerary).

 

I really hope it goes well for you.

[DCLCrazy]

Definitely rebook for around noon and don’t fly Spirit after this cruise.

 

 

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