Early Arrival in Ft Lauderdale and early embarkation

[NotLikeBelleRosen,IHope]

3 hours ago, Pam in KY said:

If you have a Delta Visa card, you can make use of the Delta Lounge at the airport for, I think, around $25/person.  They do have snack and breakfast items but not a hot made to order breakfast, a bar and coffee bar available, comfortable seating, and places to recharge electronics, and maybe free wifi (not absolutely sure about that).  It was well worth the $$ when we had long waits for the flight back home!

 

 

I read that Delta has changed their rules on Lounge usage. You have to be on a Delta Flight.

[Iseaster]

5 minutes ago, NotLikeBelleRosen,IHope said:

I read that Delta has changed their rules on Lounge usage. You have to be on a Delta Flight.

Our credit card does allow for premier lounge access - but I'm not sure we can access the lounge from arrivals...  

[OlsSalt]

If you can arrange a luggage delivery service that picks up your luggage at the arrival carousel and delivers it to the ship, you can eliminate one of the hassles of your long connection time. That would give you more flexability to strike out on your own for a few hours.

[WisRiver]

Several years ago we were supposed to arrive the evening before departure.  Our plan was to stay at a beachfront hotel and take the cab to our ship.  Our flight was delayed by 12 hours due to weather in departing and arriving airport, so we made it to FLL at 6 AM.  On a previous trip we had breakfasted at Joe's Cafe off 17th Street in the same shopping mall as Total Wines and the Publix grocery store.  We took a cab to Joe's (which opens at 6:30 AM), and had a slow relaxing breakfast.  We had coffee and read the papers.  The wait staff was accommodating.  There were several other cruisers in the cafe, and one person volunteered to watch the luggage.  We walked to Total Wines and Publix for carry on wine and emergency rations for the cruise (chips, nuts and chocolate).  We took a cab to the port at about 10:30.  I do not think the FLL airport is a comfortable place to wait.  If in similar circumstances I would find a place outside the airport (17th Street has plenty of options) to wait in the morning.

[Iris5383]

If you're waiting for a HAL transport to the port you wouldn't want to get a hotel day room and go back to the airport for your ride to the cruise port. Live and learn, I guess, like we all have. Maybe there will be others on your flight in the same situation and you'll make friends before you even board. One suggestion, bring a small stapler in your carry-on to attach the HAL luggage tags.

[Iris5383]

On 2/8/2019 at 7:23 PM, DAllenTCY said:

P.S.  Your Boarding Pass will inform you when to arrive at the pier

That is true. It's a recent thing to give a time. Before that you were told when boarding begins and ends. We like to get there by about 10:30-11 like an OP posted. While waiting we have met some nice people that we connected with for the whole cruise. And we're always anxious to get the cruise started. Would rather wait at the port than at the hotel. It won't matter for this trip since HAL is your transportation, but might matter for your future cruises.

[Iseaster]

5 hours ago, WisRiver said:

Several years ago we were supposed to arrive the evening before departure.  Our plan was to stay at a beachfront hotel and take the cab to our ship.  Our flight was delayed by 12 hours due to weather in departing and arriving airport, so we made it to FLL at 6 AM.  On a previous trip we had breakfasted at Joe's Cafe off 17th Street in the same shopping mall as Total Wines and the Publix grocery store.  We took a cab to Joe's (which opens at 6:30 AM), and had a slow relaxing breakfast.  We had coffee and read the papers.  The wait staff was accommodating.  There were several other cruisers in the cafe, and one person volunteered to watch the luggage.  We walked to Total Wines and Publix for carry on wine and emergency rations for the cruise (chips, nuts and chocolate).  We took a cab to the port at about 10:30.  I do not think the FLL airport is a comfortable place to wait.  If in similar circumstances I would find a place outside the airport (17th Street has plenty of options) to wait in the morning.

@Iris5358 - Thank you so much for such a wonderful suggestion.  That sounds so much more civilized than camping out at the airport.  I think the cost of taxis will be far cheaper than booking into a hotel!  Any other suggestions for what to pick up before boarding (the wine sounds great!) 

[Iseaster]

22 hours ago, OlsSalt said:

If you can arrange a luggage delivery service that picks up your luggage at the arrival carousel and delivers it to the ship, you can eliminate one of the hassles of your long connection time. That would give you more flexability to strike out on your own for a few hours.

@OlsSalt - do you know of such a luggage service?  That sounds like an amazing idea... and would really lessen our hassle of carting luggage around with us while we wait to embark.

[1ANGELCAT]

2 hours ago, Iseaster said:

@OlsSalt - do you know of such a luggage service?  That sounds like an amazing idea... and would really lessen our hassle of carting luggage around with us while we wait to embark.

Not OlsSalt, but the company is Bags VIP Direct.

MakeTravelEasier.com

You can also access this thru HAL know before you go info on their website.

[Cruising-along]

Here is the link.  It's a great service, we've used it several times.

https://www.maketraveleasier.com/holland 

 

[jonyboy]

Going to FLL from New England in March we fly in the day before the cruise and get a hotel for a night.  To many weather concerns to try to fly in the day of the cruise

[harryw]

We always arrive a day early. It relieves stress about weather worries. And we are more rested when embarking which makes Day One more enjoyable.