Debarkation scramble

[Ocean Cat]

Is it possible to make a 10:20 am departure at FLL on debarkation day if I take my own luggage off board? It sure would help bc the next suitable flight doesn’t leave until 4 pm and has a long layover on my connecting. 

[Husky1987]

Not sure about post-Covid, but I've been at FLL by 8:00AM more than once doing early self-departure.

 

edit to add: and by "at FLL", I mean through security and sitting at my gate.

Edited June 30, 2021 by Husky1987

[Ashland]

Does your cruise arrive into Port Everglades? By doing self assist you may have a good chance...but do have a backup plan.

[leisuretraveler223]

As Husky said, with the caveat that NO ONE knows what the debarkation, customs & immigration process is going to look like, under the old way, it would be a breeze.

[Sunshine3601]

52 minutes ago, Ocean Cat said:

Is it possible to make a 10:20 am departure at FLL on debarkation day if I take my own luggage off board? It sure would help bc the next suitable flight doesn’t leave until 4 pm and has a long layover on my connecting. 

Too soon to know what disembarkment will look like until ships actually disembarking out of US ports.

pre-covid - no problem with that flight schedule

nowadays - no idea yet!

Edited June 30, 2021 by Sunshine3601

[Baron Barracuda]

Read  that TSA is short over 1,000 agents causing long lines at certain airports.  Not sure if FLL is impacted.

 

Some sailings have large number of walk-offs and queue begins to build before 6am.  Maybe not so bad while sailing under reduced capacity. 

[ArthurUSCG]

Just now, Baron Barracuda said:

Read  that TSA is short over 1,000 agents causing long lines at certain airports.  Not sure if FLL is impacted.

 

Some sailings have large number of walk-offs and queue begins to build before 6am.  Maybe not so bad while sailing under reduced capacity. 

Or, due to new procedures, you could have to schedule a walk off time, we just don't know yet.

[jakeil7]

The FLL wait times seem to be ok on average. Are you pre check?  That would help. 

[time4u2go]

1 hour ago, Ocean Cat said:

Is it possible to make a 10:20 am departure at FLL on debarkation day if I take my own luggage off board? It sure would help bc the next suitable flight doesn’t leave until 4 pm and has a long layover on my connecting. 

What time is your ship scheduled to return? 

[kelbell]

Also if they and if you are on the right airlines, they take your luggage the night

before and get it checked in for you at the airport. Pre-covid it es $25

Also depends on what day your flight is and time of year. (school vac ect...)

 

[Cigar King]

You know this is a gamble, or you wouldn't have asked.  I think you should trust your instincts and either wait to purchase tickets or buy the later departure.  Until we have some hard data from cruises that have returned all we can do is speculate.

 

Personally I would be worried about this and it would impact me relaxing.

[ONECRUISER]

Multiple times in last 5yrs getting off Serenade Walk off's didnt even start until 7:45, and which Pier didnt make a difference. Had late Flight and was one last off, in no hurry didnt get threw and into Cab until 10:30

[mo&fran]

The process on Adventure last week.

Everyone provides departure information a couple of days before.

everyone is provided a departure number.

you wait in your stateroom  until your number is called ( we did not receive a call,  rather it was on TV) and the channel on the TV instructions was incorrect, but we found it on an adjacent channel.

There is not supposed to be a scramble like before. The process is to keep from having any large groups

Our ship had about 1/3 the normal passenger load.

Of course, we were in Nassau,  so not customs  at disembarkation.

Your ability to get a low departure could depend on loyalty status ( I am guessing here, I don't know that)

[lauren0309]

That would be too stressful. Our ship once got into port on time but there was a 2 hour delay until they started letting people off.

[smokeybandit]

1 hour ago, mo&fran said:

Of course, we were in Nassau,  so not customs  at disembarkation.

No customs on disembarkation? Nice.

[mo&fran]

1 minute ago, smokeybandit said:

No customs on disembarkation? Nice.

You do that at the airport.

[smokeybandit]

Just now, mo&fran said:

You do that at the airport.

But that's American customs isn't it?

[Ocean Cat]

Well I’m already going to be risking my arrival flight to FLL. I only have 50 minutes to connect frommDFW( the day before the cruise)I guess I’ll take the later flight going back home. I use to live in DFW and most things were a direct flight. Now I live in small town zmissouri and I’m not use to connecting flights. Don’t like them. I was spoiled. 

[zeppgirl]

It is impossible to know how things will be. I'd be too stressed thinking about it and would either do the later flight, or would stay another day and fly out early the next day. Guess it depends on how adventurous you are and what the backup plan is.

[mo&fran]

21 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

But that's American customs isn't it?

yes. Same as arriving by ship into US ports.

Edited June 30, 2021 by mo&fran

[bouhunter]

4 hours ago, Ocean Cat said:

Is it possible to make a 10:20 am departure at FLL on debarkation day if I take my own luggage off board? It sure would help bc the next suitable flight doesn’t leave until 4 pm and has a long layover on my connecting. 

Everyone has voiced the concerns we would have with that:  Uncertain timing with new cruises, TSA staff shortages, etc.  Not something I would book.  But hey, it could work out just fine 🙂

 

Edited June 30, 2021 by bouhunter

[smokeybandit]

4 minutes ago, mo&fran said:

yes. Same as arriving by ship into US ports.

But the short of it is you just deal with American customs, not American and Bahamian.

Not that customs at disembarkation is ever a big deal.

[rtazz17]

5 hours ago, Ocean Cat said:

Is it possible to make a 10:20 am departure at FLL on debarkation day if I take my own luggage off board? It sure would help bc the next suitable flight doesn’t leave until 4 pm and has a long layover on my connecting. 

Yup,I always take an early flight out of lauderdale. We make it there by 7:15….. I will get burned one day but  whatever. Ive done it many times so I have it coming. Does create some unneeded stress hoping everything goes right. I ask myself each time why I just dont take a later flight

[Ashland]

We've been in a suite and had the concierge walk us off first when we've had an early flight...Isn't this still an option ?...I sure hope so for us out of SJU next April.

[time4u2go]

47 minutes ago, Ashland said:

We've been in a suite and had the concierge walk us off first when we've had an early flight...Isn't this still an option ?...I sure hope so for us out of SJU next April.

Nobody knows what the process will be like post covid.