Flight FLL

[auggiemom]

I haven't cruised since before Covid, and I know this question has been asked many times.  I tried doing a search, but...to no avail.  

 

What is the earliest you all think we could make it to the airport after getting into FLL?  

 

Thank you for your help.  We are planning and looking forward to sailing again!

[terrydtx]

August 2021 we made a 9:30am flight with time to spare. We also have TSA pre check and breezed through security. We also took an Uber to the airport and got there within 15 minutes of leaving the ship.

Edited December 16, 2022 by terrydtx

[mahdnc]

You will get varying opinions based on varying experiences.  Personally, I like to book a flight no earlier than noon because I don't want to be stressed out about it.  However if you are willing to do the self walk off (you carry your bags off the ship yourself, but you get to get off first), then a morning flight (like 10 am or later) is very do-able.

[blackshirt]

8 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

August 2021 we made a 9:30am flight with time to spare. We also have TSA pre check and breezed through security. We also took an Uber to the airport and got there within 15 minutes of leaving the ship.

Yeah but that was Aug 2021. Not nearly as many passengers were flying as there are now. Even with TSA pre check, there have been plenty of horror stories on long lines at security since the resurgence in travel.

[jwlane]

In February we had to wait at FLL about an hour to check in 3 hours before our 1:30 flight---I think we walked off at 9.  (your results may vary)

[mahdnc]

Someone recently posted in this forum that they caught an 0900 flight out of FLL (Port Everglades disembark):

 

 

 

[NutsAboutGolf]

I made 8:47am yet went to the ships self carry line early to be near the front of the line, have airline status (curb side is an option for those without status) and clear which allows cut even pre-check

[deliver42]

We just came off the beyond and didn't dock before 7. The earliest off were between 7:30 and 8. I wouldn't book a flight before 10 A.M. to be safe, and not be a bundle of nerves going through security and the airport.

[Hlitner]

The question should not be "what is the earliest" but rather "what is the the earliest that is reasonable."  Why?  There are several factors that impact how early one can get to the airport.  1.  The ship must be cleared by the "authorities" before anyone can debark.  This can sometimes happen in a half hour, but other times it can take more than an hour.   2.  How long does it take you get off the ship?  With express debarkation you need to carry your own luggage and keep in mind that you must get to the proper deck from your cabin with all that luggage,  With thousands trying to use the elevators at the same time this can be a problem.  3.  Once off the ship you need to clear immigration.  This can involve waiting in a long line with more delays.  4.  Once outside of the terminal you need transportation.  The taxi queue can be long and slow.  Uber is possible but always iffy.  Using the cruise line transportation (which costs more money) may mean cooling your heels on a bus while they load luggage and wait to fill the bus.  And the cruise line transfer buses drop everyone at a common location which can be some distance from your needed terminal.

 

Finally, a lot depends on the day of the week.  Saturdays/Sundays are the busiest and everything takes longer.  So we get back to the original question.  My own advice is not to plan a flight before 11am with 12 being a little safer.   And keep in mind that some events can delay debarkation for several hours.  It does not happen often, but it does happen, 

 

I will tell you what this old cruiser (with more than 50 years of cruise experience) likes to do in Ft Lauderdale and Miami.  DW and I generally try to book an early afternoon flight.  While folks are fighting to get off the ship, standing in long lines, not having fun, etc. we are relaxing.  We enjoy our last breakfast.  After breakfast we grab our carry-off stuff and relax in a deck chair (usually on the pool deck) where we enjoy coffee, perhaps a Bloody Mary, and read our Kindles.  While folks are fighting for elevators and working up a sweat we are just enjoying the morning.  Around 9:15 or 9:30, when most folks are off the ship, we grab an elevator (easy at this time) go down to the appropriate deck, walk off the ship, easily find our luggage, head outside, and grab a taxi (or summon Uber).  While we sometimes must do the earlier flights, we find the later flights make for a more enjoyable day.   We love to cruise and prefer to be among the first on the ship (at embarkation) and the last to leave at debarkation.

 

Hank

[lcpagejr]

We cruised on Odyssey of Seas over Thanksgiving. I believe they started disembarking between 7-7:30. We did self disembark. We left our cabin with luggage at 8am...`exited ship...went thru immigration...grabbed a cab and arrived at FLL at 8:35 for our 10:50am flight. We spent more time in TSA then time spent leaving ship to airport. FYI...and this was Sunday after Thanksgiving which was a heavy travel day

[LGW59]

2 hours ago, blackshirt said:

Yeah but that was Aug 2021. Not nearly as many passengers were flying as there are now. Even with TSA pre check, there have been plenty of horror stories on long lines at security since the resurgence in travel.

I got off Edge in FLL on Nov 7, 2022, did self walkoff at 8:15AM with my luggage, customs took perhaps 3 minutes, cab waiting outside at taxi stand, 15 minutes later I was at airport at 8:45AM for an 11:15 flight.  Thru security in 10 minutes, ate breakfast at a sit down restaurant then sat at my gate for an hour or so before boarding. 

[Nado44]

I got off the recent Apex Transatlantic at 0645 am. Made a 0815 am flight with a carryon. I knew I was pushing it. Would I do it again? Absolutely.

[jagoffee]

13 hours ago, Nado44 said:

I got off the recent Apex Transatlantic at 0645 am. Made a 0815 am flight with a carryon. I knew I was pushing it. Would I do it again? Absolutely.

Was your 8:15 AM flight your scheduled flight or did you move up to that flight? (Like standby or confirmed flight change?)

 

Seeing that it was a TA, I think you would win the bravest Flyer award.  And a 14 day day TA with just a carry on?

 

No way that we would ever consider any of those two options.  11 AM is my risk level. Usually after 12.  It is just more relaxing.

[ijscheer]

Be aware that FLL has 4 separate terminals; any specific information you read may apply to only one terminal.

[cocobakerchica]

I agonized over this same question while planning for the transition cruise we took this past October on Beyond (boarded in Bayonne, debarked in Ft Lauderdale). Since it was our first flight since even before Covid, and flight cancellation possibilities were high, we ultimately decided to book a room and stay overnight in Ft Lauderdale and take the earliest next morning flight home. We were among the last to get off the ship, no crowds waiting for an Uber(and no inflation pricing), and a relatively stress free flight that actually got us home earlier than scheduled!

[Jeremiah1212]

No good clear answer. We definitely don’t book late afternoon or stay an extra night. No need. I aim for 10:30 to noon at the latest. Anything later and you’re sitting in the airport forever. I can’t recall a time I ever felt particularly rushed to make a 10:30 flight. 
 

 

[fenton04]

We just got off the Vision of the Seas and did self disembarkation and left the ship at 7 a.m. and walked to the Taxi stand and made it to the airport by 8 a.m. for a 10:30 boarding.  Wanted to do Uber but only had one bar on my phone.  My carrier is Spectrum.  

Edited December 17, 2022 by fenton04
spelling

[DaKahuna]

We have taken a 1:38 PM non-stop from FLL to IAD (Washington Dulles) the last five times we cruised out of FLL and our biggest issue has been getting to the airport too early.  United will not accept your bags until three hours prior to your flight's scheduled departure time.  We have had to sit in the terminal, out side of the security area, for over an hour on a couple of occasions before we were able to check out bags.  

 

Unfortunately, the only other option is an 8:45 AM flight and while I am pretty sure we could make that, I think it would be too stressful to jump through all the hoops in order to make that flight.  The last thing I want to do is end a nice peaceful cruise by going through the stress of trying to make that early of a flight home.  

 

[Nado44]

2 hours ago, jagoffee said:

Was your 8:15 AM flight your scheduled flight or did you move up to that flight? (Like standby or confirmed flight change?)

 

Seeing that it was a TA, I think you would win the bravest Flyer award.  And a 14 day day TA with just a carry on?

 

No way that we would ever consider any of those two options.  11 AM is my risk level. Usually after 12.  It is just more relaxing.

 

The 815 am was a cheap, $39 one-way FLL-TPA flight that would get me home quickly. Plan B was a later flight (~$100). Plan C was a rental car and four hours of driving (~$150).

 

Re: Carry On. Less is more. Packed smartly. Took advantage of free bags of laundry (Elite+).

[DaKahuna]

4 hours ago, Nado44 said:

Re: Carry On. Less is more. Packed smartly. Took advantage of free bags of laundry (Elite+).

 

 I could get by with doing this but my wife could never.  Her clothes are much more delicate than mine.

 

 I put my jeans, khaki pants, underwear, t-shirts, etc. in the wash and fold bag.  Dress shirts are normally only worn to drinks before dinner and during dinner and unless I splash/spill something on them, they are good for two nights.  Otherwise, into the cleaners they go.   

 

 What I find to be the biggest weight item for us are shoes.  Dress shoes (what woman can bring only one pair - not my wife), tennis shoes, and casual/walking shoes start to add up.  Thank goodness for the slippers in the room or that would be another pair of shoes. 

[Dreamer68]

On 12/16/2022 at 7:01 PM, Hlitner said:

The question should not be "what is the earliest" but rather "what is the the earliest that is reasonable."  Why?  There are several factors that impact how early one can get to the airport.  1.  The ship must be cleared by the "authorities" before anyone can debark.  This can sometimes happen in a half hour, but other times it can take more than an hour.   2.  How long does it take you get off the ship?  With express debarkation you need to carry your own luggage and keep in mind that you must get to the proper deck from your cabin with all that luggage,  With thousands trying to use the elevators at the same time this can be a problem.  3.  Once off the ship you need to clear immigration.  This can involve waiting in a long line with more delays.  4.  Once outside of the terminal you need transportation.  The taxi queue can be long and slow.  Uber is possible but always iffy.  Using the cruise line transportation (which costs more money) may mean cooling your heels on a bus while they load luggage and wait to fill the bus.  And the cruise line transfer buses drop everyone at a common location which can be some distance from your needed terminal.

 

Finally, a lot depends on the day of the week.  Saturdays/Sundays are the busiest and everything takes longer.  So we get back to the original question.  My own advice is not to plan a flight before 11am with 12 being a little safer.   And keep in mind that some events can delay debarkation for several hours.  It does not happen often, but it does happen, 

 

I will tell you what this old cruiser (with more than 50 years of cruise experience) likes to do in Ft Lauderdale and Miami.  DW and I generally try to book an early afternoon flight.  While folks are fighting to get off the ship, standing in long lines, not having fun, etc. we are relaxing.  We enjoy our last breakfast.  After breakfast we grab our carry-off stuff and relax in a deck chair (usually on the pool deck) where we enjoy coffee, perhaps a Bloody Mary, and read our Kindles.  While folks are fighting for elevators and working up a sweat we are just enjoying the morning.  Around 9:15 or 9:30, when most folks are off the ship, we grab an elevator (easy at this time) go down to the appropriate deck, walk off the ship, easily find our luggage, head outside, and grab a taxi (or summon Uber).  While we sometimes must do the earlier flights, we find the later flights make for a more enjoyable day.   We love to cruise and prefer to be among the first on the ship (at embarkation) and the last to leave at debarkation.

 

Hank

I love this advice! I did not know we could have a leisurely (somewhat) breakfast on disembarkation day. We wanted to visit FLL a bit for the day and thus only booked an 8:45 pm flight. We're only traveling with carry-on luggage for the week (yeah, wanted a challenge, LOL) and am now trying to figure out if we should go drop them off in a locker at FLL airport after disembarking Celebrity...and then find our way into town...figured that was the best idea for our luggage. Any other tips?

[Hlitner]

11 minutes ago, Dreamer68 said:

I love this advice! I did not know we could have a leisurely (somewhat) breakfast on disembarkation day. We wanted to visit FLL a bit for the day and thus only booked an 8:45 pm flight. We're only traveling with carry-on luggage for the week (yeah, wanted a challenge, LOL) and am now trying to figure out if we should go drop them off in a locker at FLL airport after disembarking Celebrity...and then find our way into town...figured that was the best idea for our luggage. Any other tips?

For many decades, I have been mystified why most folks want to rush off a ship on embarkation day.  While some do have early flights, many others seem determined to get to an airport so they can sit around for hours waiting for their flights.  Those with cars at the port want to rush off so they can get home a little earlier. 

 

While we love to be among the first to get on a ship at embarkation, we are often happy to be among the last off at debarkation.  Our goal is to try and make the disembarkation process as relaxing as possible and minimize any waiting in line.  My personal travel philosophy is to practice "queue avoidance" as I strongly dislike wasting time standing in lines.  DW and I still recall one Princess cruise where we were relaxing at a bar with late afternoon cocktails.  It was about 5pm.  We noticed a growing line near our seats that eventually had at least 200 folks and we asked somebody about the line.  Those folks were waiting to get into the one MDR (out of 3) that had Fixed Dining.  The fixed dining was for 5:30, all those folks had assigned tables, and yet many were in line by 5.  They had to wait until 5:30, when the doors opened, and than they could rush to their assigned tables!  One could have simply walked in at 5:35 and gone to their table and missed nothing but that long line.

 

You see it on many ships for the Lido at lunch.  Perhaps the Lido opens at 11:30 for lunch.  There will be dozens of folks lining up around 11 so they can be the first to charge the buffet.  It is just nutz!  If we know there will be a crowd at 11:30 or 12 we will simply wait until 12:30 when there is no line.  Even at airports the line thing is nutz.  There might be a very long line for security and folks wait.  But if they walked 5 minutes to the next checkpoint there would be no line.  But it is human nature (for some) to just get in the longest line rather than looking for a short or no line alternative.

 

Hank

[edgee]

On 12/17/2022 at 2:33 PM, DaKahuna said:

We have taken a 1:38 PM non-stop from FLL to IAD (Washington Dulles) the last five times we cruised out of FLL and our biggest issue has been getting to the airport too early.  United will not accept your bags until three hours prior to your flight's scheduled departure time.  We have had to sit in the terminal, out side of the security area, for over an hour on a couple of occasions before we were able to check out bags.  

 

Unfortunately, the only other option is an 8:45 AM flight and while I am pretty sure we could make that, I think it would be too stressful to jump through all the hoops in order to make that flight.  The last thing I want to do is end a nice peaceful cruise by going through the stress of trying to make that early of a flight home.  

 

DC area residents have many other options than those you mention. Seems you choose to limit your options by sticking with Dulles and United and not DCA and other carriers. 

[Dreamer68]

6 hours ago, Hlitner said:

For many decades, I have been mystified why most folks want to rush off a ship on embarkation day.  While some do have early flights, many others seem determined to get to an airport so they can sit around for hours waiting for their flights.  Those with cars at the port want to rush off so they can get home a little earlier. 

 

While we love to be among the first to get on a ship at embarkation, we are often happy to be among the last off at debarkation.  Our goal is to try and make the disembarkation process as relaxing as possible and minimize any waiting in line.  My personal travel philosophy is to practice "queue avoidance" as I strongly dislike wasting time standing in lines.  DW and I still recall one Princess cruise where we were relaxing at a bar with late afternoon cocktails.  It was about 5pm.  We noticed a growing line near our seats that eventually had at least 200 folks and we asked somebody about the line.  Those folks were waiting to get into the one MDR (out of 3) that had Fixed Dining.  The fixed dining was for 5:30, all those folks had assigned tables, and yet many were in line by 5.  They had to wait until 5:30, when the doors opened, and than they could rush to their assigned tables!  One could have simply walked in at 5:35 and gone to their table and missed nothing but that long line.

 

You see it on many ships for the Lido at lunch.  Perhaps the Lido opens at 11:30 for lunch.  There will be dozens of folks lining up around 11 so they can be the first to charge the buffet.  It is just nutz!  If we know there will be a crowd at 11:30 or 12 we will simply wait until 12:30 when there is no line.  Even at airports the line thing is nutz.  There might be a very long line for security and folks wait.  But if they walked 5 minutes to the next checkpoint there would be no line.  But it is human nature (for some) to just get in the longest line rather than looking for a short or no line alternative.

 

Hank

Hank, you make a lot of sense to me! I always thought they wanted us off the ship ASAP so we were being polite to get off quickly. So glad I read this thread and will now plan to disembark at a more relaxed pace. It will be nice to say a slow goodbye to the Apex at the end of our cruise. ❤️ 

[Hlitner]

7 hours ago, Dreamer68 said:

Hank, you make a lot of sense to me! I always thought they wanted us off the ship ASAP so we were being polite to get off quickly. So glad I read this thread and will now plan to disembark at a more relaxed pace. It will be nice to say a slow goodbye to the Apex at the end of our cruise. ❤️ 

I think you are correct that the cruise line does want us off the ship.  But, just like somebody has to be first, somebody is going to be last :).  On most of our cruises they will make an announcement around 9:30am asking for everyone to be off.  We do not want to create problems for the crew, so we are out of our cabin, early, and camp out at the pool deck (not too far from the Lido) on most ships (assuming the weather is good).  Relaxing in a deck lounger keeps us out of the way as the crew works to scour the ship.  On many ships the Lido coffee area does stay open so we can refill our coffee cup.  On Princess ships, the International Cafe stays open (serving drinks and food) so on those ships we will sometimes relax in the atrium watching many others working up a sweat (and tempers) as they try to rush off.  Seabourn (one of our favorite lines) always has plenty of comfy seats near Seabourn Square where they also serve all kinds of drinks, breakfast foods, donuts, etc.  Why would we want to rush off?

 

Hank