Looking for advice from experienced cruisers. We are scheduled to dock at the Port of Miami at 7:00am and we have an 11:00am flight out of Fort Lauderdale. I DO realize that the timing is terrible but has anyone experienced this problem? What did you do in order to make it to your flight on time? Any suggestions (besides re-scheduling my flight)??? Thanks!

The only thing you can do is make sure you are in the priority debarkation group for early flights and have reliable transportation to FLL waiting for you on the pier. Did you do the air booking, or was it arranged by the cruise line or an agent?

I arranged it myself........oops I'll know what to do next time! Is the disembark @ port of Miami pretty speedy?

Debarkation in Miami usually moves along well enough, but I have to tell you that of all the ports I've been through Miami has also had the most glitches. Last summer for instance - Customs suddenly lost their computer connections and had to totally suspend operations for close to an hour. They have no manual backup plan. Nobody was allowed to leave the ship during this time and many people missed their flights...from MIA which is just a short ride from the pier. Granted this is not common, and odds are you'll make your flight. However I wouldn't risk this scenario again.

Thanks for the advice!! Much appreciated. Are cabs (metered and non-metered) all over the place once we are off the boat?

There are lots of cabs, but another option would be to look into reserving your own shuttle service. We've used Top Shuttle and like them - very reliable.

The ride is a short one to the airport.....we usually have a 12:30 flight and don't leave the ship until 9 or so and get there in time...but if in doubt...take the express departure where you take your own luggage off...you can leave the ship as soon as it's cleared....Good Luck...
And yes, there are lots of cabs...
Happy Sailing

Bob E

quote:

The ride is a short one to the airport

Bob, do you mean MIA or FLL?

Have you considered contacting the airline and changing your flight so that you fly out of Miami? I realize that there is often a fee but it might be worth it for the peace of mind. The traffic from Miami to Ft. Lauderdale can be really busy during the week, so so on the weekends. If you can't change your flight, I would recommend a private car service and request the earliest disembarkation time. Hope it helps, have a great trip.

Also plan on doing express walk-off (carry all your luggage off the ship)

Everybody has given very good advice, and I just went through this. I wouldn't normally schedule so tight but it was Christmas Eve and wanted to get home early for service. ONE....you can't do anything about the ship and any custom problems that may occur, so that you can't do anything about. TWO, go online and find the flights that are leaving later, so you will be prepared just in case(kind of like bringing an umbrella, so it never rains). THREE...check in for your flight on-line if this is available to you at the internet cafe on the ship the day before. You will have boarding passes in hand. FOUR...fill out the paperwork the ship provides you and make sure at the Guest Relations you get early tickets off the ship. FIVE...get up early, have a good breakfast, and have your luggage under control. I do not believe you need to carry off all your own luggage, the ship organizes your luggage, and it gets off the ship before you can. SIX...take a cab or schedule a shuttle that it not going to wait for other passengers. LAST...breathe and enjoy your trip, I had my Mom and had to wait for a wheelchair, and hundreds passed us by getting off the ship, but we got to the airport just as the doors were closing for the 9:15am flight, so we waited another hour and a half and got right on our flight this included getting wheelchair help at the airport also.
You have scheduled tight, but it can work.