[HardNHeavy]

Hey all,

I am not sure about booking my flight on the 5th of February, the day we will arrive back in Fort Lauderdale. Me and some friends want to fligh to another place BUT this flight would already depart at Fort Lauderdale airport at 10:35AM. I know this is very early (I know, 70000tons.com tells us that our flights should not depart before 12:00) and the last years I always had flights one or two hours later. Debarkation will normally start at 8:00AM and if we are ready by this time it should work I think.
My question, has anyone here some experiences from the past years and booked an early flight?

Thanks for the help and see you soon again!

[AstridDragon]

You know we disembark on February 4th right? Should make a Feb 5th flight really easy! Unless you typo-d there.

I haven't been on the boat yet, but I've read from some here that if you carry your own luggage off, you may be able to get off the boat much earlier.

I'm sure someone with experience will be around soon to tell you more!

[cowboy71]

If you are talking about the 4th, the Monday....

DON'T. DO. IT.

Way too risky! What if there is a delay:

- delay disembarking? Maybe they are not ready, maybe there was storms.
- delay getting through customs. What if there is a shortage of staff.
- delay getting away from the port. What if there aren't any taxis.
- delay getting to the airport. What if there is bad traffic (it WILL be a monday morning, normal working day, around peak hour).
- delay at the airport. Long lines at check in.

Delays in any ONE of those places, and you will miss your flight.

ON TOP OF THAT, think of the stress! If that was me, I'd be spending the entire last few precious moments on board stressing about missing my flight, instead of enjoying every last minute with my metal family :)

So I say to you this:

If it was me, I would book a later flight. THEN on the morning we get to port, I would make my way off the ship as quickly but calmly as possible, stress-free. Get to the airport as quick as I can, then, being super polite to the lovely people at the airport, if I've made it there in plenty of time, ask if I could get an earlier flight.

[Bob]

I've seen Monday come all different ways the 4 times I've been on.
1. A long line to get off the boat.
2. A long line to get through customs.
3. Walk straight through no problem.
4. Where is my fucking bus to get out of port to the airport? It's always been a mess that way.

When I departed Monday, I always got an afternoon departure flight. It's a slog back to the airport and hurry up and wait. But stress free as Dallas recommends. Now I do my departure flights Tuesday, so much better for me.

Here is a pro-tip I didn't learn until last year. Sunday night, don't go to sleep. Stay up all night and through departure, snooze at the airport if ya needs. Much better than trying to get up after an hour or 2 at most of sleep and groggy and get off the boat. Between 6:00 AM and 8:00 on the boat everything shuts down, best to be packing and cleaned up because they actually wall off sections of the boat and make them inaccessible. You can get breakfast in the Windjammer around 6ish I think, but after that best to pack it up and get going.

[HardNHeavy]

uuh yes I am talking abouth the 4th, on day more on the cruise would have been great of course!
Thanks for all your comments on this, seems like you are right and a little too early. The flight was just a great offer and this made me thinking...

[mooyagi]

I've flown out at 11:30 in the past and been fine but it's a bit nicer to book a later flight and take time getting off the boat. So much time that they start calling the stateroom and knocking on the door saying get your ass off.

Try not to book too late, however. If you are stuck at the airport for a while, especially Fort Lauderdale's, it can be a very long and difficult day. That airport sucks.