3:30 flight from Orl enough time after cruise?

[Ladyhawke10]

Hello!

We have our first cruise this November! Hooray! However, Disney's flights were all sold out when we checked over the weekend and the only reasonably priced flight I could get was at 3:30 pm out of Orlando. The cruise lands in Cape Canaveral at 8:30 and it says to allow 4 hours to disembark (any specifics on what is involved in disembarking, BTW). That means (I am guessing) we are off the ship by 12:30 and hopefully our 3:30 flight is possible. What does anyone think about this? Possible? A good/ bad idea?

BTW, if any has any recommendations for ease in disembarking or for airport transfers, that would be great! There are 3 of us in our party--one child.

 

[glindamood]

Unless there are some special circumstances, everyone is usually off the ship by 9:00 am. When booking your own airfare, DCL's rule used to be not to book before 1:00. You should be fine.

 

[talicskai]

You have plenty of time ~ I was able to catch an 11:30am flight once so 3:30pm is loads of time!
Enjoy yourself and hopefully Castaway Cay will be "up and running" for you by then!

 

[Dreamer04]

Originally posted by Ladyhawke10


BTW, if any has any recommendations for ease in disembarking or for airport transfers, that would be great! There are 3 of us in our party--one child.

Here are a few ideas. I prefer private car service to DCL bus transfer. You decide when you go.

Pack everything! If you brought 2 carry on bags-try to use one for the trip home and check everything else. For example, you won't need your bathing suits, a change of clothes-etc. The less you carry around with you on disembarkation day, the easier time you will have of it.

If you have early seating-your breakfast will be at 6:45 am. Too early for me, so we opted to eat at Beach Blanket/Topsiders, instead. The Navigator said it was continetal breakfast only-but they had everything eggs, bacon, toast, plus the cold choices-cereal and danish. Our flight was in the afternoon also, so we didnt rush off the ship. Enjoy your last morning. Eat, relax and when you get off the ship, be one of the last ones off.
Just be sure to be out of your cabin by 8:00am.

Once off, have a redcap help with your luggage, he'll take your immigration form, and bring to directly to where either the buses are or your car service.

Hope this helps

Ursula

 

[RickW]

Originally posted by Dreamer04
Pack everything! If you brought 2 carry on bags-try to use one for the trip home and check everything else. For example, you won't need your bathing suits, a change of clothes-etc. The less you carry around with you on disembarkation day, the easier time you will have of it.

Be careful though -- stories of people leaving the ship in their PJs or without shoes are not unheard of. Since you put out your luggage the night before, some people fail to remember to leave out the things the may need in the morning.

 

[Dreamer04]

Originally posted by RickW
Be careful though -- stories of people leaving the ship in their PJs or without shoes are not unheard of. Since you put out your luggage the night before, some people fail to remember to leave out the things the may need in the morning.

LOL That is so true!! I forgot to point that out!



Ursula

 

[MinnesotaMouseketeers]

There is plenty of time for you to relax the morning you disembark. We had our flight out at 11:55 and had no problem. We actually got to the Sun Country counter before they were open. We had to wait 45 minutes before someone came to the desk to check luggage in.

 

[tvguy]

We were on the 12-27-03 Magic. Packed ship. We had a 12:35pm flight and made it no sweat. Disney asked anyone with a flight before 12:30 pm to be in the first off the ship to make sure their luggage made it.
It was a zoo getting off. We had late breakfast, 8 am, then waited in line on the ship for 45 minutes to get off. But got our luggage, cleared immigration, checked our bags with AA at the port, and were on the bus on the way to the airport within 10 minutes of stepping off the ship. The line inside the ship ran all the way to Parrot Cay, and circled around inside.
We heard at the airport that it took until 10:15 am to get everyone off the ship.
The DCL system on the pier is great, but they really need to change how you get off the ship. On HAL we were all assigned public rooms to wait in, and were assigned numbered groups based on what time our flight left.

 

[silver7]

Hey LadyHawke, we are on the same cruise! We have a 330 departure time on Saturday, and are planning to take it easy (not like last time, had to hurry to the 630 breakfast, etc), and then get to the airport and relax more!

 

[TooPure4u]

I was one of the first people off the boat...I had a 3 something flight.....I should have taken my time....I had a very lengthy wait at the airport....you will have more than enough time

 

[inkkognito]

4 hours for disembarking is often the norm on other cruise lines, but not DCL! They have the most efficient process I have ever experience. We too have had an 11:30 flight. We normally use Happy Limo and make it to the airport very early. Even when we have rented a car and used the Budget shuttle, we were still done with lots of time to spare.
We did have two significant delays one...one due to a change in the terrorism alert level and one due to someone else accidentally taking our bags, but that is only twice out of almost 40 cruises.
Barb

 

[cruzings]

you have way enough time to make it to the orlando airport for your flight. last year, we were out of the ship by 8:30 am and hang around the airport for 3-4 hours until our after-1 pm flight. thank god for nice stores and restaurantsas well as comfortable seats.

 

[bemily]

Originally posted by RickW
Be careful though -- stories of people leaving the ship in their PJs or without shoes are not unheard of. Since you put out your luggage the night before, some people fail to remember to leave out the things the may need in the morning.

Originally posted by Dreamer04
LOL That is so true!! I forgot to point that out!



Ursula

LOL, this made me chuckle because I am one of those people! I packed up everything, and I *THOUGHT* i had left out clothes for the morning, and i packed ALL my clothes. I had left a set for hubby and my daughter, but i had nothing! (NOT EVEN PAJAMAS!)..They actually let my husband get off the ship, go to our bag and get me clothes, AND come back on the ship!!!

 

[rjones69]

you will have plenty of time. When we flew we panicked a little and did not eat breakfast on the ship. We decided to disembark as quick as we could and we ended up at the airport by 10am! You should have lots of time to kill.

 

[Ladyhawke10]

Thanks for all your help! I didn't realize Disney only had a few flights to sell for the cruises...I was surprised when they had sold out---but I seems like it should not be a problem to go directly with the airline.
So excited about the cruise!

 

[Grumpy's Mom]

Like everyone else has said, you will have plenty of time.

We were one of the last families off the 12/20/03 cruise. We shuttled to Budget, picked up our rental car, drove to DTD for lunch and shopping. Left DTD at 1:00 for MCO - had plenty of time for everything!

Enjoy!