Flight times for returning from cruise??

[CdnDisneyFan]

I was wondering what time the ship docks at Port Canaveral, and approximately what the earliest flight time my mom can book returning given going thru Customs and all??

Thanx

Jules

 

[Señor Ferrari]

The ship is scheduled to dock at 5:45am, and is usually already tied up to the pier when my wake-up call comes at a few minutes before 6:00am. The ship usually clears customs sometime between 7:30 and 8:00am, if everything goes to schedule. At this point, the schedule is up to INS and US Customs, not the cruise line, so the timeline may vary. Baggage claim and Customs/Immigration is fairly painless, you can be out of the terminal by 8:30, easily.

Depending on how you'll get from the port to aiport, you can be there by 10:00am without too much trouble. I'm usually through security at MCO before 10:00am taking the DCL busses.

As to the flight time, conventional wisdom is that anything after 11:30 is safe. There is a chance that the ship could get in late to port, so giving yourself a buffer is not a bad idea. I believe that some people have made earlier flights, it all depends on how comfortable you are with cutting the time close.

 

[BeanoC]

I am assuming that she is flying out of MCO (Orlando)?

If so she should book a flight as close to noon as possible, but not much before. We have been to the airport by 9:30AM the last 2 years, but you need to give yourself a 'cushion'. Too much later, and your looking at a long, boring wait in the airport. Our flight this year left at 11:50, and we still had time for breakfast in the airport. (We had chili dogs!)

We docked at around 6:30AM, needed to be out of our staterooms by 8:00, and off the ship by 9:00. We breezed through customs in seconds, and the porter had all our bags loaded and to our car 5 minutes from that. All told, we were easily ready to head to the airport by 8:45. Unless the ship is delayed, which is uncommon, noon is the best target time.




'Beano'

 

[CdnDisneyFan]

So, would an 11:15 flight be pushing it? Spirit Air seems to be the only airline flying non stop, and it leaves Orlando at 11:15, with the other one at 7:30.

Jules

 

[inkkognito]

We made an 11:30 flight, but there was no delay on the ship getting into port so we disembarked really early and had Happy Limo pick us up. Normally I prefer my flight time to be after noon, but sometimes the bargain is too good to resist. Out of 26 Disney cruises, we have never been delaying coming into port, but we had a personal delay (luggage taken by the wrong family, and Disney would not take a report until literally everyone else had claimed their bags, as they wanted to make sure ours wouldn't show up). It we'd had an early flight on that trip, it would have been a disaster! But you figure that breaks down to a 4 percent chance if you tally the numbers from all our cruises, so that's not too bad!
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com

 

[Laurajean1014]

For the past two years we have taken a 1:50 pm non stop flight. But got to the airport by 9:45! We leisurely walk to the hotel (Hyatt) and sit in the waiting area by the restaurant. We hook up the laptop and play Scrabble and other stuff while we sip on drinks and goodies.

Very relaxing after a fantastic voyage.

LOL.

 

[imgoingtodisney]

We had a choice of 1130am flight or 6pm - we choose the 6pm. After getting off the ship and getting the Avis rental car (as of now) we are heading to Gatorland. DS is big fan of Croc Hunter.
Also have to get DS his crystal glass from Aribas Brothers.
We wont be getting to your house till after 10pm but have the next day (Sun) off to recooperate- laundry, food shop, etc.

 

[two-foxes]

I didn't even know what to do when we arrived at MCO at 10:15 after our smooth exit off the Wonder. Our flight on Frontier back to Denver was at 6:05, and the Frontier desk wasn't going to reopen until 4:00, so we were stuck with all our luggage! We ended up getting a day room at the Hyatt for $60, catching a few ZZZZZ's, got a workout in and grabbed a bite to eat at Chili's too. We were not thrilled about spending more $$, but at that point, is was the most convienent option! Frontier only has 2 non stops to Denver and the first one was at 10:30 ish and that would have been impossible!