Reasons Why I Will Avoid Booking Night Flights After Cruises in the Future

• When I booked my first cruise, I made the mistake of choosing a night flight for my return journey.
• Unfortunately, the cruise ship disembarked in the morning, leaving me with a 14-hour wait at the airport.
• Next time, I’ll be sure to book an afternoon flight after my cruise to avoid wasting a day at the airport.

I will never forget the time I found myself stuck at an airport for 14 hours due to my own oversight.

In April of 2022, I embarked on a 7-day cruise aboard Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas, the world’s largest cruise ship. As a first-time cruiser, I wanted to ensure I accounted for any potential mishaps, including missing my return flight.

On the final day of the voyage, passengers were allowed to disembark in the morning upon reaching the port. Although I was aware of this, I learned during the booking process that the scheduled port arrival time did not necessarily guarantee when I would actually leave the ship.

According to Insider, a cruise ship’s scheduled arrival time refers to when it docks at the port. However, before passengers can disembark, an inspection takes place, which can last anywhere from 20 minutes to over an hour.

Due to the size of the ship and my concerns about potential delays, I erred on the side of caution and booked a late-night flight at 9 p.m. I would rather spend the entire day waiting at the airport than risk missing my flight home.

However, I overcompensated. The cruise ship arrived and disembarked on time, resulting in my early arrival at Fort Lauderdale Airport at 9 a.m. I found myself with a 12-hour wait before my scheduled departure to NYC, which was eventually delayed for two hours.

Joey Hadden/Insider

While waiting in line to check in, I already realized my mistake and dreaded the thought of spending half a day waiting at the gate. However, I soon realized that exploring the shops and restaurants in the terminal would be a preferable option to waiting in the check-in area.

Upon reaching security, an employee informed me that I couldn’t proceed until four hours before my flight. Although I couldn’t find official sources to confirm this policy, according to the travel bag company CabinZero, some airports only allow passengers to go through security 2-5 hours before their flight.

I sighed in resignation as I found a spot on the ground amidst packed seats in the check-in area. I placed my jacket on the floor and made myself comfortable with my legs propped up on my suitcase to ensure its safety.

Next time, to avoid enduring a 14-hour period at the airport, I will make sure to book an afternoon flight to coincide with the end of my cruise.