kochleffel

This is really about which of various possible connections to choose for FLL-ROC, but it's affected by my negative recollection of FLL terminal D from January 2020. I remember it as having too few seats for the number of passengers, and food options that aren't good enough to call mediocre.

It matters to me because the most efficient connection is via DTW, which puts the long leg of the flight spanning lunchtime, and the upcharge for F on that connection is about $400. So I'd want to buy food to take aboard. I'll be coming from the cruise port by ride-share or taxi and won't have a lot of time, so stopping alone the way isn't really feasible. Another consideration is that the DTW connecting time is 37 minutes, and the ROC flight will probably leave from concourse B, so that I or a checked bag, or both, could miss the flight. There's a later flight from DTW to ROC, but because ROC is about a two-hour drive to where I live, I would rather not be arriving there late at night.

Another possible connection is via ATL, putting the shorter leg first and placing me in the airport in time for a late-ish lunch. Both flights are mainline, while DTW-ROC is a CR9. DL also suggests routing via LGA or JFK, but I'm not seriously considering either of those.

PurdueFlyer

Frequent cruiser here. FLL is definitely NOT one of my favorite airports.

I never check bags (went to Africa on a 2 week safari with just a carry-on). But, IIRC, FLL has a 3-hour max bag cutoff and are fairly militant about it. The ticketing lobby is always packed with folks milling around waiting until the 3 hour mark prior to their departure until they can check their luggage landside. Airside, SkyClub starts filling up by 10am when there usually becomes a waitlist to get in. I don't recall buying food in the terminal, but I'm always just going nonstop to Atlanta. I can survive until I get my Biscoff onboard.

My advice would be to take the earliest flight that you feel comfortable with, between 10A-12N. we usually do "Self-assist" or whatever variation of early departures your cruise line is offering. The short connection in DTW wouldn't really bother me. You're in Delta's hands by then so if they misconnect the bag, they have to forward it, deliver it, and cover expenses. If you're that paranoid about missing the connection and getting to ROC later at night, take the ATL option assuming the FLL departure time is comparable.

indufan

Shake Shack, baby.

spudley007

Terminal D was recently remodeled (still finishing the final touches) and is really a nice terminal now with plenty of seating. There is a decent Italian restaurant, Shake Shack, sushi place, and I know I'm forgetting something other than the Starbucks. I enjoy it.

lindros2

if you really hate it, why not fly Southwest? their terminal is better... (yes, I've been a bunch of times to Delta - the terminal is nicer than it was - but cruise people are normally really dumb... and I cruise 2x-3x a year; only FLL when we can't get Canaveral or Tampa)

msglsmo

Not sure I understand this comment. I also cruise 2X a year and haven�t found cruisers any dumber than the average flyer.

lindros2

Who sits around in an (airline) terminal for 8 hours because they're afraid to miss their flight?

indufan

Only for the last few months, I have been monitoring a couple of Royal Caribbean forums. It is really insane how much time some of those people want to allow for a flight. There is quite a bit of outright bad advice given on air travel.

kochleffel

Many thanks for the helpful replies.

I always "self-assist." The departure times are about 20 minutes apart, between 11:00 a.m. and noon.

That's a definite possibility. Southwest has a connection to Rochester via BWI that departs around the same time as the Delta flights. I started with Delta because I have credits, but I have another trip in mind that I could use them for.

My theory is that some of the anxiety about missing flights stems from the justified anxiety about missing a ship's departure from a port of call. Once people get into the routine of worrying about that, it seems warranted to worry about flights, too.

I came a bit close myself once, at Cannes when we rented a car to visit the Matisse chapel at Vence. Tour operators don't go there, maybe because of limited capacity in the chapel and also limited parking. Cannes is a tender port and the tendering had been delayed, so we ran late all day. It became apparent that, after returning the rental car and getting a taxi, we would reach the dock five minutes after the published time for the last tender. Two other passengers were nearly overcome with anxiety. I thought that we would find a thousand other passengers in line for tenders and would just join the line, which is what happened.

kavok

I�d still take the tighter DTW connect if it was me. As others mentioned, in the event of a misconnect, that�s on DL to get it fixed for ya. DL is no longer the reliable operation it once was, but frankly it seems misconnects these days are more likely a crapshoot on whether you get the unlucky draw with the pilot shortages, or weather, or ATC issues, etc.

As far as the FLL terminal, it�s significantly improved from January 2020, though food options are about the same. My biggest suggestion is to get off your cruise ship early, and thus get to FLL before other cruisers and the 10am onward chaos.

lindros2

Cruise lines also give bad advice because they don't want people all pushing to get off first for early flights.
The trick is to claim you're driving and get Group 1. On my last cruise out of Canaveral (Orlando), we were off the boat and in our car before 7:30am. It was amazing.