Latest we can stay on ship?

[wdwnutz]

If I have a late flight home (either 6pm or 8pm) after we arrive back to Port Canaveral, what is the latest they will let us on the ship? Am I better off staying the night and flying home the next day? Airfare is more than 2x as much to take an afternoon flight with layover. We prefer to fly SW because there is no baggage fees and no charge to change our flight if needed. There is 6 of us traveling together, all adults except for DS6. :confused:

[Ed]

They want everyone off the ship by 9am. The Customs officers are on a definite schedule and the ship's crew need to prepare the ship for the next outbound cruise; those passengers will begin boarding in three short hours or less.

Given that difference in air fares, I'd be inclined to stay overnight in the airport area or perhaps one of the WDW resorts and take the morning flight the next day.

[DizneyRox]

Correct, they want you out of your room early (bring your bags with you to breakfast), and waiting in public areas of the ship until customs clears the ship, at which point, don't be surprised if you get a kick on the backside by a giant yellow foot.

There will already be people wanting to get on the ship by then, usually they start boarding by about 11am or 12.

Orlando airport has a lot to do, it shouldn't be all that tough to blow a day there. There are a ton of hotels around the airport that offer complimentary transportation back and forth if you do wnat to spend the night.

[JMTStone]

They push you out the door rather quickly so the next group of passengers can start boarding at 11 AM.

That said, I've been known to use my DVC points to stay at a Disney resort overnight to save on airline costs. We don't go to the parks all the time, we just extend the magic one more day.