Auckland Airport to cruise terminal

[aycee]

:)Hi

I've been reading Cruise Critic for some time and gained lots of great info about cruising.

This is my first ever post !!!

We are flying into Auckland on the day of the cruise - we arrive at 2pm - hoping the flight isn't late !! What is the best and quickest way to get to the cruise terminal?? The TA has quoted $66 per person for transfers through Celebrity -is this the best and quickest way to go ??

Thanks in anticipation of your replies.

[bula squeak]

:)Hi

I've been reading Cruise Critic for some time and gained lots of great info about cruising.

This is my first ever post !!!

We are flying into Auckland on the day of the cruise - we arrive at 2pm - hoping the flight isn't late !! What is the best and quickest way to get to the cruise terminal?? The TA has quoted $66 per person for transfers through Celebrity -is this the best and quickest way to go ??

Thanks in anticipation of your replies.

 

A taxi from the airport will cost you less than $132 and probably less than $90 NZ

 

Enjoy your first cruise!

[celle]

A taxi from the airport will cost you less than $132 and probably less than $90 NZ

 

Enjoy your first cruise!

 

Agreed. Just get a taxi.

[anandaindonesia]

:) hello aycee!

Welcome to Cruise Critic and congratulations on your first cruise.

 

Many people prefer to arrive a day (or a few days) before embarkation. To give enough time for sightseeing, and to avoid any possible delay. Your arrival time at 2pm is too pressing, unless your cruise is scheduled to stay overnight in Auckkand on the first day and only start sailing on the second day.

 

For more info you may read/post in the Ports of Call (Australia / New Zealand) at http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=77

 

Enjoy your cruise!

Michael

[aycee]

Normally we would fly in earlier, however the offer of free airfare (from Sydney) was too good to resist - the condition being you fly in on the day of embarkation. Maybe we should take the Celebrity transfers ????

[bula squeak]

Normally we would fly in earlier, however the offer of free airfare (from Sydney) was too good to resist - the condition being you fly in on the day of embarkation. Maybe we should take the Celebrity transfers ????

 

You will be fine, do not stress, what time does the ship leave?

 

The celebrity transfer will not be any faster than a taxi, the plane being on time and getting through customs etc. are more the issue you face and an over priced transfer will not help that.

 

The transfer option may include holding the ship for you, I don't know if this may be the case.

 

Sent from the bottom of my wine glass

[aycee]

Ship leaves at 8.00pm - don't know if there is a cut off time for embarkation or not ??

[anandaindonesia]

... ...the offer of free airfare (from Sydney) was too good to resist - the condition being you fly in on the day of embarkation. Maybe we should take the Celebrity transfers ????

 

Hohoho... cannot beat the free offer!

As you are not paying for the ticket, just pay for the Celebrity transfer then. The difference with taxi fare is not significant. Besides, they will make sure you board on time.

 

Relax, with 8pm sailing you'll have ample time. Stop worrying, and enjoy your cruise!

Michael

[SWANOZ]

Hi Myself and my 2 sons used the Auckland Airbus express. web addresshttp://www.airbus.co.nz/ we prepaid and printed tickets before we went but you can just as easy pay when you get their at the ticket office or driver. Worked well for us. $16.00 for an adult $38. for a family one wayand thats NZ dollars Have a look Jen

[SWANOZ]

Forgot to say the bus goes all the way to the water front where the ship docks

[bula squeak]

Ship leaves at 8.00pm - don't know if there is a cut off time for embarkation or not ??

 

8pm???? Wow you can walk there in 6 hours. Get a taxi, really relax.

 

Cut off to get on the ship is usually about 90 mins before sailing.

 

So you have heaps of time, get a nice taxi right outside the airport

terminal

 

PS only take advice from New Zealanders:D

[houtbay]

Hi Myself and my 2 sons used the Auckland Airbus express. web addresshttp://www.airbus.co.nz/ we prepaid and printed tickets before we went but you can just as easy pay when you get their at the ticket office or driver. Worked well for us. $16.00 for an adult $38. for a family one wayand thats NZ dollars Have a look Jen

 

Taking the bus is very easy and drop off is very close to cruise dock.

Enjoy the cruise

[weejock]

We have use this service from just opposite cruise terminal to airport. We walked past a huge queue for taxis and and were on our way promptly

 

http://www.airbus.co.nz/

[aycee]

Thanks everyone for your replies.

Another thing I thought to ask - do NZ taxis take credit cards or do you have to have cash ???

[bula squeak]

Thanks everyone for your replies.

Another thing I thought to ask - do NZ taxis take credit cards or do you have to have cash ???

 

They will take both, and there will be no waiting time at the airport, unlike the cruise terminal when people disembark.

 

Have fun!

[Macchardsmom]

Aycee:

We are on the same flight and cruise as you are (Solstice, Jan 4, 2013) and are having the same question. Did you decide to take a taxi? I contacted the Port of Auckland and they sent me to websites for taxi, bus, and super shuttle. We didn't want the bus, so are still looking into taxi (estimated at $68) and Super Shuttle ($41 for both of us). Celebrity's transfer is so much more $$, but I wonder if it's safer to stick with them?

[aycee]

Hi

 

At this stage probably the taxi - we were told probably about $100 NZ .

People have suggested the shuttle will take longer as it stops at various hotels along the way. Are you on the Emirates flight from Sydney ??

[Macchardsmom]

No, we're on a United/Air New Zealand flight from Sydney, gets in at 2:40. You're probably right about the shuttle making stops, that's why it's cheaper! I emailed cooptaxi.co.nz and they emailed back that a taxi would be about $67 and a van $75. But even at $100, it's still less than Celebrity.

[Macchardsmom]

No, we're on United/Air New Zealand from Sydney, gets in at 2:40. I emailed cooptaxi.co.nz and they said $67 for taxi, $75 for van. But even at $100 still cheaper than Celebrity, and can be booked ahead too.

[S148TOY]

Sort of new to posting so are you cruising Solstice on January 28th? Were booked back to back on Solstice. Were using miles this time, and I usually fly in earlier but nothing was available? So were arriving at 2:40pm from Sydney on a transfer from United out of SFO. Ship leaves at 6:30pm so I'm thinking screw the cost and probably taking a taxi. Worst scenario is we get to the next port which is 140 miles away. Thanks for the taxi info and I read others have used the shuttle/bus. My thinking is the taxi will be quicker?

[boards]

Booking through Celebrity will at least assure you the boat wait for you if you are late getting to the port.

[celle]

Aycee:

We are on the same flight and cruise as you are (Solstice, Jan 4, 2013) and are having the same question. Did you decide to take a taxi? I contacted the Port of Auckland and they sent me to websites for taxi, bus, and super shuttle. We didn't want the bus, so are still looking into taxi (estimated at $68) and Super Shuttle ($41 for both of us). Celebrity's transfer is so much more $$, but I wonder if it's safer to stick with them?

 

This puzzles me! Just what do you think is safer about taking Celebrity's transfer? Auckland airport to the cruise ship is not a dangerous journey.

 

Several New Zealanders have advised to take a taxi. It's easy - you just go outside the terminal, join the (usually) short queue and get in a taxi. We kiwis know what we're talking about when it comes to our airports.

 

Yes, the shuttle is cheaper, but you will make lots of stops on your journey, whereas the taxi will take you right there.

 

There's really no need to over-think it. Why would the Port of Auckland know about the airport?

[6andy6]

This puzzles me! Just what do you think is safer about taking Celebrity's transfer? Auckland airport to the cruise ship is not a dangerous journey.

 

Several New Zealanders have advised to take a taxi. It's easy - you just go outside the terminal, join the (usually) short queue and get in a taxi. We kiwis know what we're talking about when it comes to our airports.

 

Yes, the shuttle is cheaper, but you will make lots of stops on your journey, whereas the taxi will take you right there.

 

There's really no need to over-think it. Why would the Port of Auckland know about the airport?

 

You need to understand the use of the word 'safer' ;)

 

They are not talking about 'safety' in the 'dangerous or not dangerous' sense. They are talking in the sense if you fly in on the same day and the time is limited and you get a taxi and it gets caught up in a huge traffic jam (at peak hour for example) or a massive accident the ship will not wait for you, an individual passenger. It will sail.

 

As against if you get the Celebrity transfers which means a single bus likely to have 30 or 40 other passengers and that bus gets caught in a traffic jam, they will in all likelihood, hold the ship until you arrive.

 

It is obvious from the conversation above the passenger is flying in around 2.30 (and then has to get luggage and clear immigration & customs) so they were worried about getting to the cruise terminal in time.

[celle]

You need to understand the use of the word 'safer' ;)

 

They are not talking about 'safety' in the 'dangerous or not dangerous' sense. They are talking in the sense if you fly in on the same day and the time is limited and you get a taxi and it gets caught up in a huge traffic jam (at peak hour for example) or a massive accident the ship will not wait for you, an individual passenger. It will sail.

 

As against if you get the Celebrity transfers which means a single bus likely to have 30 or 40 other passengers and that bus gets caught in a traffic jam, they will in all likelihood, hold the ship until you arrive.

 

It is obvious from the conversation above the passenger is flying in around 2.30 (and then has to get luggage and clear immigration & customs) so they were worried about getting to the cruise terminal in time.

 

And you need to understand about Auckland! I see you come from Melbourne, where I guess huge traffic jams can happen.

 

Auckland is different. Yes, there can be delays at rush hour (which is not when the OP is due to arrive) or because of an accident, but there is no way that a taxi will be delayed to the extent that the OP would miss the ship. A taxi driver, familiar with Auckland's roads, will always be able to find a different route, to circumvent any delays. A bus, on the other hand, may not be able to negotiate the smaller, suburban streets that a taxi could use as alternative routes.

 

If the OP's flight arrives on time, he/she will easily clear immigration and customs by 3:30 and will have no problem getting to the port on time. Since the ship's departure is 8PM, all aboard will be about 6:30, which leaves the OP with 3 hours to do a 45-minute journey.

 

However, I cannot see a Celebrity transfer waiting for the OP's flight to arrive (if it is late) while keeping "30 or 40 other passengers" waiting. Perhaps it would wait if they were all on the same, delayed flight.

 

If there are only a handful of delayed travellers, the ship will sail, Celebrity transfer or not.

 

I understand the OP's caution. He/she has the information. The choice is his/hers.

[6andy6]

And you need to understand about Auckland! I see you come from Melbourne, where I guess huge traffic jams can happen.

 

Auckland is different. Yes, there can be delays at rush hour (which is not when the OP is due to arrive) or because of an accident, but there is no way that a taxi will be delayed to the extent that the OP would miss the ship. A taxi driver, familiar with Auckland's roads, will always be able to find a different route, to circumvent any delays. A bus, on the other hand, may not be able to negotiate the smaller, suburban streets that a taxi could use as alternative routes.

 

If the OP's flight arrives on time, he/she will easily clear immigration and customs by 3:30 and will have no problem getting to the port on time. Since the ship's departure is 8PM, all aboard will be about 6:30, which leaves the OP with 3 hours to do a 45-minute journey.

 

However, I cannot see a Celebrity transfer waiting for the OP's flight to arrive (if it is late) while keeping "30 or 40 other passengers" waiting. Perhaps it would wait if they were all on the same, delayed flight.

 

If there are only a handful of delayed travellers, the ship will sail, Celebrity transfer or not.

 

I understand the OP's caution. He/she has the information. The choice is his/hers.

 

Hmmm. Really. two answers of multiply lines getting upset over trivial issues.

 

Is it worth getting upset over this?

 

The OP only asked a question. You can contribute positively or you don't have to. No one has a point to prove.

 

And I'm sure the OP is in Auckland every second day to know these things..and if you look at your own initial response you were talking about 'safety' as tho it was personal safety. And I quote 'Auckland airport to the cruise ship is not a dangerous journey."

 

As for Celebrity waiting - umm. If it is a free flight it is likely they will have put several passengers on the same flight from that city if they took up the special offer..so yes they would wait (for so long) in those circumstances.