Disembarkation in Sydney and flight out

[CoopColbie]

Hi

 

I'll be cruising on the Celebrity Solstice in December this year. We finish our cruise in Sydney on 21 December and I was just wanting to get some opinions on whether we could get off the boat and to the airport in time to catch a 10.55am flight.

 

Thanks,

Tania

[Bodogbodog]

If it's an international flight you need to be there 2 hours before and you'd want to allow 1 hour (I know this is excessive but Sydney traffic can suck so I'd always allow at least that much time) - So the answer lays with you and when you think you could disembark

 

 

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[cassamanda]

Hi

 

I'll be cruising on the Celebrity Solstice in December this year. We finish our cruise in Sydney on 21 December and I was just wanting to get some opinions on whether we could get off the boat and to the airport in time to catch a 10.55am flight.

 

Thanks,

Tania

 

Not recommended even though it is Sunday. Traffic to the airport wont be a problem on a Sunday but there us usually a very long line of traffic trying to get into the airport on Sundays as that is the most popular day to fly out of Sydney.

 

You need to be at checkin at least 2.5 hours before (2hours is cutting too fine).

 

At best you will be off the ship and through immigration by 8.30 and at Airport by 9.30 by taxi. You could be there 15 min earlier by train.

Too stressful at the end of a relaxing holiday. What if the ship is just 1 hour late?

Rydges is an international hotel on site at the airport.

[Esilef]

Why not spend a night on Sydney & relax?

 

 

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[icat2000]

If its domestic. No problem. International. No.

[Ian_H]

We just got off the Solstice in Sydney on Monday. Guests were allowed to disembark from around 6.30am if they chose to do so. However, in reality the timings are too short and if you are off first thing you can be at the airport by 8.15am but this would be a big gamble. Better to book into a hotel overnight and not have the stress at the end of what will be a fabulous cruise. We're back on it in January

 

 

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[goodycruising]

Also 21 Dec will be very busy for shopping before Christmas in the city. Sunday may not be as quiet as you would hope. I would find that a tense way to end the trip. We are looking at a similar situation in Feb when getting off Solstice at Auckland. It is possible to get there, but....

[CoopColbie]

Thanks for the responses so far. I should have mentioned that we are only travelling domestically - just a quick trip up to a Brisbane. There's a Jetstar flight at 10.55am, the next one isn't until 5ish. Of course, there are plenty of Virgin and Qantas flights during the day, but they are more expensive flights. I suppose we will just pay the extra money and get on one of those flights at around lunchtime.

 

 

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[CruisinCat31]

Thanks for the responses so far. I should have mentioned that we are only travelling domestically - just a quick trip up to a Brisbane. There's a Jetstar flight at 10.55am, the next one isn't until 5ish. Of course, there are plenty of Virgin and Qantas flights during the day, but they are more expensive flights. I suppose we will just pay the extra money and get on one of those flights at around lunchtime.

 

 

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If you are willing/able to do the 'disembark yourself with your luggage' option I would seriously book the 10.55, how much earlier do you have to be there for Jetstar? You would easily be there by 9.30 am if it is booked in to dock at 6 or 6.30 am. Even if it's running late and doesn't port until 7.30 am.

 

Straight out the doors and into a waiting taxi, there won't be a lot of traffic that early in the morning.

[goodycruising]

Ah...domestic. We have caught taxis from the OPT a couple of times, but have disembarked later in the morning generally, around the 8 to 8.30ish. We have ended up earlier than we expected at Sydney airport, and been lucky enough to get swapped to an earlier flight out going to Albury and Wagga. It can't be guaranteed that they will change your flight (and we were lucky they didn't charge), but we found the taxi area to be very efficient, and they came around very quickly. There was someone there lining people up in allocated bays. One trip was off Voyager if we remember right, and that is similar in passenger numbers to Solstice. We went for the later flights as I am not a fast mover in the morning and hate to be stressed with tight time frames.

 

Maybe others will have more experience with flights around your time frame. It might be worth searching to see if there are any events or city street closures in Sydney that day? I think you would be fairly right though.

Edited March 14, 2014 by goodycruising

[cassamanda]

Cruise ships generally recommend you not book flights before midday. I wonder if the ship was late or held up by customs and you missed your flight whether you would be compensated..

Is it necessary to book a domestic flight this far out? Why not wait for the soecials to come out for your time frame.

[aussie cruzer]

Thanks for the responses so far. I should have mentioned that we are only travelling domestically - just a quick trip up to a Brisbane. There's a Jetstar flight at 10.55am, the next one isn't until 5ish. Of course, there are plenty of Virgin and Qantas flights during the day, but they are more expensive flights. I suppose we will just pay the extra money and get on one of those flights at around lunchtime.

 

 

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You should be fine.....We caught 9.10 flight back to the Gold Coast after Rccl cruise.

 

Do early walk off with your luggage and grab a cab or car service.

 

We went with http://www.towncars.com/ and they were great.

[taninaus]

We did self disembark last week and made a 8am bus at central with time to spare. There were plenty of cabs available. I believe you would have enough time.

 

TanInAus

[The_Big_M]

In most situations, you should have enough time. You're just increasing the risk by booking that time, but if everything runs smoothly that time would be fine.

[Flipper133]

Thanks for the responses so far. I should have mentioned that we are only travelling domestically - just a quick trip up to a Brisbane. There's a Jetstar flight at 10.55am, the next one isn't until 5ish. Of course, there are plenty of Virgin and Qantas flights during the day, but they are more expensive flights. I suppose we will just pay the extra money and get on one of those flights at around lunchtime.

 

 

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We are contemplating this cruise on Solstice....great deals presently on offer. I have also been looking at flights on dis-embarkation day (Dec 21) to Brisbane and if we decide to do this cruise I will be booking a flight with Qantas which flies hourly to Bne for a Red e Deal price of $145.

 

The Jetstar flight at 10.55 should be no problems, but best starter price is $122 and starter plus is $144. For me, I would prefer Qantas (or Virgin) to Jetstar anyday :(

 

We recently disembarked from Carnival Spirit at about 7.30. We hired an Avis car at 8am and drove around the eastern suburbs and then dropped our friends off at Cronulla. Still had plenty of time to get to airport for a noon flight. (and the car hire was not that much more than a cab !)

 

cheers

[Bodogbodog]

For me, I would prefer Qantas (or Virgin) to Jetstar anyday :(

I'm with you - Qantas over Deathstar - no comparison and more chance of a sympathetic ear if you did miss the flight (but no guarantee you wouldn't be hit with change fees) - if it were me I'd opt for a later flight to allow some contingency time

[benjoon]

Thanks for the responses so far. I should have mentioned that we are only travelling domestically - just a quick trip up to a Brisbane. There's a Jetstar flight at 10.55am, the next one isn't until 5ish. Of course, there are plenty of Virgin and Qantas flights during the day, but they are more expensive flights. I suppose we will just pay the extra money and get on one of those flights at around lunchtime.

 

 

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Hi CoopColbie,

 

Knowing that you also have 2 young kids I think I would take the later flight. Self disembarkation means you have to carry your cases with you. We are staying in Sydney for the night & plan to take our time getting off the ship. I get a little stressed if we are running late.

 

Ask Sydney savvy cruisers if there is somewhere to leave your bags and take the ferry to the zoo. Even if they have been there before I'm sure they will enjoy it. We plan to take our 15 year old there as deep down she is still a kid.