Viking transportation from airport to ship

[H2Otstr]

Does Viking use their large busses for transporting travelers from the airport to the ship? Does one have to wait for several flights to arrive before leaving the airport?

 

We are using Viking air and will be arriving at FCO for our Rome to Barcelona cruise.

[mhb1757]

We have never had to wait very long. The size of vehicle varies depending on how many guests are arriving at the same time. We have been on a full size bus, a small bus, and a Mercedes SUV. We have never waited more than 20 minutes or so after boarding the bus before leaving the airport.

[Emptynesters38]

When we took a Viking Cruise out of Rome in January 2016 the pickup at the airport was fantastic. Once they had a manageable number of patrons, they sent them to the ship. There were many Viking representatives at the airport and once you checked in they took charge, loaded your luggage and showed you on the bus. A big improvement over my past experience on a Viking River Cruise where I had to wait a long time at an airport before they left for the ship. One of the things that I loved about my Ocean Cruise, which was also true on all the tours that week, was that they never waited for the buses to be filled. They would board people for a short period of time and then send off the bus and start loading the next one. The departure from the ship in Barcelona to the airport was also ran very smoothly. When our assigned time came, we went to our bus, they drove us to the nearest door to our airline desk and had porters bring our luggage right to the check in gate. Very well done.

[philw1776]

Had several Viking pickups. Varies by # of people arriving over a short interval. So far, prompt pickup on small vans plus one regular large Mercedes bus at Paris airport. Viking reps await you as you emerge from baggage claim. They hold red Viking lollypops or signs. They are looking for you as you're on their list.

[Peregrina651]

I've now had two arrival experiences with Viking Oceans and I must point out that it is a lot different from Viking River arrivals. First of all, there are a lot more people to be picked up, 5 times as many (over 30 full buses if everyone were using Viking transfers). Second of all, Viking has hired local contractors to do the meeting and greeting, which means that Viking does not have the same control over the experience as they do when members of the crew are sent to the airport to get you (as it was for us in both China and Ukraine). Bottom-line is that the arrival experience for each airport is going to be different but hopefully all will run more smoothly because the contractors have already developed a routine for their own airports.

[H2Otstr]

Thanks for the replies. Thanks, Andrea. Glad that you chimed in :D. I am quite familiar with Viking's River Cruise pick ups, but wasn't sure if it was the same routine for the ocean cruises.

[Proctor824]

Interesting. Looking forward to my viking experience in March.

 

 

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[mort&fran]

On our Viking river cruise out of Paris we had an “air extension”(flew into Madrid rather than Paris a few days before the cruise), so we werenot entitled to the transfer from the airport to the ship. The “Paris”departure was actually departing from Le Peq, so I had arranged to arrive inParis at about the same time as flights that had been arranged by Viking, andappealed (3 or 4 times) to be permitted to join one of shuttles. I finallyfound someone at Viking who was willing to add us to the list – gratis!

 

 

Things did not go smoothly when we arrived at de Gaulle airport(in part because of the gate at which our plane landed), but we eventually didhook up with Viking’s people and they eventually got us on one of the shuttles.

 

 

 

Getting back to the airport after the cruise was a breeze –no delays, no crowding, and efficient handling of luggage and people.

[Waj128]

Hi does anyone have any experience regarding Viking airport transfer in San Juan have a cruise booked for March 2019 Thanks

[cocopico]

Hi does anyone have any experience regarding Viking airport transfer in San Juan have a cruise booked for March 2019 Thanks

 

We’ve done two San Juan-based Viking Ocean trips, one where we arranged our own transfers and one where Viking handled the transfers. Doing it on your own is very easy and easily half the cost of the Viking transfer (if you don’t use Viking air, in which case the transfer is included). Taxi service from the airport is very convenient and takes only about 15 or 20 minutes. They drop you right at the curb outside the port building entrance. There are Viking folks there to meet you and help you get processed in. They will take your luggage to your cabin. We had no difficulty at all doing this one our own, either transferring to the ship from the airport or from the ship back to the airport.

 

The second time we sailed out of a San Juan was after the bad hurricane season. We used Viking included air and the transfer was included. It took a little longer to get everyone together to fill the bus, but the wait wasn’t too bad — probably a half hour or so after everyone got their luggage. You get your luggage off the luggage carousel and then it all gets handled by Viking until it ends up in your cabin. (It is very important that you use the Viking-supplied luggage tags with your cabinn number printed on them.) The process went very smoothly.

 

Bottom line - if you have the Viking-included transfers, use them. If you don’t, you’ll save money doing it on your own and it is very easy. The cabs are right outside baggage claim and there is someone there to help you get your cab. The cabs take credit cards. Hope this helps.

[Jeffp66]

When we took a Viking Cruise out of Rome in January 2016 the pickup at the airport was fantastic. Once they had a manageable number of patrons, they sent them to the ship. There were many Viking representatives at the airport and once you checked in they took charge, loaded your luggage and showed you on the bus. A big improvement over my past experience on a Viking River Cruise where I had to wait a long time at an airport before they left for the ship. One of the things that I loved about my Ocean Cruise, which was also true on all the tours that week, was that they never waited for the buses to be filled. They would board people for a short period of time and then send off the bus and start loading the next one. The departure from the ship in Barcelona to the airport was also ran very smoothly. When our assigned time came, we went to our bus, they drove us to the nearest door to our airline desk and had porters bring our luggage right to the check in gate. Very well done.

 

We're flying into Rome next month and time didn't allow for a pre-cruise stay. Did the drive from the airport to the port go through or close enough to see Rome at all?

[Waj128]

We’ve done two San Juan-based Viking Ocean trips, one where we arranged our own transfers and one where Viking handled the transfers. Doing it on your own is very easy and easily half the cost of the Viking transfer (if you don’t use Viking air, in which case the transfer is included). Taxi service from the airport is very convenient and takes only about 15 or 20 minutes. They drop you right at the curb outside the port building entrance. There are Viking folks there to meet you and help you get processed in. They will take your luggage to your cabin. We had no difficulty at all doing this one our own, either transferring to the ship from the airport or from the ship back to the airport.

 

The second time we sailed out of a San Juan was after the bad hurricane season. We used Viking included air and the transfer was included. It took a little longer to get everyone together to fill the bus, but the wait wasn’t too bad — probably a half hour or so after everyone got their luggage. You get your luggage off the luggage carousel and then it all gets handled by Viking until it ends up in your cabin. (It is very important that you use the Viking-supplied luggage tags with your cabinn number printed on them.) The process went very smoothly.

 

Bottom line - if you have the Viking-included transfers, use them. If you don’t, you’ll save money doing it on your own and it is very easy. The cabs are right outside baggage claim and there is someone there to help you get your cab. The cabs take credit cards. Hope this helps.

Great thank you Cocopico

[Azulann]

We're flying into Rome next month and time didn't allow for a pre-cruise stay. Did the drive from the airport to the port go through or close enough to see Rome at all?

 

 

No the route from airport to Civitavecchia(port) is not on the way to Rome, wrong direction.

Port is about 45 mintues from airport depending on traffic.

[PlanoTim]

Hi does anyone have any experience regarding Viking airport transfer in San Juan have a cruise booked for March 2019 Thanks

We sailed out of San Juan this past January. The Viking transportation worked well. A Viking agent was waiting just outside the secure area as we walked to baggage claim. She pointed us in the right direction and told us someone would be waiting for us in baggage claim. As we approached the baggage-carousel area there was another Viking person (a person who works for Viking, not an actual Viking;p) there who asked us to collect our bags and meet in an out-of-the-way area about 30 feet away where another couple Viking agents were waiting. I think they probably would have helped with the bags from the carousel if we had needed assistance. As our names were marked off on their list a porter put everyone’s bags on carts. We chatted with other passengers for maybe 15 minutes as others from our flight arrived (about 16 total). Then we all followed the agent out to the motor coach and were on the road for a 20-25 minute ride to the terminal.

 

Hope that helps some,

Tim

[Peregrina651]

We're flying into Rome next month and time didn't allow for a pre-cruise stay. Did the drive from the airport to the port go through or close enough to see Rome at all?

 

As Azulann has said, they are in opposite directions. The airport, Civitavecchia (the port) and Rome form a huge triangle. The port and the airport are along the coast while Rome is some 50 miles or so inland.

[Parsley Cruises]

Anyone with experience of flying to Venice and the transportation to Marittimo ( the port)?

[WAVTAM]

On the same subject but slight differ....we arrive into EWR around 6am. Cruise that day out of Manhattan. What happens in the time they pick us up and the get on ship.

 

Seems like about 4 hours to kill.

[Peregrina651]

On the same subject but slight differ....we arrive into EWR around 6am. Cruise that day out of Manhattan. What happens in the time they pick us up and the get on ship.

 

Seems like about 4 hours to kill.

 

Collecting your luggage, gathering up everyone who is now at the airport and rush hour traffic (2 hours would not surprise me, so do pit-stop before boarding the bus) will help to eat up a lot of that time. Be prepared for a certain amount of waiting time in the airport (perhaps a bit nicer place to wait than the cruise terminal and certainly better breakfast/coffee choices).