Princess Cruise Transfers Overseas – can you choose your hotel?

[JimAOk1945]

Hi everyone,

 

I have a few of questions for those who have used the Princess transfer option in overseas locations.

 

My wife and I are planning to take a British Isles cruise round trip from Paris next August to celebrate our 53rd wedding anniversary. We are talking about spending a few pre-cruise days in Paris.

 

We are wondering whether we can choose our hotel and add on the transfers or whether we must use the recommended hotel as seen on the Princess website.

 

Can you tell me about your experience using Princess transfers? Did the Princess transfer take you from the airport to the hotel of your choice and then from the hotel to your ship on embarkation day?

 

Or did you have to stay at one of their recommended hotels in order to use their transfer option?

Also, did the transfer transportation take you directly to your hotel or drop you off nearby?

 

Thanks for your help!

[cherylandtk]

If you purchase just a Transfer, it is only from the airport, to the pier, and only on the day of sailing.

 

If you want a few days pre-cruise, you can look at the Princess hotel packages, which are priced Per Person per night, not per room. In that case, you get an included transfer from airport to hotel and hotel to pier.

[moki'smommy]

On our international trip, it was exactly as above. If we stayed at one of the Princess hotels AND booked thru them, we could take a shuttle from the hotel to the cruise terminal and from the airport to the hotel. We actually stayed at one of the hotels that Princess was using, but we got a much better rate by booking on our own. We had no problem with booking transfers privately--actually the hotel was one that the transfer companies used as a standard stop. We could have used public transportation to the cruise terminal, but found that a commercial transfer service was the best way due to a mobility impairment. It did take a little advance work on my part to figure out the logistics, but people at the airport and the hotel were very helpful.

 

Booking the hotel on our own was less than half of the rate that Princess was charging!

[JimAOk1945]

Thanks for the responses I have received so far. You have been very helpful.

 

I have looked at the hotel package for Paris offered on the Princess website. I have also Googled the hotel and done some preliminary research about it. It looks nice and the reviews are good.

 

I was hoping we could choose our own hotel then add on transfers from airport to hotel, then from hotel to ship.

[Loritd]

I don't know about Paris transfers but in London and in Rome Princess offers city center transfers. In London its Victoria Station and in Rome it is a hotel, not one of their hotels package hotels. You can book your own hotels and get to the transfer spots on your own. Its worth asking about.

[moki'smommy]

In London, it is incredibly easy and cheap to take the tube from Heathrow into the city. Same for Barcelona.

I haven't been in Paris for years, so I can't address their current situation.

[caribill]

I was hoping we could choose our own hotel then add on transfers from airport to hotel, then from hotel to ship.

 

If you do not have a Princess hotel package, you could still purchase their airport to cruise ship transfer. However you would have to make your way back to the airport the day of the cruise to catch that transfer.

[RDC1]

Thanks for the responses I have received so far. You have been very helpful.

 

I have looked at the hotel package for Paris offered on the Princess website. I have also Googled the hotel and done some preliminary research about it. It looks nice and the reviews are good.

 

I was hoping we could choose our own hotel then add on transfers from airport to hotel, then from hotel to ship.

 

If you are paying for you own hotel, it is most likely cheaper to book your own transfers from someone else other than Princess, better service that way as well. The taxi price from the Paris air ports to down town is fixed price. Just make sure you got through the official taxi line and don't let someone talk you into following them to a taxi.

[JimAOk1945]

This information is amazing and exactly what I need to know.

 

One more question. Does anyone have experience booking their own transfer from a Paris hotel to the cruise terminal at Le Havre? If yes, was it prompt and how much did it cost?

 

Thanks again

[RDC1]

A pretty low cost way to to take the train from Paris to Le Have.

 

You might check with the concierge at the hotel you plan to stay and get their recommendation and cost estimate.

[JimAOk1945]

A pretty low cost way to to take the train from Paris to Le Have.

 

You might check with the concierge at the hotel you plan to stay and get their recommendation and cost estimate.

Great idea. Thanks for taking the time to reply to my question.

 

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