Flight from Barcelona

[bigblue1952]

We are sailing from Barcelona in April 2020 on the Seaview.  Would we be able to make an 11:45 AM flight after disembarking the Seaview?

[EngIceDave]

Back to Canada or US? Is it direct to Canada or do you connect in US?

 

You have to be at airport for US destination flights at minimum 2 hours in advance.

So with that, you're looking at being at airport at the latest, 09:45

 

I don't remember the car ride from airport to seaport being that long, maybe a half hour or so, in good traffic?

 

So that's now about 09:15....but let's call it 09:00

 

It's possible, but you're cutting it super close, too close for me

[bigblue1952]

Back to Canada.  We can fly direct or with a stop in Paris.  Thank you for your help.

[EngIceDave]

I think even flying to Canada direct, you have to be at BCN (as with most any Int'l flight) at minimum of 2 hours prior to departure, I think they want 3 hours, but I believe 2 is the cut off, security reasons.

 

I think it's a heck of a risk

[Stockjock]

We flew back from Barcelona last week.  I think the ship docked at 7:00 am.  Our flight was at 12:50 pm.

I think our tag to disembark was at 10:00 am.  I asked Customer Service (right away) if I could exit earlier.  They switched to a different tag and we left at 8:30 am.  There was no line (for us) to disembark.

Cab ride to the airport was very short.  I thought we got there way too early.  But the lines in the airport for Customs were very long.  Also, it's common to get SSSS stamped on your boarding pass in Barcelona (see attachment), which means a longer and more invasive private search.  I got this but my GF did not.  That can set you back another 15-30 minutes or so.

So, can you make that flight?  Very possibly if you get off of the ship nearly as soon as it docks.  There is a risk and a later flight is better, but it's doable.  But if things go wrong (traffic, ship gets in late, SSSS delays, etc) then you're probably out of luck.

A slightly later flight is better, but otherwise I'd carry off all luggage and exit as soon as the ship gets in and is cleared.  As a side note, we did not have to clear customs as we exited the ship, but again, the lines for customs at the airport are extremely long and move very slowly.  The lines to the ticket counter were also long and slow, but not as bad as the customs lines.

Edited June 8, 2019 by Stockjock

[bigblue1952]

Thank you for your help.  We will take a later flight just to be sure.

[OceansOfTravels]

I want to also voice my support for taking the later flight from BCN. When I came back from the Seaview, I stayed two days afterwards in the city, and then flew back to the States on a 3PM flight. I remember a 30 minute ride to the airport, which wasn't bad, but then 45 minutes in line to check our bags, and then another 45 minutes in security. Maybe it was just a bad day at BCN, but it was an obnoxiously long time to wait. As others have said, getting there isn't the problem, but being there could cut it close for you (once we got through security, we had enough time to go to the bathroom and then we had to board). I would take the later flight if you have the chance!

[bigblue1952]

• 5 hours ago, OceansOfTravels said:

  I want to also voice my support for taking the later flight from BCN. When I came back from the Seaview, I stayed two days afterwards in the city, and then flew back to the States on a 3PM flight. I remember a 30 minute ride to the airport, which wasn't bad, but then 45 minutes in line to check our bags, and then another 45 minutes in security. Maybe it was just a bad day at BCN, but it was an obnoxiously long time to wait. As others have said, getting there isn't the problem, but being there could cut it close for you (once we got through security, we had enough time to go to the bathroom and then we had to board). I would take the later flight if you have the chance!

  Thank you for your help.  We will take a later flight just to be sure.

[gtaylor]

We did a TransAtlantic ending in Barcelona and had a few days to enjoy before we flew to London to visit our son and family.

 

We left the hotel early to BCN with the idea of spending some quality time in the lounge relaxing before boarding the flight, but as it turned out, we ended heading directly to the gate for boarding after all of the delays at check in and security lines. And we were in Business.

 

Take a flight that gives you plenty of time.

 

gary

[Never too young to cruise]

I got off the Seaview last week. You could be at the airport by 9.30am no worries, but the delay will be at the airport checking in bags, going through security etc.

 

Take a later flight if you can get one to lesson any risk.

[Norwich Cruiser]

Our family have flown back from Barcelona many times and twice this year.

Last weekend  being the latest.

We nearly always walk off with our luggage between 07.30 and 08.00 immediately in a taxi there’s hundreds of them waiting.

€39 flat rate.

About a twenty minute journey to the airport.

Maybe we have been extremely lucky but never had more than a fifteen minute wait at check in.

In fact last week there was only one couple in front of us being checked in.

Have never had an issue making our usual 10.50 flight.

Whatever you decide have a great cruise.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[sk84fungirl]

On ‎6‎/‎14‎/‎2019 at 5:58 PM, Norwich Cruiser said:

Our family have flown back from Barcelona many times and twice this year.

Last weekend  being the latest.

We nearly always walk off with our luggage between 07.30 and 08.00 immediately in a taxi there’s hundreds of them waiting.

€39 flat rate.

About a twenty minute journey to the airport.

Maybe we have been extremely lucky but never had more than a fifteen minute wait at check in.

In fact last week there was only one couple in front of us being checked in.

Have never had an issue making our usual 10.50 flight.

Whatever you decide have a great cruise.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This has been our experience as well even with checking our bags. They were always ready and we got off the ship early. The first time about 7:30 - 8:00, the last off the ship before 7.  Each time we've had breakfast, gone to duty free, and stood in line to get VAT while making our flight with room to spare. Flights have been as early as 10:30 a.m. and as late as 11:15.

 

We understand there may be a risk but have not encountered any challenges with making flights since we started cruising.

[Norwich Cruiser]

We are very pleased that things work out for you and that you’ve had positive experiences also.

[Suzanne123]

When I made my flight reservations through Celebrity last week, the earliest time they would allow for departure was 10:05 AM.  My flight leaves at 10:25 to Lisbon on the way to the US, so I am planning on an early walk-off after the Reflection arrives at 6:00AM.

[erby2283]

On 6/24/2019 at 9:48 AM, Suzanne123 said:

When I made my flight reservations through Celebrity last week, the earliest time they would allow for departure was 10:05 AM.  My flight leaves at 10:25 to Lisbon on the way to the US, so I am planning on an early walk-off after the Reflection arrives at 6:00AM.

Can you report back how this goes? We are sailing Vision of the Seas in August and are spending 3 days post cruise in Lisbon. We have a 10:45am flight. Trying to decide if we need to carry off our own luggage and self-debark. 

[Stockjock]

Definitely do not recommend these early flights, but to each their own.  Getting off the ship at 8:30 am we barely made a 12:50 flight, which was delayed too.

[mskaufman]

On ‎6‎/‎8‎/‎2019 at 12:30 AM, Stockjock said:

We flew back from Barcelona last week.  I think the ship docked at 7:00 am.  Our flight was at 12:50 pm.

I think our tag to disembark was at 10:00 am.  I asked Customer Service (right away) if I could exit earlier.  They switched to a different tag and we left at 8:30 am.  There was no line (for us) to disembark.

Cab ride to the airport was very short.  I thought we got there way too early.  But the lines in the airport for Customs were very long.  Also, it's common to get SSSS stamped on your boarding pass in Barcelona (see attachment), which means a longer and more invasive private search.  I got this but my GF did not.  That can set you back another 15-30 minutes or so.

So, can you make that flight?  Very possibly if you get off of the ship nearly as soon as it docks.  There is a risk and a later flight is better, but it's doable.  But if things go wrong (traffic, ship gets in late, SSSS delays, etc) then you're probably out of luck.

A slightly later flight is better, but otherwise I'd carry off all luggage and exit as soon as the ship gets in and is cleared.  As a side note, we did not have to clear customs as we exited the ship, but again, the lines for customs at the airport are extremely long and move very slowly.  The lines to the ticket counter were also long and slow, but not as bad as the customs lines.

 

We were on this flight yesterday.  Took us about 75 minutes from arrival at the airport to the gate.  We got to the airport around 9:30.

[Suzanne123]

On 7/2/2019 at 6:56 PM, erby2283 said:

Can you report back how this goes? We are sailing Vision of the Seas in August and are spending 3 days post cruise in Lisbon. We have a 10:45am flight. Trying to decide if we need to carry off our own luggage and self-debark. 

Sure.  I figured if Celebrity thought I could make the flight then I should be OK.  

My flight is on TAP Portugal.  I’m flying business class and I signed up for their FF membership.  They have something called Fast Track that lets Business class passengers with a FF number on their reservation get priority at X-ray checks and security control.  With the FF number, your boarding pass is supposed to have “Fast” on it. ( I guess it’s like our TSA pre-check.). We’ll see...

 

[erby2283]

17 hours ago, Suzanne123 said:

Sure.  I figured if Celebrity thought I could make the flight then I should be OK.  

My flight is on TAP Portugal.  I’m flying business class and I signed up for their FF membership.  They have something called Fast Track that lets Business class passengers with a FF number on their reservation get priority at X-ray checks and security control.  With the FF number, your boarding pass is supposed to have “Fast” on it. ( I guess it’s like our TSA pre-check.). We’ll see...

 

Thank you! Can’t wait to hear. I asked my friend and TA about the flight time bc he’s really good about not booking something that would be questionable. He wrote back: “It's a Schengen flight, so 2 hours is fine.  When we cruised into Barcelona we didn't need to go through any immigration or customs there.  Royal says flights after 10:30 are okay, if that helps you.”  

 

But for all intents and purposes, I will be paying TAP for my baggage so I guess it’s a TAP flight run by schengen.