Ovation disembarkation

[JohnGc]

Thanks guys, definitely will be less stress and I can now enjoy the cruise knowing I can take my time disembarking. I reckon the MDR may be the way to go for breakfast.  😊  Feel really good as we are flying into Sydney the day before embarkation and now have the other end sorted as well.

[Aus Traveller]

37 minutes ago, JohnGc said:

Thanks guys, definitely will be less stress and I can now enjoy the cruise knowing I can take my time disembarking. I reckon the MDR may be the way to go for breakfast.  😊  Feel really good as we are flying into Sydney the day before embarkation and now have the other end sorted as well.

We love breakfast in the MDR on disembarkation day. The dining room isn't overly full and the staff carry out the service reasonably promptly because they want to get finished. Although, sometimes we have sat and chatted a bit longer with our tablemates.🙂

[possum52]

Glad  Virgin were so accommodating John, it is nice not to have to rush on disembarkation day and fully enjoy your breakfast. Makes a wonderful end to your cruise.

 

Leigh

[JohnGc]

28 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

We love breakfast in the MDR on disembarkation day. The dining room isn't overly full and the staff carry out the service reasonably promptly because they want to get finished. Although, sometimes we have sat and chatted a bit longer with our tablemates.🙂

 

Sounds good, They will probably end up chucking my family out for staying to long.😊

[JohnGc]

17 minutes ago, possum52 said:

Glad  Virgin were so accommodating John, it is nice not to have to rush on disembarkation day and fully enjoy your breakfast. Makes a wonderful end to your cruise.

 

Leigh

 

Very surprised and impressed with the way the  virgin person helped me. Flight was all changed over within 5 minutes even got the same seats that we had picked on the earlier flight.Tickets were emailed through while I was on the phone to her. Really thought they were going to tell me it was not possible to change without a costly charge. She was very understanding of my concerns and wanted to know about cruising as she is seriously thinking of going on one.

[MicCanberra]

3 hours ago, gbenjo said:

Unfortunately  Border Force  are a law unto themselves so I cannot see them having more officers  just because it would make things easier for the guests. Also  to be fair, there is not enough space  to have extra lines in the customs area at debark  so unless they have somehow reconfigured the set up  for them it will not change  😡  That's the reason I keep saying the two gangways are a waste of money.

 

3 hours ago, JohnGc said:

 

Thanks Graham, somehow I thought having two gangways would create a bottleneck at Border force and as you said there is not enough space as it is.

Ah well, it is what it is and they can sometimes be very efficient and there is a minimal holdup.

[MicCanberra]

2 hours ago, JohnGc said:

 

Very surprised and impressed with the way the  virgin person helped me. Flight was all changed over within 5 minutes even got the same seats that we had picked on the earlier flight.Tickets were emailed through while I was on the phone to her. Really thought they were going to tell me it was not possible to change without a costly charge. She was very understanding of my concerns and wanted to know about cruising as she is seriously thinking of going on one.

I am sure you were just as help helpful for her as she was for you.

[benjoon]

Do you think a 10.25 Qantas flight is going to be hard to make? We are willing to get off as early as possible to make it.

[MicCanberra]

Most times yes, but if there are any delays with the ship coming in, or getting cleared then it may be tighter than you wish.

[Aus Traveller]

1 hour ago, benjoon said:

Do you think a 10.25 Qantas flight is going to be hard to make? We are willing to get off as early as possible to make it.

I don't want to sound negative, but I think that is too early. I don't know which cruise line you will be on, but Princess advise that flights should not be booked for earlier than midday. We have sometimes been in the departure lounge before 10, but there can be delays in traffic getting to the airport and we have sometimes struck a long line at the security check at the airport. We have also encountered delays in the shore-side customs and immigration checking.

 

I see that Benjoon is from WA. If that is where he/she is flying to, I realise that there would be a limited number of flights available.

 

PS. The cruise line that Benjoon is cruising with might make a difference. It is probably easier to organise a very early disembarkation with some than with others. I only have experience with Princess and P&O where you can go to the Passenger Services Desk and organise an earlier disembarkation if the earliest one hasn't been allocated to you. You can also do a 'self-disembarkation' with Princess - that is you walk off first, carrying all your luggage. You have to be able to carry/wheel it without assistance from the staff.

Edited September 15, 2019 by Aus Traveller

[MicCanberra]

Agreed, I would organise a later flight. Walking off with your luggage would be the best bet no matter what cruise line.

[benjoon]

4 hours ago, Aus Traveller said:

I don't want to sound negative, but I think that is too early. I don't know which cruise line you will be on, but Princess advise that flights should not be booked for earlier than midday. We have sometimes been in the departure lounge before 10, but there can be delays in traffic getting to the airport and we have sometimes struck a long line at the security check at the airport. We have also encountered delays in the shore-side customs and immigration checking.

 

I see that Benjoon is from WA. If that is where he/she is flying to, I realise that there would be a limited number of flights available.

 

PS. The cruise line that Benjoon is cruising with might make a difference. It is probably easier to organise a very early disembarkation with some than with others. I only have experience with Princess and P&O where you can go to the Passenger Services Desk and organise an earlier disembarkation if the earliest one hasn't been allocated to you. You can also do a 'self-disembarkation' with Princess - that is you walk off first, carrying all your luggage. You have to be able to carry/wheel it without assistance from the staff.

Coming in on the Ovation from Hawaii. We are capable of carrying our bags off.

Edited September 15, 2019 by benjoon

[The_Big_M]

10.25 is for those who like risks. It certainly can be done, but leaves little chance for anything not going perfectly.

Edited September 15, 2019 by The_Big_M

[gbenjo]

10:25 flight would be doable  if you do self assist walk off and  ( say 7:00 - 7: 15 am) and then catch the train to the airport  ( say 8:00am)  and you will be at the airport by 8:30 am . The bonus for you is that your cruise arrives in Sydney on a Sunday so the traffic , if you do get a taxi or shuttle will be lighter.

[GUT2407]

Let thing I need to end my holiday is stress so no way I’d book a flight before noon.

[JohnGc]

3 minutes ago, GUT2407 said:

Let thing I need to end my holiday is stress so no way I’d book a flight before noon.

 

I agree, that's why I decided to change my flight time in the end from 11am to the next flight to 1pm. I feel so much better and I know I will enjoy my cruise more not having to worry about missing my flight on returning.

[GUT2407]

To be fair though one cruise we parked at the airport I was off the ship, train to airport, shuttle to long term car park, 

picked the car up drove back into The Rocks and picked Mrs Gut up by 9:00

[MicCanberra]

I have been on a ship that was running late getting to the harbour, so it couldn't dock until after peak hour and as such it was 9.30am docking instead of 6am.

[JohnGc]

33 minutes ago, GUT2407 said:

To be fair though one cruise we parked at the airport I was off the ship, train to airport, shuttle to long term car park, 

picked the car up drove back into The Rocks and picked Mrs Gut up by 9:00

 

That was good,.In that situation you are in control and no need to be concerned about flight times. The trouble is every cruise is different so it is a gamble to what time you get to the airport. Play it safe is now my rule as I can always waste a bit of time around beautiful Circular Quay area and then amble off to the airport in good time for my flight. Miss your flight and then it is one big costly hassle to get home. Just my thoughts. 

Edited September 15, 2019 by JohnGc

[MicCanberra]

 

51 minutes ago, JohnGc said:

 

That was good,.In that situation you are in control and no need to be concerned about flight times. The trouble is every cruise is different so it is a gamble to what time you get to the airport. Play it safe is now my rule as I can always waste a bit of time around beautiful Circular Quay area and then amble off to the airport in good time for my flight. Miss your flight and then it is one big costly hassle to get home. Just my thoughts. 

It is good advice.

[possum52]

1 hour ago, MicCanberra said:

I have been on a ship that was running late getting to the harbour, so it couldn't dock until after peak hour and as such it was 9.30am docking instead of 6am.

We had the same a few years ago Mic and docked at White Bay instead of at the OPT. We had originally planned to catch the train from Circular Quay to the airport but because we were changed to White Bay fortunately were able to take the cruise line shuttle and to be honest didn't cost all that much more than the train.  We had booked a 1pm flight back to Melbourne which I'm so glad we had. 

 

Leigh

[GUT2407]

I always play it safe but we drive, however invariably go down the night before and spend a night in a hotel rather than take any risks

[benjoon]

I would like to change flights but currently it would cost anything between $700 to $1000 for the two of us for a later flight. I think we will risk it this time. We can check in online the night before and hopefully have time to drop our bags off. At least it’s a Sunday.

[MicCanberra]

2 hours ago, benjoon said:

I would like to change flights but currently it would cost anything between $700 to $1000 for the two of us for a later flight. I think we will risk it this time. We can check in online the night before and hopefully have time to drop our bags off. At least it’s a Sunday.

If all goes well with docking and clearing, there should be ample time.

[benjoon]

19 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

If all goes well with docking and clearing, there should be ample time.

I'll post our experience when we get back at the end of October.