Ovation disembarkation

[MicCanberra]

Please do.

[benjoon]

Ok I promised to tell you how my experience of my disembarkation for an early flight in Sydney. Well I won’t be able to as we were left in Picton NZ. My husband had a medical issue that meant we couldn’t continue. Hopefully someone will let you know how they went.

 

 We now fly out of Blenheim on Monday.
 

 

[Chiliburn]

12 minutes ago, benjoon said:

Ok I promised to tell you how my experience of my disembarkation for an early flight in Sydney. Well I won’t be able to as we were left in Picton NZ. My husband had a medical issue that meant we couldn’t continue. Hopefully someone will let you know how they went.

 

 We now fly out of Blenheim on Monday.
 

 

Sorry to hear that ,is he ok

[Aus Traveller]

26 minutes ago, benjoon said:

Ok I promised to tell you how my experience of my disembarkation for an early flight in Sydney. Well I won’t be able to as we were left in Picton NZ. My husband had a medical issue that meant we couldn’t continue. Hopefully someone will let you know how they went.

 

 We now fly out of Blenheim on Monday.

So sorry to hear that. I hope his condition is improving. All the best.🙂

[MicCanberra]

1 hour ago, benjoon said:

Ok I promised to tell you how my experience of my disembarkation for an early flight in Sydney. Well I won’t be able to as we were left in Picton NZ. My husband had a medical issue that meant we couldn’t continue. Hopefully someone will let you know how they went.

 

 We now fly out of Blenheim on Monday.
 

 

Oh goodness, I hope he is okay now.

[benjoon]

Things are better then yesterday. It was horrible being left behind as we didn’t have a chance to say goodbye to our new found friends. Also we didn’t have a chance to thank all the great crew we had. We are back on again in January but won’t be flying out for another 5 days so won’t have the worry about the flight times.

[Chiliburn]

25 minutes ago, benjoon said:

Things are better then yesterday. It was horrible being left behind as we didn’t have a chance to say goodbye to our new found friends. Also we didn’t have a chance to thank all the great crew we had. We are back on again in January but won’t be flying out for another 5 days so won’t have the worry about the flight times.

You’re got 5 days to give us a review of your trip.

[Fredette]

On 9/15/2019 at 1:36 PM, 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.

Did you make your flight?  

[Fredette]

On 10/18/2019 at 2:01 PM, benjoon said:

Ok I promised to tell you how my experience of my disembarkation for an early flight in Sydney. Well I won’t be able to as we were left in Picton NZ. My husband had a medical issue that meant we couldn’t continue. Hopefully someone will let you know how they went.

 

 We now fly out of Blenheim on Monday.
 

 

Sorry to hear that, I hope everything is ok.

I doubt you would have made the 10.25 anyway, the "walk off unassisted" line was apparently what ALL passengers did.  We missed our flight, and know of at least three other couples who did also.

[benjoon]

5 hours ago, Fredette said:

Sorry to hear that, I hope everything is ok.

I doubt you would have made the 10.25 anyway, the "walk off unassisted" line was apparently what ALL passengers did.  We missed our flight, and know of at least three other couples who did also.

Yes I think we missed the stress of leaving the ship. Sounded horrendous. We will never book an early flight again. 

[vozzie]

To those thinking they can get off Ovation quickly, at a time of their choice...wishful thinking. We did express departure last week and were in the designated area at 7am. Didn't get out till 9am and just made our flight...as we luckily had pre-arranged transport. P.S. Royal Caribbean won't accept a bus transfer booking if your flight is before Noon.

[Chiliburn]

2 hours ago, vozzie said:

To those thinking they can get off Ovation quickly, at a time of their choice...wishful thinking. We did express departure last week and were in the designated area at 7am. Didn't get out till 9am and just made our flight...as we luckily had pre-arranged transport. P.S. Royal Caribbean won't accept a bus transfer booking if your flight is before Noon.

I wouldn’t book a flight before 2:00 and that would only be a domestic.

[Aus Traveller]

2 hours ago, Chiliburn said:

I wouldn’t book a flight before 2:00 and that would only be a domestic.

We always book for after midday for our domestic return flight.

Edited October 24, 2019 by Aus Traveller

[Chiliburn]

24 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

We always book for after midday for our domestic return flight.

At least you may have the chance to get on a later flight.

Not like long haul that have limited departures.

[The_Big_M]

Ovation is the longest, other ships you'll be off earlier. e.g. Solstice last week about 75% were already off the ship by 8 a.m. - and the others weren't waiting but just wanted a more leisurely departure i.e. no queues.

Edited October 24, 2019 by The_Big_M

[MicCanberra]

On 10/23/2019 at 2:45 PM, Fredette said:

Sorry to hear that, I hope everything is ok.

I doubt you would have made the 10.25 anyway, the "walk off unassisted" line was apparently what ALL passengers did.  We missed our flight, and know of at least three other couples who did also.

Sorry to hear you missed your flight along with the others.

[MicCanberra]

1 hour ago, The_Big_M said:

Ovation is the longest, other ships you'll be off earlier. e.g. Solstice last week about 75% were already off the ship by 8 a.m. - and the others weren't waiting but just wanted a more leisurely departure i.e. no queues.

Yes can be very ship dependent, and also subject to weather and itinerary for the night days before coming into Sydney as there can be delays. Either way, if we are going to be flying out, we ensure it is the afternoon or the next day.

[The_Big_M]

I'm more in the camp of the less hanging around the better. 10 a.m.s my earliest, but I often go for 11-12 domestic flights after the cruise if I'm not doing anything else.

[banzaii]

6 hours ago, The_Big_M said:

Ovation is the longest, other ships you'll be off earlier. e.g. Solstice last week about 75% were already off the ship by 8 a.m. - and the others weren't waiting but just wanted a more leisurely departure i.e. no queues.

To be fair, on this trip Ovation was 2hrs late getting into Sydney.  This would have added to the chaos with even those pax with afternoon travel plans becoming anxious.

2 hours ago, The_Big_M said:

I'm more in the camp of the less hanging around the better. 10 a.m.s my earliest, but I often go for 11-12 domestic flights after the cruise if I'm not doing anything else.

We usually use rail to get back to CBR and the choices have usually been 12ish or 6pmish. 

 

I find airports stressful themselves and have been left stranded several times by delayed flights.

 

So because we don't like hanging around either so I'm quite comfortable with the 12 departure.

Edited October 24, 2019 by banzaii

[Fredette]

21 minutes ago, banzaii said:

To be fair, on this trip Ovation was 2hrs late getting into Sydney.  This would have added to the chaos with even those pax with afternoon travel plans becoming anxious.

We usually use rail to get back to CBR and the choices have usually been 12ish or 6pmish. 

 

I find airports stressful themselves and have been left stranded several times by delayed flights.

 

So because we don't like hanging around either so I'm quite comfortable with the 12 departure.

2 hrs?  Weren't we due in at 6, but got in around 7?  

One thing I was impressed about was the Border Force initiative to pre-clear passengers (what a great gig - getting to spend a couple of days working, the nights to yourself on a cruise ship!) - so when we finally got off, we only had to hand over our customs declaration cards and leg it out of the terminal.  Otherwise, it would have been worse.

[banzaii]

31 minutes ago, Fredette said:

2 hrs?  Weren't we due in at 6, but got in around 7?  

In another thread they quoted a scheduled arrival time of 5.30 and the port webcam shows Ovation pulling alongside at about 7.25am.

[mr walker]

On 10/24/2019 at 8:49 PM, Fredette said:

One thing I was impressed about was the Border Force initiative to pre-clear passengers (what a great gig - getting to spend a couple of days working, the nights to yourself on a cruise ship!) - so when we finally got off, we only had to hand over our customs declaration cards and leg it out of the terminal.  Otherwise, it would have been worse.

 

This does not happen every cruise or every ship. Our return to Sydney in Feb this year from AKL on Radiance, there was no pre-clearance & each & every passenger had to present to the official in the terminal. There were long delays & many missed their transport. Our shuttle was booked for 9:30 (we are not rush of the ship people & had an 8:50 timeslot) & they waited until 10am & then left when we had not emerged. Good news was that they came back for us, and we were only going to our home in Sydney.

[willsaway]

I'm sorry I ever read this thread!  You've put the fear of God into me now.  Normally we arrive back in Sydney on the Radiance, and get the midday train to Canberra.  We are cruising on Ovation in a couple of weeks and arriving back on a Saturday, but flying to the Gold Coast for a family function.   Never even gave a thought to the fact that Ovation has more passengers, and it could take a while to disembark, and subsequently never gave much thought to the time of my flight, which is 11.00 a.m. Figured I had plenty of time.  More grey hairs!  (and not really possible to change flights)

[gbenjo]

27 minutes ago, willsaway said:

I'm sorry I ever read this thread!  You've put the fear of God into me now.  Normally we arrive back in Sydney on the Radiance, and get the midday train to Canberra.  We are cruising on Ovation in a couple of weeks and arriving back on a Saturday, but flying to the Gold Coast for a family function.   Never even gave a thought to the fact that Ovation has more passengers, and it could take a while to disembark, and subsequently never gave much thought to the time of my flight, which is 11.00 a.m. Figured I had plenty of time.  More grey hairs!  (and not really possible to change flights)

Do not  be too concerned.  It makes  no difference how many pax are on the ship, just ensure you request an early debark time from the ship or do self assist walk off  if possible.  We normally have the vast majority of guests off the ship and  away  from the terminal by 9:30am anyhow. Worst case scenario, and your not off till 9:30 are flying with Virgin you could even check in your bags with them at the OPT jump on a train to the airport and still be there by 10 am  or just after, but providing you request an early debark time you will be clear well before then.

[willsaway]

Thank you for those comments, we can indeed do self walk off as we are only taking medium bags so no problem, and unfortunately its Qantas.  But your post is very reassuring, appreciate it.