Embarcation at Sydney on Diamond Princess

[Von]

Not sure if this is the right page to ask but here goes!

 

Can anyone who has recently cruised on the Diamond Princess from Sydney to Auckland tell me how long it takes to board the ship. Also what time should one do this?. I note on our tickets it says anytime between 1pm and 5pm. Somewhere I have read that it was taking up to an hour and a half! is this correct? We are independant passengers and will arrive at the terminal with luggage by taxi . Is luggage dropped off somewhere different to where one embarks?

 

How long did it take to dismbark in Auckland? our flight leaves at 11 15am from Auckland airport and wondering if we have enough time to get there.

 

With around 2600 passengers to both disembark and board within a day means there is going to be heaps of folk around.

 

Von

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Re Auckland.

Does your plane leave at 11.15 or is that the check in time?

Check in time for Auckland International is generally about 3 hours before your flight departs .But even if it is an Internal flight you may be cutting it a bit fine.

[kenexx]

Not sure if this is the right page to ask but here goes!

 

Can anyone who has recently cruised on the Diamond Princess from Sydney to Auckland tell me how long it takes to board the ship. Also what time should one do this?. I note on our tickets it says anytime between 1pm and 5pm. Somewhere I have read that it was taking up to an hour and a half! is this correct? We are independant passengers and will arrive at the terminal with luggage by taxi . Is luggage dropped off somewhere different to where one embarks

 

Von

 

Hi Von

 

I went to Circular Quay a few weeks ago to check out the Diamond Princess. I'm sailing on the Sapphire April 2007 to LA and live in Sydney so I was curious how people who got to the Overseas Passenger Terminal independantly handled their luggage.

As it turns out it could not be easier. If you take a cab they will drop you across the street from the terminal where there are lots of trucks lined up with plenty of port staff to load your bags labeled with your cabin number of course, into them and then the next you see them is onboard. After giving the guys your checked bags, just cross the street into the terminal. I was there about 1300 and there were no long lines or anything and lots of Princess and Port staff to direct you. Have a great cruise.

Maurice

[Von]

Thank you both for your replies. It is reassuring to now how the system works for getting ourselves aboard the DP. Our previous cruises we have always been on smaller ships and were picked up from our hotel and delivered to the port. Being independant is a new one for us!.

 

We are NZ'ers so are on an Air NZ internal flight, our reporting time is 10 45am so think we may have to take a taxi. Are there any shuttle companies to the airport other than the one that leaves from the Sky Tower?

 

Von

[m steve]

Just finished the 2/1 cruise from OZ to NZ. Embarkation took about a half hour as we completed all docs on line. We only had to fill in one form at the pier.

Slowest part was the photo delay trying to get on the ship.

Disembark began at 7 am and we didn't get off until 10. If you need to meet a flight early and it looks like you do be sure to fill in the info when they send out the form 2 days before arrival in NZ. Flight requests and tours seem to leave first and those staying w/independent travel or Auckland stays were let off last. Luggage was the best we found as it only took about 5 minutes to find the bags and they had trolleys to let you remove bags to cab line, no need for porters.

[cands]

We had a very nasty experience when we went to embark for Star Princess in 2004. Things may have improved as a large Princess ship comes for a season each year now.

 

The land agent's worker will take your luggage at the kerb - in our case he was dressed quite casually and we were a bit startled. We thought he was trying to do a runner with our luggage.

 

We arrived close to the start of embarkation and were in a very slow moving queue for over an hour until one of us collapsed and got wheel chaired onto the ship. Some thought it was feigned to avoid the queue!! but it was quite embarrassing. The queue disappeared after the intial rush.

 

Now we check the queue and dump our bags with the ship staff if it is long and go a way for a few hours - or arrive at least a couple of hours after the start of embarkation.

 

Our biggest delay in Circular Quay was very few immigration officers - this may have been fixed.

 

The Rocks area of Sydney and Circular Quay seem to be very busy on 'ship' days - with delays sitting in a (possibly hot) taxi. There was good traffic control at the actual pier whenever I've been there. There may be a case for a water taxi which I think disembark just in front of the ship, or if you are mobile with your luggage arrive by local ferry. It is a longer walk than it looks though, with luggage, from Circular Quay ferries & trains to the cruise dock. I have seen people land taxi to near the Opera House and water taxi across the quay (very short trip).

 

 

Have a great trip.

 

Chris

[stebul]

We are NZ'ers so are on an Air NZ internal flight, our reporting time is 10 45am so think we may have to take a taxi. Are there any shuttle companies to the airport other than the one that leaves from the Sky Tower?

 

Von

 

In Auckland, there is a bus (called the AirBus) that circulates through downtown and then takes you to the airport (NZ$15 pp). It runs every 20 minutes during the day and takes about an hour to get to the airport. We used it last week and found it very convenient. We took it from the Hyatt, not the pier, though. I know there is a stop near the ferry terminal so you would have to walk a little with your luggage.

[Von]

Thank you everyone for you replies. We now have a much clearer picture for both embarking and disembarking the DP. With just over two weeks to go till we leave for Sydney and the start of our cruise we are indeed looking forward to it all..

Von