Disembarking in a port before cruise termination ..

[Karen Lynn]

Full disclosure - I am a cruise consultant

 

I have a client doing a world segment on the Island Princess in January and getting off in Barcelona ahead of the completion of the segment 

She has booked her flight (to Toronto)  to depart at 11:30 a.m and the ship - being a typical port day - is scheduled to arrive at 8:00 a.m. She is trying to enter her flight info as requested by Princess despite her obviously not having Princess transfer and taxiing herself to the airport and it is telling her that her flight is too early !  Could be too early because it's not the end of the sailing in actual fact or could indeed be outside of what would be typical parameters for Princess EZ air timing.

 

I haven't been to Barcelona in a few years - AP is approx 30 mins from the port - thoughts? She could book an overnight in Barcelona and do the same flight the next day or can she make it? To me- There is 'wiggle' room enough - but I don't want to lead her astray!  I thought it wise to see what those who have done it more recently than I , might think?

 

Kind thanks !

 

*Edited to add- I have called Princess 2x and I am not sure what's up with Princess butttt they don't understand what I am asking!!!!!

Edited December 9, 2022 by Karen Lynn

[Itchy&Scratchy]

so, the cruise doesn't end in Barcelona, right? But your client is trying to bail at an earlier stop?

 

I am not sure she is allowed to get off the ship earlier, at least without incurring some kind of a fine in some cases. Perhaps, that's why the system is telling her she is departing too soon.

Edited December 9, 2022 by Itchy&Scratchy

[Karen Lynn]

Yes

[Itchy&Scratchy]

11 minutes ago, Karen Lynn said:

I have called Princess 2x and I am not sure what's up with Princess butttt they don't understand what I am asking!!!!!

perhaps, you should be asking if she is allowed to debark early, instead of confusing them with the flight information.

[Karen Lynn]

Oh no - sorry - we've long had approval for her for a route deviation to get off early ... we just aren't sure about her 11:30 a.m flight departure. At the end of a sailing - the ship would normally arrive around 5 a.m - because it's a port day it's not the norm and they cannot tell me. I put in a call to the air dept 2 days ago for a call back and still don't have ...

[sunviking90]

Removed. question answered.

Edited December 9, 2022 by sunviking90
Removed. question answered.

[ldubs]

Who can say what might happen.   Ship at pier by 8:00.  Off by 8:30? Maybe later because of crowds with early morning excursions.  Find a taxi.  Airport by 9:15 (earliest?).  Then check-in and to gate for an international flight that must board by, let's say, 11:15.  

 

If that was the only option, then the choice is easy.   

[Karen Lynn]

My thoughts are plan on the same day departure but with flexible fare and cancellation/change allowable - if it works, great - if not next day - same flight will.

 

 

[Itchy&Scratchy]

2 hours ago, Karen Lynn said:

My thoughts are plan on the same day departure but with flexible fare and cancellation/change allowable - if it works, great - if not next day - same flight will.

 

 

that would be my plan as well.

As an example - Enchanted is a much newer ship, yet she had engine troubles during our TG sailing and we were about 2 hours late arriving in St Thomas. Could it happen to Island? Yes, it could.

[Rick&Jeannie]

Forget the EZAir route and just book air separately...

[dog]

2 hours ago, Karen Lynn said:

My thoughts are plan on the same day departure but with flexible fare and cancellation/change allowable - if it works, great - if not next day - same flight will.

 

 

I would never do this.

 

[VibeGuy]

The EZ-Air engine looks at the voyage, not the PNR, for flight time guidance.  
 

The authorities want to be done with ship clearance as early as they can get away with, so I think a 12:30 from Barcelona is fine.  

[PacnGoNow]

4 hours ago, Karen Lynn said:

Full disclosure - I am a cruise consultant

 

I have a client doing a world segment on the Island Princess in January and getting off in Barcelona ahead of the completion of the segment 

She has booked her flight (to Toronto)  to depart at 11:30 a.m and the ship - being a typical port day - is scheduled to arrive at 8:00 a.m. She is trying to enter her flight info as requested by Princess despite her obviously not having Princess transfer and taxiing herself to the airport and it is telling her that her flight is too early !  Could be too early because it's not the end of the sailing in actual fact or could indeed be outside of what would be typical parameters for Princess EZ air timing.

 

I haven't been to Barcelona in a few years - AP is approx 30 mins from the port - thoughts? She could book an overnight in Barcelona and do the same flight the next day or can she make it? To me- There is 'wiggle' room enough - but I don't want to lead her astray!  I thought it wise to see what those who have done it more recently than I , might think?

 

Kind thanks !

 

*Edited to add- I have called Princess 2x and I am not sure what's up with Princess butttt they don't understand what I am asking!!!!!

The way I see it:  EZ Air flight or transfers to BCN you should not take a flight before 4 hours and 15 mins from arrival at BCN port.  So, after 1215pm.  
 

The check in for most International flights is 3 hours before.  So, that is cutting it close.  Also, getting off at

0830, IF that’s possible, they could run into city traffic, if it’s on a weekday.  

 

I, personally would not do it.  JMO

[Hlitner]

Perhaps it is just me, but I find the OP's post outrageous.  Why?  Because the OP is talking about a "client" which means she thinks she is a cruise agent.  I say "think" because a decent cruise agent should know how to handle an early debarkation without seeking advice from, we "amateurs" here on CC.  Princess actually has a procedure (including a form) for early disembarkations.  It is submitted in advance, reviewed by the cruise line, and either approved or not.  If approved her client will be able to disembark (in Barcelona) with the help of the cruise line staff (i.e. getting her luggage ashore).   With a 8am arrival, assuming the ship is on time and is cleared in the normal time frame (about 20 min) the client might be OK.  The problem is that it takes some time just to get off a ship, walk the long gangplank, through the terminal, retrieve luggage, and get to the taxi queue.  Taking their own luggage off the ship would be a better solution...assuming they can handle all their own luggage through the relatively long walk from ship to taxi queue.  At that point there will be a line, and much will depend on how long one waits to get into a taxi.  With an 11:30 flight we would ideally want to be at BCN by 9 (at the latest) but the OP might not get to the airport until nearer 9:30. As long as there are no airport delays, they should be OK.  Personally, we would opt to spend a night in Barcelona and fly home the following day.  This avoids anxiety and uncertainty.

 

Hank

[mom says]

I'll assume for the sake of argument that the previous port was in a Schengen country, so no passport clearance is necessary when the client disembarks.  And for the sake of argument, I'll  assume the client can carry off her own luggage.

 

But if the ship arrives at 0800, it's likely they won't be allowed off until the ship is cleared to disembark,  which could easily be 0830. Then they have to get through the terminal, find a taxi or whatever, and drive to the airport during rush hour. Most airlines advise an arrival minimum of 3 hours before an international flight, since they need time for check in, security, as well as exit Passport Control before proceeding to the gate. How big a gambler is the client?

 

If ANYTHING goes wrong and they are delayed at any point, they run the very real risk of missing their flight. I would think that any reputable travel consultant would lay out all of the risks to the client, plus the alternative of flying the next day, and leave the decision to the client.

[VibeGuy]

Wait, this isn’t EZ.  it’s just the advisory piece/onward travel information. 
 

*regardless of whether 11:30 is too early out of BCN, the back end is probably not smart enough to recognise that the passenger has an approved route deviation* 

 

so far as I can tell, it’s safe to ignore the OM app for onward travel info - at best it informs guest services which bag tag color you might need at disembarkation. I haven’t been filling it out. 

[christraveller]

Fate is tempted every time that we mortals contract for close connections. Your client needs to destress, book them in a day or two after the cruise. Barcelona has lots of good sights, shopping, food, hotels.   Oh, and bad rush hour between port and airport!

 

life is not a rehearsal

[VibeGuy]

^^^^^ they’re not wrong - Barcelona is probably my favorite city on the Med.  I regret not adding a few more days regardless of how long I stay there. 

[justafem]

Regardless of the cruise deviation, an 1130 flight is cutting it close.  If there's a later flight, use that as standby if the original flight is missed.

 

I frequently take 1230 flights home and have a good hour and a half airport time, even with SF TSA experience.  I book flexible through princess though, so even though it would take longer to get home, I know I'm going to eventually get home if something goes astray.  

 

[Daniel A]

I often book cruises that do not involve air transportation.  What if your client was disembarking in Spain in order to take a land excursion or to stay at a resort?  No air information would be needed by Princess.  Just don't complete the return air section of the Personalizer.  I did a Panama Canal full transit where I flew into LA and drove home from Ft Lauderdale without any problems from Princess.

 

My best advice is to give the client the pros and cons and let your client make the decision whether or not to stay overnight in Barcelona or to risk not making the flight in time on the day of disembarkation.  FWIW, when I do need to fly home from a cruise, I find it to be a less stressful return home if I stay at least one night after disembarking.  No worries then!