Taking off our bags when time to disembark...allowed?

[SSBrickNJ]

Steve here with yet another HAL newbee question.

A Tripadvisor thread caused me to wonder something.

The poster suggested I go to Customer Services on Day One and ask for my bags to have special tags because we have a 12:25 flight on disembark day.

I RATHER WE TAKE OUR OWN BAGS OFF THE SHIP. We can do that....can't we?

 

[Lido deck main]

Yes we do it all the time.  Carry our own luggage off.  We like to get off first thing and get going.

[SSBrickNJ]

Keeping in mind that we have a 12:25 flight on disembark day, #1 What time do you think we'll be able to get off Nieuw Statendam on August 9th?

#2 What strategy would anyone suggest to give us a chance to be in the first wave of people who are allowed to disembark?

THANKS for any and all advice! 🙂

Steve

[TiogaCruiser]

On our most recent cruises (2 since the pause) they were no longer requiring you to register for disembarkation. For those who preferred to self disembark and handle their own luggage, they published the times when you could leave, It was pretty much whenever. ( you could have chosen first thing, or 9:30, or anything in between.)

 

For those who chose to have staff take their luggage off, they just placed the luggage tags out for people to pick up and self select their group time. No one had to pre-register.

 

In years past, there were more rigid times for self-disembarkation, IIRc, it was the first 2 groups only.

Edited July 18, 2023 by TiogaCruiser

[CruiserBruce]

8 minutes ago, SSBrickNJ said:

Keeping in mind that we have a 12:25 flight on disembark day, #1 What time do you think we'll be able to get off Nieuw Statendam on August 9th?

#2 What strategy would anyone suggest to give us a chance to be in the first wave of people who are allowed to disembark?

THANKS for any and all advice! 🙂

Steve

 

What port? Self disembarking is discussed here frequently. Usually the self disembarking group is either first or second off.

[TiogaCruiser]

9 minutes ago, SSBrickNJ said:

Keeping in mind that we have a 12:25 flight on disembark day, #1 What time do you think we'll be able to get off Nieuw Statendam on August 9th?

#2 What strategy would anyone suggest to give us a chance to be in the first wave of people who are allowed to disembark?

THANKS for any and all advice! 🙂

Steve

What port, and what airport?

[SSBrickNJ]

1 hour ago, CruiserBruce said:

 

What port? Self disembarking is discussed here frequently. Usually the self disembarking group is either first or second off.

Copenhagen Denmark . Oceankaj / Ocean Quay Terminal 

Copenhagen Airport (CPH)

Edited July 18, 2023 by SSBrickNJ

[crystalspin]

20 minutes ago, SSBrickNJ said:

Copenhagen Denmark . Oceankaj / Ocean Quay Terminal 

Copenhagen Airport (CPH)

Arrange ahead of time for transport. Google is your friend. We disembarked with our luggage, and it was confusing with not a lot of taxis and our credit card wasn't recognized by the ticket machine for the bus (we were staying a few days down the street!) -- had to find the office etc etc.

[colbe]

@SSBrickNJ You can book a driver to collect you from the terminal and take you to the airport. You will be docked at C332 which is terminal 2. I booked through Booking.com very easily. We are walking off with our luggage and meeting the driver at 8am.

[SSBrickNJ]

5 hours ago, colbe said:

@SSBrickNJ You can book a driver to collect you from the terminal and take you to the airport. You will be docked at C332 which is terminal 2. I booked through Booking.com very easily. We are walking off with our luggage and meeting the driver at 8am.

You have provided helpful and answers to me in the past and now once again. I have to go to work now but I am hoping you'll entertain a question from me in the late afternoon or early evening.

Until then.....thanks 🙂

[Torquer]

We disembarked at Copenhagen just a couple weeks ago.  We left the ship about half-hour after it started.  I was a bit worried since there were 4 of us and we had a lot of luggage, but there were lots of taxis available, including a Mercedes van that we got, and as we drove out of the port area, numerous taxis were coming toward the ship.  On the other hand, on embarkation day at the start of the cruise, we got to the terminal about 10:30AM, and there was a long line of disembarking people still waiting for taxis.  So if you don't have a car reserved, get off the ship early.  The airport is about a 1/2 hour drive from the ship.

[Heartgrove]

We did the Baltic Sea cruise from Copenhagen in 2017 which ranks as our best cruise. Back then HAL was still visiting St. Petersburg and we disembarked the day after we returned which gave us an extra day in Copenhagen.

 

There are three terminals at Oceankaj and your ship may use any of the three. We left from C331 terminal and returned to C333. But all three are close to each other. Checking the Copenhagen port schedule today it appears that you will be disembarking at  C331 on August 9.

 

I suggest using the HAL bus transfer to the airport as we found it very quick and easy to do. The collected luggage from the night before on the ship is actually transported to the airport for you separately where you then collect it and enter the terminal. Our flight to IAD was approximately 12:15-12:45 pm and we were at the airport early enough to checkin (maybe 9:00 ?), to spend some time in the SAS lounge, go through Passport Control, and then board our flight.

 

Terminal C331

 

Terminal C333

 

Zuiderdam berthed at C333

 

The next morning with the airport transfer buses and HOHO buses ready.

[SSBrickNJ]

12 hours ago, colbe said:

@SSBrickNJ You can book a driver to collect you from the terminal and take you to the airport. You will be docked at C332 which is terminal 2. I booked through Booking.com very easily. We are walking off with our luggage and meeting the driver at 8am.

So I'm back online.😀

*

#1 With booking.com do I have to pay in advance?

#2 My thought was since we will be staying in Copenhagen's Best Western Astoria on Sunday July 30th, Monday, July 31st and Tues. August 1st I would make a taxi pick up appointment (for August 9th's disembarking) with the recommendation and the help of the hotel staff.

Your feedback on #1 and your thoughts on #2 would be greatly appreciated 🙂

Steve

Edited July 18, 2023 by SSBrickNJ

[kazu]

2 hours ago, SSBrickNJ said:

So I'm back online.😀

*

#1 With booking.com do I have to pay in advance?

#2 My thought was since we will be staying in Copenhagen's Best Western Astoria on Sunday July 30th, Monday, July 31st and Tues. August 1st I would make a taxi pick up appointment (for August 9th's disembarking) with the recommendation and the help of the hotel staff.

Your feedback on #1 and your thoughts on #2 would be greatly appreciated 🙂

Steve

 

I’m not the person you are asking but if you don’t mind my 2 cents (and you know what the penny is worth in Canada), I would not book with booking.com or any other agency for your hotel in Europe.  Book directly with the hotel.  The pricing is usually the same if not better.

 

I’ve seen people bumped from their hotel and moved somewhere else when they used an agency to book and the agency was of little help.  Booking directly usually secures your hotel without a worry.  JMO and JME.

[SSBrickNJ]

23 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

I’m not the person you are asking but if you don’t mind my 2 cents (and you know what the penny is worth in Canada), I would not book with booking.com or any other agency for your hotel in Europe.  Book directly with the hotel.  The pricing is usually the same if not better.

 

I’ve seen people bumped from their hotel and moved somewhere else when they used an agency to book and the agency was of little help.  Booking directly usually secures your hotel without a worry.  JMO and JME.

I think you were speed reading my post and you misunderstood.

I already booked my hotel DIRECTLY with the hotel itself.

I did that many months ago.

I wish to book a TAXI and have it waiting for us when we get off the ship in Copenhagen on August 9th.

I'd prefer to do that with the guidance of the hotel's manager or concierge.

Someone I respect on cruise critic suggested to me that I book a TAXI on booking.com

Now that I've told her I'll be in Copenhagen for three days prior to ever boarding the cruise, I'd like her opinion of waiting until I arrive in the city to make my reservation.

Reread my post and you'll see what I'm talking about 😉

Edited July 18, 2023 by SSBrickNJ

[kazu]

9 minutes ago, SSBrickNJ said:

I think you were speed reading my post and you misunderstood.

I already booked my hotel DIRECTLY with the hotel itself.

I did that many months ago.

I wish to book a TAXI and have it waiting for us when we get off the ship in Copenhagen on August 9th.

I'd prefer to do that with the guidance of the hotel's manager or concierge.

Someone I respect on cruise critic suggested to me that I book a TAXI on booking.com

Now that I've told her I'll be in Copenhagen for three days prior to ever boarding the cruise, I'd like her opinion of waiting until I arrive in the city to make my reservation.

Reread my post and you'll see what I'm talking about 😉

 

sorry, I just didn’t go back far enough.  Thought I had read all the posts.  guess I missed a couple.  

 

The hotel can book the cab for you.  If you book on line - normally you need to prepay and if you book with the company directly - either prepay or provide a credit card to guarantee and often make a deposit.   I don’t use booking.com to book my cabs so can only speak in general terms.

 

apologies I misunderstood the booking.com question.  

[SSBrickNJ]

5 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

sorry, I just didn’t go back far enough.  Thought I had read all the posts.  guess I missed a couple.  

 

The hotel can book the cab for you.  If you book on line - normally you need to prepay and if you book with the company directly - either prepay or provide a credit card to guarantee and often make a deposit.   I don’t use booking.com to book my cabs so can only speak in general terms.

 

apologies I misunderstood the booking.com question.  

No harm done....AND....your follow up IS VERY HELPFUL.

I don't want to pre-book a taxi on an app.

I'd rather the hotel manager or concierge calls the taxi compony they trust and the reservation is made over the phone 3 days before I board the cruise. 🙂

[colbe]

3 hours ago, SSBrickNJ said:

So I'm back online.😀

*

#1 With booking.com do I have to pay in advance?

#2 My thought was since we will be staying in Copenhagen's Best Western Astoria on Sunday July 30th, Monday, July 31st and Tues. August 1st I would make a taxi pick up appointment (for August 9th's disembarking) with the recommendation and the help of the hotel staff.

Your feedback on #1 and your thoughts on #2 would be greatly appreciated 🙂

Steve

Hi Steve,

I could not find a way of pre-booking a cab more than a couple of days ahead (we are on for 21 days). As we have a 12 noon flight and there is talk about how difficult it is to get a taxi from the port I chose to go with Booking.com. I have used this method before.

1. You do pay immediately but it is fully refundable up to 24 hours before travel.

2. It would certainly be worth asking the hotel reception. If they can not help you, there will still be time to book elsewhere.

 

Kind regards

[SSBrickNJ]

1 hour ago, colbe said:

Hi Steve,

I could not find a way of pre-booking a cab more than a couple of days ahead (we are on for 21 days). As we have a 12 noon flight and there is talk about how difficult it is to get a taxi from the port I chose to go with Booking.com. I have used this method before.

1. You do pay immediately but it is fully refundable up to 24 hours before travel.

2. It would certainly be worth asking the hotel reception. If they can not help you, there will still be time to book elsewhere.

 

Kind regards

Thanks for yet another of your helpful posts.

I'm sure the hotel would be flattered to have me respect their opinion about what taxi company to contact re. our topic. They know I'm a Gold Member of their Hotel Chain so I think I'll be ok with having them guide me.

Have a great night! 🙂

[Heartgrove]

Not to sound like I am defending "Booking.com" but we have used them since 2019 for our hotel reservations in Europe about 15 times. We tend to book smaller hotels, not huge chain hotels. Never had an issue either. In fact, it is sometimes easier to book through them with the time difference and language difference. One thing that I like on their site is the type of hotel room is displayed that you are booking. DW is "Genius" level which sometimes provides better discounts and even upgrades. Our best upgrade was just last Fall in Barcelona where we were upgraded to a top floor suite in the Olivia Plaza Hotel across from the "Plaça de Catalunya" square.

[SusieKIslandGirl]

I'm trying to remember if it was in the airport in Copenhagen that we almost had an oops! We were plenty early so did some shopping around and then headed to the gate. Did not expect to see the passport desk with a long line. Luckily it went quickly but heart stopped for a minute.

[SSBrickNJ]

I printed our Nieuw Statendam boarding passes for Aug. 2nd 🙂

Edited July 19, 2023 by SSBrickNJ