Flight from SYD after cruise

[journeymore]

Any suggestions on the earliest flight I should book after my cruise from SYD for an international flight? Thanks 

[buchhalm]

Assuming your ship arrives *as most do* by 07.00, I would be reluctant to book anything before noon. 

Especially if you are flying internationally, and more so still to the USA.

Even though the distance from the cruise port(s) to the airport isn't particularly great, traffic out of the city can be very heavy with lots of crawling speed.

If you arrive at the Overseas Cruise Terminal at Circular Quay, and are reasonably fit and can handle all your luggage, the public transport train from Circular quay is a great option. 

Easy, level, maximum 10-minutes walk from the ship to the station. The train drops you right below either of the airport terminals, Domestic or International. 

 

(Below, the Celebrity Edge arriving right now, at 05.47...)

Edited January 2 by buchhalm

[Chiliburn]

There seems to be people that make a 11:00 flight but I wouldn’t book a flight that early.

A afternoon flight or preferably stay an extra night if you can’t . 

[woodscruise]

Check-in times for international departures is recommended as 3 hours. Bear in mind that if you are traveling to USA there is a secondary security check at the departure gate.

 

 

[MicCanberra]

The recommended times by most cruise lines are for international flights after 2pm, however, after noon would be easy enough. Personally, I would spend the night and fly out the next morning/day on a flight time that suits my schedule better.

[arxcards]

On a good day, 11am is quite doable. Not all days are good days though. All of the cruise lines say not to book an AM flight, even for domestic. Yes, they are managing expectations, but I will also go with their guidance. If you have Captains Club status that will give you a priority disembark, that would help ensure you can be among the first off.

 

If you are on arriving in Sydney after a transpacific crossing cruise from the US, it is unlikely to be a good day - 2pm at the earliest.

[ceeceeDee]

I, personally, would prefer to stay overnight in Sydney. The cost of a hotel is well worth avoiding stress.

[journeymore]

The flight I currently have booked is for 11:50 the next morning and I have an airport hotel booked. I’m considering changing the flight to disembarkation day at 11:50 which is a direct flight or I could catch a 2 pm flight and change planes in SFO which would get me home 8 hours later than the 11:50 flight. Decisions decisions. 

[colourbird]

Depends on which terminal you are docked at. Last year we were due at White Bay by 6.30am, but missed the low tide and had to wait till the next low tide at 11.00am so we could pass under the bridge. If you are at the OPT, tides aren't an issue.

[capriccio]

9 hours ago, Chiliburn said:

There seems to be people that make a 11:00 flight but I wouldn’t book a flight that early.

A afternoon flight or preferably stay an extra night if you can’t . 

We (me, my DH, my sister and her husband) stayed an extra night and caught the early morning flight the next day to the USA.  We arranged a private tour of the Blue Mountains with Go Beyond Tours.  Our guide picked us up at the port, we toured all day, and then he dropped us off at the Rydges Hotel directly across the street from the international terminal.  We had a fantastic final day (after 6 weeks in New Zealand and Australia), got a good night's sleep, and sauntered over to the terminal at 6:30 am for our 9:30 flight to Los Angeles. 

[matamanoa]

We experienced a delay with the ship getting into Sydney on time due to currents.  Our flight was the only one to Canada that particular day and it was due to leave at 12:15 p.m.  Due to our late arrival into port, coupled with the fact that it took a long time to clear customs and get out of the airport, we made the flight by the skin of our teeth.  After a wonderful and relaxing cruise, I was a bundle of nerves wondering if we were going to make our flight as we sat in traffic congestion.   Not worth the stress to book  in or around the noon hour.  Better to take a later flight or even stay overnight and fly the next day.  We've learned our lesson and now make our departure as stress free as possible.

[Aus Traveller]

I would book a domestic flight for 11am or so, but not an international flight. 2pm would be the earliest I would be comfortable with.

[yarramar]

20 hours ago, journeymore said:

The flight I currently have booked is for 11:50 the next morning and I have an airport hotel booked. I’m considering changing the flight to disembarkation day at 11:50 which is a direct flight or I could catch a 2 pm flight and change planes in SFO which would get me home 8 hours later than the 11:50 flight. Decisions decisions. 

There was the first mistake.

Book a hotel around Circular Quay, drop off your luggage on disembarking the ship and spend a leisurely day (or exciting one) in Sydney. Get a cab after breakfast next morning to the airport.

[possum52]

Even for domestic flights we never book one before midday. It is not worth the stress if your ship is late in or disembarkation is delayed for some reason. We have been late into Sydney and fortunately had a flight booked for 2pm and not earlier. It was still a bit stressful though. 

 

For an international flight, I would stay overnight and fly out the next day. Spend the day in Sydney after disembarkation.

[fishtaco]

Why stress yourself? just book a night in Sydney! Its hard enough making a Domestic flight to Perth from Sydney after a cruise let alone international. SFO option who wants to add 8 hours to a 14 hour flight? Would add up to at least 25 hours total with Airport time.

We always stay at least 1 night before and after even on domestic cruises its just less stressful.

[Hogbay]

On 1/3/2024 at 1:23 PM, journeymore said:

The flight I currently have booked is for 11:50 the next morning and I have an airport hotel booked. I’m considering changing the flight to disembarkation day at 11:50 which is a direct flight or I could catch a 2 pm flight and change planes in SFO which would get me home 8 hours later than the 11:50 flight. Decisions decisions. 

Self disembark , a walk in the Quay ,a train ride to the airport , 11:50 international is doable for us travellers . I do a 9:20 domestic with a coffee stop .😁

[possum52]

5 hours ago, Hogbay said:

Self disembark , a walk in the Quay ,a train ride to the airport , 11:50 international is doable for us travellers . I do a 9:20 domestic with a coffee stop .😁

What if you are late in to Sydney? Or disembarkation is delayed? It can happen. Then you spoil your cruise by stressing if you are going to make your flight. It has happened to us in Sydney - ship was late in due to weather. Fortunately we had booked our flight to Melbourne for the afternoon. 

[Hogbay]

17 minutes ago, possum52 said:

What if you are late in to Sydney? Or disembarkation is delayed? It can happen. Then you spoil your cruise by stressing if you are going to make your flight. It has happened to us in Sydney - ship was late in due to weather. Fortunately we had booked our flight to Melbourne for the afternoon. 

What if you hit a iceberg ? It can happen .

[possum52]

6 minutes ago, Hogbay said:

What if you hit a iceberg ? It can happen .

Unlikely if you are coming into Sydney. 😀

Edited January 7 by possum52

[colourbird]

2 hours ago, possum52 said:

What if you are late in to Sydney? Or disembarkation is delayed? It can happen. Then you spoil your cruise by stressing if you are going to make your flight. It has happened to us in Sydney - ship was late in due to weather. Fortunately we had booked our flight to Melbourne for the afternoon. 

 

When it was announced that one of our cruises would be 5 hours late coming into port there were so many happy people (me included) as we were getting an extra morning on the ship and didn't have to rush off after an early breakfast.

[possum52]

14 minutes ago, colourbird said:

 

When it was announced that one of our cruises would be 5 hours late coming into port there were so many happy people (me included) as we were getting an extra morning on the ship and didn't have to rush off after an early breakfast.

That would be great if you didn’t have the stress of trying to get to the airport for a flight or cancelling and then booking a flight for later in the day. 

[colourbird]

Just now, possum52 said:

That would be great if you didn’t have the stress of trying to get to the airport for a flight or cancelling and then booking a flight for later in the day. 

 

Luckily everyone flying out had flights the next day!

 

Apparently one guy was not happy as he had a meeting that morning.

[LincolnLegend]

We got delayed by nearly 5 hours on one cruise, so many people lined up at guest services trying to change flights, us included! Luckily our travel agent sorted everything for us with no out of pocket costs, one family in front of us had to pay nearly $2,000 dollars for new flights home to Perth!. Since then, we have only booked late afternoon flights or stayed an extra night I agree that the angst isn't worth it!

[possum52]

1 hour ago, colourbird said:

 

Luckily everyone flying out had flights the next day!

 

Apparently one guy was not happy as he had a meeting that morning.

Not one person on the ship had a flight booked for that day? 

[colourbird]

24 minutes ago, possum52 said:

Not one person on the ship had a flight booked for that day? 

 

They were saying only one person was inconvenienced, so people with flight may have had enough time to get to the airport. They could have got there by 12 noon.