Neptune Suite Check out

[JanDom]

Hello HAL-Cruisers,

we have been on many HAL Cruises but first time booked a Neptune Suite on Oosterdam - so excited 😆 

 

We will arrive in Piräus at the end of the cruise and have a flight back home starting at 3:30 pm from Athens Airport the same day.

 

We now think of how to go to the airport… 

first option - take the transfer of HAL (the price is pretty good) but the transfers might start very early so we will have a long time at the airport ☹️

 

second option - take a taxi … but when do we have to leave the ship ? Is there a late check out option for suite guests ? So we will be allowed to stay until 11:00 o‘ clock on board ? Or do we have to get of early as normal ?

 

Third option - take an excursion with HAL including airport transfer - but our flight time might be too early for this 😵‍💫 

 

any ideas ?

 

thank you and greets from rainy 

Hannover 

[CruiserBruce]

No matter what level cabin you are in, last call to get off will be about 9:30. In a suite, you may get off pretty much any time you like, up to last call. There is no extension for anyone. 

 

My choices would be taxi, excursion ending at the airport and lastly, regular transfers.

[Mary229]

The usual time that all guests must leave is no later than 9:30.  You should get to the airport at least 2 hours ahead of time, 3 hours is better 

[JanDom]

Most of the times we will be at the airport 2,5hours ahead. Most of the times the check in starts 2 hours ahead for short flights 

[Moriah]

How far is it from the port to the airport?  Is there a morning excursion that ends up at the airport?  I like those sometimes in foreign ports when I didn't get a chance to tour before embarkation, and it can be a great way to "use" your disembarkation day.  Otherwise, for more than one person taxi will be more comfortable and economical than the HAL transfer.  And as others have said, no, you can't stay on board past final call for pax to leave the ship - around 9:30 AM.

Edited Sunday at 06:36 PM by Moriah

[JanDom]

There is one going to Athens, like a panoramic tour. But we have two days before the cruise in Athens, so I think it won‘t be anything new to us.

from port to airport will be around 50 minutes (or more - depends on traffic)

[CruiserBruce]

1 hour ago, Mary229 said:

The usual time that all guests must leave is no later than 9:30.  You should get to the airport at least 2 hours ahead of time, 3 hours is better 

The OP appears to be flying to Germany, so a domestic flight. 2 hours is plenty.

[Catlover54]

Keep in mind that depending  on the airline one is flying with (e.g., how much traffic they have at a particular airport), if one arrives *too* early at some airports (meaning >2-3 hours ahead, depending on city), there may be no one willing or able to accept your luggage to check right when you arrive, which can be a pain when you're stuck with the big bags for a few more hours (especially when there is limited pre-security seating and no pre-security lounge access). 

I tend to like to be at an airport very early *if it is critical for me to make my flight* or the flight would be hard to rebook, in case there are surprise changes, and/or so I can take my slow time weaving through sometimes surprisingly long security checks,  and get settled in near the gate (or a nearby lounge) without rush (but have books on my devices to read).  But *too* early has backfired on me a few times (don't know about Athens this year, or what airline you're on, e.g., if it's an airline that always has a desk open to accept checked luggage for much later flights).

 

But when you have to be off the ship by 9:30 (e.g., on Rotterdam recently, it was 9:15 for suite pax but not in Piraeus), and the flight is later, timing airport arrival when flights are later  can be tricky, and this is not just on HAL.  A ship bus excursion ending at the airport within a 3 hours pre-flight period may be a good idea (especially if it has enough stops to accomodate comfort breaks you may need, doesn't get stuck in a traffic jam, and you're not concerned about sitting in an often noisy and often inadequately airconditioned bus for a few hours with multiple people coughing from the new bug they acquired on the ship).  You can also book a short private tour with a car/drivers that takes you  around to a few things of interest to you, accomodates your break needs and car temperature,  and then ends at the airport when you want it to and not before.

 

On our last cruise, as we sometimes do, we just tempered the stress of same-day flying after getting off a cruise by spending a night at a nice airport area hotel with a spa and nice restaurant and/or tourist site access, and flying out the next day on our own terms and time after sleeping in (I know you already have tickets, but some tickets are easily changeable, some not).  The Hotel Sofitel in Athens airport, for example, is quite nice.

 

I wish you a wonderful 'first-time-in-suite' cruise!  Be sure and take advantage of all the benefits you are paying extra for, including early boarding and tendering (the Neptune Lounge concierge can describe all your benefits for you, in case you haven't previously already noted them).

 

Edited Sunday at 08:33 PM by Catlover54
Typo

[Art-Fate]

We just returned from a trip to Athens on the oosterdam in May/June in a Neptune suite and they told us we had to be off by 9:00.  It is about an hour to the airport by Uber but I think they had a transfer that took you to the acropolis if you had a late flight.

[cccole]

I hope you can find a private tour/ride to the airport that includes something you will not have seen prior to the cruise.  I would be surprised if you cannot find a guide to meet your needs and provide a fabulous end to your cruise.  Cherie

[JanDom]

Can anybody recommend a half day tour in Athen or a tour company ?

thank you 

[CruiserBruce]

36 minutes ago, JanDom said:

Can anybody recommend a half day tour in Athen or a tour company ?

thank you 

If you look on the Greece board, you will see several local vendors recommended, like Georges and PK.

[syesmar]

On 6/30/2024 at 3:31 PM, Catlover54 said:

Keep in mind that depending  on the airline one is flying with (e.g., how much traffic they have at a particular airport), if one arrives *too* early at some airports (meaning >2-3 hours ahead, depending on city), there may be no one willing or able to accept your luggage to check right when you arrive, which can be a pain when you're stuck with the big bags for a few more hours (especially when there is limited pre-security seating and no pre-security lounge access)…But *too* early has backfired on me a few times (don't know about Athens this year, or what airline you're on, e.g., if it's an airline that always has a desk open to accept checked luggage for much later flights).

 

But when you have to be off the ship by 9:30 (e.g., on Rotterdam recently, it was 9:15 for suite pax but not in Piraeus), and the flight is later, timing airport arrival when flights are later  can be tricky, and this is not just on HAL.  A ship bus excursion ending at the airport within a 3 hours pre-flight period may be a good idea (especially if it has enough stops to accomodate comfort breaks you may need, doesn't get stuck in a traffic jam, and you're not concerned about sitting in an often noisy and often inadequately airconditioned bus for a few hours with multiple people coughing from the new bug they acquired on the ship). 

This has happened to us before in Athens (as well as US airports when our flight got cancelled then re-booked). The airline should be able to tell when their desk opens for check-in for the flight. A couple of times, we’ve used the luggage room (for a fee) at the airport in Athens and then taken the Metro for sightseeing (land trip, not after a cruise). I have found Athens to be efficient and less stressful than other airports for check-in. ymmv.

[Haljo1935]

13 hours ago, JanDom said:

Can anybody recommend a half day tour in Athen or a tour company ?

thank you 

We did the HOHO in Athens on turnaround day.

[cccole]

Check Tours by Locals and the Trip Advisor Athens forum.  You might find something you like and can contact the tour operator to plan a private tour exactly as you want.  Have fun, Cherie 

[Catlover54]

4 hours ago, cccole said:

Check Tours by Locals and the Trip Advisor Athens forum.  You might find something you like and can contact the tour operator to plan a private tour exactly as you want.  Have fun, Cherie 

 

Beware, however, that Tours by Locals has been having website problems for several weeks, and problems are slow getting fixed.  Many of the guides are unhappy (we had 4 TBL private tours on our very recent cruise and they all expressed concerns about various software glitch features), because customers now have to communicate through the company (based in Canada) instead of directly with the guide, which has created confusion.  But you can communicate via What's App.  

Guides have lost a lot of business because of customer frustrations.

If you use them, be very careful and take screen shots of all information and contact information, so you can confirm meeting up and other issues.