Taking the Princess bus

[m steve]

from central Fl to FLL. They pick us up at 5am with 2 or 3 stops on the way. I figure we will get there between 10-11 am. Do they board our group when we arrive or do we have to stand around while the previous passengers disembark? Seems like they are penalizing us for taking the bus at $65 pp.

[Colo Cruiser]

Does not matter what time you arrive or how you get there everyone still has to wait until around 11:30 or later to board. :)

 

How do you figure it is being penalized? :confused:

[crusinpeg]

We took the bus and still had to wait in line with all the rest of the passengers.

Got there about 12:45 was in out cabin by 1:15

[m steve]

I tink getting up at 4 am to stand in a parking lot waiting for a bus is a penalty. They could come at 8 and then we could just get on the ship.

[vmom]

I tink getting up at 4 am to stand in a parking lot waiting for a bus is a penalty. They could come at 8 and then we could just get on the ship.

 

Many of us have had to get up at 4 am to get a flight out to the port and we still have to wait in line when we get there.

 

Better to be safe and get there early and have to stand in line rather than calling it too close. If the bus should break down or there should be something unusual such as a traffic accident that blocks all the lanes, you would be happy that the bus was not cutting it close and allowing plenty of time.

[Ethel5]

I tink getting up at 4 am to stand in a parking lot waiting for a bus is a penalty. They could come at 8 and then we could just get on the ship.

 

After they drop off passengers, they load up with return passengers so they try to make everyone happy.

[ggprincess2004]

Seems to me that even with getting up at 4, taking the bus is a great convenience. We have to schlep to the airport, having carefully packed our bags so we don't violate weight limits, number of bags, or liquid/aerosol limits. Then we have to clear security and get on a cramped plane,that may or may not have a delay. Will not have edible food.

We fly in the day before, so we have to pay for the hotel overnight, get our bags from baggage claim to the cab or shuttle, into the hotel, back out of the hotel in the morning and onto the shuttle.

Then we have to wait at the pier with everyone else to board.

On the bus, you just have to schlep the luggage - no limit - no special packing restrictions - to the parking lot, endure a slightly cramped bus ride - and wait at the pier with everyone else to board.

 

Our plans to retire in FL partly because of the convenience of a Princess express are being revisited only because Princess isn't sailing out of FLL year round anymore - or at least for 2008. Will wait and see what 2009 looks like.

 

Personally, I would love to be able to spend only $65 pp to get to the ship!

[PescadoAmarillo]

I tink getting up at 4 am to stand in a parking lot waiting for a bus is a penalty. They could come at 8 and then we could just get on the ship.

My goodness.

 

Too often when we cruise from the east coast we are catching our local transit bus for the 1:15 ride to the airport (with 4 stops) at 4:40am (the first one in the morning) to catch a 7am flight (usually with a connection somewhere). This requires us to get up around 3am. After we are dropped off at one spot in the airport (Denver...it's a big one), we schlep our 4 heavy bags (carrying our formalwear, of course) and 2 carryons across the airport, wait in line to self-check in, another long line for security, a train to our concourse, a walk to our gate...well, you get the message.

 

And that's just on this end. Repeat in Florida.

 

And about the time we start to feel a bit cranky and sorry for ourselves, we see that beautiful cruise ship waiting for us and invariably have dinner the first night with a couple from the UK, or Australia, or Alaska who makes our journey seem insignificant.

 

My husband always says that setting the alarm at "0 Dark 30" to leave on a cruise is a pleasure, a luxury and no complaints are allowed. And he's right. So, sorry, you'll have to depend on some other poster for sympathy.

[mafig]

I tink getting up at 4 am to stand in a parking lot waiting for a bus is a penalty. They could come at 8 and then we could just get on the ship.

 

 

The problem is this same bus takes you home. So now you'll be waiting with your luggage in the hot sun for hours until the bus shows up, and then you'll get home by 6 PM - if you're lucky.

[MauiLvrs]

My goodness.

 

Too often when we cruise from the east coast we are catching our local transit bus for the 1:15 ride to the airport (with 4 stops) at 4:40am (the first one in the morning) to catch a 7am flight (usually with a connection somewhere). This requires us to get up around 3am. After we are dropped off at one spot in the airport (Denver...it's a big one), we schlep our 4 heavy bags (carrying our formalwear, of course) and 2 carryons across the airport, wait in line to self-check in, another long line for security, a train to our concourse, a walk to our gate...well, you get the message.

...

Forgot to mention that in many cases this is all the day before the ship leaves:eek:

[Ethel5]

The problem is this same bus takes you home. So now you'll be waiting with your luggage in the hot sun for hours until the bus shows up, and then you'll get home by 6 PM - if you're lucky.

 

Perhaps it would be more convenient for you to take your car. You would have to pay $12-14 per day and you would have to load your own luggage but you wouldn't have to wait for anything. Then you wouldn't have anything to complain about!

[FLACRUISER99]

I used to take the Bus. No more. I either drive & Park ($9/day at Park N Fly AAA rate) or rent a car.

[Philip217]

Riding a bus anywhere anytime is a penalty for me. I just cannot imagine starting or ending an elegant cruise on a bus.You could rent a car for less money and just drive yourself. Or hire a car and driver for just a bit more.

 

No matter what time you arrive at the pier, Immigration and Port Security will not allow new passengers to join a ship until all previous passengers have disembarked.

[spongerob]

My husband always says that setting the alarm at "0 Dark 30" to leave on a cruise is a pleasure, a luxury and no complaints are allowed. And he's right. So, sorry, you'll have to depend on some other poster for sympathy.

So who can sleep the night before a cruise anyway? ;)

[mafig]

Perhaps it would be more convenient for you to take your car. You would have to pay $12-14 per day and you would have to load your own luggage but you wouldn't have to wait for anything. Then you wouldn't have anything to complain about!

 

 

Ethel, I was responding to the OP telling him that if the bus were to drop him off later, it would, in turn, pick him up later.

 

We no longer take the bus--we drive--so I am fully aware of the parking charges.:rolleyes: I wasn't the one complaining.

[ggprincess2004]

So who can sleep the night before a cruise anyway? ;)

 

Ambien - one secret to getting on board well rested and ready to fully enjoy the cruise!

[MauiLvrs]

So who can sleep the night before a cruise anyway? ;)

That's why we're on the red-eye flight. If we can't sleep may as well be on our way...

[Coral]

My goodness.

 

Too often when we cruise from the east coast we are catching our local transit bus for the 1:15 ride to the airport (with 4 stops) at 4:40am (the first one in the morning) to catch a 7am flight (usually with a connection somewhere). This requires us to get up around 3am. After we are dropped off at one spot in the airport (Denver...it's a big one), we schlep our 4 heavy bags (carrying our formalwear, of course) and 2 carryons across the airport, wait in line to self-check in, another long line for security, a train to our concourse, a walk to our gate...well, you get the message.

 

And that's just on this end. Repeat in Florida.

 

And about the time we start to feel a bit cranky and sorry for ourselves, we see that beautiful cruise ship waiting for us and invariably have dinner the first night with a couple from the UK, or Australia, or Alaska who makes our journey seem insignificant.

 

My husband always says that setting the alarm at "0 Dark 30" to leave on a cruise is a pleasure, a luxury and no complaints are allowed. And he's right. So, sorry, you'll have to depend on some other poster for sympathy.

 

I agree - taking a bus for a few hours would be a dream compared to what we go through.

[Ethel5]

We no longer take the bus--we drive--so I am fully aware of the parking charges.:rolleyes: I wasn't the one complaining.

 

My poor attempt at sarcasm didn't come across well!

 

We take the bus from Tampa and are happy to do it. We don't have to pay for a flight, we don't have to deal with luggage limits and liquids and getting to the airport 2 hours early. The driver handles the bags and show a movie on the way. the bus is clean and comfortable and I don't have to pay parking fees. I may have to wait a bit on each end but it's worth it to me.

[gatour]

I most likely have taken the "bus" that the original OP was referring to, it is third party contractor called Cruise Connection and it wasn't a typical city bus. It was touring bus. At the time it met our needs.

 

I don't understand the the sentence "are penalizing us for taking the bus at $65 pp." No one is forcing you to take the bus, you can drive yourself, take a taxi or town car, etc. Every so often I check into their website and the combination of their schedule and prices doesn't meet my needs so I use alternative forms of transportation to my cruise.

[Pam in CA]

So who can sleep the night before a cruise anyway? ;)

And here I thought I was the only one! Looks like I'm in good company. :)

 

I would LOVE to be able to take a touring bus to get to my cruise. For my November cruise, I'm looking at about 18 hours of flights plus hours before and during my connection in Munich from CA to Athens so a short bus ride sounds good to me.

 

Taking the bus is a very viable option and you have plenty of options on how and what time you get to the port. If you don't like it, don't do it. It's your choice.

[Plant]

from central Fl to FLL. They pick us up at 5am with 2 or 3 stops on the way. I figure we will get there between 10-11 am. Do they board our group when we arrive or do we have to stand around while the previous passengers disembark? Seems like they are penalizing us for taking the bus at $65 pp.

 

I'd be thrilled with this! I'd even pay twice as much :eek: .

 

Even though we fly into the port a day early we have to get up at "0 dark thirty" to get to our airport. Then we have to fly to DFW, hoping that our connecting flight hasn't been changed. If everything is running well, we still have to get through DFW and find our flight to FLL. When we get to FLL we have to call our hotel for a pick-up (this can take from 10 minutes to an hour and a half) and pay for a night in the hotel. We have to sign up for the hotel shuttle to the port. It may or may not come at a time we like (about 11:00 A.M.).

 

I'm thinking about moving to FL because so we can take the "bus" to our ship :) !

[S.S.Oceanlover]

I tink getting up at 4 am to stand in a parking lot waiting for a bus is a penalty. They could come at 8 and then we could just get on the ship.

 

And if the bus happens to breakdown and you miss the ship because you left later then you'd really be penalized.

 

Bill

[Lynda90]

I'll trade you my trip from PDX to FLL for an easy bus ride any day.

[donna5]

So, Is anyone forcing you to take the bus?