Copenhagen Transfer Times

[JimmyTheOne]

We have reservations for the BALTIC & FJORD combo cruise next August. Although the ship is scheduled to arrive at 8:00 am, when can we expect to disembark and how far is it to the airport. I saw someplace that Seabourn wants $90 for an airport transfer, is it that far from the dock? The flights we are looking at, ( DELTA & BA ), depart at about 11:00 am and we are concerned about booking a same day return flight given that it is sometimes after 9:00 am before the ship begins to offload passengers. We would rather not spend a night in Copenhagen and fly out the following day. We could, if we use BA, book a 2:00 pm flight and have an overnight in the hotel at heathrow before travelling on to San Francisco.

We would appreciate your opinions if you had a Copenhagen same day departure and also how long it took to checkin and go through the security inspections.

We sailed the fjords a few years ago on Seabourn when it was round trip London with an exciting departure and arrival through the Tower Bridge, and decided that once was not enough sailing through the beautiful Norwegian Fjords.

Thank you for any information you can give us.

Agnes and Jim

[dmb707]

Hi Agnes & JimAnswers to your questionsyes you can easily fly into Copenhagen the same day via Heathrow we did it in June, the transfer from the airport to the port cost us £35 inc a tip (in a mercedes GL which easily took all our luggage)We delayed getting off the ship and left at 8.30 and we stayed in Copenhagen in the centre and it was a 10 min trip.Try and make the 11 am flight out, no problems at the airport the only one is if you take the 2 pm BA flight you can not check in till 12 noon so lots of hanging around. From the port to the airport is no more than 45 mins and you can easily get off the ship prior to 8 am, i think we docked at 5.30 am.i will email you direct laterif you have any other questions please askregardsdeb

[dmb707]

sorry not sure what happened to the spacing etc on my last post, it has all come out together???

[Tivoli Cruiser]

$90 from Langelinje, where you dock, to Kastrup Airport is ridiculous. A cab (whick usually means a Mercedes E-class in Copenhagen) should not cost you more than $40. And the ride won't take more than 25 minutes.

 

Check-in is usually quite speedy (especially if you fly to Heathrow rather than straight to the US). The only bottleneck might be security, but this usually doesn't take more that five-ten minutes.

 

However, rather than take the 2 PM BA flight to Heathrow and overnight there, why not do this : Stay the night in Copenhagen (preferably at the very small and luxurious Nimb Hotel in Tivoli Gardens), and then fly out next morning on the first BA flight of the day with a same-day connection to SFO.

 

Jesper

[marazul]

Jim,

don't forget that if you stay at a hotel near Heathrow for the night you have to go through customs to get out and then through security the next day to check in. Double the nightmare scenario. We did it once and never again! A night in Copenhagen is a far better option with your flight to the US the next day.

[duct tape]

Whenever we have debarked in Copenhagen, there has been a paucity of taxis. The transfer is expensive but you know you will get there!

[diebroke]

In addition to the extra trip through customs & security mentioned by marazul, I would do almost anything to avoid staying at a Heathrow hotel.

[JaneBP]

Whenever we have debarked in Copenhagen, there has been a paucity of taxis. The transfer is expensive but you know you will get there!

 

So, if one is over-night in Copenhagen, it doesn't matter if there isn't a cab at the end of the gangway.

One can disembark leisurely after a lovely breakfast and then enjoy around the Tivoli Gardens instead of Heathrow security.

 

Glad to hear about Jimmy and Agnes' upcoming adventure!

[marazul]

Jim,

diebroke reminded me of the hotel. . .

 

We stayed at a Holiday Inn - the closest hotel to Heathrow - a couple of miles away. There is a shuttle bus that takes you to the hotels in the area (or taxis). The room and bed were fine and, because of the time, we ate at the hotel restaurant. Which was also ok, we were starving and just wanted to get to bed. I don't think there were any other restaurants around. We took the shuttle around 6 am back to Heathrow.

 

In sum, don't do it if you can help it. We had no choice because we had to rearrange our travel plans at the last minute. Follow JaneBP's advise and stay in Copenhagen.

 

Also, if you simply change planes in Heathrow (without the overnite), you may be in for a loooong walk, confusing directions, etc between the European terminal and the transatlantic terminal. It depends on which airlines you are using and whether the new terminal has brought any improvements to the connections.

 

marazul

[vjt]

I was just on a Copenhagen departure and return on Seabourn. The ride to the airport early in the morning is quick. I would say twenty-five minutes, max. I booked the expensive transfer because I had been told that taxis rarely come to the dock, and did not want to risk missing my flight (which was at 11:30). I fact there were plenty of taxis, and my prebooked transfer was just barely on time. I requested early departure at the concierge desk and kept my bags in the room, as instructed. The porters came at 7:45 to my suite, took my luggage and so I was even off the ship before eight, and waved on by customs.

 

I cannot imagine your having any problems making an 11 AM flight.

VJT

[dd@sea]

Marazul, thank you for the input on the Heathrow transfer. We are disembarking the Legend on October 18th and flying from Rome to Santa Barbara on our AA frequent flyer miles. We are forced into an overnight at Heathrow but have used our Marriott points at the Renissance Marriott Heathrow. I was hoping we could leave our luggage in lockup at Heathrow rather than carting them out of custom, to the hotel and then back through security. But I guess we can't do it. Because of the long walk at Heathrow, I will order wheelchair assistance for my sister who has some mobility/balance issues. Again, appreciate the information.

Deanna

[dd@sea]

Marazul, thank you for the input on the Heathrow transfer. We are disembarking the Legend on October 18th and flying from Rome to Santa Barbara on our AA frequent flyer miles. We are forced into an overnight at Heathrow but have used our Marriott points at the Renissance Marriott Heathrow. I was hoping we could leave our luggage in lockup at Heathrow rather than carting them out of custom, to the hotel and then back through security. But I guess we can't do it. Because of the long walk at Heathrow, I will order wheelchair assistance for my sister who has some mobility/balance issues. Again, appreciate the information.

Deanna

[Captain Canuck]

we docked in the rain...there was a long line for taxis as people were obviously using them more in town because of the rain...that being said I would still overnight in copenhagen...lots to see

[marazul]

Deanna,

 

happy to help. There probably is no time to change plans, but if you can, Gatwick is preferable to Heathrow. There are a Sheraton and a Meridien attached to the terminals, so you don't have to take shuttles, etc. You still have to go through customs, but you stay on the premises. Also, Gatwick is a much easier airport than Heathrow.

 

Also, if you do have enough time, after checking in the hotel, you can take the train to Victoria which runs every half hour. You would be in central London in a reasonable time so you can have a nice meal or go to the theater.

 

We have done it like that. Went to London to have dinner with a friend, back to Gatwick in the evening and a walk to the departure gate the next

morning. Regardless of how you do it, wheelchair assistance for your sister is indispensable in Heathrow and a good idea in Gatwick.

 

In Heathrow I don't know if it is possible to check your bags through to the next day's flight. If possible, that would make it easier for you. There is a Heathrow airport website that should have the regulations. Although I think that if you go through customs they would want you to have all your luggage with you. Your TA should be ale to find out for sure.

 

Good luck and safe trip!

M

[Bluewatercruizer]

Deanna,

 

Regardless of how you do it, wheelchair assistance for your sister is indispensable in Heathrow and a good idea in Gatwick.

 

Deanna and Marazul -- couldn't agree more on the wheelchair at Heathrow -- as I have had to use it myself. However, be warned that it is not always very reliable -- especially if you have a connecting flight. You might also consider asking for an electric cart to take you to the luggage carousel.

 

When I last arrived at Heathrow, there were no chairs waiting nor anyone there to call for them (7-8 people needed chairs). We were told to wait at the top of the ramp but after nearly an hour, I had to start walking due to my connection time (I was on a cane at that time and had rolling hand luggage and traveling solo).

 

I ended up flagging down a electric cart who very kindly took me to the bus to the other terminal and radioed ahead for a wheelchair. At the domestic terminal, they did have a wheelchair for me. Yes, I had all of this carefully pre-arranged through BA but let's just say Heathrow's response was a tad disappointing (except for that very nice cart-driver).

 

All that said, I made my connecting flight and my back eventually recovered from the hike (a little champagne is ever so helpful ;)) so all was well. Next time, I would check and double-check on the wheelchair request, and once on-board the plane I would make sure the purser or lead cabin attendent radios ahead for a wheelcair or cart--and then stay over and continue the next day.

 

Even now that I am pretty much off the cane, I still plan for PLENTY of time between connections and take advantage of executive lounges as their chairs are so much more comfortable and assistance more easily available. Also, flying business class, allows me to circumvent long security lines (standing for extended periods is a big problem for me).

 

When I cruise, I try to either fly direct to/from the port city or make any connections within US -- such as Lisbon which connects via Newark. Nothing against other airports (some of the best service ever was at Barcelona), I am simply more familiar with US airports as I travel on business quite frequently and generally know who to talk to at each major US airport if I need assistance.

 

Marga

[dd@sea]

Marga, thank you too for the info on wheelchair transfers. My TA has arranged it but I will have her to continue to recheck up to our departure. I am meeting with her next week to get our documents and have our document party - champagne and treats. I will at that time ask her to check overnight holds at the airport to avoid the baggage going through customs and to the hotel. Thank you again for your information - it certainly helps.

Deanna

[josephone]

Hello

We cruised in and out of Copenhagen on the Eurodam this past July and would strongly urge you to book with Seabourn to get to the airport. It was a busy port day and if you didn't have pre-booked transport, you stood in line for at least one hour, plus many taxis went to other ships. You were simply trapped.

We would also avoid Heathrow and recommend the convenient flight on Delta. It works very well with US connections.

Josephone

[JimmyTheOne]

Thank you all for your responses to my Question. From your advice it appears we would have enough time to catch the 11:00 am flights if we were to arrange to leave the ship about 8:00 am.

We had not heard about Seabourn canceling the Seabourn experiences, except for a few including "Caviar in the surf", and learned this from friends in Perth Australia who had received a memo from Seabourn to that effect last week. We have not received anything from Seabourn. Having just returned from a cruise from Singapore to Alexandria, we must say the two Seabourn Experiences we had were excellent and attended by almost everyone on board. At Dubai, the Bedouin B B Q in the desert with transportation by bus and by 4 wheel drive SUVs through the dunes was quite exciting. The other Bedouin campsite morning affair at Sharm el Sheikh, was also very good, food was provided by Seabourn.The outing included camel rides, dancers and a show by the whirling devrishes ??

I agree some of the previous caribbean experiences were not very good and were attended by only about half the passengers. We were looking forward to the trip to visit to the home of Edvard Grieg with tour and concert.

I have digressed a bit from Copenhagen transfer info but did want to say that although some Seabourn Experiences were not very entertaining, quite a few were excellent and most enjoyable.

Jim