Athens Disembarkation time

[tdsteele]

We (group of 12) are looking at a cruise in October that ends on 10/29 in Athens. We've been there before so we want to catch a flight back to the states that morning. The only flights back that get home on the same day are at 6:00 am and 9:30 am. The boat docks at 4am and Oceania says they'll somehow get us off the ship in time to make the 9:30 flight (airport is about an hour away). Last time I was there (also on Oceania), we didn't get off the ship until about 8am. Does anyone have any experience with this? Is customs there early enough that one could be off by 7am? Can they expidite us some how? Any information would be helpful before we commit to the cruise. Thank you.

[Aussie Gal]

We disembarked in Athens last year in May from the Nautica and we were off the ship by 8.30am. We were supposed to dock around 4am but when we awoke that morning, we were still sailing into Piraeus around 7am.

 

We discovered when we were in our taxi that there was a strike on (it was a strike about fuel prices) and there weren't a lot of taxis around plus the roads weren't as busy as they normally are at that time of the day - morning Peak Hour.

 

I would be very careful regarding early morning flights out of Athens as strikes can be called at the "drop of a hat" and you could easily miss your flight. Remember you need to be at the airport at least 2-3 hours before your flight and the traffic in Athens does not flow easily. The airport is also on the other side of Athens to the Port.

 

Jennie

[StanandJim]

Any information would be helpful before we commit to the cruise. Thank you.

TDSTEELE-

 

We were on the Regatta last year, with a group of 18, and were disembarking in Dover. The ship was scheduled to dock at 2am.

 

Six of our group had an 11AM flight from Heathrow which is about 75 miles from Dover, and they need to be at the airport (also on the other side of a major city -London), by 8AM.

 

On the last night of the cruise, we realized that they would be in good hands, when, rather than standard baggage tags, they were given "SPECIAL HANDLING" tags.

 

The landing arrangements that they received, indicated that they should be at the front desk by 5AM.

 

At 4AM, the front desk called their rooms to confirm that they were up (they were); and to confirm that their luggage had already been offloaded.

 

At 5AM they were at the front desk, and at 5:15 they were already in their car.

 

Although they loved the entire cruise, when we all returned home, they could not stop complimenting the Front Office Staff on the Regatta.

 

Although I do not claim that Oceania is perfect, I find that, paticularly when given adequate notice, they will move mountains to make you happy.

 

Happy Cruise~

[Paulchili]

StanandJim,

I don't doubt your story for a minute but Athens is not London.

Disembarkation can only happen after clearing customs - I doubt they would do that much before 7 or more likely 8 AM in Athens.

Be carefull unless O guarantees your departure through their air package. If you fly on your own - you will be on your own and probably SOL if you book a 9:30 flight.

[CintiPam]

A bit non-responsive in view of your original post, but for piece of mind, if you just add one overnight in Athens, all of you then will have the opportunity to visit the New Acropolis Museum, which is scheduled to open fully in March and has received blockbuster architectural raves. The bits we saw in September were spectacular.