How does DCL transportation work from pier to airport?

[fredandkell]

We have never used ship transfers before - this will be our first time. How does it work from ship to airport at the end? Is it based on your flight time, and thus those with a later flight time will disembark later? This will be in Barcelona btw. Thanks!

 

[Marc D]

You are given a disembark group based on your flight information. In PC, they are only used to find your luggage in the terminal. You can disembark when you want. Sometimes, in Europe, they call groups to disembark. In CPH, when our group was called, they were still unloading luggage for other groups. Once you are out of the ship with luggage in hand, you follow directions to the airport bus and hop on. You do not have a specific bus to catch. Once one is filled up, it leaves.

 

[fredandkell]

Thanks! We will be flying to Switzerland from Barcelona and they only have a 9:45am or 2:30pm flight so I imagine we will have to do the 2:30pm one. I didn't want to be herded off the ship at the crack of dawn only to sit at the airport all day. But if we can spend a leisurely morning on the ship and get off at the last minute, it sounds like there would still be a bus waiting for us?

 

[mmouse37]

They want everyone off the ship by 9:30 (and out of your cabin by 8:00 am) the latest so it is a busy morning onboard. You can either have breakfast up in Cabanas or have it the MDR where you had dinner the night before. If you had main seating all week you would go to the early breakfast, if you had late dining you would go to the later seating.

If you put your bags out the night before you will find them once you leave the ship. If you are walking off with them you would head right to the bus.

MJ

 

[Jason Martin]

Just got back from Barcelona two weeks ago. Easiest Debarkation of any cruise and I have been on 25 on a variety of lines.

I believe they ask folks to see guest services if there is a flight before 10:30 or 11 that you are booked on
Express walk off begins around 6:30 which is good because flights to EWR/MIA/JFK leave at 11 or earlier.
If you are early seating you will have breakfast in your last nights restaurant at 6:45 or 7:00.
Late seating dinner your breakfast is 8:00 or 8:15.
We were early seating, got to breakfast at 7, got off the ship at 7:40. All luggage was already in the terminal. Didn't have to go through any customs or immigration. Walked out the door, found the cab line which was 100 feet away, hoped in. At the airport by 8:30 - flat rate of 39 EUR for cab....don't waste your money on the ship transfer.

I see you have already booked your transfer, I would not assume you could keep it and make the earlier flight to Switzerland. You might have a shot if you take a cab and do express walk off.

 

[fredandkell]

Just got back from Barcelona two weeks ago. Easiest Debarkation of any cruise and I have been on 25 on a variety of lines.

I believe they ask folks to see guest services if there is a flight before 10:30 or 11 that you are booked on
Express walk off begins around 6:30 which is good because flights to EWR/MIA/JFK leave at 11 or earlier.
If you are early seating you will have breakfast in your last nights restaurant at 6:45 or 7:00.
Late seating dinner your breakfast is 8:00 or 8:15.
We were early seating, got to breakfast at 7, got off the ship at 7:40. All luggage was already in the terminal. Didn't have to go through any customs or immigration. Walked out the door, found the cab line which was 100 feet away, hoped in. At the airport by 8:30 - flat rate of 39 EUR for cab....don't waste your money on the ship transfer.

I see you have already booked your transfer, I would not assume you could keep it and make the earlier flight to Switzerland. You might have a shot if you take a cab and do express walk off.

Normally we travel on our own and do not use ship's transfers. We switched from the 9/23 rerouted Fantasy to Europe next summer and the cruise was $700ish cheaper. DCL would not refund the money so our travel agent got them to throw in prepaid gratuities and transfers as a way to make up some of the difference. We are flying in the day before so we can't use the transfer on the way in (unless we go back to the airport the morning of the cruise) so we were really only going to be able to use the transfers on the way out.

When you say all luggage was already in the terminal and you didn't have to go thru customs/immigration - you are referring to cruise terminal and cruise customs, correct, not the airport?

Also, how were security lines and ease of getting through Barcelona airport? I'm wondering if we got off the ship right at 6:30 am (gah) and took a cab if that would give us enough time for a 9:45 flight. We will be traveling with an 8-year old and 11-year old so that does slow things down a bit.

So it sounds like the last bus might leave at 10:00ish? If everyone has to be off by 9:30?

 

[Jason Martin]

Normally we travel on our own and do not use ship's transfers. We switched from the 9/23 rerouted Fantasy to Europe next summer and the cruise was $700ish cheaper. DCL would not refund the money so our travel agent got them to throw in prepaid gratuities and transfers as a way to make up some of the difference. We are flying in the day before so we can't use the transfer on the way in (unless we go back to the airport the morning of the cruise) so we were really only going to be able to use the transfers on the way out.

When you say all luggage was already in the terminal and you didn't have to go thru customs/immigration - you are referring to cruise terminal and cruise customs, correct, not the airport?

Also, how were security lines and ease of getting through Barcelona airport? I'm wondering if we got off the ship right at 6:30 am (gah) and took a cab if that would give us enough time for a 9:45 flight. We will be traveling with an 8-year old and 11-year old so that does slow things down a bit.

So it sounds like the last bus might leave at 10:00ish? If everyone has to be off by 9:30?

Good questions - first we came in two days before and booked a room at the Hilton Diagonal Mar which is one of the Disney preferred hotels (though we found a better rate on line). They offered a shuttle at 30 EUR per person including baggage service. In addition they offer a pre cruise excursion to Monserrat at 60 EUR per person with port drop off. Also a cab cost 24 EUR including gratuity from hotel to port. - this is just an FYI

You might make the flight if everything goes well - assuming ship is not delayed. Took us about 30 minutes to get to the airport. We had to wait until 3 hours before the flight to check in - flew back on AA which there were about 6 flights going with wide body jets - so pretty long check in process. Security itself took about 20 minutes, and then it was about 20 minutes walk to the gate.

No customs at the cruise terminal, scanned KTW card getting off the ship and then we walked out, that was it. At the airport - standard airport security and then by our gate the US flights were at the far end of the terminal with a separate barrier and then passport control before our gate.

 

[BruinEd03]

Normally we travel on our own and do not use ship's transfers. We switched from the 9/23 rerouted Fantasy to Europe next summer and the cruise was $700ish cheaper. DCL would not refund the money so our travel agent got them to throw in prepaid gratuities and transfers as a way to make up some of the difference. We are flying in the day before so we can't use the transfer on the way in (unless we go back to the airport the morning of the cruise) so we were really only going to be able to use the transfers on the way out.

When you say all luggage was already in the terminal and you didn't have to go thru customs/immigration - you are referring to cruise terminal and cruise customs, correct, not the airport?

Also, how were security lines and ease of getting through Barcelona airport? I'm wondering if we got off the ship right at 6:30 am (gah) and took a cab if that would give us enough time for a 9:45 flight. We will be traveling with an 8-year old and 11-year old so that does slow things down a bit.

So it sounds like the last bus might leave at 10:00ish? If everyone has to be off by 9:30?

Just my thoughts as I haven't been on that itinerary before.

You may make it on time. However, if it were me, I wouldn't do a 9:45 a.m. flight. If you are flying from Europe to the U.S., don't forget you may have to clear additional security. In addition, you will most likely have to check in bags (and there could be a long line). Also, my guess is that you won't be super familiar with the airport and where to go. Then there's the fact that the ship could be held up. Even with a U.S. port, if the ship is delayed for any reason (they have difficulty clearing customs, there's another ship taking its time to dock, etc.), you'll most likely miss your flight. Getting the "next" flight may not be as easy as in the U.S.