What happens on arrival in Barbados, joining ship etc

Our Fred charter flight arrives in Grantley Adams airport and I've been told luggage is whisked away to the ship...we don't have to deal with it. Is that correct?

But do we as passengers have to go throgh passport control, immigration and customs before getting on a coach to be taken to the port?

What happens when we get to the port terminal please, how/when do we get out cards etc, will we have time to look at the shops and florists in the terminal, once we board the ship can we get off again before sailing?

Is there free internet at the cruise terminal, I know there is/was last time we were at the airport?

Your answers and experiences would be very helpful, thank you

Sandy in Spain

Our Fred charter flight arrives in Grantley Adams airport and I've been told luggage is whisked away to the ship...we don't have to deal with it. Is that correct?

 

But do we as passengers have to go throgh passport control, immigration and customs before getting on a coach to be taken to the port?

 

What happens when we get to the port terminal please, how/when do we get out cards etc, will we have time to look at the shops and florists in the terminal, once we board the ship can we get off again before sailing?

 

Is there free internet at the cruise terminal, I know there is/was last time we were at the airport?

 

Your answers and experiences would be very helpful, thank you

 

Sandy in Spain

Hi

You check your luggage in at the airport and it will be delivered to your cabin. You do not see it in between times.

When you land in Barbados you will leave the plane and go straight on to buses for transfer to ship. No immigration or passport control.

At the ship you will be checked in and have your photograph taken and given your ship's card. You are then free to come and go on and off the ship as you please.

I am not sure if the shopping mall at the cruise terminal building has free wifi as it was about 4 years since we were last in Barbados, so someone who has been there more recently can hopefully help.

I hope you have a great cruise.

Whatever worries you have, forget about them as everything will go seamlessly. Your bags will indeed be whisked away and will next appear outside your cabin door. Immigration is just a formality after which you will be

put on a coach to join the ship. Your hand luggage will be checked when you board the ship and you will have your photos taken and your pass card issued at the same time. I doubt you will have much time at the terminal to buy flowers and they may not allow them on the ship anyway. Barbados is probably the most expensive Caribbean island I've ever visited so consider that to be a good thing. You will have more chance to use the free WiFi if you are returning home from Barbados.

There will be a plane full of people obviously all arriving together. If like other cruises you have your photo taken and then given cruise card, afterwhich you have to joing a Looong queue up the gangway to board and perhaps have hand luggage screened again. I was a bit concerned about standing out in the sun queuing for quite a while. We have disembarked at Barbados quite a few times and had to be bussed from the ship to the terminal, presumably we'll be bussed from terminal to ship?

Sandy in Spain

Never queued in the sun with Fred or P and O.

Let me think, once we have queued in a hanger, wasn't too long if I remember.

In January we sat in the bus until they called us so there wasn't a long queue.

We have got off the ship after boarding but I think we boarded in the morning.

Jan it was very late when we got on.

I remember Jan we were using wi fi in one of the bars.

Have a good time.

The terminal building has free wifi and just outside is a bar that. The barman will give you the password, the bar one is much quicker as there's less people using it

...afterwhich you have to joing a Looong queue up the gangway to board and perhaps have hand luggage screened again. I was a bit concerned about standing out in the sun queuing for quite a while.

Never experienced a 'long queue' to board and certainly not standing out in the sun. Fred seem to have things pretty well sorted in that regard.

We were left sitting on the coach until the queue reduced. Certainly not in the sun. Everything went smoothly.

The terminal building has free wifi and just outside is a bar that. The barman will give you the password, the bar one is much quicker as there's less people using it

Thanks for the info. Is the bar the one on the right as you leave the terminal?

Sandy in Spain