Own flights - Celebrity transfer?

Hi all,

Just got back from a fantastic cruise (our first) on Reflection round the Eastern Med. Now looking to book another one.

I'm finding that the prices shown on the website look quite reasonable until you add on airfare... I know that the Cruise line have to take a bit of a punt with the Airfare pricing as the airlines themselves will not yet have published prices so far in advance - so there is an element of risk in the price to cover the Cruise line BUT.... the airfares do seem to be a lot more than if you were to find your own fares... For example, I just looked at flights to Fort Lauderdale and can find them for around £600 whereas Celebrity are looking at over £900.

So, I'm considering booking my own flights - still weighing up the benefits and the risks of doing so.

Anyway - to get to the question... If we were to book our own flights, would we also be able to book a Celebrity transfer from the airport to the Ship ? We were so impressed with the way the whole transfer was dealt with this time that anything else just seems second rate these days :-)

Yes, even though you arrange your own flights - you can still purchase transfers but as far as I know they only operate the day of the ship sailing.

I am not quite sure if you can.

Due to some error Celebrity booked our flights the day before the cruise was to start.

After a discussion with my husband, we decided to keep the earlier flight and book a hotel in Venice for an extra night prior to the cruise.

Even though everything was booked through Celebrity ( like you, on our last X cruise the process was so fabulously easy) , and they confirmed it was their mistake, they told us we could not join the transfer and would have to find our own way to the ship .

To be honest for us it would have been pointless to join the transfer as it would involve us having to make our way back to the airport anyway, but I wanted to check our options anyway.

I would definitely phone them and find out.

We always book our own flights and prefer to use Celebrity transfers so I know from past experience you can. We live in the U.K. so if sailing out of the U.S we prefer not to take any chances and travel 1 day earlier. That is where purchasing transfers becomes difficult as you would then have to pick up the transfer at the airport - when that happens we make our own travel arrangements to the port.

To sum up if you want to book your own flights & are landing the same day as departure then YES there is no problem in booking a Celebrity transfer to the ship.

Often times the transfers through X are on large buses where you have to wait until most of the seats are filled before leaving the airport for the ship. Cost is generally more than you would pay for a taxi. If you are leaving on a cruise from Ft Lauderdale and flying into that city, it is very convenient to get a taxi to the port. Flying into Miami adds to the time and cost but is still very doable. Be sure to check airfare to Miami and search for a pre arranged shuttle service to Ft Lauderdale when comparing prices.

As of now Celebrity uses the Port Of Miami, and cab, shuttle, limo, car, or transfer are very easy from the Miami airport to the ship. Even if you fly into FLL it is only a 21 mile ride to the port.

We always book our own flights and prefer to use Celebrity transfers so I know from past experience you can. We live in the U.K. so if sailing out of the U.S we prefer not to take any chances and travel 1 day earlier. That is where purchasing transfers becomes difficult as you would then have to pick up the transfer at the airport - when that happens we make our own travel arrangements to the port.

To sum up if you want to book your own flights & are landing the same day as departure then YES there is no problem in booking a Celebrity transfer to the ship.

Most flights from the UK involve a night stay at a Hotel - We book flights separately and previously booked the same Hotel as RCL/Celebrity [better rooms] and then the Cruise Line transfers as separate items - Problem solved?

We have done this many times (although not a X cruise). If you book your stopover hotel in Ft. Lauderdale or Miami thru Celebrity, there is often a free shuttle to the hotel from the airport and a free shuttle from the hotel to the pier. Have done this in Ft Lauderdale thru Princess Cruises. You can also check out the hotels on-line, see their transfer policies, and book direct. Have done this also with no worries about getting to or from.

Just to clarify .. when looking at booking your flight with the cruise are you using Celebrity's ChoiceAir? If so, I am surprised that you are not getting good pricing. We have a one way booked to Rome (6 days pre cruise) and got great pricing.

Flying from the UK to start a cruise from Miami involves a pre-cruise night in a hotel as flights arrive too late to go directly to the ship. Even doing the cruiseline transfer you'll need to take your own bags to the hotel , unlike same day flights in the Med where after giving them to porters at the airport you next see them in your cabin. We prefer to book a hotel through Price line then taxi to hotel, and taxi from hotel to port. Much easier than waiting around for coaches to fill.

You can get the transfer to the ship from the airport, but you can't get the transfer from the hotel to the ship unless you booked the hotel though the cruiseline. That's been my experience. You can always get the transfer from the ship to the airport after the cruise.

most hotels in FLL and MIA offer either free or low-priced transfers from the airport to the hotel and from the hotel to the pier. The airport is the same exit on the highway as the pier so cost is minimal if you take a taxi. MIA is a bit further from the port but also not very expensive should you decide to take a taxi. Honestly, private transfers or taxi are much preferred over paying outrageous prices for celebrity transfers- especially since a taxi price is per taxi not per person and celebrity transfers are per person

For our Med' cruise next month we decided to book the flights with Celebrity. It was just too much hassle to book two hotel rooms near Rome's airport the day before then sort out a transfer for the 75 minute ride to the port.

For the additional cost I have (I hope) peace of mind we'll get to the ship before it leaves!

Now if it were leaving from Barcelona that's a different matter completely. Independent bookings would be a no brainer.

Alright, I don't mean to hijack, but I have a related question. I leave on the Eclipse next week from Southampton. I am flying into London heathrow the day before and staying at an airport hotel. I called to book Celebrity transfers to and from the ship (I am solo this trip so didn't want to mess with finding my own transport). The Celebrity rep booked the return transfer but told me I would have to pick up the Celebrity transfer to the ship at the airport the day of. She could not pre-book it for mne since I am arriving a day earlier. She said I shouldn't have a problem showing up in the morning and buying the transfer right then. Does anyone have experience with this?

Maybe it's just me but the few times I took a cruise line transfer I found it to be disappointing in one way or another. I've only done this on our first couple of cruises years ago and the few times over the years when transfers were included already. All the other times we've either prearranged our own transportation or just taken a taxi and we've always found the prices to be less than what the cruise line charges.

I'd recommend checking out transfer recommendations and experiences in the Port of Call, or Departures, forums - depending on your port of embarkation.

I always fly on points (i.e. on my own flights), and as long as I'm not in FLL, I usually use Celebrity's transfers. They work quite well.

But, as previously mentioned, if you arrive a day or more prior to the sailing, you will only be able to get the Celebrity transfer at the arrival airport. That could be more hassle than it's worth.

In FLL, I take a cab to and from the airport to beat the lineups.

Marc

A cab from the airport to the port in Fort Lauderdale was around $25 including tip when we did it last year. Easy to get a cab and more reasonable than a transfer if there is more than one person.

I am not sure of the costs in Miami.

Sheila

Just to clarify .. when looking at booking your flight with the cruise are you using Celebrity's ChoiceAir? If so, I am surprised that you are not getting good pricing. We have a one way booked to Rome (6 days pre cruise) and got great pricing.

We too used ChoiceAir for one way booking from Amsterdam, and the fare was hundreds and hundreds less than anything we found online ourselves.

Alright, I don't mean to hijack, but I have a related question. I leave on the Eclipse next week from Southampton. I am flying into London heathrow the day before and staying at an airport hotel. I called to book Celebrity transfers to and from the ship (I am solo this trip so didn't want to mess with finding my own transport). The Celebrity rep booked the return transfer but told me I would have to pick up the Celebrity transfer to the ship at the airport the day of. She could not pre-book it for mne since I am arriving a day earlier. She said I shouldn't have a problem showing up in the morning and buying the transfer right then. Does anyone have experience with this?

This seems highly unlikely. I recommend you call back and speak to another Celebrity employee.

Also, somebody several posts back thinks Celebrity goes out of the Port of Miami. Some ships do but others go out of Port Everglades (aka Ft. Lauderdale).

Ft. Lauderdale airport is much nicer than Miami but I doubt it has the international service you might need.

Have great trips, everybody!

Alright, I don't mean to hijack, but I have a related question. I leave on the Eclipse next week from Southampton. I am flying into London heathrow the day before and staying at an airport hotel. I called to book Celebrity transfers to and from the ship (I am solo this trip so didn't want to mess with finding my own transport). The Celebrity rep booked the return transfer but told me I would have to pick up the Celebrity transfer to the ship at the airport the day of. She could not pre-book it for mne since I am arriving a day earlier. She said I shouldn't have a problem showing up in the morning and buying the transfer right then. Does anyone have experience with this?

Yes, This is exactly the procedure that we used when we flew into our embarkation port a few days earlier than the ship's date of departure. Because our flight wasn't on the same day, the rep told us to just appear at the baggage claim area of the airport and look for the Celebrity representative and let them know that we needed a transfer to the ship. I was, understandably, a bit skeptical. What was amazing to me is that the transfer cost was the first charge to our SeaPass account! I thought that they would probably want a credit card, but all they wanted were our names and to see our XPress Pass. It was so easy! Perfect start to our vacation.

Yes, This is exactly the procedure that we used when we flew into our embarkation port a few days earlier than the ship's date of departure. Because our flight wasn't on the same day, the rep told us to just appear at the baggage claim area of the airport and look for the Celebrity representative and let them know that we needed a transfer to the ship. I was, understandably, a bit skeptical. What was amazing to me is that the transfer cost was the first charge to our SeaPass account! I thought that they would probably want a credit card, but all they wanted were our names and to see our XPress Pass. It was so easy! Perfect start to our vacation.

I'm glad I was wrong!

Gotta love Cruise Critic. Thank you, Member123, and I hope Tiggerman101 comes ack to find your reply!

I guess I'm not quite sure why someone who arrives a day or two early would go back to the airport to take the ships shuttle when it would almost certainly be cheaper to just take a taxi direct to the ship from hotel? Maybe if solo it would be a wash, but for 2 or more it would almost always be cheaper to do on your own??

Especially in Florida.

Yes, This is exactly the procedure that we used when we flew into our embarkation port a few days earlier than the ship's date of departure. Because our flight wasn't on the same day, the rep told us to just appear at the baggage claim area of the airport and look for the Celebrity representative and let them know that we needed a transfer to the ship. I was, understandably, a bit skeptical. What was amazing to me is that the transfer cost was the first charge to our SeaPass account! I thought that they would probably want a credit card, but all they wanted were our names and to see our XPress Pass. It was so easy! Perfect start to our vacation.

That is so great to hear. I was a little skeptical. As I said, I am coming solo from the states so I just didn't want to mess with transport for just me. I figured the Celebrity transfer would suffice this time.

I'm glad I was wrong!

 

Gotta love Cruise Critic. Thank you, Member123, and I hope Tiggerman101 comes ack to find your reply!

yes, thank you both. No matter how much I cruise I still have questions!

That is so great to hear. I was a little skeptical. As I said, I am coming solo from the states so I just didn't want to mess with transport for just me. I figured the Celebrity transfer would suffice this time.

Tiggerman, you are exactly the one for whom the =X= transfer makes perfect sense. I'm glad you helped Dodger1964 understand.

Have a fabulous time!

I guess I'm not quite sure why someone who arrives a day or two early would go back to the airport to take the ships shuttle when it would almost certainly be cheaper to just take a taxi direct to the ship from hotel? Maybe if solo it would be a wash, but for 2 or more it would almost always be cheaper to do on your own??

 

 

Especially in Florida.

Just to chat with you a bit about this idea. Your postscript comment... especially in Florida... is quite obvious. There are times when taking the Celebrity transfer makes no sense, but additionally there are times when Celebrity transfers make the most sense.

Case in point: flying into San Diego and having the Celebrity transfer to get you to Ensenada. Trust me, you WANT Celebrity to handle this transportation for you and, if you think that you have to fly in on the same day in order to get the transfer, it's nice to know that you don't.

Another case in point: staying at an airport hotel. Believe it or not, the transfer that we took was when we stayed in New Jersey and had to get to Bayonne. The taxis going to Bayonne are all metered, which means that you can be stuck in a very long, winding traffic mess to get into the port. I wanted to have a secure transportation cost that didn't rely on the metered taxi, but the shuttles to the port were much, much higher than the Celebrity transfer cost. You do have to check rather than assume that Celebrity is always out to get more money.

And a final case in point. Traveling alone. Celebrity transfers just give you that additional feeling of being looked after.

To the OP. I'm glad that you returned to the thread and got the information! It was such a simple thing to do. My advice to you is to call Celebrity and find out two things: when do they cut off the transfer time? In other words, what is the last flight of the day that they will allow you to make a transfer booking. And, what is the earliest flight of the day that they will schedule a transfer booking? That way, you know when someone will be being met by the Celebrity representative. Just look for the person in baggage claim who has the Celebrity sign (=X=) you really can't miss it... and a clipboard. They will be checking people in from their flights. When we talked with the representative, he told us that we would have about a 15-minute wait... no problem. When the people arrived for their transfer, we were loaded up and on our way.

I hope that your experience is as good. Just plan on being in baggage claim slightly before the first scheduled transfer time and you'll be on the ship, enjoying your complementary boarding beverage in no time!