Some Cunard charter advice needed

[Host Hattie]

I've just booked our first Cunard fly cruise leaving on a BA charter from Heathrow to Rome.

The Cunard documents recommend check in 3 hours before departure,. Does anyone have any recent experience of these flights. Is 3 hours necessary ? We've not travelled from Terminal 5 before either so I would be grateful for any advice.

 

Many Thanks

 

Kate

[Cruise Liner Fan]

I've just booked our first Cunard fly cruise leaving on a BA charter from Heathrow to Rome.

The Cunard documents recommend check in 3 hours before departure,. Does anyone have any recent experience of these flights. Is 3 hours necessary ? We've not travelled from Terminal 5 before either so I would be grateful for any advice.

 

Many Thanks

 

Kate

Kate if the airline travel from Heathrow to Rome is too much trouble as an alternative there is the train though to get to Rome from London on the train probably would require a transfer in Paris and would require longer travel time compared to the airlines. This is just a suggestion from me because I have not flown since 1970 when I was 11 years old. And I have not traveled on European trains since the year 1970 when my parents who emigrated to the USA from Italy in the Mid 1950s, took myself and my sisters on a trip to Italy. Regards,Jerry Edited October 9, 2013 by Cruise Liner Fan

[Host Hattie]

Thanks for taking the time to answer Jerry,

That's an interesting idea, we have travelled by train from London to Italy (only as far as the Ligurian Coast not to Rome) but it does take rather more time than we have on this occasion.

[capnpugwash]

I've just booked our first Cunard fly cruise leaving on a BA charter from Heathrow to Rome.

The Cunard documents recommend check in 3 hours before departure,. Does anyone have any recent experience of these flights. Is 3 hours necessary ? We've not travelled from Terminal 5 before either so I would be grateful for any advice.

 

Many Thanks

 

Kate

 

T5 is an easy place to navigate so I doubt that 3 hours is necessary BUT if BA say it is, then it might prove imprudent to ignore it. I would have thought that 2 hours would be plenty.

[Curlu]

T5 does require a shuttle train to get to some gates but I've always found I've had plenty of time. But I would always allow 3 hours so that I can enjoy the people watching and shopping the other side of security!

[Host Hattie]

Thanks both,

BA only say that you need to be "through" check-in 45 minutes before the flight leaves, BAA recommend 2 hours.

I don't mind a bit of people watching but as the flight is 8am I'd probably rather spend the extra hour in bed !

[Dancer Bob]

Probably the most relevant factor is "how reliable are your transportation arrangements to the airport?".

[Host Hattie]

We are staying overnight at a Heathrow hotel and then driving to the short stay car park, we are using a "Meet and Greet" parking service.

[Unleashedferret]

It's a european flight you only need to be there 2hrs before. 3hrs for long haul.

[Host Hattie]

Thanks, that's what the BAA website says but the Cunard documents say 3 hours. The flight is on Wednesday so I'll report back. (Hopefully from Rome !)

[Host Hattie]

I thought it might be useful to add some detail about our charter experience, in case others have any questions.

 

There were 2 BA charters from Heathrow that morning, we arrived at about 5.50 for a 8.00 flight, that was a little later than I'd planned but we'd missed the sign for the correct part of the car park in the morning mist !

It was easy to identify our queue from the luggage tags and the size of it. There were plenty of check-in desks open so it moved quite quickly. Once we were in Rome, we collected our luggage from the belt and then handed it over to Cunard staff in the baggage hall. We next saw it in our cabin. We were then led in groups out to waiting coaches and were quickly on our way to the ship. We were on board by 2pm, it did feel at times as if we were being herded like sheep but the whole process seemed quite efficient.

 

For the return, our luggage was taken straight from the ship to the airport to a "secure area" - the pavement outside the terminal. We had a 12.30 transfer from the ship so we left our hand luggage in Connexions and spent the morning in Venice before returned for a quick Lido lunch and our return home.

Check-in at Venice was a bit of a shambles, we got off relatively lightly but some people were stuck in the queue for some time after the luggage belts broke down.

[rog747]

glad you enjoyed yourselves.

 

always found the Cunard BA charters from T5 work very well, T5 is a delight.

 

3 hour check in if you wish but you are fine down til -60 (even -45 if something goes terribly wrong and you arrive very late)

 

BA are very helpful and not too bothered about hold and cabin bag sizes etc etc like the LoCo carriers and Thomsons.

 

you get 23 kgs on BA charter and afaik you may split that over more than one bag for the hold.

 

my only comment is that it is a pity that Cunard cannot get the bags taken straight to the ship from the charter plane at Rome and v.v...they said they are working on it...I think they do go straight to ship at Venice ?

[Azamazingal]

Thanks you two - that is very helpful.

 

We are on a Cunard/BA charter to Rome on 3rd December at 10.35am

More time in bed but more traffic on the road (we are driving in from Gloucestershire).

[rog747]

cool, if you need good valet parking at LHR and T5 is a dream to get to as it is just off m25 then i can highly recommend Pronto parking...very reasonable rates. much cheaper than anyone else for a valet service.

just turn up at short term car park level 4 row S and they meet you and take your car...same on return, brilliant

[Host Hattie]

Glad it was useful, have a great trip.