Fly Cruise to Athens and return from Rome

[Joline21]

This is our first fly cruise with Cunard and we are wondering how it is all organized. Our flight leaves from London at 12.50 and should arrive by approx 6.30pm Athens time. How long does it take to get to the Port and when do they do the Safety Drill? What time does the boat sale? We will miss dinner, are special arrangements made?. It all seems to be a bit rushed. Anyone done this before? Your comments would be gratefully received.

[capnpugwash]

This is our first fly cruise with Cunard and we are wondering how it is all organized. Our flight leaves from London at 12.50 and should arrive by approx 6.30pm Athens time. How long does it take to get to the Port and when do they do the Safety Drill? What time does the boat sale? We will miss dinner, are special arrangements made?. It all seems to be a bit rushed. Anyone done this before? Your comments would be gratefully received.

 

It does seem rushed, why did you book such a late flight? Can you contact Cunard Air department and rearrange?

[bluemarble]

This is our first fly cruise with Cunard and we are wondering how it is all organized. Our flight leaves from London at 12.50 and should arrive by approx 6.30pm Athens time. How long does it take to get to the Port and when do they do the Safety Drill? What time does the boat sale? We will miss dinner, are special arrangements made?. It all seems to be a bit rushed. Anyone done this before? Your comments would be gratefully received.

 

I can't speak to the details of how your fly cruise will be organized, but assuming you are on one of the QE voyages this year, it looks like your departure time from Piraeus is scheduled for 22:10. I agree with you and Capn' that does seem to be rushing things.

 

Regards,

John.

[Keith1010]

The drive from the airport to the port is about an hour.

 

The unknown is if your plane will actually take off on time.

 

I would never fly in that late.

 

Keith

[Joline21]

Thank you all for your replies. We have contacted our Agent and since found out that there is an earlier Cunard flight. It goes out very early but does get you to the ship at a more convenient time. It gives you enough time to go for a meal on arrival and then some time to unpack before Safety Drill. We have changed our flight to the earlier flight now. In answer to your comment Keith we are on a chartered flight with Cunard, so should there be a delay I presume the ship will wait for us. However, I feel a lot more relaxed about the journey knowing I arrive at a better time.

[KirkNC]

Thank you all for your replies. We have contacted our Agent and since found out that there is an earlier Cunard flight. It goes out very early but does get you to the ship at a more convenient time. It gives you enough time to go for a meal on arrival and then some time to unpack before Safety Drill. We have changed our flight to the earlier flight now. In answer to your comment Keith we are on a chartered flight with Cunard, so should there be a delay I presume the ship will wait for us. However, I feel a lot more relaxed about the journey knowing I arrive at a better time.

 

That's much better, no need to stress.

[Keith1010]

Joline21, that's much better. It will I've you more time to unpack and settle onto the ship. I am glad it worked out.

 

Keith

[Glenndale]

We've just booked this cruise and been allocated these flights, with no choice.

Flights and transfers are arranged by Cunard so no worries about being left behind but does anyone know whether special arrangements re dining are made in these circumstances?

Last minute cruise, so beggars can't be choosers :)

I assume we will have boat drill the next morning.

[balf]

Our flight is early from Manchester, so no problems there. However the return flight we were originally given was via Heathrow. Apart from hating Heathrow we didn't really fancy this so contacted Cunard who put us on a Triton charter flight direct. Not sure why they could not have offered this in the first place.

 

Incidently, there are threats of air traffic controllers strikes next week which will cause big problems Europe wide if they happen.

 

David.

[Glenndale]

We don't fly out until the 4th so hopefully the air traffic controllers will be back at work by then.

We have contacted our TA to see what can be done, maybe we could upgrade and move over to an earlier flight.

Anyway we will try tomorrow.

Our flight home is late too, does anyone know what Cunard do with guests leaving late?

In the good old days there would have been a day room organised at a hotel or a tour of the port and lunch before the airport, I am not expecting this now.

[balf]

We don't fly out until the 4th so hopefully the air traffic controllers will be back at work by then.

We have contacted our TA to see what can be done, maybe we could upgrade and move over to an earlier flight.

Anyway we will try tomorrow.

Our flight home is late too, does anyone know what Cunard do with guests leaving late?

In the good old days there would have been a day room organised at a hotel or a tour of the port and lunch before the airport, I am not expecting this now.

 

Are you flying and returning from/to Heathrow?

 

David.

[Glenndale]

Yes, on BA scheduled flights.

The outgoing Athens one has a poor time keeping record :(

[sweby]

Thank you all for your replies. We have contacted our Agent and since found out that there is an earlier Cunard flight. It goes out very early but does get you to the ship at a more convenient time. It gives you enough time to go for a meal on arrival and then some time to unpack before Safety Drill. We have changed our flight to the earlier flight now. In answer to your comment Keith we are on a chartered flight with Cunard, so should there be a delay I presume the ship will wait for us. However, I feel a lot more relaxed about the journey knowing I arrive at a better time.

 

Is that out of Manchester?

[LadyL1]

On our last Med fly/cruise (Rome to Venice) with a late departure, the first evening had open sitting in the Britannia Restaurant, regardless of your given time for the rest of the cruise.

I can't remember about lifeboat drill, they all seem to merge into one!

On departure we did not leave the ship until the afternoon leaving us time to go ashore in the morning.

Edited June 22, 2014 by LadyL1

[Glenndale]

On our last Med fly/cruise (Rome to Venice) with a late departure, the first evening had open sitting in the Britannia Restaurant, regardless of your given time for the rest of the cruise.

I can't remember about lifeboat drill, they all seem to merge into one!

On departure we did not leave the ship until the afternoon leaving us time to go ashore in the morning.

Thanks LadyL1, I've just spoken to our TA and there will be lots of Cunard passengers on the late flights and we will not be rushed off the ship but will stay on board until our transfer to the airport.

[Lynnewob]

Hi Glenndale

 

You may remember me from our Baltic Cruise on the QV in September.

 

Just to let you know that I've persuaded my boss to try Cunard for the first time and he's on board on 11 July for a week on the QE.

 

His flights are scheduled from LHR on BA departing on the 11th to Athens at 1210 and returning from Rome on the 18 at 1725. If these are the same as yours, then they are Cunard flights and if they are cancelled or late, Cunard will make the necessary arrangements to rebook to get everyone to the ship on time.

 

I hope you have a good time on this trip, it looks nice, especially Santorini.

 

and, if you see anyone who looks a little like an older Ricky Gervais on board, that'll me my boss!

 

Lynne

Edited June 23, 2014 by Lynnewob

[Glenndale]

Hello Lynnewob, Yes of course I remember you :)

We've just fitted this in as a little extra cruise before the schools break up and we're commandeered into child sitting for my grandchildren.:eek:

Not being content with a week, we've booked a fortnight.

We fly out on the 4th at 12:50 arriving into Athens around 18:25 and we leave Rome at 18:45 arriving back into Heathrow at 20:20.

These flights and transfers are all arranged by Cunard and I have been assured by my TA we won't be disembarked first thing and dumped at the airport.

It's been a while since I did a fly cruise with Cunard (over 10 years) and I remember being given included excursions before embarking in Istanbul and after leaving the ship in Genoa.

So all sorted now, just some currency to buy and then onto the packing :)

If I see 'Ricky' on board I'll say hello. Have you inducted him into CC?

[Lynnewob]

Hi Glenndale

 

It looks like similar timings on the outbound LHR-ATH leg when Cunard will just take you straight to the ship. I know it doesn't depart until late but I also wondered about the safety drill and when that would take place as I understand it must happen before the ship sails. Dining on the first night might be a challenge too.

 

Their return leg is slightly earlier than yours from FCO-LHR but I still think it's quite late and I do wonder what they will do with everyone. The last time we returned from FCO, we were on the 1.30pm which was ideal. It is a distance from Civ to the airport though so you may be off by lunchtime - I do hope they let you roam the ship for food/drink/sun rather than pen everyone into a specific area.

 

My boss is so looking forward to this trip but his wife isn't sure she'll like cruising as she's more of a hiking outdoorsy person so I do hope it goes well. I'll warn him that you will say hello if you see him so he won't be surprised (his name is Guy - although he has been called Ricky several times!). I definitely wouldn't get him on CC as it's just not his thing - he's more into cars (classic and new) and university rowing.

 

Have a great time - not long for you now. Hope to bump into you on future cruises.

 

Lynne

[Host Hattie]

We had an afternoon flight back from Venice last year - I think we left the ship about 1.30.

We had to be out of our cabins at normal time but Cunard stored our hand luggage and we went for a wander round and then came back to the ship for lunch before the transfer to the airport.

[Salacia]

We've just booked this cruise and been allocated these flights, with no choice.

Flights and transfers are arranged by Cunard so no worries about being left behind but does anyone know whether special arrangements re dining are made in these circumstances?

Last minute cruise, so beggars can't be choosers :)

I assume we will have boat drill the next morning.

 

Regarding the boat drill: I remember that a few years ago on QM2 there was a second drill on the day after the ship left port for those who were late in boarding on the day of departure. But I believe that has changed, and late boarding passengers will need to attend the second drill before the ship leaves port. No drill is offered the day after after sailing; passenger are required to attend Muster Drill prior to the ship leaving port. Correction welcomed. -S.

[balf]

Regarding the boat drill: I remember that a few years ago on QM2 there was a second drill on the day after the ship left port for those who were late in boarding on the day of departure. But I believe that has changed, and late boarding passengers will need to attend the second drill before the ship leaves port. No drill is offered the day after after sailing; passenger are required to attend Muster Drill prior to the ship leaving port. Correction welcomed. -S.

 

Yes this was changed after Concordia.

 

David.