Quickest way to exit ship to catch flight?

[pzbz]

We are on the Silhouette in August returning to Amsterdam. On a side note this disembarking is at the Marine Terminal closer to the airport due to the Tall Ships event going on in Amsterdam port.

My question is how do I exit the ship as quickly as possible to catch my 10 am flight? We dock at 6 am. I am Concierge class.

Is it faster to be picked up by a private taxi (I have already booked)..or would it be better to go with Celebrity transfer to the airport?

Should I self disembark go through the customs and catch my taxi?

My thinking is that self disembarking is faster because I will have my bags with me...I keep reading stories of a mess at the airport when folks are dropped off by the coach transfer and they are trying to find their bags.

How long should I be realistically be allowing for the disembarking process???

Thank you

[ClaudiaB]

Self-disembark but don't go down when they tell you to. Line up about an hour ahead of that time to make sure you actually ARE one of the first out.

Customs can slow things down, though, but it's always worked well for us. The ship will arrive supposedly at 6 but people can't get off for a bit. Just sign up for the self-disembark and ignore the time given. If you go down then, you could possibly be 100 in line! The "secret" is out.

 

We typically don't take a shuttle - we get a taxi with just us so there is no loading and unloading other people and their luggage.

[ClaudiaB]

If you do a shuttle with others you'll be waiting till everyone is there, etc. etc. and fitting in the luggage. Assuming the ship is on time and there are no hang-ups at customs, and the airport isn't too far away, you should be ok, but I'd have a contingency just in case. If it's an international flight you are cutting is very very close.

[rvmike]

We are also on that cruise and have the Celebrity transfer. If we are late won't be my problem and an extra day in Amsterdam will be nice.

 

Nike

[alcpa1]

Your 10 a.m. flight is risky.

You have no choice but to self disembark. You must be able to handle your luggage on stairs as well. Elevators are often full.

In order to facilitate your disembarkation, and, in addition to ClauiaB's suggestions, here are a few of my recommendations. Check in on line. Even if it costs a few dollars to use the ship's internet do so paying any baggage fees and double checking your seat assignments.

Have all of your paperwork complete and correct. Keep all of your receipts handy, preferably near your passport.

Do not take the X shuttle. It will only delay any time you have gained by self disembarkation. Often they also make one airport drop which may not be near your airline's check in.

Be aware of changing security procedures. Check the Schiphol website. They have recently instituted new security checkpoints. If you have not been in this airport before familiarize yourself with a terminal map. This airport also has several security checkpoints with the final one in a holding area at your gate.

Have a wonderful cruise. If you have all your ducks in a row you increase your chances of making your flight.

[pzbz]

Your 10 a.m. flight is risky.

You have no choice but to self disembark. You must be able to handle your luggage on stairs as well. Elevators are often full.

In order to facilitate your disembarkation, and, in addition to ClauiaB's suggestions, here are a few of my recommendations. Check in on line. Even if it costs a few dollars to use the ship's internet do so paying any baggage fees and double checking your seat assignments.

Have all of your paperwork complete and correct. Keep all of your receipts handy, preferably near your passport.

Do not take the X shuttle. It will only delay any time you have gained by self disembarkation. Often they also make one airport drop which may not be near your airline's check in.

Be aware of changing security procedures. Check the Schiphol website. They have recently instituted new security checkpoints. If you have not been in this airport before familiarize yourself with a terminal map. This airport also has several security checkpoints with the final one in a holding area at your gate.

Have a wonderful cruise. If you have all your ducks in a row you increase your chances of making your flight.

Yes, thank you, I have got a print out of the airport and do plan on checking in on line while on the ship! I am aware of the central security check in at Schiphol and so I am trying to be organized and will certainly try and be first off the ship by getting in line early. My taxi driver will be waiting!!!

Thank you for your ideas!!!

[need2cruisesoon]

If you do a shuttle with others you'll be waiting till everyone is there, etc. etc. and fitting in the luggage. Assuming the ship is on time and there are no hang-ups at customs, and the airport isn't too far away, you should be ok, but I'd have a contingency just in case. If it's an international flight you are cutting is very very close.

 

Seems to me that taking the Celebrity transfer would be an advantage over the taxi as Celebrity knows your flight and would able to put you first to disembark? Correct?

And I agree with your point of having a back up plan if you miss the flight back to the west coast. Also remember that if your flight is 10am the gate closes the boarding time 15-20 prior to the scheduled depart, meaning you need to be at the gate no later than 9:45am. Just food for thought.

Edited June 29, 2015 by need2cruisesoon

[CathyCruises]

Just an FYI, we had about half an hour wait for a taxi when disembarking in Amsterdam.

 

I think a private prebooked taxi would be MUCH faster than a celebrity bus, which will wait until it's full before departing. If you book a flight that's earlier than the recommended time, they won't guarantee getting you to the airport anyway.

[jelayne]

Absolutely would not take the Celebrity transfer. They leave only when the bus is full or almost full. While they attempt to get those with early flights on the first bus, customs delays can result in a wait to fill the bus. With a taxi once you are through customs you can leave without delay.

[CathyCruises]

Absolutely would not take the Celebrity transfer. They leave only when the bus is full or almost full. While they attempt to get those with early flights on the first bus, customs delays can result in a wait to fill the bus. With a taxi once you are through customs you can leave without delay.

 

We had no customs to go through in AMS last month.

[I-Cruiser]

You should also check with your airline but some do require you to be checked in 3 hrs before departure for intercontinental flights.

 

Boarding for intercontinental flights normally starts 1 hr before departure.

 

Also during European vacation months the AMS (Schipol) website says to allow even more time as they expect waiting times to be longer as it is busier.

 

 

Of course, it helps if you fly business/first or are a higher end frequent flyer as you benefit from express lines at check in/security/passport control.

 

But the quickest way to exit the ship is self disembarkation, line up as soon as the ship is scheduled to dock, have a taxi booked and call them 30 minutes before to make sure they are on their way/at the pier.

Edited June 29, 2015 by I-Cruiser

[Beanb41]

We are also on that cruise and have the Celebrity transfer. If we are late won't be my problem and an extra day in Amsterdam will be nice.

 

Nike

 

We have a flight from Sydney Australia back to NZ three hours after the ship is due to berth ( 6.30 am). If we would use the Celebrity Shuttle we couldn't have a flight before 1.00pm. As long as we are off the ship by 7.30 am we will have plenty of time to catch our flight. Checkin for trans tasman flights is only 90 minutes before departure. Train from terminal to airport is 20 mins. We will be lined up at the gangway ready to go as soon as we are allowed. Customs aren't a problem as we clear immigration before we berth.

[tinaperth]

To avoid the lift being full problem you just get one going up and then come down with it, that is what we did when we self-embarked. We called guest services first to find out which floor they were leaving from and then caught the lift up then went down. We did this in Amsterdam and used Tinder for our transport, no problems. Cheers

[flames9]

Question regarding the celebrity Transfer shuttle......if u book that route and u miss ur flight..are u covered? As in Celebrity is going to put u up in a hotel and pay any fees to get u on the next flight if there are any??

[pzbz]

We had no customs to go through in AMS last month.

 

So, when we disembark in Amsterdam do we have to go through customs or does the ship get cleared and we just get off and get to our taxi??

[PaulaW]

So, when we disembark in Amsterdam do we have to go through customs or does the ship get cleared and we just get off and get to our taxi??

 

If your previous port is in the EU (which I am guessing it is) there will be no customs to go through. I disembarked the Silhouette last week in Amsterdam and there were no delays and no customs at the cruise terminal. The problem was at the airport. Be prepared for lots and lots of crowds and delays. It took me nearly 2 hours just to get checked in, drop my bag, go through security before finally making it to the gate.

 

And definitely do self-debark and have a private driver waiting for you!

 

Good luck!

[CathyCruises]

So, when we disembark in Amsterdam do we have to go through customs or does the ship get cleared and we just get off and get to our taxi??

 

All I can report is what happened to us. We just walked off the ship, collected our luggage and waited in a long line for a taxi. This has been the same procedure no matter where we disembark in Europe. No customs/immigration at any port that we have been to.

[Wine-O]

When we departed the ship in Amsterdam last May, we were selected for a random check where our luggage was sent thru some sort of x-ray machine in the terminal. No real delay as it only took a minute or so.

 

I would be concerned with the private transfer to the airport -- ours was not on time.

[SuzieQ1944]

We just returned last Sunday - we did take the Celebrity shuttle, in addition to their travel insurance; this way we were covered just in case anything went wrong. IF you are Concierge level, I suggest you speak with the front desk, in addition to the rep from Captain's Club. Sounds like you have most of this covered and all the suggestions are great. Our biggest complaint was the airport - it was an absolute zoo and there were lines after lines.....that could slow you down, but I still think if you are able to get off the ship as early as possible, you should be fine. You mentioned you have a taxi - would recommend Rudy's taxi if you need another one (they are fantastic). Good luck. It is a lovely cruise/itinerary.

[pzbz]

If your previous port is in the EU (which I am guessing it is) there will be no customs to go through. I disembarked the Silhouette last week in Amsterdam and there were no delays and no customs at the cruise terminal. The problem was at the airport. Be prepared for lots and lots of crowds and delays. It took me nearly 2 hours just to get checked in, drop my bag, go through security before finally making it to the gate.

 

And definitely do self-debark and have a private driver waiting for you!

 

Good luck!

Thanks so much for this! We sail from Amsterdam and return there! I will self disembark and have a driver picking us up and think that I have about 3 hours to get through airport!

Thank you...you have actually eased my mind because I was worried about additional delays slowing my arrival at the airport!

[Mr. Click]

To add to what CathyCruises said, we disembarked in Amsterdam on June 9. Once we picked up our bags it was just walk out...we were told that they clear the ship as one so there is nothing in the way of customs and immigration. We has sailed from Stockholm but I don't think that makes a difference. Making it to and thru Shipol in time is going to be tricky. We did not have a flight that day but when we did fly out, it was about 30 minutes to the airport and then another 90 minutes before reached our gate. Lines for check in can be long, lines for security can be long. The walk to our gate was listed as 30 minutes with the moving walk ways once you get checked in. Oh, there was also a long long line for taxis the day we disembarked so the only way you are going to make it is self disembark as fast as you can and make sure you have a driver waiting for you..

[pzbz]

To add to what CathyCruises said, we disembarked in Amsterdam on June 9. Once we picked up our bags it was just walk out...we were told that they clear the ship as one so there is nothing in the way of customs and immigration. We has sailed from Stockholm but I don't think that makes a difference. Making it to and thru Shipol in time is going to be tricky. We did not have a flight that day but when we did fly out, it was about 30 minutes to the airport and then another 90 minutes before reached our gate. Lines for check in can be long, lines for security can be long. The walk to our gate was listed as 30 minutes with the moving walk ways once you get checked in. Oh, there was also a long long line for taxis the day we disembarked so the only way you are going to make it is self disembark as fast as you can and make sure you have a driver waiting for you..

Yes, I am self disembarking and have a private taxi booked...I will also check in on line aboard the ship! I have mapped out the airport...I am relieved that there is apparently no customs to clear dockside.

Edited June 29, 2015 by pzbz

[illiniwahoo]

Question regarding the celebrity Transfer shuttle......if u book that route and u miss ur flight..are u covered? As in Celebrity is going to put u up in a hotel and pay any fees to get u on the next flight if there are any??

No, Celebrity is not obligated to put you up if you miss your flight. They only allow flights after a certain time, which is typically plenty late to have a cushion. Depending on the circumstances, they may help with something, but you should not count on it.

 

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