Help with Flight home ?? Sydney-Houston

[chelllll]

Hello fellow cruisers, my family and I will be taking our first international flight to Sydney from Houston next November to board Royal Caribbean Ovation of the Seas. My question is when we return to disembark the only flight out of Sydney back to Houston leaves at 11:55 am, I am worried that would not be enough time to disembark, go through customs, collect bags grab a taxi and so on... Should we book one more night in Sydney and fly out the following day? Anyone who has had this issue please advise on your thoughts. Greatly appreciate your help. 

[hancock]

While I haven't sailed out of Sydney yet...give me 3 weeks..., I would suggest you book a hotel near the airport for the night. (   I believe there is a place near Circular Quay where you can store your luggage. Enjoy the day in Sydney.)International flights want you there 3 hours before the flight.  You would be traveling during rush hour.  I just think it would be too tight.

Edited December 29, 2019 by hancock

[Chiliburn]

6 hours ago, chelllll said:

Hello fellow cruisers, my family and I will be taking our first international flight to Sydney from Houston next November to board Royal Caribbean Ovation of the Seas. My question is when we return to disembark the only flight out of Sydney back to Houston leaves at 11:55 am, I am worried that would not be enough time to disembark, go through customs, collect bags grab a taxi and so on... Should we book one more night in Sydney and fly out the following day? Anyone who has had this issue please advise on your thoughts. Greatly appreciate your help. 

Welcome to Sydney.

This is a regular question,stay a extra night.

You could possibly make the flight but you may not.So have a casual breakfast and departure off the ship.Dont spoil your holiday.

Theres a couple of ship tours that will drop you at a airport hotel in the afternoon.

Or stay at a hotel near a train station in Sydney and your 10 -15 minutes from the airport.

Edited December 29, 2019 by Chiliburn

[chelllll]

Thank you so much for your responses, I did not realize international flights want you there 3 hours prior so thank you for this information. We will go ahead and play it safe by staying one extra night. Thanks again.

[Chiliburn]

4 minutes ago, chelllll said:

Thank you so much for your responses, I did not realize international flights want you there 3 hours prior so thank you for this information. We will go ahead and play it safe by staying one extra night. Thanks again.

Good move.

For transport from the airport to circular quay,the train is very efficient ,safe and cheap.

7 stations ,$US 15

[By The Bay]

There are cheap shuttles from accommodation options near the Airport. This options allows you to get a good nights sleep before your long flight back to Houston.

[chelllll]

That's great!! I just talked to the hotel we are staying at in Sydney and they cannot assure us early check in when we fly into Sydney ahead of the cruise but she said the best thing to do is book the night before even though we obviously wont be there yet.. And the price just keeps climbing 😞 O well we have been saving for a lifetime for this once in a lifetime  trip and I just want it to go as smooth as possible.

[Chiliburn]

17 minutes ago, chelllll said:

That's great!! I just talked to the hotel we are staying at in Sydney and they cannot assure us early check in when we fly into Sydney ahead of the cruise but she said the best thing to do is book the night before even though we obviously wont be there yet.. And the price just keeps climbing 😞 O well we have been saving for a lifetime for this once in a lifetime  trip and I just want it to go as smooth as possible.

What hotel.

They Will store your bags and have a shower.

Edited December 29, 2019 by Chiliburn

[SinbadThePorter]

I'll go against the grain and say that if the Ovation docks on time you would have no trouble getting to Sydney airport in time for your flight at noon. Particularly if you can handle your baggage on the train from Circular Quay to the airport, but even if you have to get a taxi.

 

When you arrive just drop your bags off at the hotel and go sightseeing until your room is available. You will be jetlagged, but the best way to adjust is to start keeping local hours, not go straight to sleep.

 

 

[possum52]

34 minutes ago, SinbadThePorter said:

I'll go against the grain and say that if the Ovation docks on time you would have no trouble getting to Sydney airport in time for your flight at noon. Particularly if you can handle your baggage on the train from Circular Quay to the airport, but even if you have to get a taxi.

 

When you arrive just drop your bags off at the hotel and go sightseeing until your room is available. You will be jetlagged, but the best way to adjust is to start keeping local hours, not go straight to sleep.

 

 

If the Ovation docks on time it is doable. What if it doesn''t? Then OP has to reorganise flights and perhaps find accommodation, not a great way to end a trip of a lifetime. We have been delayed getting back into  Sydney a couple of times and always, if cruising from Sydney,  book our return flight to Melbourne for the afternoon.

 

I agree with the other posters, stay another night in Sydney. 

To the OP, yes I agree with SinbadThePorter, drop bags off at hotel on arrival in Sydney and go out and do some sightseeing and make sure your watches are on Sydney time and try and not sleep until nearer your normal bedtime. It will help with jetlag.

 

Enjoy your trip down under.

 

Leigh

 

[By The Bay]

8 hours ago, chelllll said:

My question is when we return to disembark the only flight out of Sydney back to Houston leaves at 11:55 am, 

I think some posters missed this part of the post. Not on arrival from flight, it is after cruise.

[Chiliburn]

You can get a ibis hotel room for $US 70 , ( $AU 99)

 I would be staying a extra night after the the cruise.

[Aus Traveller]

I agree with other comments - you might make the flight, but you might not. Most international flights require passengers to check in at least two hours before the flight, although three hours is considered preferable. Check how long your airline stipulates. The latest check-in time can vary depending on the class of seat you have booked, with business class able to check in later.

 

If you were taking a domestic flight, you would be OK unless the ship arrived late. Keep in mind that the Ovation has a lot of passengers, so disembarkation takes longer than with smaller ships. The problem isn't with the ship, it is with the Australian immigration and customs checking and the number of staff rostered for this duty.

 

I agree with the other comments that on your arrival in Sydney, you would be able to leave your luggage your hotel (for no charge) and go out for some sightseeing. Adjusting your body clock to the local time will minimise jet lag. Another hint is to make sure you drink plenty of water while you are on the flight. I believe that some issues that are attributed to 'jet lag' actually come from dehydration.

 

Instead of spending money on an extra night in the hotel before the cruise, a night you won't really use, this money would be better spent on one night after the cruise. You can watch the sail into the harbour, then have a leisurely breakfast before disembarking the ship. Drop your luggage at your hotel, then go out for the day.

Edited December 30, 2019 by Aus Traveller

[chelllll]

Thank you so much everyone for all of your inputs it is so helpful, after talking to rest of the family we have decided to stay one extra night following the cruise and we will not book the extra night when flying into Sydney so that saved money will cover the last nights stay. So grateful for all the wonderful advice as this is our first international trip so we are already very nervous. Thank you all again.

[Chiliburn]

17 minutes ago, chelllll said:

Thank you so much everyone for all of your inputs it is so helpful, after talking to rest of the family we have decided to stay one extra night following the cruise and we will not book the extra night when flying into Sydney so that saved money will cover the last nights stay. So grateful for all the wonderful advice as this is our first international trip so we are already very nervous. Thank you all again.

It’s hard not to be nervous but do your research and enjoy.

 I sure everyone here will help .

[The_Big_M]

I agree with Sinbad, I'd be comfortable with an 11:55 a.m departure. The connections to the airport are good so normally there would be no trouble meeting them. Also check in time is normally 2 hours before flight, not 3.

 

For example, checking the departure time the flight looks like either United or Air NZ. United only open 3 hours before departure with check-in only required 1 hour before.

https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly/contact/airport-check-in-counters/asia-pacific-and-australia.html

 

Of course, if you've got the time no problem staying on further if it suits you.

Edited December 30, 2019 by The_Big_M

[flyingron]

We have to go through LAX from the east coast.     Note that the last time I was making a connection in Sydney from a domestic to international flight, we almost didn't make it.   Sydney's departure customs had a line that went on for hours.

 

[By The Bay]

43 minutes ago, The_Big_M said:

I agree with Sinbad, I'd be comfortable with an 11:55 a.m departure. The connections to the airport are good so normally there would be no trouble meeting them. Also check in time is normally 2 hours before flight, not 3.

 

For example, checking the departure time the flight looks like either United or Air NZ. United only open 3 hours before departure with check-in only required 1 hour before.

https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly/contact/airport-check-in-counters/asia-pacific-and-australia.html

 

Of course, if you've got the time no problem staying on further if it suits you.

What happens if the weather, ship issues or a man overboard delays arrival. These are events that have delayed ships arrivals into Sydney before. I know the chance of it happening on a particular cruise, yours, is minimal but is it worth the hassle.

[possum52]

2 hours ago, By The Bay said:

I think some posters missed this part of the post. Not on arrival from flight, it is after cruise.

OP mentioned in another post that their hotel couldn’t guarantee they could check in straight away on arrival, hence the other posts referring to arrival in Sydney before the cruise.

 

Leigh

[GUT2407]

My answer is pretty simple. Do you want your last day to be full of stress? If so go for it, if not stay over.

 

lets think

 

Flight 11:45

3 hours prior 9:45

travel let’s allow an hour 8:45

customs 1/2 hour 8:15

disembark and find luggage 7:45

 

so doable but a glitch here or there and too bad, if you stay with it have a Plan “B”

[Shiprobbo]

From Mr Gut's post:

 

Flight 11:45

3 hours prior 9:45

travel let’s allow an hour 8:45

customs 1/2 hour 8:15

disembark and find luggage 7:45

 

Good reason to research, based on that you would assume it's doable, but the assumption is incorrect, the corrected picture would be:

 

Flight 11:45

3 hours prior 8:45

travel let’s allow an hour 7:45

customs 1/2 hour 7:15

disembark and find luggage 6:45

 

Does it still look so comfortable? Not worth the stress.

Edited December 30, 2019 by Shiprobbo

[GUT2407]

Just now, Shiprobbo said:

Flight 11:45

3 hours prior 9:45

travel let’s allow an hour 8:45

customs 1/2 hour 8:15

disembark and find luggage 7:45

 

Good reason to research, based on that you would assume it's doable, but the assumption is incorrect, the corrected picture would be:

 

Flight 11:45

3 hours prior 8:45

travel let’s allow an hour 7:45

customs 1/2 hour 7:15

disembark and find luggage 6:45

 

Does it still look so comfortable? Not worth the stress.

Yep looks like I missed an hour. Still double, but even more stressful.

[GUT2407]

Just now, GUT2407 said:

Yep looks like I missed an hour. Still double, but even more stressful.

And to be doable you would need to be in the first walk off group.

[SinbadThePorter]

1 hour ago, GUT2407 said:

3 hours prior 8:45

 

Fair enough, but I've always found that two hours prior to an international flight is plenty.

 

Still, the OP has made a sensible choice.

[GUT2407]

These are Princess recommendations I can’t seem to find anything similar it RCCL

 

Sydney

Embarking Passengers
For voyages that depart from Sydney, the latest flight arrival for international flights is 
3 hours and 30 minutes prior to ship's departure.

Disembarking Passengers
For voyages that arrive in Sydney, the earliest flight departure for international flights is 
5 hours after ship's arrival.