Airport Transfers

[hab60]

Due to my location I usually travel to the airport in the city of the departure port and stay overnight, then take the cruise transfer to the ship, and the transfer back.

However I have booked two cruises this year with Royal Caribbean and Celebrity and tried to book transfers as before only to be told that I must arrive on the day of departure and that if I stay overnight at the airport I can only get the transfer back to the airport from the ship, but not the transfer to the ship. 

 

This seemed so stupid the first time it happened that I then contacted Celebrity who told me that I should have been able to get a transfer if I booked it in advance and joined the passengers arriving on the day in the terminal, which I have done a few times in the past.

This week the same thing happened with Royal Caribbean. You would think that the cruise lines would be trying to hold on to customers by trying to make travel easier instead of having this jobsworth mentality.

 

I have not had this happen with the Carnival lines such as Holland America and Princess. Has anyone had a similar experience?

Edited April 7, 2022 by hab60

[Ashland]

Any reason not to just give them random flight info that corresponds, then show up at the airport to take the shuttle.

Does RCI really check on this? I believe I've read that this way of doing it actually worked. 

Just offering a possible option.

 

I believe RCI used to allow booking of transfers as long as you were at the airport (regardless) no idea why this policy has changed.

[brillohead]

I'm trying to figure out why anyone would want to shuttle back to the airport from their hotel on embarkation day, just to shuttle over to the port from there. 

 

Much easier AND cheaper AND faster to just get a taxi or Uber/Lyft from the hotel to the port in the morning.

[CruiszBug]

You can also do a walk-up transfer without a reservation. I've seen it done this way. There are staff at the airport transfer desk near baggage claim to take your payment and collect your money!

[jean87510]

2 hours ago, brillohead said:

I'm trying to figure out why anyone would want to shuttle back to the airport from their hotel on embarkation day, just to shuttle over to the port from there. 

 

Much easier AND cheaper AND faster to just get a taxi or Uber/Lyft from the hotel to the port in the morning.

If its a port like Galveston and airport is IAH, its cheaper to do their transport then take an uber or do the advertised port transfers.  And better than renting a car as the rental return is not near the port.  If Anchorage into Seward, its also cheaper.  

[vegas7df]

We flew into Hobby the night before our cruise, spent the night and took the hotel shuttle back to the airport to catch the Royal shuttle.  We purchased a round trip transfer, when we checked in at the airport they were aware that we didn't fly in that day.  This was last September.  

[STEVE-O]

We just booked the ground transfers this week (Houston airport)and we're flying in the day before.

No "day-of-cruise" flights available that would reach Houston by the last shuttle time.

[squadron]

57 minutes ago, STEVE-O said:

We just booked the ground transfers this week (Houston airport)and we're flying in the day before.

No "day-of-cruise" flights available that would reach Houston by the last shuttle time.

I have twice stayed at a hotel in Houston - took hotel shuttle to airport then transfer to Galveston