Where do you book Princess transfers?

[Rick&Jeannie]

50 minutes ago, florida cruzer said:

Rick and Jeannie, could you please tell me more about this. How do you get to your hotel from the airport and from your hotel to the train station?  We’re taking a TransAtlantic cruise in the fall and will be hitting London 3 days before the cruise; at this time, Princess is not offering pre-cruise travel packages for more than 1 day. 
Thanks,

Tammy

Ok...it's NOT the train station. Victoria Coach Station is a bus terminal.  We book a private car service to get from the airport to the hotel. Walk around the corner on day of transfer. Coming back we return back to Victoria Coach Station and again want to hotel. Then, car service to airport. You can certainly get a cheaper way instead of the car service we use...we just like them and have used them quite often. 

[Rick&Jeannie]

54 minutes ago, florida cruzer said:

Princess is not offering pre-cruise travel packages for more than 1 day. 

You might want to double check this...that sounds rather unusual that they don't do more than 1 day. You get all kinds of bad info these days depending on the phone rep you get!

[dog]

Usually packages hotel/ transfer are from 1 to 3 days.  But yes, different answers frequently 

[Coral]

2 hours ago, florida cruzer said:

Rick and Jeannie, could you please tell me more about this. How do you get to your hotel from the airport and from your hotel to the train station?  We’re taking a TransAtlantic cruise in the fall and will be hitting London 3 days before the cruise; at this time, Princess is not offering pre-cruise travel packages for more than 1 day. 
Thanks,

Tammy

I have done 2 and 3 nights with Princess. Not sure if they are fully booked or if you received inaccurate information. I stayed recently at Raddison Blu Edwardian recently and liked the location.

[trinitygirl]

Hi, just an update. I rang Princess and they assured me that the company does not run a transfer service from Rome to the port, only from the airport (and although I am using EZair, I am flying in two weeks prior to the cruise so that won't help).  The representative I spoke to was also convinced that there is no transfer service available from Victoria Station to Southhampton (I have two cruises in October and November leaving from South Hampton).  So, back to the drawing board!   Re London, I can book a bus from Victoria Coach station, OR a train from Waterloo for $31 AUD return (this is based on actual dates for the bus, but two months out for the train because train timetables are only put out a couple of months at a time). The bus takes 2.5 hours each way, where the train takes 1.15 hours - so that's a bit of a no-brainer as long as I remember to book tickets in advance.  A taxi from either the South Hampton coach or train station to the cruise terminal will be about ten pounds.  So, the London cruises are easy to sort out.  On to the Rome investigation now.

Edited January 3, 2023 by trinitygirl

[Coral]

47 minutes ago, trinitygirl said:

Hi, just an update. I rang Princess and they assured me that the company does not run a transfer service from Rome to the port, only from the airport (and although I am using EZair, I am flying in two weeks prior to the cruise so that won't help).  The representative I spoke to was also convinced that there is no transfer service available from Victoria Station to Southhampton (I have two cruises in October and November leaving from South Hampton).  So, back to the drawing board!   Re London, I can book a bus from Victoria Coach station, OR a train from Waterloo for $31 AUD return (this is based on actual dates for the bus, but two months out for the train because train timetables are only put out a couple of months at a time). The bus takes 2.5 hours each way, where the train takes 1.15 hours - so that's a bit of a no-brainer as long as I remember to book tickets in advance.  A taxi from either the South Hampton coach or train station to the cruise terminal will be about ten pounds.  So, the London cruises are easy to sort out.  On to the Rome investigation now.

I know they are wrong. It is sad that they can't provide accurate information. Good luck.

 

Just FYI - it is Victoria Coach Station. I think they are too different places. Though, it doesn't seem to matter in their answer.

Edited January 3, 2023 by Coral

[PacnGoNow]

3 minutes ago, Coral said:

I know they are wrong. It is sad that they can't provide accurate information. Good luck.

 

Just FYI - it is Victoria Coach Station. I think they are too different places. Though, it doesn't seem to matter in their answer.

That’s too bad.  We know that agent

 is wrong.  Unless 2023 is changed.

 

OP doesn’t say if she booked through PCL or used a TA.  TA could book this for her.

 

[Rick&Jeannie]

@trinitygirl... if you will tell us which cruise you have leaving from Southampton I will try to show you how to get to the transfer from Victoria Coach Station.

[Rick&Jeannie]

Go to your Cruise Personalizer (you have to have it already booked to see this...)

 

Open the Travel tab,

 

Scroll down to the transfers section:

 

 

Note that there is a "drop-down" arrow to the right of each field.  The default is the airport...just click the down arrow to see Victoria Coach Station.

Edited January 3, 2023 by Rick&Jeannie

[trinitygirl]

4 hours ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

Go to your Cruise Personalizer (you have to have it already booked to see this...)

 

Open the Travel tab,

 

Scroll down to the transfers section:

 

 

Note that there is a "drop-down" arrow to the right of each field.  The default is the airport...just click the down arrow to see Victoria Coach Station.

My cruise personaliser doesn't have this option.  The Princess Rep looked at it and said that we (Australians) can't book transfers online.  I booked through my Princess cruise planner, rather than through a TA or online.

 

I am going on the 4 Oct Northern Lights cruise, and then the 11 November transatlantic cruise.  But now that I know how the train ticket system works and with how affordable the tickets are if you book in advance, my concerns have eased a bit.  Getting from my hotel in Rome to the ship in August is still concerning me though.  160 euros (the cost of a transfer organised through my hotel) is a lot of money.   I can see how to make the train from Rome Termini to the port station work, but I am worried that with the heat and the crowds, it will just be an awful experience.  Plus I am still not quite sure how to get from the station to the ship - it seems like you can't just count on a queue of taxis at the station for some reason.

[dog]

32 minutes ago, trinitygirl said:

My cruise personaliser doesn't have this option.  The Princess Rep looked at it and said that we (Australians) can't book transfers online.  I booked through my Princess cruise planner, rather than through a TA or online.

 

I am going on the 4 Oct Northern Lights cruise, and then the 11 November transatlantic cruise.  But now that I know how the train ticket system works and with how affordable the tickets are if you book in advance, my concerns have eased a bit.  Getting from my hotel in Rome to the ship in August is still concerning me though.  160 euros (the cost of a transfer organised through my hotel) is a lot of money.   I can see how to make the train from Rome Termini to the port station work, but I am worried that with the heat and the crowds, it will just be an awful experience.  Plus I am still not quite sure how to get from the station to the ship - it seems like you can't just count on a queue of taxis at the station for some reason.

Oh dear, sorry to hear this!

 

your best option is to post on your Roll Calls & book private transport together.

RomeCabs, & for UK- Blackberry are my choices.

caution - coach from Victoria Coach Station is a good choice- taxi to ship in Southampton.but have a backup plan.

 

I don’t believe you are getting the correct information from Princess.

 

[dog]

Do a mock booking on Princess website, go as far as payment but do not pay. See if the coach option is there in UK.cruises. For me I see transfers $79.65 CAD pp for each.

 

what ship / dates for Rome?

 

also sometimes transfers can be bought on the ship for return to Victoria coach station or airport 

Edited January 3, 2023 by dog

[dog]

After thought- is the transfer included in your cruise fare if booking in Australia? 
go back to your Cruise Planner.

[Coral]

8 hours ago, PacnGoNow said:

That’s too bad.  We know that agent

 is wrong.  Unless 2023 is changed.

 

OP doesn’t say if she booked through PCL or used a TA.  TA could book this for her.

 

It hasn't changed for 2023.

[Coral]

3 hours ago, trinitygirl said:

My cruise personaliser doesn't have this option.  The Princess Rep looked at it and said that we (Australians) can't book transfers online.  I booked through my Princess cruise planner, rather than through a TA or online.

 

I am going on the 4 Oct Northern Lights cruise, and then the 11 November transatlantic cruise.  But now that I know how the train ticket system works and with how affordable the tickets are if you book in advance, my concerns have eased a bit.  Getting from my hotel in Rome to the ship in August is still concerning me though.  160 euros (the cost of a transfer organised through my hotel) is a lot of money.   I can see how to make the train from Rome Termini to the port station work, but I am worried that with the heat and the crowds, it will just be an awful experience.  Plus I am still not quite sure how to get from the station to the ship - it seems like you can't just count on a queue of taxis at the station for some reason.

I would consider getting a car setup instead of train.

 

I was on the Nov 7th Transatlantic. They announced a rail strike which meant trains leaving London elsewhere would not run right before our sailing (I was looking at going to Cambridge). The rail strike was cancelled shortly before but the trains leaving London were not running like normal. Many from our roll call had to quickly find transportation and it was a lot more after the rail strike was announced than before. Apparently this is not uncommon to have rail strikes or plans of rail strikes. Many used National Express which is a Coach. 

Edited January 3, 2023 by Coral

[florida cruzer]

14 hours ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

Go to your Cruise Personalizer (you have to have it already booked to see this...)

 

Open the Travel tab,

 

Scroll down to the transfers section:

 

 

Note that there is a "drop-down" arrow to the right of each field.  The default is the airport...just click the down arrow to see Victoria Coach Station.

 Got it!  Thanks so much for your help, Rick and Jeannie and others. You have answered my question!  November 10th is a long way off, but we still like knowing our options. 
Happy Cruising,

Tammy

[deb63]

On 1/2/2023 at 7:33 AM, Coral said:

There is a central London location (Victoria Coach Station) that one can book transfers to and from the pier on embarkation/disembarkation days only.

 

Not sure about Rome.

 

Contact whoever you booked with and they will set up the transfers.

 

On 1/2/2023 at 10:14 AM, Rick&Jeannie said:

Yes...we use this one very often!  We stay literally right around the corner from the Coach station.

 

We were planning to do this.   Stay at a hotel near the Coach Station.  But, when I do a mock booking to get a pricing idea - it only lists transfers from the airport.   No Victoria Coach Station option listed.    It was an option when I played with 2023, but not for 2024.

 

Do you know if that option appears later?   Or if my TA can ask for it specifically?

 

Thank you in advance.

Edited January 3, 2023 by deb63

[Rick&Jeannie]

7 minutes ago, deb63 said:

But, when I do a mock booking to get a pricing idea - it only lists transfers from the airport.   No Victoria Coach Station option listed. 

Double check to see if there is a drop-down selector next to the airport transfer...it's easy to miss if you've never done it.

[Rick&Jeannie]

44 minutes ago, deb63 said:

 

 

We were planning to do this.   Stay at a hotel near the Coach Station.  But, when I do a mock booking to get a pricing idea - it only lists transfers from the airport.   No Victoria Coach Station option listed.    It was an option when I played with 2023, but not for 2024.

 

Do you know if that option appears later?   Or if my TA can ask for it specifically?

 

Thank you in advance.

See post #34 for an image

[PacnGoNow]

8 minutes ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

See post #34 for an image

Did you book directly with PCL?  Or a CVP?  Doesn’t come up

if you used a TA.  Directs you to book transfers with your TA.

 

 

 

 

[Rick&Jeannie]

1 minute ago, PacnGoNow said:

Did you book directly with PCL?  Or a CVP?  Doesn’t come up

if you used a TA.  Directs you to book transfers with your TA.

 

 

 

 

Yes, I *generally* book direct.  That makes sense that it does not show when booked with a TA...apologies!  I did not think of that possibility.  Pros and cons either way!

[deb63]

47 minutes ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

Double check to see if there is a drop-down selector next to the airport transfer...it's easy to miss if you've never done it.

 

11 minutes ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

See post #34 for an image

 

Thank you.   I went back and looked, and it doesn't look like that.   No drop down for me.

 

If I try to book 2023 (exact same cruise, ship, etc) it gives me 3 stand alone options with a "bubble" to select, no drop downs.   The first screen print is for 2023, the second for 2024.

 

With all the tips, etc. on this thread regarding transfers, I wondered if anyone knew if perhaps the transfers are added later.    I'll have the TA ask about them when she books us.

 

Thank you for taking the time to answer, share, etc.    

 

 

[Rick&Jeannie]

1 minute ago, deb63 said:

  I'll have the TA ask about them when she books us.

And there lies the root cause!  You booked with a TA.  Actually @PacnGoNow suggested that just a couple posts back.  So...no, you will not see that drop-down.  You will have to go through your TA.  Sorry for trying to lead you astray!

[deb63]

7 minutes ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

And there lies the root cause!  You booked with a TA.  Actually @PacnGoNow suggested that just a couple posts back.  So...no, you will not see that drop-down.  You will have to go through your TA.  Sorry for trying to lead you astray!

 

You didn't lead me astray.  🙂   

 

I have not booked yet.   I was doing mock bookings online, myself directly on Princess's website - to get a budget put together for my traveling partner.   

 

I appreciate the suggestions though, as taking the coach at Victoria seemed the easiest option as the hotel I want is close to it.   So - perhaps my TA can book it. . . or perhaps my options will change once it is booked.    Regardless, it gives me hope.  Worst case, I arrange it myself.   

 

So thank you again.

[Coral]

4 hours ago, deb63 said:

 

 

We were planning to do this.   Stay at a hotel near the Coach Station.  But, when I do a mock booking to get a pricing idea - it only lists transfers from the airport.   No Victoria Coach Station option listed.    It was an option when I played with 2023, but not for 2024.

 

Do you know if that option appears later?   Or if my TA can ask for it specifically?

 

Thank you in advance.

I do know Princess hotels for 2024 are not listed yet. It is possible that the downtown transfer is not listed either. They have been doing Victoria Coach Station for years. I expect it to be offered in 2024. It is popular.