Bridgetown Barbados Airport Late Flight - What to do?

[fatbellybinky]

Hi All,

We end our P&O cruise in Bridgetown Barbados on November 10th and will obviously be kicked off the ship in the morning but our flight home isn't till 5pm. We're looking for options to kill the time and I've looked at airport lounges where there seems to be one called Airline Executive Lounge but I don't know if you can book in advance and from what I can find about it so far, it isn't anything special so might not be worth paying for access.  We're flying back with TUI airlines so does anyone know what time bag drop opens as we don't want to be stuck dragging cases round all day.    

[Essiesmom]

Is this a fly cruise package from P&O?  If so, I understand you are allowed to remain on the ship until buses will take you to the airport.  Just. It in your cabin.  If you are on the Arvia TA are they offering a flight package?  I would check on the boards here for P&O-UK, and look for a roll call for your cruise.  EM

there is an active roll for this cruise and there is a lot of discussion about return flights.

Edited September 14, 2023 by Essiesmom

[Hlitner]

When we had a similar situation, after a Seabourn cruise, the ship offered an island excursion (which was quite interesting) that included some regional highlights and a decent lunch.  The excursion ened at the airport (around 3pm).  You might look to see if your cruise line is doing something similar.  One other "trick" we have used (in other ports) is to arrange for a one-way rental car (pick-up at/near the port and drop at the airport).  We than use the car to store our luggage, and spend the day doing various "tourist" things.  A third option is to book a "day room" at a local resort/hotel.  Not sure if anyone does this in Barbados, but one can spend a few minutes on the phone or sending e-mails to get some answers.

 

Hank

[edinburgher]

4 hours ago, fatbellybinky said:

but our flight home isn't till 5pm.

 

 

Pity you booked PandO instead of Marella, because unless there have been changes post pandemic, Marella pax could remain onboard and use all ship  facilities and services (and their AI )until they transfer to the airport at an appropriate time for their flight back to the UK.  They could even go ashore for a time  if they wanted to depending on their transfer time.The same goes for pax transferring to hotels for the remainder of their cruise and stay  holiday. (I think they could stay onboard until closer to hotel check-in time)  The only "rule" used to be that cabins/staterooms had to be vacated (usually by 0800 or thereabouts) in order for room stewards to prepare them for incoming arrivals, but otherwise pax had free run of the ship.

 

They still got you to the airport too early, but it was better being onboard for some of the time than sitting in the small airport all of the time.

 

I would check with PandO pax who previously flew into and out of Bridgetown in case they have a similar arrangement, also because, in addition, you may or may not know that there are also special procedures in place re immigration, luggage collection and transport to the port from the aircraft.

Edited September 14, 2023 by edinburgher

[Izzywiz]

In our experience of a P&O package, we have had to vacate our cabin by 08.00 but can then use the rest of the ship as normal until our airport transfer coach time.
 

Cabins were made available for a pre- departure shower.
 

We were able to leave our carry-on luggage in a secure room.
Our checked luggage was placed outside our cabin on the previous evening and we collected it after landing at our UK airport….no need to check it in at the airport as we were on a P&O charter flight.

 

We were also able to use our drinks package until we finally disembarked and to eat at all the venues on board. 

 

We were able to go ashore on the final day as long as we were back on board in time to get the e transfer.

 

All the information/instructions plus our flight tickets were delivered to our room a few days before departure.

I believe it is also possible to do a ship’s excursion that day which ends at the airport.

The system is very efficient.

 

[John Bull]

8 hours ago, fatbellybinky said:

Hi All,

We end our P&O cruise in Bridgetown Barbados on November 10th and will obviously be kicked off the ship in the morning but our flight home isn't till 5pm. We're looking for options to kill the time and I've looked at airport lounges where there seems to be one called Airline Executive Lounge but I don't know if you can book in advance and from what I can find about it so far, it isn't anything special so might not be worth paying for access.  We're flying back with TUI airlines so does anyone know what time bag drop opens as we don't want to be stuck dragging cases round all day.    

 

Note the answers already given 🙂

 

I'm surprised your travel agent didn't explain it to you 🙁, It's one of many advantages of booking a P&O fly-cruise, including .....

 

Flights chartered by P&O including a choice of flying from regional airports.

Everyone on your flight is on your cruise - your holiday really does start before you're in the air.

At Grantley Adams airport in Barbados you don't go thro immigration or baggage collection - you don't even go into the airport terminal. From the aircraft at the end of the apron you walk a few yards to the line of transfer buses, which take you straight to the ship.

The luggage which you last saw at your UK airport follows in a truck, you won't see it until it's at your cabin door (NB - means it's important that you keep your documents, any medications, bathing trunks but no need for towels, mebbe a change of clothes, etc in your hand-luggage.)

 

On the last day of your cruise.........

You leave your checked luggage in the corridor on the last evening, you won't see it again until you're back at your UK airport (do make sure that you don't pack every stitch of clothing - we've not seen anyone at the airport in their pajamas, but we've seen a couple in their slippers 🤣🤣🤣)

You need to be out of your cabin by about 8 or 8.30, but somewhere on the ship will be allocated for storing your hand-luggage and you have the run of the ship - including the buffets, bars, pools etc - until your flight transfer is called (for a 5pm flight I guess that'll be around 1pm to 2pm).

Alternatively, P&O will offer last-day excursions which end at the airport.

 

@edinburgher mentioned Marella Cruise Line (part of the TUI group).

They too charter aircraft (or use their own) for fly-cruises & offer many of those P&O advantages including the run of the ship on the last day. But because those flights are shared with TUI customers taking a land holiday in Barbados their cruise customers have to go thro the usual immigration / baggage carousel routine at the airport. 

 

BTW, - the ship overnites in Bridgetown to give all passengers a full day & evening there at the start or end of the cruise and to spread the flights, embarkations, transfers & such over two days

 

We've sailed the ships of a number of countries, and usually fixed our own flights -  but for those multiple reasons it's always been fly-cruises with Brit ships for the Caribbean

 

JB 🙂

 

 

[Host Kat]

15 hours ago, fatbellybinky said:

Hi All,

We end our P&O cruise in Bridgetown Barbados on November 10th and will obviously be kicked off the ship in the morning but our flight home isn't till 5pm. We're looking for options to kill the time and I've looked at airport lounges where there seems to be one called Airline Executive Lounge but I don't know if you can book in advance and from what I can find about it so far, it isn't anything special so might not be worth paying for access.  We're flying back with TUI airlines so does anyone know what time bag drop opens as we don't want to be stuck dragging cases round all day.    

 

@fatbellybinky

 

Thank you for your new topic on the Ask a Cruise Question forum! However, it is the forum for general questions regarding cruising. Since your inquiry concerns an airport's lounge & the opening of an airline's bag drop, I have moved your thread to the Cruise Air forum where it will be on topic.

 

Happy sails,

 

Host Kat

[John Bull]

Hi @Host Kat

 

Can I respectfully suggest that  the P&O Cruises (UK) forum might be much more suitable?

 

Regards

 

JB 🙂

[edinburgher]

On 9/14/2023 at 8:34 PM, John Bull said:

their cruise customers have to go thro the usual immigration / baggage carousel routine at the airport. 

Not on arrival JB.  Identical procedure to description above. Like a well oiled machine, airport and transfer organisation has been   appreciated for many years.

[John Bull]

37 minutes ago, edinburgher said:

Not on arrival JB.  Identical procedure to description above. Like a well oiled machine, airport and transfer organisation has been   appreciated for many years.

 

Had to go thro immigration & baggage reclaim for a Marella cruise out of Mo'Bay. 

But still well-organised. 🙂

And not like flying in & out of Florida 🥴

 

JB 🙂 

[fatbellybinky]

On 9/14/2023 at 1:26 PM, Essiesmom said:

Is this a fly cruise package from P&O?  If so, I understand you are allowed to remain on the ship until buses will take you to the airport.  Just. It in your cabin.  If you are on the Arvia TA are they offering a flight package?  I would check on the boards here for P&O-UK, and look for a roll call for your cruise.  EM

there is an active roll for this cruise and there is a lot of discussion about return flights.

My wife booked this cruise (K322N) direct with P&O so not via a travel agent. It's a repositioning kind of cruise so we board Arvia in Southampton on Oct 27th and fly back from Bridgetown on November 10th.  I had a look for a roll call and there is one for Arvia (K322F) leaving Southampton on October 27th and ending in Antigua on November 18th so it looks like the same cruise. I'll have a look around there for tips.  

[edinburgher]

2 hours ago, fatbellybinky said:

I had a look for a roll call and there is one for Arvia (K322F) leaving Southampton on October 27th and ending in Antigua on November 18th so it looks like the same cruise. I'll have a look around there for tips.  

And do also actually  join the RC and offer any tips you might have.

[fatbellybinky]

On 9/16/2023 at 11:55 AM, edinburgher said:

And do also actually  join the RC and offer any tips you might have.

Have done already and chatting over there now. Thanks for the suggestion.