Cruise Arrival vs Departure Flight Time in Sydney

[desertg8r]

We're arriving in Sydney on Celebrity at 6:30am. We've never cruised with Celebrity so don't know their debarkation procedures. If we have an 11am flight out of SYD, would we make it in time?

[CruiserBruce]

Doubt it. Won't try.

[GeezerCouple]

What if your arrival is a bit late, which could happen for a variety of reasons?

 

GC

[Northern Aurora]

We disembarked twice in Sydney in 2023 -- both times on Celebrity ships.

 

The international airport is about a 30 minute drive from the Overseas Passenger Terminal.  We have disembarked in Sydney several times and the line for taxis is always long (one time it took about an hour in line).  Celebrity will have motor coach transfers to both the international and domestic airports, but since folks have to wait until the coach is about 3/4 full there will be a delay there too.  I also think you will have a hard time with a 11AM flight.  Book a later flight.  

 

We rarely fly the same day we leave a ship.  In Sydney we take a Hawaiian Air direct flight to Honolulu where we stay for several days before flying home to Alaska.  The international airport has a Rydges Hotel directly across from the terminal.  We stay there overnight and pay for a late checkout.  About 6 PM we check out and move to the airport.  The HA ticket counter is preparing to open, so a short wait before we check our bags.

[taxatty]

Another vote for not taking the 11AM flight and instead spending a night at the Rydges hotel at SYD. It's a nice hotel, especially if you get a room with a runway view, and if you have the time, it's easy to take the train back to the city to spend the day there.

[matamanoa]

Based on our own past experience, that flight is too early.  Don't stress yourself out at the end of your cruise.  Either book a later flight or stay over an extra day.

 

Barb

[FlyerTalker]

10 minutes ago, matamanoa said:

Based on our own past experience, that flight is too early.  Don't stress yourself out at the end of your cruise.  Either book a later flight or stay over an extra day.

 

Or a few more extra days.

 

You have gone about 8000 miles from home.  Are you going to be heading back there anytime soon?  Stay and enjoy Sydney - or better yet, stay a few days in Sydney, top over to Melbourne on one of the 30+ flights a day, stay a while, and come home from there.

 

 

[SelectSys]

On 2/3/2024 at 7:43 PM, desertg8r said:

Sydney on Celebrity at 6:30am. We've never cruised with Celebrity so don't know their debarkation procedures. If we have an 11am flight out of SYD

The distance from the cruise terminal to the airport isn't all that far and early in the morning I can't see it taking more than 30 minutes via taxi/uber.  You can also investigate the train connection from Circular Quay as an alternative.  I would bet that you can get an early departure from the ship and be off by 7:00-7:30 and be at the airport probably no later than a little after 8:00AM.  Remember that you will have some amount of immigration and agricultural screening leaving the ship which can slow things down a bit so get off as early as possible.

 

With the above being said, I would seriously consider the advice of @FlyerTalker above.  We took the cruise from Honolulu to Sydney last fall and spent another 5 days in the Sydney area following the cruise.  Sydney is a great city and well worth getting to know if you can spare the extra time.

 

Good luck!  My advice would be to call Celebrity and ask how soon you can get off the ship.  Of course they are also going to be selling airport transfers too.

[cruiselvr04]

On 2/3/2024 at 9:43 PM, desertg8r said:

We're arriving in Sydney on Celebrity at 6:30am. We've never cruised with Celebrity so don't know their debarkation procedures. If we have an 11am flight out of SYD, would we make it in time?

By now you’ve probably bought your airfare.  But for the benefit of others who might read this thread we highly suggest you spend time in Sydney.  We spent 3 nights before and 4 after our round Australia cruise.  We stayed on the quay ( many hotels in this area) and found it so easy to get around by foot, train, tram and ferries. Unless you have time constraints see this beautiful city with so much to do!