Pre-booked ship transfer MIA

[ariellejesse]

Friends have booked the ship air/transfer package, and they will arrive at MIA at 6am on the day of the cruise. They are wondering what Oceania will do with them until boarding at 3 pm. Anyone with similar experience?

[CCS1829]

Usually you are transferred to a local hotel with a hospitality area for incoming/outgoing passengers. Also, an Oceania rep/desk is usually available with maps and day tour recommendation.

[ariellejesse]

Does Oceania use a specific hotel near the port?

[CCS1829]

My experience has been that they use one of the hotels with packages for pre-cruise nights. The Rome to Singapore cruise that I just got off used the Intercontinental DeVille in Rome pre-cruise (1+ hour from port) and the Singapore Intercontinental for the pre-cruise Singapore to Sydney segment (roughly 20 minutes from the port).

Click on the "Cruise Options" tab on your Oceania page to see what hotels they are using for your particular cruise.

Happy New Year!

[dlb237]

Last year we arrived in Miami around 10am with a transfer booked with Oceania. Oceania gathered up a busload of people and took us to the port where we dropped off our luggage and waited until they were ready to board the ship (between 12 and 1, I believe). I have no idea whether Oceania does anything beyond this for people arriving at the crack of dawn (6am is a *lot* earlier than 10am). While embarkation is officially at 3pm, Oceania will let people on the ship around mid-day, assuming that the ship is ready. The staterooms are not available until 3pm, but lunch is served.

 

In any case, our 10am arrival was a 7am flight from Boston, and that was a serious hassle, even after spending the night before in an airport hotel in Boston. This year, we're coming in the day before (if we're going to spend the night before the cruise in a hotel, we'd rather be on South Beach than at the Boston airport). We're planning to show up mid-afternoon in order to avoid the initial rush of people waiting to board when it's first allowed.

 

In Miami, if there's 2 or more of you, the cab fare between the airport and port (and vice-versa) is cheaper than what Oceania charges for transfers, cabs are readily available and don't come with a bus driver aggressively soliciting tips. On the flip side, at least inbound, Oceania will meet you at baggage claim and help with your luggage.

[esme466]

dlb237

We are to be scheduled on flight from Boston to Miami Mar 10th. I was wondering what the problem was with your overnight stay and flight from Boston. We wanted to fly the day before but Oceania wanted to surcharge $75.00 each and then we would have to pay any difference in airfare. I could have found a cheap flight on JetBlue on my own had I known beforehand. Same goes for the fee they charge for the van. My other question is were your flights non stop both ways or connections. We are fearful flying same day as weather can be a problem (especially the winter we are experiencing right now).

[dlb237]

Oceania came up with the right same-day flights from a risk reduction standpoint - 7am Boston-Miami nonstop on American and an early afternoon nonstop going back. Give Oceania credit, they did the right thing and the Hyatt at Logan airport that we booked on our own is a wonderful hotel.

 

We did this right after New Years last year - the American Airlines check-in area at Logan Terminal B was badly overcrowded - long check-in lines and long security lines. We were at the terminal well over an hour in advance of the flight and made our flight, but not by much. It was still too early to get up and deal with airports and the port. We took the air credit this year and made our own arrangements to go down the day before to avoid any issues with flying the same day - we're hoping not to get hit by really bad weather in February.

 

In any case, you should not worry - Oceania does take care of those whom they make travel arrangements for - for our cruise last year, the Regatta stayed at the dock in Miami about 3 hours after its scheduled departure time to ensure that people on a delayed flight from California made it onto the ship. Relax - you'll get there and have a great cruise.

[esme466]

Thanks for your reply. I wasn't aware that you could get flight credits, TA did not tell me about that. I would have flown from Manchester NH which is a great alternative to Boston. It's 4 degrees here right now. I wish I was leaving today. :(