Sydney OPT to Airport

Gidday.

After a bit of advice.

Coming off of Explorer of the Seas on Wednesday, 28th March 2018.

Can catch either a 11-50am or a 1-15pm flight SYD to AKL.

Has anyone had any experience in getting to the airport for flights at these times on a weekday?

Likely going by train.

Any advice or suggestions please?

Need to go asap due to commitments in New Zealand.

Thanking you in anticipation :)

TraceyG

Gidday.

 

After a bit of advice.

 

Coming off of Explorer of the Seas on Wednesday, 28th March 2018.

 

Can catch either a 11-50am or a 1-15pm flight SYD to AKL.

 

Has anyone had any experience in getting to the airport for flights at these times on a weekday?

 

Likely going by train.

 

Any advice or suggestions please?

 

Need to go asap due to commitments in New Zealand.

 

Thanking you in anticipation :)

 

TraceyG

If you do walk off self disembark even I think the early one is doable. My one question is how long before the flight does your airline need you there to check in.

It's probably a 10 minute walk to Circular Quay Station, then maybe half hour to the Airport and then 5 minute walk to check in. Toss in maybe 15 minute wait for the next train, and that's an hour all up from stepping off the ship to check in. Even if you need to be at check in by 9:00 it still looks ok.

I'll throw in a real life example, Dec 2015 we had a long cruise, parked at Sydney Airport.

While away we got news that my Aunty had passed away and the funeral was the day we returned. So we did self disembark, walk to station (and I have serious mobility issues), train to airport, shuttle to car park, pick up car drive back to OPT, picked up the wife and bags just after 9:30.

Gidday.

 

After a bit of advice.

 

Coming off of Explorer of the Seas on Wednesday, 28th March 2018.

 

Can catch either a 11-50am or a 1-15pm flight SYD to AKL.

 

Has anyone had any experience in getting to the airport for flights at these times on a weekday?

 

Likely going by train.

 

Any advice or suggestions please?

 

Need to go asap due to commitments in New Zealand.

 

Thanking you in anticipation :)

 

TraceyG

Hi Tracey,

We are on this cruise as well:)

I see you have started a Rollcall, so will chat with you over there!!

Might be able to help with your transfer to the airport;)

The 11.50 is tight but doable. The 1.15 is definitely doable.

Last month I disembarked on a Monday morning. I did the assigned times and got off after 8 am.

I took a shuttle but it's only a short walk to the train station. I got to the airport around 9 and managed to catch the 11.50 flight home.

I do have a suggestion. If you book a later flight home and get there obscenely early (I had booked a 3.50 flight) you can always ask and see if you can get moved to an earlier flight. Air New Zealand offered me that option at no charge when I enquires if it was too early to go through departure processes

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We started disembarking the Solstice at around 8.30am last Thursday and were at the airport at 9.30am. We'd booked 1pm flights so it was a long wait :)

Baggage and Customs at OPT was a breeze and there were plenty of taxis including the Maxi we needed.

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Thank you GUT2407, cheznandy, chesterbear & clairebearinaus for your advice and for sharing your experiences in getting from the OPT to Sydney Airport.

Really thinking we could get the earlier flight :)

If anyone else has anything to contribute I would like to hear how your trips to the airport went.

Thanks again :)

TraceyG

Just off explorer on Saturday. If self assist is an option you can be off at about 7-7.15 no problems. RCI now offer shuttle to airport for US $30 or Central for US $10 pp if you like that option. No idea how often they go.

Cabs (& maxicabs) were plentiful and with 4 of us was better option at AU $23 to Central. Took about 15 minutes despite all the light rail construction on Saturday - add 5-10 min for working day traffic.

I think you could easily be at Airport by 9 by train from central.

A few weeks ago we went by taxi from the OPT to the airport. The fare was $47. There were plenty of taxis and we find the convenience of door-to-door worth a few extra dollars.

A few weeks ago we went by taxi from the OPT to the airport. The fare was $47. There were plenty of taxis and we find the convenience of door-to-door worth a few extra dollars.

That's a reasonable fare. How long did it take?

This sounds like the best option by far!

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That's a reasonable fare. How long did it take?

 

This sounds like the best option by far!

 

 

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It's about a half hour trip.

A few weeks ago we went by taxi from the OPT to the airport. The fare was $47. There were plenty of taxis and we find the convenience of door-to-door worth a few extra dollars.

Thats cheap for a Sydney taxi. Was that to the International or domestic? We were charged more than that to the International , and that was a few years ago.:eek:

 

Can catch either a 11-50am or a 1-15pm flight SYD to AKL.

 

What is your required check in time for your international flight?

That's a reasonable fare. How long did it take?

 

This sounds like the best option by far!

 

 

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There was delay disembarking and because we had booked a 1pm domestic flight we were concerned about the time. Usually we have a couple of hours to spare, but not this time. :) I was particularly concerned, because I was the one who wanted the 1pm flight rather than the 2pm one. :D I would never have heard the end of it if we missed the flight and had to pay for a later one at what would undoubtedly be a much higher price.

We asked the driver to use the tollroads to save time. He said he would have us at the airport in 20 minutes. By the time we walked into the terminal it was around 25 minutes. This was late morning on a weekday.

I will add, that when we exited the cruise terminal I went up to the man who was directing busses where to stop and I told him we were running late for a flight. I asked him where we get a taxi. I then noticed they were about 50metres or so away, closer to the centre of the city. He told us to wait there and he would get a taxi for us. It took him about 30 seconds by waving down a taxi that was just arriving. The driver was delighted because he didn't have to join the taxi queue and lose time getting to the time of the line.

Whilst to OP has long since gone. We self disembarked on the Solstice at Circular Quay walked to the station and caught the train direct to the International airport and made it in plenty of time to catch a 9.45 am flight to Wellington. The Solstice generally gets into port around 5.30 am and we were on our way around 6.45 having queued up around 6.00am. The train to the airport takes around 20 minutes and is quicker than a taxi at that time of the morning as we proved when we saw a couple who chose taxi over train

Whilst to OP has long since gone. We self disembarked on the Solstice at Circular Quay walked to the station and caught the train direct to the International airport and made it in plenty of time to catch a 9.45 am flight to Wellington. The Solstice generally gets into port around 5.30 am and we were on our way around 6.45 having queued up around 6.00am. The train to the airport takes around 20 minutes and is quicker than a taxi at that time of the morning as we proved when we saw a couple who chose taxi over train

OP's cruise isnt until next March, so your info will be helpful to them. And I can see why a train at that time of morning would be quicker for them to the Airport that a taxi at peak time on a Wedensday morning.

I will post on our Rollcall that you have replied in case they don't pop back here:)

new glasses get foggy late in the day

new glasses get foggy late in the day

:cool:;p

We used the train even during rush hour. it was so easy, we didn't see any point in not taking the train. Of course, we live in a place that has little mass transit, so it was a treat to have functioning trains.

I would recommend the train to anyone who can move bags, over cabs or other transport. But each person has their own requirements.

ML

Thank you to all posters! :-)

Still haven't booked the return flight but the very positive feedback suggests we could get to the airport by 9-30am and make check in for the earlier flight, I think check in is 9-50am for the 11-50am flight.

Looks life a self disembark may be the way to go.

Seriously looking at the train rather than a cab as I am somewhat concerned about peak hour traffic on a weekday.

Really appreciate the help, you guys are great :)

TraceyG

Thank you to all posters! :-)

 

Still haven't booked the return flight but the very positive feedback suggests we could get to the airport by 9-30am and make check in for the earlier flight, I think check in is 9-50am for the 11-50am flight.

 

Looks life a self disembark may be the way to go.

 

Seriously looking at the train rather than a cab as I am somewhat concerned about peak hour traffic on a weekday.

 

 

Really appreciate the help, you guys are great :)

 

TraceyG

Just a note of caution TraceyG, in April 2014, we were returning to Sydney from the islands when we hit the tail of Cyclone Ita. As a result we were late into Sydney and because of the peak hour ferries, had to dock at White Bay. I would guess if a similar thing happened with Explorer, it would have to wait until after peak hour to dock at Circular Quay.

I agree with other posters that the train is the best or at least a good option. We disembarked from Voyager of the Seas early in April. As our flight back to Melbourne wasn't until 2pm (we usually book a flight at that time for 'just in case' after a cruise), we requested a late disembark which was 9.05am. We were called a few minutes earlier than that, and were out of the OPT just after 9.15am. As it was a sunny, warm morning, we decided to sit and people watch for a while. We walked up to the station and only had to wait 2 minutes for a train once on the platform and 18 minutes later we were at the airport.

Leigh

Just a note of caution TraceyG, in April 2014, we were returning to Sydney from the islands when we hit the tail of Cyclone Ita. As a result we were late into Sydney and because of the peak hour ferries, had to dock at White Bay. I would guess if a similar thing happened with Explorer, it would have to wait until after peak hour to dock at Circular Quay.

 

I agree with other posters that the train is the best or at least a good option. We disembarked from Voyager of the Seas early in April. As our flight back to Melbourne wasn't until 2pm (we usually book a flight at that time for 'just in case' after a cruise), we requested a late disembark which was 9.05am. We were called a few minutes earlier than that, and were out of the OPT just after 9.15am. As it was a sunny, warm morning, we decided to sit and people watch for a while. We walked up to the station and only had to wait 2 minutes for a train once on the platform and 18 minutes later we were at the airport.

 

Leigh

Another great reason to ensure that one has good travel insurance before departing home.

Another great reason to ensure that one has good travel insurance before departing home.

Very true Beanb41, we always make sure we have good cover.

Thank you possum 52 and Beanb41.

Being as your cruise was at a very similar time to mine, I might shift the thinking to the 1-15pm flight.

Although we always cruise with travel insurance the stress of dealing with that sort of situation is just not worth the hassle.

Again many thanks to all posters.

Having fellow cruisers who have real experience helps lot :)

TraceyG

Another great reason to ensure that one has good travel insurance before departing home.

Travel insurance is a necessary evil, you don't want to pay it but if you don't and something goes awry, you are stuffed.