Disembarking at Barbados with Late Flight

We've just discovered that our useless TA has not booked us in with Seabourn Air as we requested and we're now going to be deposited on the quayside in Barbados with our flight not leaving until 17.10.

Does anyone know of anything we could do on that day, preferable with a shower available before we travel to the airport please? Also what time do we have to be off the ship in Barbados?

I'd be very grateful for any ideas.

you could book a day room at a hotel and therefore have a shower or could ask Seabourn if you could join the tour that goes around the Island and returns at 1 pm but I do not know if you would be able to take your luggage or would have to leave it at the port or put it on the tour bus:)

We have had late flights before and like the other poster says we have booked a day room.

Go on line and put in Day rooms in Barbados they come up with quite a few.

We then take a taxi to the hotel and stay for the day, you can then shower etc before your flight home.

Otherwise just ask your "useless" TA to look up options,.

Normally they like you off the ship by 9am.

Enjoy your cruise.

The day room sounds like a great suggestion. I'll get onto that straightaway. Thank you.

Thank you both for the day room suggestions. We've found somewhere that looks quite charming with a gorgeous pool, an old plantation house I believe. Very reasonable rates for the day room and they replied to my query immediately. Room booked!!

After our experience with this travel agent, I wouldn't trust them to book me something on the correct island!! :'):')

A heads up about Barbados airport. We flew from there on 17th February after our Odyssey cruise. We did the ship's tour with lunch. Tour was Ok but the lunch was poor. We arrived at the airport at 1.30pm. Our AA flight was at 4.25pm to Miami. We stood in lines until 3.40pm. First bag drop then immigration. I was panicking that we would miss the flight. Boarding commenced at 3.30pm. We had no time to buy any food for the flight and once on the plane they had hardly any food left to purchase.

For anyone reading this who has a ship's tour booked: do not wait for your colour tag to be called. Get off the ship, onto the shuttle bus at the bottom of the gangway. It takes you to the baggage hall where you tell the staff which are your cases. They put a sticker on them but you don't take them with you. They get transported to the airport where you claim them later. Because people were waiting for the colour tag call on board ship all the island tours set off late so the visit to Bathsheba turned into a comfort stop and the church visit was cancelled. Not very well organised at all!

Sent from my iPad using Forums

I have also found that both embarking and disembarking in Barbados are chaotic. Agree with margben that you should allow more than reasonable time for them. Her/his suggestion is spot on if going for a tour.

Is it possible to walk off with our cases? Are there taxis available within walking distance of the pier please? Also we thought of booking a taxi to the airport for approximately 2pm as the hotel we are going to is in Bridgetown. I had thought that this would give us plenty of time as our flight doesn't leave until 17.10. Perhaps I should book this for an earlier time.

Not sure whether Seabourn let you take your own cases off but if you are on Independent Travel arrangements then its usually possible for you to disembark at anytime after clearance is announced and that is usually around 8 a.m. You will have to collect your passports asap so maybe have a word with Seabourn Square whilst on the ship.

Having disembarked in Barbados around a dozen times I would not recommend pulling cases along the concrete (not the neatest/smoothest) plus Seabourn is a little walk (OK without bags) from the Terminal building.

If you are off early you should beat the queue for Customs, once through there and out the other side of the building into the main taxi area. Unless transport is booked it is a short walk possible with bags to the line up of taxis. When you join the ship you will get the lay of the land.

I would suggest asking the hotel for advise on the taxi timing to the airport. Are they booking the taxi for you? Normally 45/50 mins is OK (we have even done it in 30 mins) but if it is weekend or rush hour they may advise differently. Presumably you will check in online prior to going to airport. Depending on where the hotel is around Bridgetown could affect which route the taxi would take to the airport.

Have a great trip!!

Thank you so much. We'll have a word with someone at Seabourn Square as you suggest. We'll also ask the taxi driver to give us some idea of the length of journey to the airport. I don't know how I'd manage without all the brilliant advice we've been given here.

Thank you everyone.

I’d tIme airport arrival carefully. Both our hotel and drivers insisted we had to arrive at the airport at 1:30 pm for our 4:35 pm AA flight. We stood in line for over an hour as margbem did but that was largely to the ticket counter not even being staffed until well after 2 pm. The queues were already lengthy because others had arrived earlier than us. Luckily we can use the first class line so our queue wasn’t too awful. I think we were airside by 2:45 and killed time drinking cold Banks at the bar in the departures terminal.

You can't walk off the ship and round to the baggage hall. They won't let you. I heard someone asking that question. You have to get on the shuttle bus to the baggage hall. It is then quite a walk with your luggage from the baggage hall (Seabourn baggage was at the very furthest end) into the terminal building and out the other side where the taxis are waiting.

Our problems at the airport were due to 2 AA flights and a Virgin and a BA flight all having people go through immigration at the same time. It took more than two hours to do bag drop and then immigration.

Sent from my iPad using Forums

We're on the BA flight. I have booked assistance at the airport as I can't walk very well so I don't know if that will make any difference. The long walk from the baggage hall sounds daunting.

Each time we have disembarked at Barbados our bags have been placed in the same hall as the Customs. I would suggest you grab one of the Barbadian porters who will pick your bags, ease you through Customs and out to the taxis. Worth their fee. Similarly at Grantley Adams. I take it you have arranged assistance through BA. or your T.A has done it for you.Their Porters are adept at getting you through to the gates. Have you arranged assistance for your outward flight.? Again using that and the Porters will ease the transition through Immigration & Customs. You’ll be fine, just request all the assistance you need and get your TA to give you written confirmation of all they have requested.

We're on the BA flight. I have booked assistance at the airport as I can't walk very well so I don't know if that will make any difference. The long walk from the baggage hall sounds daunting.

Have Seabourn Square arrange a wheelchair for you, (and to meet you at the airport)

I had to for my wife as she had a shattered hip.

It certainly made for speedy progress through all the airports on our way home from Barcelona last August, after our cruise on Encore

I have booked assistance via BA for both our flights so we should hopefully be ok once at the airport. Great idea for either a porter or wheelchair from Seabourn. Your advice has put my mind at rest and I can now look forward to our cruise without worrying.

Roll on March 31st and thank you all again.