Transfers

[AdrieneAGD]

Hey everyone -

We're less than two weeks away (eek!) and I had a question about transfers - our TA bought them for us from the airport in FLL. Our flight lands at about 10:00 that morning, and I know the port probably won't be open for us yet, so would the transfers be available then or do we have to "chill" at the airport for a while?

 

Also, how do they work? Would someone meet us at the baggage claim or is there a designated spot for them at the terminal?

 

Do we have to claim our luggage beforehand or does it automatically go to the ship (like some other cruise lines do)?

 

Thanks in advance!!!

[Toto2Kansas]

You must claim your own luggage at the airport, but they will be there with a sign "PRINCESS" for you to identify them near baggage claim.

 

One thing though, if you would cancel and take a taxi to the pier, it would be less expensive and then there would not be need to sit around waiting for the bus to fill up to take you to the port.

With your plane landing at 10:00, by the time you have claimed your luggage, found a taxi and arrived at the port, they should be opening the doors to check into the ship shortly after.

The price for a cab for two would be much more economical then paying for the transfers in Fort Lauderdale and much easier.

Enjoy your cruise.

[AdrieneAGD]

Thanks! I actually thought about a cab, but my parents and in-laws are coming with us, and they would prefer the shuttle. So, that's what we're doing. :)

 

Thanks for the info, though!

[springtxbill]

Explain to them that the taxi is a lot more convenient and cheaper and the port is only a couple of miles from the airport. You can see the ships from the terminal building.:)

[gonna go cruising]

Looks like you asked the question I wanted to know. We arrive at 9:40am and will be in the same situation but I would rather be early than down to the wire. This is all depending on if our connecting flight is on time.

 

Our documents say to tag them prior to the flight. If we have to claim them and take them to the princess area, should we not tag them at that time? They do not seem like really durable tags and we wont have a way to replace them for the cruise.

 

We are also taking the shuttle due to the fact that we will be so early it wont really matter. Hopefully the bus will not wait until it is full before taking us all over.

[AdrieneAGD]

Trust me, I've done it. My parents and in-laws are worrywarts and they'd prefer the transfer (for some reason, it makes them feel safer). So, we're doing as much as possible to make sure they're comfortable.

 

The things you do for family!

[Pam in CA]

You can put your cruise tags on before your flight or afterwards. If you put them on before your flight and your bag does not arrive at the same time you do, it'll be directed to the ship. However, I've had some zealous check-in people who tried to take them off, thinking they were from other flights. So if you do put on the tags before your flight, make sure you're there when the check-in people put your bags on the conveyor. They also give you extra tags so I usually put an extra one on the top or side so that if one falls off, the other one is on the bag.

 

The Princess rep will meet you directly at the baggage claim carousel and they'll have someone there to handle your baggage, which they'll take and put directly on the bus. You don't have to go to a separate "Princess area" -- that's one thing about the transfer that's good for older people. They will handle your luggage for you so no schlepping or baggage handling.

 

There are so many passengers arriving at that time that if the bus has to wait, it'll be only minutes. You're paying for convenience with the transfer. By the time your luggage comes off the carousel, you get settled in the bus and it heads for the port, it'll be time to board the ship. So, your timing is excellent.

 

Have a great cruise!

[GottoCruise]

Much cheaper to go by taxi...and really very easy! just roll your bags to outside arrivals and hop into a taxi rght to the Port - no waiting for the bus and others!!

They even have staion wagons that will probably fit the 4 of you! You can turn in the transfers (unused) at the desk when you embark - they will be credited back to your account (Just in case you want to hold onto them for "backup") BUT - Let the Princess Rep at the airport know so she/he won't wait for you and cross you off the transfer list. JMHO

Happy sails! GotToCruise (aka Renee)

[fuzzywuzzy]

Thanks for all the advice. There are 4 of us arriving by mid morning also and we are going to take a taxi over with our luggage to the terminal. After reading all the posts about the options, it is reasssuring to know what to do in advance.

[FairSkySmoothSeas]

Here's something to consider. There will be NINE ships in port when we sail on April 9th. I would imagine it will be a madhouse trying to get a taxi at the airport. That's why we got a transfer to the ship.

[DesrtDrmr]

AdrieneAGD,

I think that taking the transfers on your first cruise is a very reassuring thing to do. Princess people will be at baggage when your flight comes in, they will be wearing a blazer, or white blouse and tie, and carrying a Princess sign. They will have a list of passengers they are meeting, and once you have "signed in", all will be easily taken care of. You will pull your luggage, and they will tell you what to do with it, or they will take it for you. They will direct you to the bus, and you can wait for it to fill..........which it does pretty quickly on arrival, and ramp up the excitement by visiting with other passengers on your cruise. It may not be the most efficient way of getting to the port, but it was nice of your travel agent to provide the transfers for you, and next time, you can do the taxi bit because you will know just where to go, and will be an "old hand" about embarkation. We loved doing transfers on our first cruise, it was all so exciting, and we hadn't a clue!

I hope your first cruise is the first of many, and that you have a wonderful time!

[gonna go cruising]

The Princess rep will meet you directly at the baggage claim carousel and they'll have someone there to handle your baggage, which they'll take and put directly on the bus. You don't have to go to a separate "Princess area" -- that's one thing about the transfer that's good for older people. They will handle your luggage for you so no schlepping or baggage handling.

 

There are so many passengers arriving at that time that if the bus has to wait, it'll be only minutes. You're paying for convenience with the transfer. By the time your luggage comes off the carousel, you get settled in the bus and it heads for the port, it'll be time to board the ship. So, your timing is excellent.

 

Have a great cruise!

 

Thank you for the information Pam. I do have another question though. After our luggage is put on the bus for the transfer, are we finished with it until we see it in our stateroom or do we have to take it from the bus to the drop point at the port? Sorry, but have never done the transfers before and am used to dropping it to the porters holding their hands out for the tips. Thanks!

[Pam in CA]

Thank you for the information Pam. I do have another question though. After our luggage is put on the bus for the transfer, are we finished with it until we see it in our stateroom or do we have to take it from the bus to the drop point at the port? Sorry, but have never done the transfers before and am used to dropping it to the porters holding their hands out for the tips. Thanks!

It varies from port to port and it's been several years since I've done Princess transfers directly to the ship since I normally fly in the day before. I've had transfers where once I boarded the bus, I didn't have to do anything with the luggage -- it was delivered directly to my cabin. At the worst, the bus will drop you off directly in front of the porters and you'll wait until all of the luggage is taken off the bus before you're allowed to get off. The last time I used a Princess transfer was for a cruisetour to Alaska. We identified our luggage at the airport to the Princess rep and it was delivered directly to our Princess hotel room in Fairbanks.

[katisdale]

We took the transfer last time and after we identified the luggage it was taken care of and we didn't see it again until we were in our room.

[roysue]

Hi! Cruised the Sun on 1/28/05 and had a wonderful cruise. I love cruising and have been happy with Princess. Can't wait for my next trip! I would not, however, buy the transfers again. When we landed at the airport, I easily found the "Princess Cruise" lady. Both in getting to the bus for transfer to the hotel and again from the hotel to the port, we were directed to carry our own luggage. On sailing day the busses didn't leave the hotel until 1:30 and we arrived at the port about 2pm - that was about 2 hours after some other cruisers were already in the Horizon Court! The reason we bought the transfers was so we wouldn't have to carry the luggage. If we had known we would be expected to carry our own luggage, we could have easily gotten a taxi to transfer us to the port and would not have waited until 2pm.