Arrive Early for Cruise?

[cb222]

We are arriving in Marseille May 12 - 3 days before our May 15 Uniworld Provence-Burgundy cruise.

 

Uniworld says that if we do not fly into Marseille on May 15 we are not able to be transported by them to Arles - the starting point. We have to get there on our own.

 

Doesn't almost everyone arrive by plane a few days before their cruise?

 

Our first cruise. cb

[paul929207]

We always do, but many fly in the day the cruise starts.

[franski]

Not everyone has the extra time to do that.

 

We are flying into Amsterdam 2 days before our Tulip Time Cruise - but this is the 1st time we will arrive ahead of the designated start --> and this will be our 4th river cruise.

 

In deciding to arrive ahead, I looked at how easy (or not) it would be to get to the boat on our own. I am sure that someone here will be able to post on how to get to the boat on your own. If you don't get any suggestions, you might want to start another thread - asking that question of how to get from Marseille to the boat under your own steam. Another option would be to contact Uniworld - and ask them how much it would cost to buy a transfer.

[shoshona2]

Hi,

 

We always fly in ahead of time and hire a driver or a private guide or do it ourselves. I don't know what the distance is between Marseille and Arles, but if you want the name of a transport service from Marseille to Arles with sightseeing on the way, go to the "Ports of Call" section of this wonderful Cruise Critic Board and hit on Europe. I believe there is a France section. People are always recommending private drivers or which train to take. Marseille isn't really a safe city (I've toured it before), but the French countryside is gorgeous!!

 

Sheila

[Paulinda]

I would bet that if you just showed up at the airport with your baggage on the day they transport others they would take you along. There may be a charge but perhaps not.

 

I don't recall Avalon checking us in at the airport when we arrived for our cruise. They simply herded us towards the bus, we were transported to the meeting hotel and that's where we checked in.

 

Have a great cruise. I know you will love it!

[LHT28]

Most of the river cruises I checked you have to use their air to get the transfer

I usually arrive a day or more early for any cruise

 

Amsterdam is very easy to get to the ship by tram or walking from Centraal station if thye dock in the city centre

[Don P]

We're arriving in Budapest on the 10th and our Blue Danube cruise starts on the 14th. Tauck asked us for our flight information and is picking us up at the airport four days before our cruise. You would think Uniworld would do the same.

 

We are arriving in Marseille May 12 - 3 days before our May 15 Uniworld Provence-Burgundy cruise.

 

Uniworld says that if we do not fly into Marseille on May 15 we are not able to be transported by them to Arles - the starting point. We have to get there on our own.

 

Doesn't almost everyone arrive by plane a few days before their cruise?

 

Our first cruise. cb

[orchestrapal]

We're arriving in Budapest on the 10th and our Blue Danube cruise starts on the 14th. Tauck asked us for our flight information and is picking us up at the airport four days before our cruise. You would think Uniworld would do the same.

 

Tauck is a luxury line and you are paying for all those, very wonderful, extra services that mass market or mainstream lines don't offer.;)

[gnome12]

With Uniworld you don't need to use their air, but you have to arrive within their guideline times. If you do, you will be picked up at the airport. I understand from other posts that they will not pick you up at the train station.

[Ozjohnno]

Tauck is a luxury line and you are paying for all those, very wonderful, extra services that mass market or mainstream lines don't offer.;)

 

Well put but when I booked Tauck down here it was actually around the same price as Uniworld and cheaper than Scenic or APT (Australia's AMA rep) so I didn't consider it as a luxury line. The power of our dollar at the time. I just think after paying for a trip the company you booked with should look after your transfer needs irrespective of when you arrive. I'm sure some will find that after they have paid for transfers and options and other hidden costs associated with their cruise that a company like Tauck is not "too expensive" after all.

[cb222]

I spoke to Uniworld and they said they have to have your flight number so they can contact the airline to be sure it is going to be on time. They were very specific that we could not use their bus.

 

For the return, they said we can speak to the cruise director the day before to see if they can transport us to the Lyon airport with the others, even if we are staying a few extra days in Lyon. I guess I should tip him/her. How much would you give?

cb

[franski]

Uniworld and Scenic both include transfers on the day the cruise begins and ends.

 

When we travelled with Uniworld for the Christmas market cruise last November/December they would have picked us up at the train station in Cologne --> if we hadn't missed a number of connections and arrived 5 hrs late!!!

 

For your transfer to Lyon - they may just ask that you go on a transfer that isn't full. There are usually a number of transfers from the boat - based on outgoing flight times - so if they have booked a van, and have extra seats, they may ask you to go on that one.

[shoshona2]

Hi,

 

We're going with AMA in September on their St. Petersburg to Moscow river boat trip and NOT using their airfare. They said they would pick us up and take us back to the airport when we leave Moscow for a set amount of money. We said, "Gladly". We don't want to take a chance in Russia with our own transportation. If I was arriving three days before in Marseille, I would just arrange a private tour to Arles instead of staying in that port city.

 

Sheila

[nordski]

In our experience, Uniwrld's policy is well within the norm for river cruise companies.

 

If there is an upside to hiring your own transfer, it could well be that you have a driver who can communicate a wealth of information re: local customs and culture, ecology, must-sees and places to avoid.

 

In any case, enjoy your first cruise and I'm certain you'll wish to enjoy future itineraries.

[cole]

We are on the May 29 Uniworld cruise and fly into Marseille that morning from Paris, so we were able to book a transfer (we scheduled our own airline ticket), but there are trains that leave quite frequently to Arles and you would probably be able to get a cab to the port. This is the website of the train schedule. Good luck and enjoy. We are looking forward to our cruise.

http://www.raileurope.com/index.html

B. Cole