Disembarkation and late flight

[marylizcat]

If we book Oceania's transfers to the airport along with their 'free' flights and our flight is late evening (from Rio), will they just dump us at the airport in the morning and leave us there for 12 hours? Or will they provide a day room at a hotel?

[spindrift]

In Buenos Aires, we took the airport transfer which included a tour. (We had been to BA a couple of times before, but we knew that it would kill some time for us and you can always find new things to see.)

 

There were still 6 hours left after they dropped us at the airport. Don't have an answer as to what they can do differently.

 

One time (and I can't recall the city), we had a tour, shopped, and then were dropped off at our hotel "day" room, which turned out to be the lobby of the hotel, where we sat for several hours. The bus came back and took us to the airport. That was not the best arrangement.

 

I would suggest that you do a day room on your own and make it near the airport. I would do that in the future.

[pinotlover]

If O is offering a hotel extension in Rio, they typically do, then ask to go along on the bus to that hotel, check your baggage with the concierge, and then have them deliver you to the airport from that hotel. O has done this in the past.

[Softball20]

We have the same issue with the late flight home from Rio. There are six of us, so we've hired a private guide to pick us up from the ship and take us on a tour for the day. We'll be able to leave our luggage in her van. She is then going to drop us off at the airport at the end of the day.

[hondorner]

Oceania laid on a full day tour on a coach, driving through the city with commentary, stopping at ipanema beach, and including a complete excursion to the top of sugar loaf, then at a large mall with lots of food opportunities before dropping us and our luggage at the airport. They dropped us off 4 hours before our 8:30 PM flight, and we needed every moment to get through the chaos and excessively long lines at that airport. We barely made our flight, which had already started boarding.

 

There was a charge for the day, as I recall not much more than their standard airport transfer bus. It was not offered before the cruise but only a few days before disembarkation. Oceania is well aware of the time difference from when you have to leave the ship and when the outbound flights are scheduled, so I believe they will always offer something like that.

 

By the way, the itinerary was perfect for us because we arrived in Rio the previous afternoon and visited Corcovado then, thus hitting all the highlights. Fortunately, because I have no desire to visit Rio again.

[Caroldoll]

That is one place I never want to return to. They started trying to scam us right at the airport...telling us they didn't have a car big enough for the luggage. We drove for over an hour to the hotel with it on our laps...out of sight, out of mind. Then all the time we were there there were people following us trying to get EVERYTHING. No more for this duo. We started at this airport and ended at Buenos Aires. It was close to the same there.

[marylizcat]

Thanks for your help, everybody. It is difficult to decide which route to go down, especially if they do not advertise the transfer plus tour until you are on board, as we would want to plan to go to Sugarloaf, but won't want to go twice! Maybe I will go down the private tour guide route and get a two day tour including delivery to airport. I will have to think about it.

[no fuss travel]

We did private tours and had them take us to the airport. What was better about the private tours was that he took us to Sugar Loaf so that it was not crowded with tour buses while we were there and did not have to wait in the lineup to get on the cable car for a long time.

[waltermac]

What was the name of the private tour company?

[waltermac]

What is the name of the tour company please?

[no fuss travel]

We used a guide by the name of Pedro Novak. I don't still know if he is guiding. If you go to the Ports of Call here on the forum, and ask about guides, you will get some excellent advice there.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

I agree with No Fuss, there are many great recommendations for guides in the Ports section, under South America. We had a great one, but he's moved on since then. And we never once felt like Caroldoll.

Edited November 8, 2014 by Wendy The Wanderer