Transit time Auckland airport to cruise ship terminal

[dronfield]

I will be sailing on November 8 (a Tuesday) from Auckland on a ship that leaves at 5:00 p.m. I will be arriving from Sydney using a U. S. passport. Notwithstanding traffic accidents, construction, etc. approximately how much time should I reasonably allow to go through NZ airport customs to reach the ship by 4:00 p.m.?

 

I'm trying to get a handle on which flight to leave Sydney which would allow me enough time to get to the ship without having to leave Sydney at the crack of dawn.

 

Logistics!

[Globaliser]

I will be sailing on November 8 (a Tuesday) from Auckland on a ship that leaves at 5:00 p.m. I will be arriving from Sydney using a U. S. passport. Notwithstanding traffic accidents, construction, etc. approximately how much time should I reasonably allow to go through NZ airport customs to reach the ship by 4:00 p.m.?

 

I'm trying to get a handle on which flight to leave Sydney which would allow me enough time to get to the ship without having to leave Sydney at the crack of dawn.

To be blunt: forget it. I don't think that you can safely plan to fly from Sydney to Auckland and make a same-day sailing.

 

The worry is not only customs. The first potential hurdle on arrival is immigration. In my experience, this could be anything between 5 minutes and an hour. Then there's the question of how long it will take for your bags to be delivered; a few weeks back, a friend waited 90 minutes for his. Then there is the customs inspection, with the potential for a queue for the X-ray machine at that point.

 

Getting out of the terminal, into a taxi, and then to the city centre will be something in the region of half an hour.

 

What if your flight is two or three hours late? That's not an everyday occurrence, but it's far from rare.

 

As far as I can see, the first flight that day arrives in Auckland at 1340. I think you'd need to take that, and then hope that everything goes right. If it did, you might be at the ship by about 1500.

 

Are you sure that 1600 is the latest check-in time? What's your backup plan if you miss the ship?

[dronfield]

Thank you so much for all this information. Looking at the map of the distance between the airport and Waitemata Harbor, it seemed at first glance to be doable. However, being a veteran international airport customs/immigration survivor, I was worried about just the issues you discussed. I'm glad your very helpful answer was able to confirm my thoughts.

[MrYellowDuck]

Passengers on a modern US passport can now self process through immigration coming in to NZ. Emirates usually have an 8am departure out of Sydney arriving Auckland at about 1pm. Most people get through the MAF inspection quickly but if it's an audit flight then it may take ages; it may also takes ages if you're queueing behind passengers arriving from the pacific islands whose luggage includes cardboard boxes that almost inevitably contain disallowed items.

 

This is doable but if there are any unexpected delays then you'll likely miss your cruise. For example, it's a 30 min drive to the terminal most of the time but it can take 60 or 90 minutes too if you're unlucky.

 

Going the reverse direction is easier since you can get flights that arrive in Sydney before breakfast and so an awful lot has to go wrong before there's an issue. Even here though we travel the day before since this guarantees we'll not miss our cruise.

[GUT2407]

Probably doable.

 

But not a chance I'd take.

[Kauaijim]

If your US passport is thick lots of pages from too many visas etc the machines will not work. . they need thin ones. I got sent off to another station

[celle]

Don't forget when calculating flight departure and arrival that NZ time is 2 hours ahead of Sydney time.

[MrYellowDuck]

If your US passport is thick lots of pages from too many visas etc the machines will not work. . they need thin ones. I got sent off to another station

 

On an NZ passport the page containing the contactless chip is the first page after the cover. I only ever insert those two pages over the scanning part of the terminal; the bulk of the passport is over the part of the terminal that doesn't do anything.

[OzKiwiJJ]

I'd recommend going over the day before. Because the time difference between Sydney and Auckland works against you, any delay at the Sydney end could end up with you missing your cruise.

 

The earliest flights with Qantas depart at 8:30am and arrive at 1:40pm. If everything went smoothly you might just make final check-in but it would be very, very risky.

 

Air New Zealand's earliest flight is 9:45am, arriving 2.55pm. Don't even think about it. Impossible!

 

Get a flight around midday on the day before, which will get you into Auckland late afternoon / early evening, and enjoy a relaxing night in Auckland.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

I'd recommend going over the day before. Because the time difference between Sydney and Auckland works against you, any delay at the Sydney end could end up with you missing your cruise.

 

The earliest flights with Qantas depart at 8:30am and arrive at 1:40pm. If everything went smoothly you might just make final check-in but it would be very, very risky.

 

Air New Zealand's earliest flight is 9:45am, arriving 2.55pm. Don't even think about it. Impossible!

 

Get a flight around midday on the day before, which will get you into Auckland late afternoon / early evening, and enjoy a relaxing night in Auckland.

 

3 pm and thereabouts is chaotic on the roads in Auckland. We call that the "Mothers Drive Time" as thats when the children get picked up from school ,as well as the start of the rush hour.

[dronfield]

All of your input is extremely helpful. As I suspected, same day arrival not reasonable.

 

Oh, Kiwi Kruzer, don't apologize for NZ "Mother's Drive Time". Here in Los Angeles we have that type of congestion 24/7. Our "freeways" are really parking lots that move very, very slowly.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

All of your input is extremely helpful. As I suspected, same day arrival not reasonable.

 

Oh, Kiwi Kruzer, don't apologize for NZ "Mother's Drive Time". Here in Los Angeles we have that type of congestion 24/7. Our "freeways" are really parking lots that move very, very slowly.

 

I think its universal these days...:D:D

Just another thought re Auckland......massive works are about to get underway in the CBD re the installation of an underground rail system...part of which will be done by trenching some of the main streets. We are all being warned of traffic hold ups that could/will result....just another reason you may wish to look at coming a day earlier..;)

[OzKiwiJJ]

I think its universal these days...:D:D

Just another thought re Auckland......massive works are about to get underway in the CBD re the installation of an underground rail system...part of which will be done by trenching some of the main streets. We are all being warned of traffic hold ups that could/will result....just another reason you may wish to look at coming a day earlier..;)

 

:eek:

 

That would be a very good reason to stay at the Hilton overnight! ;)

[Globaliser]

Just another thought re Auckland......massive works are about to get underway in the CBD re the installation of an underground rail system...part of which will be done by trenching some of the main streets. We are all being warned of traffic hold ups that could/will result....just another reason you may wish to look at coming a day earlier..;)

Yikes - I didn't know quite what a big project that's going to be. I'm glad I missed all that when I was there last month - my shuttle went all through the CBD before going out to the suburbs beyond Ponsonby and dropping me! I will definitely have to take account of that for next time.

[LittleRedJohn]

We were just in Auckland for a cruise. Airport is efficient. If all went well, you could be on the road to the cruise terminal two hours after you land, maybe even a little sooner. Drive from airport to cruise terminal is about 45 minutes, particularly if you take a taxi. Auckland taxis are very good. But all that assumes everything goes well, and I never assume that, particularly if I'm on a U.S. airline. I would go at least one day before the ship sails. Auckland is a cool place and you can easily have fun there for a couple days at least. I would not stay at the Hilton, however. We did. It's not nearly worth the money. LittleRedJohn

[OzKiwiJJ]

I would not stay at the Hilton, however. We did. It's not nearly worth the money.

 

Maybe not, it's years since I last stayed there, but it is right where some of the cruise ships dock, and a short walk from where the rest of them dock. No worries about traffic issues ;)