Barcelona arrival on embarkation day....

[Annede07]

We are flying from the West Coast to LHR, spending the night near Heathrow airport and flying into Barcelona to arrive at 12:45pm on embarkation day. We need to be onboard Epic by around 4pm. The flight historically is on time 88% of the time and most delays are under 30 minutes. With the port only being 30 minutes away, but having to clear customs/immigration at BCN, I am confident we have plenty of time and should arrive to the port by 230pm or 3pm at the latest. Looking to see if I am being silly about this plan and should arrive earlier?

[Baseball fan]

I would arrive the day before. Last fall, flights cancelled and delayed from Heathrow due to fog (happens frequently). All later flights to Barcelona were full. They routed me thru Madrid. I was supposed to arrive at 4pm. Ended up arriving at 10pm.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[Annede07]

I would arrive the day before. Last fall, flights cancelled and delayed from Heathrow due to fog (happens frequently). All later flights to Barcelona were full. They routed me thru Madrid. I was supposed to arrive at 4pm. Ended up arriving at 10pm.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

It's April 29th so hoping the weather is not a factor???

[ColeThornton]

Looking to see if I am being silly about this plan and should arrive earlier?

 

I think you already know the answer to this question. ;p

[rmurray847]

I don't think I could handle the stress. There just isn't enough room for error. Yes, if all goes as you outline, your plan will look perfect and you'll wonder why you ever stressed. However, if there's even a relatively modest problem...you can miss your ship. I'd rather look over-prepared when NOTHING goes wrong. (Plus, spending a bonus day in Barcelona ain't too bad!)

[Sccrkeepr]

We're flying in from Greece, the morning of, arriving at 11 am for the April 22 cruise. Customs in spain in my experience has been a breeze when flying in from another EU country. You should be fine.

[Son of a son of a ...]

Wait for Keith’s response - he usually has good info on this kind of stuff

[Annede07]

We're flying in from Greece, the morning of, arriving at 11 am for the April 22 cruise. Customs in spain in my experience has been a breeze when flying in from another EU country. You should be fine.

 

Thank you! I'm hoping so!

[ColinIllinois]

Hopefully you elected to get travel insurance.

[Annede07]

Hopefully you elected to get travel insurance.

 

I did :D:D:D:)

[Annede07]

;)

Wait for Keith’s response - he usually has good info on this kind of stuff

 

Don't know who that is, but I'll wait :)

[ceb65]

We will be on the EPIC 4/25 out of Civitavecchia, good luck I hope you get there in time. I would be too nervous to fly in on embarkation day, but many people seem to do it. First time flying to Europe, so my nerves are already frazzled!

[Blondie008]

We were on an NCL package fly cruise last November - we had planned on arriving in Barcelona 2 days prior to the cruise - due to fog they cancelled our flight and many others, meaning we didn't get there until 10pm the night before the cruise :eek: .. spent a rotten time at a lousy holiday inn express outside heathrow (courtesy of British Airways) Sure we were compensated but missed out on our pre cruise stay. It was very tiring and not a good start to our vacation.

Had we been going DIY - and going in the same day.... uh oh I dread to think.

chances are you will be fine - But bear in mind fog can happen any time of year - its a common reason for delays and cancellations of flights.

If at all possible, I'd opt to spend the night in BCN rather than LHR.

 

PS - just read what Baseball Fan experienced - same thing = fog :(

[Sparkles87]

I've done this cruise a number of times.... I always fly in the day of.. nothing to worry about there, lots of folks from the UK do - including everyone doing an NCL fly-cruise ☺

 

Rule of thumb on Barcelona airport...

* Factor in an hour from your flights landing time to get through the airport - Passport Control is usually a breeze but you can wait a while on luggage - an hour in total should cover it (including a comfort break!).

* Taxis at the airport are fairly frequent and i've never seen the queue larger that 3-5 waiting. The drive to the port should take 20 minutes - they drive pretty fast over in Barca 😊 But factor in 30minutes for traffic.

 

So in short i would say you are spot on with your estimate... you should be at the port for 2.30pm. Check in can be fairly busy at that time so it may take you an hour or so to get checked in and onboard.

 

I wish you speedy luggage delivery 😉

**last year my suitcase was the very last to come out on the carousel.... they literally switched it off because it was the last one!!! Haha..... Typical! 🙄 Mind you, the first time i traveled to Barca my suitcase was first out.... baggage carousels = the're savage but they never discriminate... its all a lottery!

 

Enjoy 😊

 

Sent from my SM-G935F using Forums mobile app

[DominicAUS]

Why don’t you change your over night to Barcelona instead of heathrow? Would that be an option? As you mentioned you’re staying at Heathrow. I’d rather spend a day in Barca

[Annede07]

I've done this cruise a number of times.... I always fly in the day of.. nothing to worry about there, lots of folks from the UK do - including everyone doing an NCL fly-cruise ☺

 

Rule of thumb on Barcelona airport...

* Factor in an hour from your flights landing time to get through the airport - Passport Control is usually a breeze but you can wait a while on luggage - an hour in total should cover it (including a comfort break!).

* Taxis at the airport are fairly frequent and i've never seen the queue larger that 3-5 waiting. The drive to the port should take 20 minutes - they drive pretty fast over in Barca 😊 But factor in 30minutes for traffic.

 

So in short i would say you are spot on with your estimate... you should be at the port for 2.30pm. Check in can be fairly busy at that time so it may take you an hour or so to get checked in and onboard.

 

I wish you speedy luggage delivery 😉

**last year my suitcase was the very last to come out on the carousel.... they literally switched it off because it was the last one!!! Haha..... Typical! 🙄 Mind you, the first time i traveled to Barca my suitcase was first out.... baggage carousels = the're savage but they never discriminate... its all a lottery!

 

Enjoy 😊

 

Sent from my SM-G935F using Forums mobile app

 

Thank you, I'm happy to read this! I have a car sevice picking us up so hopefully they are waiting! Funny thing on the baggage carousel...Last time in NYC at JFK the baggage stopped...My bag was literally hanging from the belt to the carousel. I tried to grab an edge of the suitcase, but I'm too short. Finally a nice tall person toppled it down for me! ;p

[Blondie008]

I've done this cruise a number of times.... I always fly in the day of.. nothing to worry about there, lots of folks from the UK do - including everyone doing an NCL fly-cruise ☺

 

Sent from my SM-G935F using Forums mobile app

 

I flew in from Scotland - albeit via LHR - There was fog at LHR not Glasgow.

It was bad enough being on a FlyCruise - had we been going independent and going that day, we would not have made the ship.

Just saying.. Sure lots of people do fly in same day, and do DIY, but sh&t happens. It's happened to two of us in the thread alone.

We have flown in same day from Scotland and its been terrific (best ever to BCN - direct with Jet2). That also was part of a fly/cruise package and it was brilliant - But I would never now do any such journey without getting in a day early. Its a horrid feeling sitting in an airport hotel wondering if you are going to make it on the cruise. Its all fine and dandy that "NCL will take care of it" - It is still a lot of hassle, stress and a downright miserable time living in the clothes you left home days earlier. (They keep your suitcases in T5 and don't let you have them if your connecting flight is delayed). I don't live anywhere near Glasgow airport so for me that included a stopover in Glasgow too.

I have had numerous delays with BA - more so with domestic flights than international. Just sadly no option than to suck it up.

 

We go KLM through Schipol now wherever possible.

Incidentally, I always thought NCL would re shuffle delayed flights etc as part of a fly cruise. In reality, they don't. Its down to you to stand for hours in the queues at the airline to try and re schedule your flight. Top tip everyone in the UK - If your connecting flight is delayed - there is a small BA deck en route to Flight Connections customer services - get in THAT line, don't wait to be directed to Zone E or Zone F - get in that small desk line and sort it there it will save you hours and hours of frustration. If you do land up in Zones E and F, one of you go in each queue if you are travelling with a partner.

I am sure the OP will be absolutely fine - but this is not risk free.

 

OP - simple thing to do, check the BBC weather the day before - any unusual weather conditions, then be prepared and work out what the alternatives are. Airlines can and will re-route you via places such as Munich -

 

Safe and smooth travels and wishing you a wonderful cruise!

[Budget Queen]

How naive to state, you'll be "fine",with some thinking, that since nothing has happened to them, they somehow are now experts with a crystal ball.

This is a question that can NOT be answered. Since you booked this, you've accepted the risk. So wait and see what happen the only answer. The false unknown "predictions" ??? Believe them if it makes you feels better, I guess.

[1AL]

We are flying from the West Coast to LHR, spending the night near Heathrow airport and flying into Barcelona to arrive at 12:45pm on embarkation day. We need to be onboard Epic by around 4pm. The flight historically is on time 88% of the time and most delays are under 30 minutes. With the port only being 30 minutes away, but having to clear customs/immigration at BCN, I am confident we have plenty of time and should arrive to the port by 230pm or 3pm at the latest. Looking to see if I am being silly about this plan and should arrive earlier?

 

Shouldn't people be asking this question BEFORE they book their flights vs AFTER booking their flights and then come on here looking for approval of their own questionable decisions? smh

[Kattus]

I'm just thinking about the jet lag-with a 9 hour time difference and not much time to acclimate before the cruise.

[dexddd]

I can only relate our one time to BCN. I understand you are getting to LHR the night before which helps. In our case, we were flying from the states the day before to get on Gem in BCN. Our connecting city had "high winds" and AA cancelled our flight to that connecting city.

 

Looked for options for 4 of us to get their asap. We were able to get flight early next day with arrival into BCN around 8:30 a.m.

 

Next time we flew to Europe to LHR our flight through same connecting city cancelled. Ended up driving to connecting city with rental car. Flying to Europe for cruise has not worked out for us so well.

[BirdTravels]

Wait for Keith’s response - he usually has good info on this kind of stuff

Keith is on a cruise

 

I would not overnight in London unless it is a day earlier, arriving in Barcelona the day before your cruise. You really don’t want a plan that gets you to the port “just in time”,,,, because there is no contingency. If you miss your ship, you will miss the first two days of your cruise, catching up in Naples.

[Annede07]

Keith is on a cruise

 

I would not overnight in London unless it is a day earlier, arriving in Barcelona the day before your cruise. You really don’t want a plan that gets you to the port “just in time”,,,, because there is no contingency. If you miss your ship, you will miss the first two days of your cruise, catching up in Naples.

 

Thanks for being nice in your response, it's appreciated! I'm definitely considering my options.