Embarkation in Barbados

[TT1992]

Embarkation in Barbados.

I see that the ship doesn't leave (Odyssey) until 11pm.

What is the latest you can board?

I'm wondering if a flight in landing at 3:30 pm will work?

 

Thank you

[cuddles115]

1 hour ago, TT1992 said:

Embarkation in Barbados.

I see that the ship doesn't leave (Odyssey) until 11pm.

What is the latest you can board?

I'm wondering if a flight in landing at 3:30 pm will work?

 

Thank you

Absolutely.  The reason the ship leaves at 11PM is to await the flights from Great Britain.  Plan on 2 hours on line for customs( it's a disaster) and about an hour to the dock. If you choose "meet and greet", your'e out of the airport within a 1/2 hour. Arrival can be a mad house.

[fudge]

We have used this flight twice from the UK, we had plenty of time, the only caveat is the unlikely event your plane is cancelled on the day. 

[TT1992]

8 hours ago, cuddles115 said:

Absolutely.  The reason the ship leaves at 11PM is to await the flights from Great Britain.  Plan on 2 hours on line for customs( it's a disaster) and about an hour to the dock. If you choose "meet and greet", your'e out of the airport within a 1/2 hour. Arrival can be a mad house.

What is meet and greet?

[cuddles115]

3 hours ago, TT1992 said:

What is meet and greet?

Rather than stand on the customs   line for 2+ hours, for extra $$ you can be greeted by a person who escorts you to the left through customs without a line.  Then  if you get a porter, the luggage will be picked up, and again,  there is no line. Thus you are out of the airport very quickly and without any annoyances.  Seabourn can get transport to the ship from the airport.  It's worth all the extra money to go this way.  I did the line crap a few years ago and still regret it.  To my mind, "meet and greet" , etc is the way to go. Tourism is big business in Barbados and this is one more reason why.

[lincslady]

cuddles - sounds great - but it would be helpful if you could tell us how you book this facility?

[cuddles115]

5 hours ago, lincslady said:

cuddles - sounds great - but it would be helpful if you could tell us how you book this facility?

Quite easy.  You can Google lots of them.  As I said , it's a business.  Best is Viatour, Universal Port Assistance and Five Star Fast Track. Seabourn used to have day rooms for those people with late flights.  NO MORE.  Now, you can take a tour of the island with a buffet lunch leaving you at the airport.  IMHO, a waste of money.  Get straight to the airport and pay extra for the lounge and stay there till your flight. GAIA runs the concessions, the boarding and  TSA.  The employees are rude and seem to be doing you a favor to use their airport.

[galeforce9]

11 minutes ago, cuddles115 said:

Quite easy.  You can Google lots of them.  As I said , it's a business.  Best is Viatour, Universal Port Assistance and Five Star Fast Track. Seabourn used to have day rooms for those people with late flights.  NO MORE.  Now, you can take a tour of the island with a buffet lunch leaving you at the airport.  IMHO, a waste of money.  Get straight to the airport and pay extra for the lounge and stay there till your flight. GAIA runs the concessions, the boarding and  TSA.  The employees are rude and seem to be doing you a favor to use their airport.

Our seabourn transfer last time included lunch and time at a (poor) hotel. Is that no longer the case?

 

Can you share please how you go about booking a lounge at the airport please? 

[cuddles115]

46 minutes ago, galeforce9 said:

Our seabourn transfer last time included lunch and time at a (poor) hotel. Is that no longer the case?

 

Can you share please how you go about booking a lounge at the airport please? 

I finally found all the info from my trip.  As follows:

 

Five Star VIP Arrival Assistance

1 Pilgrim Place

Barbados BB17109

246-421-6777

 

email   reservations@fivestarfasttrack.com

 

Cost was $179.96 for 2 people including Executive Departure Lounge

 

Hope this helps

[Camillus112]

I second Cuddle's suggestions.  Two years ago, our embarkation in Barbados was a disaster.  It was raining cats and dogs, and still the port personnel had us line up in the rain to wait for the shuttle bus to the Odyssey.  Some people had umbrellas, but may did not, and all were soaked!  There were at least two other ships embarking that same date and the airport was chaotic.  DH and I did not even know there was an Executive Lounge...our fault...we did not ask...we were totally overwhelmed with the airport situation.  We now make it a priority not to embark in Barbados....disembarking has been fine to date.

[cuddles115]

6 minutes ago, Camillus112 said:

I second Cuddle's suggestions.  Two years ago, our embarkation in Barbados was a disaster.  It was raining cats and dogs, and still the port personnel had us line up in the rain to wait for the shuttle bus to the Odyssey.  Some people had umbrellas, but may did not, and all were soaked!  There were at least two other ships embarking that same date and the airport was chaotic.  DH and I did not even know there was an Executive Lounge...our fault...we did not ask...we were totally overwhelmed with the airport situation.  We now make it a priority not to embark in Barbados....disembarking has been fine to date.

Very smart.  The airport is a complete and utter disaster.  Oh yes,  the Executive lounge is near gate 14 on the second floor next to the Virgin lounge. When in the airport, you must keep your sanity...lol

[DiscerningD]

May I recommend St James Travel (www.stjamesgroup.com). I think they have the franchise for fast track on arrival and you meet them before you enter the Terminal to fast track you through immigration. Very professional and wait with you for luggage arrival, through customs, and on to transport. Very impressed this January when we were just staying in Barbados, will definitely use them again next Jan when we are joining an Odyssey cruise. We intend to use them as well for a gap in transport arrangements from our transit hotel to the ship and from the ship to our extra week at The Colony Club. I am sure our TA could do this, but to be honest once I have a good contact I am control freak enough to do it myself! 

[Camillus112]

Grat suggestion, DiscerningD!!

 

[galeforce9]

8 hours ago, DiscerningD said:

May I recommend St James Travel (www.stjamesgroup.com). I think they have the franchise for fast track on arrival and you meet them before you enter the Terminal to fast track you through immigration. Very professional and wait with you for luggage arrival, through customs, and on to transport. Very impressed this January when we were just staying in Barbados, will definitely use them again next Jan when we are joining an Odyssey cruise. We intend to use them as well for a gap in transport arrangements from our transit hotel to the ship and from the ship to our extra week at The Colony Club. I am sure our TA could do this, but to be honest once I have a good contact I am control freak enough to do it myself! 

 

Thanks for this.   I had a look at their website but couldn’t see any prices. I’m always concerned when companies don’t declare these.  Should I be?/ have I missed them? 

[IanL]

St James are excellent and they are the local choice of my large UK TA who use them for all local arrangements. When we last disembarked Seabourn in Barbados, they were awaiting us in the luggage hall and had already located our cases. Out of the port in 10 minutes. Also used them many times for transfers. They are not cheap but they are reliable and if you have queries whilst on the Island will always respond.

[DiscerningD]

For fast track, St James operate as Five Star, it cost 120USD for two of us. A bit eye watering but after a long flight it was definitely worth it.