RC airport transfer not available if I fly in two days before departure?

[blc6]

I called today to book round trip airport transfers and was told I couldn’t because I wasn’t arriving the same day I was sailing. Has anyone run into this? I have cruised with Holland America and never had this issue.  I don’t feel comfortable flying the same day as departure and flights were too expensive anyway. I have emailed Royal but thought I would check here too.

[D4]

We always fly in a day or two in advance.  We take a taxi from our hotel.

 

I’m not sure why you would want to book an airport transfer.  You would need to go from your hotel back to the airport in order to catch the bus to the ship.

[squadron]

2 minutes ago, blc6 said:

I called today to book round trip airport transfers and was told I couldn’t because I wasn’t arriving the same day I was sailing. Has anyone run into this? I have cruised with Holland America and never had this issue.  I don’t feel comfortable flying the same day as departure and flights were too expensive anyway. I have emailed Royal but thought I would check here too.

Yes I have found that to be true.  For one cruise I flew in the day before, stayed at a hotel that had an airport shuttle , used shuttle day of boarding to go back to airport and took RC transfer .  

[blc6]

We are renting a car for the two days we are there beforehand so will have to go back to the airport anyway to return the car. That is why figured airport transfers would work well. Guess I will have to rethink….

[S.A.M.J.R.]

Personally, I would want to make my own arrangements.  Whether that's ride share, taxi, or private car, I'd rather be in control of my own destiny.

 

That being said, if you really want to use RC's transfer, why not tell them you're arriving that morning? You can even look at the flight board and pick a flight number.

 

The only reason you wouldn't be able to do that is if you're using Air2Sea to book your air. 

[nelblu]

Which airport/port.  There are so many independent shuttles that you can use.

Or follow SAM suggestion as they don't check the veracity of flights.

 

Edited March 5, 2022 by nelblu

[blc6]

Out of Seattle. Will look into other options available.

[smokeybandit]

There should be plenty of airport shuttle options

[Biker19]

1 hour ago, blc6 said:

Has anyone run into this?

That is normal for RCI - same day transfer only. 

[Hogbay]

1 hour ago, blc6 said:

I called today to book round trip airport transfers and was told I couldn’t because I wasn’t arriving the same day I was sailing. Has anyone run into this? I have cruised with Holland America and never had this issue.  I don’t feel comfortable flying the same day as departure and flights were too expensive anyway. I have emailed Royal but thought I would check here too.

Royal only has transfers when the ship is in Port as they found out there was no one who would want to go to the port two days early...other than you.

[Joseph2017China]

I am confused of why you want to arrive at the port and wait for two days?  I would go to a hotel, myself and sleep in a nice comfortable bed, instead of on the concrete waiting in line.

[S.A.M.J.R.]

6 hours ago, Hogbay said:

Royal only has transfers when the ship is in Port as they found out there was no one who would want to go to the port two days early...other than you.

 

5 hours ago, Joseph2017China said:

I am confused of why you want to arrive at the port and wait for two days?  I would go to a hotel, myself and sleep in a nice comfortable bed, instead of on the concrete waiting in line.

On the off chance you two aren't just trying be asses and really don't understand what the OP wants... 

 

He's flying into the departure city two days early.  He's getting a rental car at the airport.  He plans to return the rental car to the airport on the departure day of the cruise.  So he'll be at the airport on the departure day.  Therefore, he'd like to utilize RC's shuttle to the port.  They won't let him because he's not arriving at the airport by plane.  

 

I've got to agree.  There's really no reason NOT to let him get on the shuttle to the port.  

[smokeybandit]

8 hours ago, blc6 said:

We are renting a car for the two days we are there beforehand so will have to go back to the airport anyway to return the car. That is why figured airport transfers would work well. Guess I will have to rethink….

 

I assumed you told the RC rep that you would be at the airport like you describe?  If they still said "no" I would just call them again and get a different rep.

[Missusdubbya]

8 hours ago, blc6 said:

We are renting a car for the two days we are there beforehand so will have to go back to the airport anyway to return the car.

 

Just change your car rental drop to be closer to port of Seattle and taxi/rideshare to port - much more convenient.

 

23 minutes ago, S.A.M.J.R. said:

On the off chance you two aren't just trying be asses and really don't understand what the OP wants... 

 

They are being asses

[brillohead]

I wouldn't want to have to lug my luggage all over tarnation like that (into the car from the hotel, then out of the car and into the rental lot office, then out of the office and onto the rental lot shuttle, then off the shuttle and into the airport's departure area, then through the airport to the arrivals area, and then onto the Royal shuttle), nor wait for the shuttle and the other people that are taking it.  But if you really want to go that route, I'd just tell them a different flight time/number.

You can also just book the transfer from the ship to the airport on debarkation day, and find your own way from the rental lot to the port on embarkation day.

[Hogbay]

5 hours ago, S.A.M.J.R. said:

 

On the off chance you two aren't just trying be asses and really don't understand what the OP wants... 

 

He's flying into the departure city two days early.  He's getting a rental car at the airport.  He plans to return the rental car to the airport on the departure day of the cruise.  So he'll be at the airport on the departure day.  Therefore, he'd like to utilize RC's shuttle to the port.  They won't let him because he's not arriving at the airport by plane.  

 

I've got to agree.  There's really no reason NOT to let him get on the shuttle to the port.  

On point .... the OP should figure out were is accommodation and were is the Port is to hire a car back A when you are trying to go to B but staying at C .I disagree totally there is no reason to nit figure out A,B,C ..D,E,....F,U 

[deliver42]

I know this would be lying, but to play Royal's game, figure out what time you'd like to be at the airport, and get a flight number that will get you there about the same time, and give that to Royal. What a stupid policy on their part.

[chucknmarilyn]

In Seattle a taxi or Uber is generally less than 2 transfers from Royal. And easier. I believe Uber is about $30-40 and a taxi is a bit more.

[S.A.M.J.R.]

4 hours ago, Hogbay said:

On point .... the OP should figure out were is accommodation and were is the Port is to hire a car back A when you are trying to go to B but staying at C .I disagree totally there is no reason to nit figure out A,B,C ..D,E,....F,U 

So instead of trying to be helpful, you wanted to act like an ass to get your point across?   Rental car companies can charge extra if you don't return the car to where you got it.  

 

Personally, I don't know the Seattle area at all, so how about to help the OP, say what YOU would do.  You have a rental car for touring for two days before the cruise.  Do you take the rental back to the airport then taxi/uber/lyft to the port?  Take the rental to another drop off location and taxi/uber/lyft to the port?  

[alexgtp]

19 hours ago, blc6 said:

I called today to book round trip airport transfers and was told I couldn’t because I wasn’t arriving the same day I was sailing. Has anyone run into this? I have cruised with Holland America and never had this issue.  I don’t feel comfortable flying the same day as departure and flights were too expensive anyway. I have emailed Royal but thought I would check here too.

Correct.

 

But there are ways around that. We have done this several times. As recently for our NYE trip on Anthem from Newark.

 

Find a flight arriving that day in AM from your departure city. Give RCL that travel info, so they can book transfers, and yes they check flight info and passengers DAY OF arrival to make sure no changes in flights are made and you made flight. On arrival when checking in with clerk , If pressed on the matter just say you made a different flight because of A,B or C. They rarely ask, but one time she pressed the matter and I just said oh we jumped on an earlier flight.:-)

 

On our most recent sailings they went away from using huge tour buses and moved to using smaller sprinter vans and or cars, depending on amount of ppl in your party. Probably due to demand for transfer's.

 

Seattle is home to UBER so there are a lot of UBER's from SEATAC. We have also done this route. 

[LeeW]

We have flown in a few days early and used cruise transfers several times.  Just tell the cruise line that you are arriving on a particular flight day of cruise.  Since then have used other transportation like Shuttle Express in Seattle.

[Italy52]

We cruised with Royal Caribbean last year --- round trip cruise to Alaska that left out of Seattle.  I also tried to get transfers from Royal explaining that we would be arriving a day prior to the cruise.  I also explained that we would be staying at a nearby airport hotel and would be returning to the airport for transfers (like we had done with Princess in the past).  I was told that "No" since I was not using their air program we could not use their transfer option.  So, I contacted Seattle Express and they were able to pick us up at our hotel and take us to the pier --- great service and one that we will be using again for two August cruises.

[smplybcause]

OP might want to rethink getting a rental car in Seattle. Depending what you want to do for the two days you're there... the rental car might just be a burden. It's not really a parking friendly city... you'll be paying everywhere you go and the hotels I've stayed in charged $35/night to park. Those fees alone would likely cover an uber from airport to hotel and hotel to pier. Then there's the cost of the rental and parking for wherever you want to visit. 

 

Honestly both times I've visited I walked almost everywhere. Grabbed the train or monorail or bus when needed. Besides getting to the pier I only used rideshares once when I was just too lazy at night. My hotels were within two blocks of the train so just paid $3 for that. 

[livingonthebeach]

4 minutes ago, smplybcause said:

OP might want to rethink getting a rental car in Seattle. Depending what you want to do for the two days you're there... the rental car might just be a burden. It's not really a parking friendly city... you'll be paying everywhere you go and the hotels I've stayed in charged $35/night to park. Those fees alone would likely cover an uber from airport to hotel and hotel to pier. Then there's the cost of the rental and parking for wherever you want to visit. 

 

Honestly both times I've visited I walked almost everywhere. Grabbed the train or monorail or bus when needed. Besides getting to the pier I only used rideshares once when I was just too lazy at night. My hotels were within two blocks of the train so just paid $3 for that. 

 

This🔝 Seattle is a very walkable city.  If ever I go back again I will do exactly what I did the first time. That is to take shuttle or Uber to the hotel.  My hotel had a shuttle to the port.  From the port take shuttle or Uber back to the airport. I have to agree that renting a car is not necessary unless you plan to visit the outskirts of Seattle. 

[blc6]

Thanks to all who have given some very good suggestions.  Obviously a few of the suggestions speak for themselves….  I believe we have decided on Seattle Express for round trip transfers.  They will pick us up at our hotel pre cruise and take us to the airport after the cruise and less expensive than RC.