11:55 a.m. flight doable after cruise (Sydney)

[Rondo]

Looks like Australia/New Zealand is finally going to happen!  Originally had this all booked in 2020.  Can we easily make an 11:55 a.m. flight after our cruise arrives back in Sydney?

 

Shirley

[arxcards]

Generally, yes.

Celebrity Eclipse, right?

As long as the ship docks on schedule, you can be headed to the airport by 7am. Morning peak traffic can choke the roads, but it should be easy enough on a Saturday morning. There is also the option of a train which departs regularly to the airport from near the cruise terminal.

 

[Rondo]

Thanks for the reply!  It will be RCCL Ovation. Would train be faster than a cab? It will be a Wednesday, Nov. 9th. 

[Chiliburn]

6 hours ago, Rondo said:

Looks like Australia/New Zealand is finally going to happen!  Originally had this all booked in 2020.  Can we easily make an 11:55 a.m. flight after our cruise arrives back in Sydney?

 

Shirley

You have two options.

 Stress and panic to get to the airport on time, which is possible.

Or A leisurely breakfast on Ovation overlooking the opera house ,and a relaxing last night in Sydney before your long flight.
I know how I would end my holiday.

 

 

 

Edited May 28, 2022 by Chiliburn

[Rassa]

4 hours ago, Rondo said:

Thanks for the reply!  It will be RCCL Ovation. Would train be faster than a cab? It will be a Wednesday, Nov. 9th. 

The stay overnight is a good option.

 

I can only tell you about my experience and ours is just a 1 hr flight home and usually around midday.  We walk off with our bags with the first group at 7 am.   There are people at the terminal with signs for rides to the airport in vans.  It cost $15 pre pandemic but it may be $20 pp now.    It took 15 minutes to fill the van with people from the cruise and we were at the airport in less than an hour.   We just find this all too easy and better than walking up to the train station etc. which is doable.   I am always prepared for the what if and in that case, I catch a cab.

[Hogbay]

4 hours ago, Rondo said:

Thanks for the reply!  It will be RCCL Ovation. Would train be faster than a cab? It will be a Wednesday, Nov. 9th. 

No, and you have to drag your bags a fair way across rough paving to Circular Quay train station. When you walk out of OPT there is a elevator that takes you up to waiting taxes. Ovation arrives at 630 am . 

https://www.rome2rio.com/s/Sydney-Airport-SYD/Overseas-Passenger-Terminal

 

[MicCanberra]

The trains are fairly easy, you can use a credit card to pay for your ticket (approx $19 pp)  but as an international and with luggage,  a taxi, or user may be much easier and wouldn't  cost that much more.

[gbenjo]

6 hours ago, Rondo said:

Thanks for the reply!  It will be RCCL Ovation. Would train be faster than a cab? It will be a Wednesday, Nov. 9th. 

You also have the option of booking a transfer with RCCL  direct which takes all the hassle out of it, especially if you do not know the city.

[Hogbay]

17 minutes ago, gbenjo said:

You also have the option of booking a transfer with RCCL  direct which takes all the hassle out of it, especially if you do not know the city.

Only for flights after 12noon and it was US $25 per person . 

[Aus Traveller]

26 minutes ago, gbenjo said:

You also have the option of booking a transfer with RCCL  direct which takes all the hassle out of it, especially if you do not know the city.

I have found that a taxi is faster than the cruise line shuttle bus that has to wait until it is filled before it can leave the terminal.

 

Take the earliest disembarkation time you can, then get a taxi to the airport. There shouldn't be a delay in getting a taxi. It is around half an hour drive to the airport. The driver will probably take the tunnels, the fastest way to the airport. This will add a small number of dollars to the fare, but it will be worth it.

Edited May 28, 2022 by Aus Traveller

[OzKiwiJJ]

3 hours ago, Chiliburn said:

You have two options.

 Stress and panic to get to the airport on time, which is possible.

Or A leisurely breakfast on Ovation overlooking the opera house ,and a relaxing last night in Sydney before your long flight.
I know how I would end my holiday.

 

 

 

I'm with Chili on this.

 

The timing is doable but tight as you will need to be at the airport three hours before your flight departs for an international flight. Any delay - late arrival of ship, a delay in port authorities allowing disembarkation, slow passport control processing, traffic jams, etc - could mean you miss your flight.

[GUT2407]

As you ask “can we EASILY …”

 

The answer is a resounding no. Is there a good chance of getting there in time, well my answer would by 50:50. Going by road? One broken down car, one minor collision and ooops, by train, one late train ooops. 
 

Me I hate stress when I’m on holidays, I’d either booker later or better yet stay over for an extra night in Sydney,

[gbenjo]

29 minutes ago, Hogbay said:

Only for flights after 12noon and it was US $25 per person . 

11:55 is pretty damn close to 12:00

[queenslander]

I plan my domestic flight home for after 12 pm usually around 1pm. I find it easier to take a taxi and relax at the airport. If it was a long international flight I would stay overnight in Sydney. 

 

Joyce

[MMDown Under]

10 hours ago, Rondo said:

Looks like Australia/New Zealand is finally going to happen!  Originally had this all booked in 2020.  Can we easily make an 11:55 a.m. flight after our cruise arrives back in Sydney?

 

Shirley

Can you easily make a 11.55 am flight?  My answer is "no".     I would suggest you spend a relaxing last day in Sydney,  Stay on the ship until announcement is made for all passengers to leave the ship!  No stress!

[possum52]

I agree with those who suggest a night in Sydney after your cruise ends. We have been delayed getting back into Sydney by hours and would have missed a 12pm flight. Like Rassa, we are from Melbourne and never book a flight until the afternoon. In the past we have taken the train because we have had time but if it is of the essence, taxi or Uber is best.

[Rondo]

Thanks for all the responses!  I think we will plan to carry our own luggage off at earliest time and take a cab. We have done it before with good success. It sounds like we have a high percentage of making it to the airport by 9:00/9:30 for our almost NOON flight. If not, we have travel insurance. 😉 Since this will be the end of a 38 day trip with several days visiting Sydney beforehand and there is no option of a flight the next day we’d have to stay 2 extra nights.  I think we will take the chance.  Now I just hope they don’t change our flight time.  

 

Glad to know the cab won’t be that much more expensive than train and less hassle with bags.  We have done the ship shuttle before and missed our flight. Our luggage was first on the shuttle and last off at the airport. 🫤

[SinbadThePorter]

11 hours ago, Rondo said:

Can we easily make an 11:55 a.m. flight after our cruise arrives back in Sydney?

 

If you need to do it, it can be done. Earliest flight I have caught from Sydney Domestic after walking off in the first batch from a cruise was 10:00am. You would need to add at least another hour to that for International.

Edited May 29, 2022 by SinbadThePorter

[Hogbay]

 

 

 

1 hour ago, gbenjo said:

11:55 is pretty damn close to 12:00

Not my rules , you go and line up at guest services and argue with them 🤣 and for two is $69 au about the same as a cab .

[arxcards]

2 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

I'm with Chili on this.

 

The timing is doable but tight as you will need to be at the airport three hours before your flight departs for an international flight. Any delay - late arrival of ship, a delay in port authorities allowing disembarkation, slow passport control processing, traffic jams, etc - could mean you miss your flight.

Ahh yes, you point to one really important factor that is new this time around.

 

Big ship cruising resumes here on Tuesday, and all of the early itineraries are domestic and mostly short ones. I don't think we have any passengers arriving after cruising overseas ports until October.

 

Hopefully it will be a smooth disembark, but we don't yet know how the port authorities will respond if there is any covid aboard, and if that causes a significant delay while they clear the ship. 

[Aus Traveller]

1 hour ago, Rondo said:

Thanks for all the responses!  I think we will plan to carry our own luggage off at earliest time and take a cab. We have done it before with good success. It sounds like we have a high percentage of making it to the airport by 9:00/9:30 for our almost NOON flight. If not, we have travel insurance. 😉 Since this will be the end of a 38 day trip with several days visiting Sydney beforehand and there is no option of a flight the next day we’d have to stay 2 extra nights.  I think we will take the chance.  Now I just hope they don’t change our flight time.  

 

Glad to know the cab won’t be that much more expensive than train and less hassle with bags.  We have done the ship shuttle before and missed our flight. Our luggage was first on the shuttle and last off at the airport. 🫤

We have usually got to the airport around 10am, and that is not trying to get off the ship early and not taking other measure that we would if we had to catch an early flight.

 

I suggest you check with your airline what time you have to be at the airport - two hours prior to the flight or three. Cab is the way to go. The last time we did it (probably three years ago because of the COVID pause) it cost AUD$60. The fare was a few dollars less than that, but we rounded it up as a tip. As you probably know, tipping is not mandatory in Australia, but if a cab driver is handling luggage it is reasonable to give him a bit extra.

[MMDown Under]

 

The problem is if your ship is delayed getting back in to port.  It can happen because of weather conditions, rough seas etc.  The elephant in the room is Covid which could delay disembarkation.  There won't be another Ruby, where passengers are rushed off the ship.

 

My neighbour, who is a pilot, was shocked to see that I had booked an authorised connecting flight from Brisbane to Sydney to join an international flight.  When he couldn't change me to an earlier flight, he gave me strategies to catch a taxi between domestic and international airports in lieu of Qantas shuttle.  He knew what could go wrong!

[Aus Traveller]

8 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

My neighbour, who is a pilot, was shocked to see that I had booked an authorised connecting flight from Brisbane to Sydney to join an international flight.  When he couldn't change me to an earlier flight, he gave me strategies to catch a taxi between domestic and international airports in lieu of Qantas shuttle.  He knew what could go wrong!

The last time I flew from Brisbane to Sydney to join an international flight, I insisted that the domestic flight be one hour earlier than the travel agent wanted to book. She kept saying that QANTAS said the flight would be OK, but I went one hour earlier so I would be sure.

[OzKiwiJJ]

1 hour ago, arxcards said:

Ahh yes, you point to one really important factor that is new this time around.

 

Big ship cruising resumes here on Tuesday, and all of the early itineraries are domestic and mostly short ones. I don't think we have any passengers arriving after cruising overseas ports until October.

 

Hopefully it will be a smooth disembark, but we don't yet know how the port authorities will respond if there is any covid aboard, and if that causes a significant delay while they clear the ship. 

Yes, that is an unknown factor 

 

The other possible delay that would concern me is getting through the airport, where there have been significant delays lately. Hopefully by October all those problems will be ironed out.

[arxcards]

6 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Yes, that is an unknown factor 

 

The other possible delay that would concern me is getting through the airport, where there have been significant delays lately. Hopefully by October all those problems will be ironed out.

I would hope that midweek, out of school hols, and international should be better than what we had at Easter in the domestic terminal.