Blacklane transport included with SS

[Mudhen]

Has anyone had any experience with this company? We have transport included with our SS package. I've made the reservation for pick at our home and then

transport home from NYC, but since we live in the country and I've never heard of them, I'm a little concerned that they'll actually come! Our reservation has been confirmed by Blacklane, but we'll keep the car gased up just in case.

Would love to know if anyone has used this service. Thanks!

[Rothko1]

I used the service for our trip on SS in June.  Worked just fine.  Made a reservation for a van rather than a car (because of the luggage) and the van arrived precisely when expected and everything went fine.  I did tip the drivers on both trips, but other than that, no added expenses or charges.

[fdnycruiser]

There is though a 50 mile limit I believe, and you pay for mileage over that. However, you can take the credit, and use whomever you want. Please correct me if I’m wrong with that.

[LAexNY]

2 hours ago, Mudhen said:

Has anyone had any experience with this company? We have transport included with our SS package. I've made the reservation for pick at our home and then

transport home from NYC, but since we live in the country and I've never heard of them, I'm a little concerned that they'll actually come! Our reservation has been confirmed by Blacklane, but we'll keep the car gased up just in case.

Would love to know if anyone has used this service. Thanks!

We recently used them one way.  They do not service Portland so we got a $100 credit for the outbound.  Our return was to NYC and we were very pleased with their service.  BTW, their website states that tips are included.

[UKCruiseJeff]

3 hours ago, Mudhen said:

Has anyone had any experience with this company? We have transport included with our SS package. I've made the reservation for pick at our home and then

transport home from NYC, but since we live in the country and I've never heard of them, I'm a little concerned that they'll actually come! Our reservation has been confirmed by Blacklane, but we'll keep the car gased up just in case.

Would love to know if anyone has used this service. Thanks!

 

As you’ve asked!  I was surprised that SS  seemed to have partnered with Blacklane. 

 

This company is well established and widely used in Europe and we have over the years used them a few dozen times but now don’t and never would do so.  

 

There use to be a new customer wrinkle where on your fist journey you got a discount and if you have an ability to generate an unlimited number of email addresses you could then regularly get even better value.  In Europe you book them via an app. But that is neither here not there! 😉

 

Our last few Vienna trips - the first the didn’t arrive for the pickup.  The second the car was a tip with filth and sweet papers everywhere.  They routinely ignore the class of car you have actually booked. They also rarely arrived at the agreed time. They also seem to enjoy on motorways in driving at too high a speed for the proximity to the car in front.  The cars seem to be owner operated  cars in a single owner vehicle or a limited vehicle fleet.  

 

The last  - on the way to Vienna airport the extremely young driver seemed to me to  be in the wrong lane for the upcoming airport turn-off.  Once I had reached the state of inevitable panic I told him he was driving too fast and in the wrong (outside) lane and he was pretty rude and when he missed the turn-off he asked me whether I minded if he pulled over onto the hard shoulder and then reverse back against the traffic.  You can guess my reaction.  We’ve had the same sort of adverse experiences in other countries and for some time gave them the benefit of the doubt - but also to be completely honest they were cheap for a limo. 

 

I have no idea whether they are better in the US than Europe.  They were good value and reliable originally but in Europe at least there seems to me to be an increasing sentiment of avoiding them. If they haven’t changed, the vehicle you will get will be black and you should consider it a bonus if they turn up,, or turn up on time and with the vehicle you booked and speak English etc etc. 

 

I guess my purpose in answering so fully is simply to alert those that have an arrangement with SS for Blacklane transfers that end in Europe - and many now seem to have a door to door arrangement -  that the experience in Europe may not be as robust as those that you may experience in the US particularly if there are many people on a cruise that terminates in Europe who are all booked on to the local Blacklane.  I genuinely question what would happen if 200 suites on an SS cruise terminating anywhere in Europe will ALL be met reliably by a Blacklane limo. I’m sure that for every adverse experience there will be many without problems.  C’st la vie, except if you are in the adverse experience lottery group.  

 

I genuinely hope this concern is wrong but you asked and I answer. 

 

All the best,

 

Jeff

 

Edited August 12, 2022 by UKCruiseJeff
shpelling ipad issues

[Observer]

42 minutes ago, UKCruiseJeff said:

 

 I genuinely question what would happen if 200 suites on an SS cruise terminating anywhere in Europe will ALL be met reliably by a Blacklane limo.

 

 

I share your skepticism about Blacklane and will post a separate message below.  But the scenario that you outlined above is not likely to occur, according to my understanding of the program. The program does not have a Blacklane limo meeting guests at the ship.  I believe that the limo transport is from the guest's home airport to the guest's home.  So the demand will be distributed among airports around Europe (possibly around the world.) 

[Observer]

I will not use Blacklane in the US.  The problem is that the company does not have its own cars but rather subcontracts the rides to other limo companies.  

 

Let's say my Blacklane ride is contracted to Acme Limo.  Acme has some long-standing customers who book directly with Acme.  And then they take orders from Blacklane to pick up the slack. 

 

Let's say there is a big snowstorm in Minneapolis and there are many delays at the airport.  The regular Acme customer was supposed to arrive at 8 PM. My Blacklane ride was scheduled for a pick up at 10:30 PM.  The regular Acme customer in fact arrives at 9:50 PM and is met by the Acme car.  I arrive on time and there is no car for me.  They are not going to diss a long-standing, regular customer.  So they cannot do my scheduled Blacklane run.

[UKCruiseJeff]

5 minutes ago, Observer said:

 

I share your skepticism about Blacklane and will post a separate message below.  But the scenario that you outlined above is not likely to occur, according to my understanding of the program. The program does not have a Blacklane limo meeting guests at the ship.  I believe that the limo transport is from the guest's home airport to the guest's home.  So the demand will be distributed among airports around Europe (possibly around the world.) 

 

I think you’re right.

 

It seems to me that SS customers from anywhere in the world who are now offered the choice of “option” of door to door are all tipped off of the ship whilst they rub the sleep from their eyes and bussed en-masse to the airport in coaches together  to all spend a happy end of cruise hour or day awaiting their various flights to a wide range of hubs or home airports.  Travel broadens the mind. 

 

As long as people all understand exactly what it is they are buyinng then nil desperandum. 

[david63]

I have read elsewhere on here that one issue with Blacklane is that when they pick you up at the airport they will only wait a maximum of an hour and if you are not off the plane, through security, collected baggage and through customs in that hour then they go and leave you, literally, high and dry.

[Observer]

I really do not understand why Silversea feels the need to offer so many inclusions.  I rarely take excursions offered by the ship. I prefer to explore independently, and I resent paying for these excursions.  I would assume the most guests are experienced travelers and have established methods of getting from home to the airport and vice versa.  Why does Silversea feel the need to offer this transport to everyone?  

[Mudhen]

Oh brother.....not hearing anything very positive here....

My biggest concern will be getting from our house to the airport. We'll keep our car at the ready.

Coming home will be from the NYC cruise port to our house. Not as worried about that one, as we could always take the bus home from the Port Authority and the cruise will be over.

Geez, and we thought this was going to be a good thing........sigh.

[Senga]

Since this service is not offered to Canadians, we’ll just take the credit!

[Mayflower1]

Blacklane do operate Home to Port & Reverse as well if Flights are not involved. The Issue is that with a 52 Mile free limit each way, there can be considerable extra expense if one lives outside this Range. I have investigated this for a Southampton / Southampton Cruise and any Extra Miles are charged at £3 per Mile. ( this was quoted as a likely figure some months ago prior to the Fuel Hype ? ).

 

It is impossible to get an actual Cost until invited by Silversea to Book Blacklane ( Silversea themselves will not give a Figure ) - in our case it is considerably cheaper to use the Services of a Local Executive Hire Company we have used for years and trust.

 

I find it surprising that Silversea once again state this is part of their ' Seamless Luxury Package ' but the reality is somewhat different.

 

I have no idea if Blacklane are Efficient/Trustworthy but the above comments are worrying.

[Fletcher]

1 hour ago, Mayflower1 said:

 

 

I find it surprising that Silversea once again state this is part of their ' Seamless Luxury Package ' but the reality is somewhat different.

 

I have no idea if Blacklane are Efficient/Trustworthy but the above comments are worrying.

Yes, a bit worrying.  We are booked on the Spirit later this year and will be taking Silversea's door-to-door package which got us a decent price on Business Class flights.   We had somehow thought door-to-door meant just that - ie, a car would pick you up from your home and dump you at the airport and then back again.  Ha ha!  We didn't read the small print.  It only covers a 50-mile radius and we are double that so we must make our own booking with Blacklane using a Silversea code or something, get a 50 percent deduction, and if the car doesn't show up or breaks down or crashes and we miss the plane Silversea denies any responsibility.  We are leaving a day early and spending the night at Heathrow but it's not exactly encouraging is it?  Nor what you expect from a luxury line.  Saga gets it right.  

Edited August 13, 2022 by Fletcher

[david63]

1 hour ago, Fletcher said:

We didn't read the small print.  It only covers a 50-mile radius

In fairness to SS any of the inclusive car services that come with business class air fares have that limitation.

 

Depending on which airline SS decide that I will be using and the fact that I have upgraded to business class I will decide nearer the time as to which one to use - the airline's or Blacklane. Have used Emirates several times without any issues whatsoever so am hoping that is the airline that we will use (also I will get a lot of their points!!)

[CruzinFeraBruzin]

We used Blacklane this past spring for our Grand Voyage and were gone 43 days so it made perfect sense for us not to have to pay to park at the airport for that long.  The service provided in San Antonio is great.  They monitor your flights and know when you are scheduled to arrive so the one hour limit doesn’t really factor in.  You will get a variety of opinions on this topic and it may be best to reach out to those who have used the service in your area.  Since the service is franchised or outsourced to third parties etc, not everyone will have the same experience.  

[TER777]

I used in the San Francisco Bay Area last month for the first time. Driver arrived early and was patiently parked out front when I looked. I prefer to stay overnight at the Grand Hyatt SFO before my flights so I don’t have to worry about transit delays. The hotel is on airport property so no issues there. 
 

I could not use coming home as my post cruise travel put my return date outside the permitted booking window. I had to take the credit instead. 

[Covepointcruiser]

Have always had very good experiences with Blacklane in the U.S.    Have not tried them in Europe but would not hesitate to use them in the U.S.

[vml]

Just used Blacklane a few days ago from my home to LAX and back.   No problems but the driver met me outside, not inside with a sign with my name as I was told.   Also, he said he never heard of Silversea!!!

[Mr Luxury]

2 minutes ago, vml said:

Just used Blacklane a few days ago from my home to LAX and back.   No problems but the driver met me outside, not inside with a sign with my name as I was told.   Also, he said he never heard of Silversea!!!

What service 😁

[CamMag]

We're thinking about using Blacklane for travel from Ferndown to Southampton for our Norway cruise in September. It's less than 30 miles. Anyone had experience of them in the UK? 

 

Also, when do we get a time to check in and told where the Silver Moon will be docked?

TIA

Margaret

[gojirra]

On 8/12/2022 at 7:25 PM, Senga said:

Since this service is not offered to Canadians, we’ll just take the credit!

We have Blacklane here at Vancouver

[machotspur]

1 hour ago, CamMag said:

We're thinking about using Blacklane for travel from Ferndown to Southampton for our Norway cruise in September. It's less than 30 miles. Anyone had experience of them in the UK? 

 

Also, when do we get a time to check in and told where the Silver Moon will be docked?

TIA

Margaret

Hi CamMag

 

You may be on the same Silver Moon cruise as us, departing Southampton on 9th September 22 ?

If so the port website shows the departure as being from City Terminal 101, which is the one just before Mayflower Park (where people stand to wave at outgoing ships !) and the IOW ferry !

 

Regarding Blackstone. We don’t use them because the Silversea distance limit is 50 miles I think. We receive a £75 credit each way for not using this service. It may be that a cost of a local taxi from Ferndown is less than this so it may make sense for you to do the same DIY as ourselves.

 

 

[UKCruiseJeff]

1 hour ago, CamMag said:

We're thinking about using Blacklane for travel from Ferndown to Southampton for our Norway cruise in September. It's less than 30 miles. Anyone had experience of them in the UK? 

 

Also, when do we get a time to check in and told where the Silver Moon will be docked?

TIA

Margaret

 

Margaret,

 

Have you requested a Blacklane quote? 

 

A sensible starter for your decision would be to put in a pricing request from Ferndown to Southampton, on the Blacklane site and if as the case is for much of the UK that the Blacklane site does not quote because the service in “unavailable” in Ferndown then this might imply that it is perhaps an option you should avoid. if you wish to avoid a layer of avoidable stress and use a trustworthy local company. If it quotes then at least you know where you are.

 

https://www.blacklane.com/en/

 

Jeff

[machotspur]

1 hour ago, CamMag said:

We're thinking about using Blacklane for travel from Ferndown to Southampton for our Norway cruise in September. It's less than 30 miles. Anyone had experience of them in the UK? 

 

Also, when do we get a time to check in and told where the Silver Moon will be docked?

TIA

Margaret

Oops - I forgot to mention - when entering our personal info on “My Silversea” I was asked to select a preferred embarkation time, from 14:00 onwards.