Toyko March 26 Post Cruise Airport Transportation Information Requested

[NYU73]

Hi All

My wife and I are on the Silver Nova Toyko-Toyko in March 2025. At cruise end, we do not believe we can go on an offered Silversea 1/2 day tour that ends with a Narita drop-off at approx 14:30pm. Our flight departs Narita at 17:35pm. Do any past cruisers know if this is sufficient time to clear customs and get onboard?  Similarly, do any past or upcoming Toyko cruisers for this voyage have any recommendations for a reliable transportation/shared ride company to Narita from the cruise terminal? 

Your thoughts and comments would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Steve

[Port Power]

1 hour ago, NYU73 said:

Hi All

My wife and I are on the Silver Nova Toyko-Toyko in March 2025. At cruise end, we do not believe we can go on an offered Silversea 1/2 day tour that ends with a Narita drop-off at approx 14:30pm. Our flight departs Narita at 17:35pm. Do any past cruisers know if this is sufficient time to clear customs and get onboard?  Similarly, do any past or upcoming Toyko cruisers for this voyage have any recommendations for a reliable transportation/shared ride company to Narita from the cruise terminal? 

Your thoughts and comments would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Steve

Why don’t you think you can use the Silversea transfer?  If you have not booked door-to-door, you can still purchase the transfer from the Shore Excursions desk.

 

When I was on Silver Dawn last year, I went on the tour/transfer to Narita.  Three hours is plenty of time to check in and go through security.  It didn’t take long at all from memory.  Before I knew it, there I was in the JAL lounge with something bubbly in my hand!  Often airlines are not available for check in until 3 hours prior to the flight anyway.

[NYU73]

Thanks for that information. We were skittish about the time window of the Silversea Tour, check-in and customs

[gnome12]

1 hour ago, NYU73 said:

Thanks for that information. We were skittish about the time window of the Silversea Tour, check-in and customs

You don’t need to go through customs. 

[FlyerTalker]

1 hour ago, gnome12 said:

You don’t need to go through customs. 

 

You do need to go through outbound immigration, which is the time consuming process.

 

Customs is about baggage, immigration is about people.

 

 

[GrumpySushiBear]

I've used this taxi company the last 3 times going from Tokyo hotel to Narita (used as recently as last November) and they are great. You can book online and probably ask them to quote a Tokyo tour + dropping you off at the airport. Taxi tours are a real common thing in Japan.

 

https://en.tokyomk.com/taxi

 

Some of the nicest taxis I've ever ridden - better than some limos in the US. I was also shocked by their service even by Japanese standards. When we arrive at the airport the driver *ran* to get a cart to put my giant bags in. I wasn't not even a rush. 

[FlyerTalker]

40 minutes ago, GrumpySushiBear said:

I've used this taxi company the last 3 times going from Tokyo hotel to Narita (used as recently as last November) and they are great. You can book online and probably ask them to quote a Tokyo tour + dropping you off at the airport. Taxi tours are a real common thing in Japan.

 

And this is fine if you have money to burn.

 

For those who don't, look at the Airport Limousine Bus, which has excellent service to Narita from a number of locations.

 

 

[drron29]

Outbound immigration in HND and NRT is now done with kiosks not an Immigration official. Insert your passport face down in the machine,wait to get a photo done and you are out,

If you are in business class there is a separate line for security. On Monday this week we were in the terminal about 7 minutes after entering the security line.

[Port Power]

18 hours ago, NYU73 said:

Thanks for that information. We were skittish about the time window of the Silversea Tour, check-in and customs

I’m glad it helped.  I think $99 is worth it for the ease of travel including your luggage. I have used the limousine bus, but it is more cumbersome if you have lots of luggage.  Using the SS transfer is more expensive (although not “expensive”) but also more relaxed.  Plus you get to see yet another temple 🤣, and also beautiful gardens.  Without anxiety. 

[NYU73]

I would like to thank everyone for their time, comments and advice. We are flying business class with a 17:35 pm flight and were concerned that the 1/2 SS tour on day of embarkation would not give us enough time to catch our flight. The information we received from everyone is very helpful and will help us reach a decision. Although, I must say visiting a Temple before we fly might be a great idea 🤣

[drron29]

It is an impressive temple and a beautiful garden with maybe the cherry blossoms out in late March.

[highplanesdrifters]

10 hours ago, drron29 said:

Outbound immigration in HND and NRT is now done with kiosks not an Immigration official. Insert your passport face down in the machine,wait to get a photo done and you are out,

If you are in business class there is a separate line for security. On Monday this week we were in the terminal about 7 minutes after entering the security line.

 

Good to know!

 

Mini hijack question about HND for the CC Japan expert.  I'm flying to Guam from Denver via HND. Although I'll learn once I get to the airport and double check........ Do you know if I'll need to pick up luggage and re check in HND?   Thanks.

[FlyerTalker]

2 hours ago, highplanesdrifters said:

Mini hijack question about HND for the CC Japan expert.  I'm flying to Guam from Denver via HND. Although I'll learn once I get to the airport and double check........ Do you know if I'll need to pick up luggage and re check in HND?   Thanks.

 

Assuming this is all on UA, your bags will be through checked at DEN and you will see them at GUM.

 

 

[drron29]

If you are transiting Japan only no need to pick up the bags. However essential to make sure your bags are checked through to your destination.

Also in the event of an overnight wait to transit there is an airside hotel in Haneda Terminal 3 so if you stay there again no need to go through Immigration and pick up your bags as long as they have been checked through to your destination.

[highplanesdrifters]

@drron29 & @FlyerTalker

 

Thanks for the advice. You are both always so helpful.

 

Yes, all on UA.  I did make a mistake, we're flying through NRT, not HND.  I was working on different trip flying through HND when I wrote the post. FWP.

 

Checking your bags for final destination tags is a must! Good reminder.

 

On the second trip we are staying at Hotel Villa Fontaine Premier. We'll have to grab our bags on that one.

[FlyerTalker]

51 minutes ago, highplanesdrifters said:

On the second trip we are staying at Hotel Villa Fontaine Premier. We'll have to grab our bags on that one.

 

That's pretty easy.  Just go straight out from floor 2 towards the bus departures and you are in a passageway that's about a three to five minute walk.  You can take luggage carts the entire way, and there will some available the next morning at the hotel.

 

You should probably do some research on the "Haneda Airport Garden", which is where the hotel is located.  Numerous shops and restaurants.

 

One small point -- unless you really need the hotel services and higher "luxury", you might want to just stay in the Grand rather than the Premier.  Both work fine for a simple overnight stay, and you can save a bunch by using the perfectly fine Grand.  And they are all the same building, just different parts.

 

 

[drron29]

The Grande is quite adequate for a 1 night stay. Though this is the room type we got on our first 5 stays.

 

 

 

 

But on our 6th stay we were upgraded.

 

 

 

 

Much roomier and came with water views rather than terminal 3 views.

 

 

But we were there last Sunday and the Haneda Airport Garden has fallen on harder times with a couple of shops and one eatery closed down. We went back to the terminal and ate in a restaurant there.

 

[FlyerTalker]

18 minutes ago, drron29 said:

But we were there last Sunday and the Haneda Airport Garden has fallen on harder times with a couple of shops and one eatery closed down. We went back to the terminal and ate in a restaurant there.

 

Haven't been there since February, so thanks for the update. 

 

In my stays, I always booked the larger rooms at the Grand - still worked better than Premier, IMO.

 

 

[highplanesdrifters]

@drron29 & @FlyerTalker

 

Really appreciate the great tips and visuals.

 

Will check out the Grand.  Booked the Premier because a number of  reviews complained about check in problems.  Will re think.

 

Bummer about Airport Garden. Will still check it out though.

 

 

[drron29]

24 minutes ago, highplanesdrifters said:

@drron29 & @FlyerTalker

 

Really appreciate the great tips and visuals.

 

Will check out the Grand.  Booked the Premier because a number of  reviews complained about check in problems.  Will re think.

 

Bummer about Airport Garden. Will still check it out though.

 

 

It's still worth going to the Airport Garden particularly the little shops that line the corridor between the Terminal and the Villa Fontaine hotels.

The only thing with check in at the Grande is that 3pm is rigidly enforced. So quite a few waiting to check in. We try to arrive ~ 4pm and has settled. It is also done by kiosk as in quite a few Japanese hotels. The kiosks have English so pretty easy to follow. If the machine is being contrary an agent comes and does it for you.