When you book a holiday with us here at Cruise Nation, you’ll find that we don’t include transfers as part of the package. The reason for this is we try to book the best possible hotels that are closest to the cruise port so that you can reach them in a short taxi ride from the airport or cruise terminal. By giving you the opportunity to travel by taxi, we’re able to pass on savings to you that wouldn’t be possible if we were to organise transfers on your behalf.
We understand that booking transfers and using public transport can be a little confusing when you’re in a new country for the first time, so to help with planning your transfers we’ve compiled our best advice and tips below.
THING TO CONSIDER
When planning your transfers, we’d suggest thinking about some of these points:
- What time are you due to arrive at your destination? If it’s the early hours of the morning or late at night we’d recommend checking if taxis are frequent during these times.
- If you’re travelling with young children, it’s likely you’ll want your transfer to be as easy as possible so choosing a taxi over public transport is a good idea.
- How much luggage are you bringing? If it’s difficult for you to manoeuvre it, we’d recommend opting for a taxi rather than a bus.
- Are you travelling with someone in a wheelchair or on crutches? If so you may need to book a taxi in advance which can accommodate a wheelchair.
- If you’re getting a transfer from a hotel to your cruise ship, make sure you allow extra time to get there and to board. You never know when traffic jams and other delays can occur and the last thing you want is for your cruise ship to leave without you.
- If you are planning to get a taxi or use public transport, ensure you have enough cash with you in the local currency to cover the cost of the journey.
TRANSFER OPTIONS
Below is a selection of transfer options to consider:
- Shuttle Bus or Coach - A shuttle bus is a great way to get you from A to B and is a popular form of transportation for many cruise-goers. If you are flying to another country for embarkation, a shuttle bus is a handy option for getting to your port in a quick and efficient manner. Many shuttle services can be found directly in the airport. However please note if you are flying in a few days early for a pre-cruise stay, you’ll want to get transfers from the hotel to the cruise port instead and a shuttle bus may not be available to do this.
- Public Transport - Some destinations have excellent public transport links by bus, tram or rail. Although this differs by destination, it’s always worth doing a quick search to see if public transport could be an easy and affordable option. For example Civitavecchia, the cruise port for Rome has two trains every hour and each takes around 1h 30m to complete the route, stopping along the way at the Terminus in Rome’s city centre.
- Taxi - If you are flying to another country to board your cruise, you can generally find taxi services in the airport. These are usually situated in close proximity to coach services and are fairly regular. For many people who haven’t booked a transfer service prior to the cruise, a taxi can be a key choice. However, if you’re on a budget, a taxi might be slightly more expensive, so consider this when booking your cruise.
TRANSFER PLANNING RESOURCES
- Rome 2 Rio - Rome 2 Rio is an incredible tool for planning transfers. It allows you to enter details of where you are and where you want to be, it then maps the distance from one location to the other and gives you a list of transport options for getting there including local taxi numbers (including estimated fare), public transport (including bus numbers) and details on how long it would take to walk. Alongside these options a handy map is displayed that shows you the route from A to B.
- Google Maps - Google Maps is a trusted favourite for helping to find your way around new destinations.
- Intercruises - This coach transfer company works with Cunard, Princess and P&O Cruises to pick up passengers and deliver them to port. You can also book online.
- Ports Direct - This transfer company works with 10 of the 13 cruise lines we sell cruises for, so chances are good you’ll be able to book a transfer for your cruise online with them.
- Taxi Finder - If you think you’d like to book a taxi or private car for your transfers, Taxi Finder has details of drivers worldwide. This tool allows you to compare several prices so you get the best one and it also gives you peace of mind that you’re booking with a reputable driver.