Checking in at Portsmouth
Check-in at Portsmouth will generally begin 3 hours before the ship is due to sail. For details of car parking at Portsmouth please see page 18.
Travelling to the AIRPORT
Approximately 8 weeks prior to departure we will send you details of long-term parking at your departure airport.
FLIGHTS
Summer cruises
For our summer cruise programme, Swan Hellenic will operate a dedicated flight from London, and where possible we operate a direct aircraft-to-ship luggage transfer at most airports. This means that, once you have checked in your luggage at the UK departure airport, you will not see it again until you reach your cabin. However, with increased security concerns, it may not always be possible to operate this system. In these circumstances you will be required to collect your luggage and proceed through immigration and arrivals. We will have porters waiting to collect your luggage, load it onto lorries and transfer it to the ship where it will be delivered to your cabin. We aim to advise you which system will be in operation when you check in at the airport.
For the return journey a partial check-in will be completed on board ship. However, for security reasons, it may prove necessary to operate a normal check in at the overseas airport.
Winter Cruises
For our winter cruises, we use a mix of scheduled and dedicated charter flights, however, we are not always in a position to confirm full flight details at time of booking and any information that may be provided at that time is subject to change.
Flights to the Middle East, the Indian sub-continent and Far East usually depart the UK in the afternoon or evening, arriving the following day. The departure may differ for flights back to the UK depending on airline schedules. They may depart in the morning arriving back in the UK the same day or depart late evening arriving the following morning.
On our dedicated charter flights from the UK, where possible we will operate a direct aircraft-to-ship luggage transfer. This means that, once you have checked in your luggage at the UK departure airport, you will not see it again until you reach your cabin. However, with increased security concerns, it may not always be possible to operate this system.
On all scheduled flights you will be required to collect your luggage and proceed through immigration and customs. We will have porters waiting to receive your luggage and transfer it to the ship where it will be delivered to your cabin.
On long haul routes flights may be indirect, necessitating a change of aircraft during the journey. On direct services it may be necessary for the aircraft to stop en-route for operational reasons.
Baggage allowance is usually 20kg on our dedicated flights and most scheduled flights, although it may vary slightly according to the carrier.
For long haul flights we recommend that you check-in a minimum of 3 hours before departure to allow for increased security checks. We regret that on-line check-in is not always available for scheduled flights booked through Swan Hellenic. If you do not check in on time, the airline may not allow you to board the flight.
We cannot accept responsibility if such situations arise and, whilst we will do our best to arrange alternative transport, any resulting costs will be your responsibility. Swan Hellenic’s recommended travel insurance includes cover for travel delays (see page 101).
The airlines likely to operate our flights are Thomson Fly, Thomas Cook, Viking, Jet2, Astraeus, Titan, BA, Iberia, Air France and Monarch Airlines using Boeing 737, 747, 757, 767, Airbus A300, A320, A330 and A321. Other airlines and aircraft may also be used including local airlines for internal flights. If you wish to upgrade your flight, please contact us to discuss availability and supplementary costs.
LOCAL CONNECTING FLIGHTS
(departures from november 2, 2008 to april 28, 2009 only)
Regional flights are provided without additional charge from Aberdeen, Belfast, Cork, Dublin, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Guernsey, Inverness, Isle of Man, Jersey, Leeds/Bradford, Manchester, Newcastle, Newquay, Plymouth and Teesside, but are subject to availability. Any hotel accommodation and transfers required to make connections will be at passenger's expense.
FLIGHT DELAYS
Unfortunately, it is impossible to guarantee that all flights will take off exactly on time, as travel delays can occur for any number of reasons. In the event of a delay in departure from an airport, for reasons other than those which are the responsibility of the airline, the company policy is to arrange for our passengers to be provided, whenever practical, with the following welfare arrangements: 3-5 hours delay - light refreshments; over 5 hours delay - a main meal.
INDEPENDENT AIR ARRANGEMENTS
The company will have no responsibility, financial or otherwise, in regard to air travel arrangements made by others, including those related to the use of frequent flyer, non-refundable and other restricted travel tickets. This exclusion of liability by the company includes the consequences to independently arranged air travel that may result from last-minute changes in the embarkation and disembarkation ports, cancellation of tours and delays in arrival at the departure airport (see the contract of carriage for more details of these exclusions from liability). No airport transfers can be provided for passengers using independently arranged air travel. The travel insurance policy should be checked in regard to its coverage of such independent air arrangements.
