Where does your Catalina trip actually start?
The hotel pickup, excursion check-in and boat boarding point may be different places. A cruise terminal, a public harbour and a private marina are not interchangeable addresses. Get the operator's written directions and map pin; a general destination such as ‘La Romana port’ is not enough. Our guide to day trips with a private driver explains the road journey separately from the activity.
Six details to confirm with the boat operator
Confirm the operator and booking reference, local date, exact meeting point, required arrival time, expected return time and landing point, and a contact reachable on the day. Ask whether hotel transport is already included and where it collects you. Do not book a second car before checking this. Follow your own operator's instructions rather than another excursion's timetable.
From your hotel or villa to the meeting point
Send the actual hotel entrance or villa address, not just the resort's marketing name. Guests staying in Bayahibe may still need to travel to a meeting point in La Romana. For Casa de Campo arrivals, arrange any access permissions with the host. Confirm the local excursion route, availability and total price separately: an airport-zone fare does not automatically cover it.
Going straight from LRM airport to the boat
Landing time is not the time you can leave the airport. Allow for immigration, baggage, customs, meeting the driver, loading and the drive. Read about leaving LRM after landing and airport transfers into La Romana. Flight tracking cannot hold a boat. Confirm feasibility before committing; consider another day if delays would remove your margin. Agree luggage arrangements explicitly—do not assume storage in a car or hotel delivery is included.
Arrange the return before setting off
Agree the return meeting point, a realistic pickup window and who contacts whom after landing. Two separate journeys and a vehicle waiting all day are different arrangements; confirm waiting time, charges and availability in writing. Give passenger numbers, children's ages, mobility needs and luggage details. Check boat boarding accessibility separately from vehicle suitability.
If the boat is late or the excursion is cancelled
If the return time or landing changes, notify dispatch as soon as you have reliable information. The boat operator manages the excursion; dispatch confirms any change to the road transfer. Ask about waiting, rescheduling and cancellation terms before booking. A boat cancellation does not automatically cancel a separately booked car or establish a refund. Cruise passengers must also respect their ship's all-aboard deadline.
Your transfer request checklist
Send: date; hotel or villa address; operator and reference; confirmed map pin and required arrival time; return landing and expected time; passengers, child seats and bags; and a working contact number. Ask for confirmation of both legs, total price, included waiting and change terms. See how to request and confirm your transfer; flag that this is an excursion journey rather than a standard airport booking.
Confirm the road journey for your Catalina trip
Have your operator's meeting instructions ready and request a written quote for the outward and return journeys.
How to request a transferQuestions we get on this
- Do all Catalina boats leave from Bayahibe?
- No. Do not infer your departure point from the island name or a Saona itinerary. Use the Catalina operator's confirmed meeting instructions.
- Is hotel transport included?
- It depends on the excursion booking. Check the inclusions and exact pickup location before arranging a separate car.
- Can we take suitcases?
- Ask the boat operator about baggage and agree any storage or onward delivery separately. Neither is automatically included in the road transfer.
- Will the driver wait if the boat is late?
- Agree a pickup window and waiting terms in advance. Contact dispatch when the return changes; do not assume unlimited waiting or automatic rescheduling.