What Happens The Last Morning?

[TwoCruisers]

During the cruise check your on board account, at the passenger services desk, once or twice and also on the last full day. This way you will have time to make any corrections that are necessary. If you wait until the final morning you will be in for a very long wait and may have trouble getting any mistakes corrected.

Have a great cruise. You will love it!:D

[rcacace]

If you have the $$$, sometimes you will be lucky enough to be asked to continue along on the next cruise at a nicely reduced rate. If you take Princess up on their "generous" offer, you will not get that foreboding feeling the night before when the protectors are hung in the hallways and the luggage is put out. However, you might find it difficult to repeat this solution at the end of the second cruise. Last February we were on a South America/Antarctica itinerary and Princess repeatedly offered great discounts on the next cruise. Very tempting if we didn't have things to do at home.

 

I haven't see that done in many years. To bad they don't do it more often on the Caribbean cruises.

[paul929207]

If you have the $$$, sometimes you will be lucky enough to be asked to continue along on the next cruise at a nicely reduced rate. If you take Princess up on their "generous" offer, you will not get that foreboding feeling the night before when the protectors are hung in the hallways and the luggage is put out. However, you might find it difficult to repeat this solution at the end of the second cruise. Last February we were on a South America/Antarctica itinerary and Princess repeatedly offered great discounts on the next cruise. Very tempting if we didn't have things to do at home.

I have never heard of this either.

[cynbar]

To the OP, another possibility is to rent a car for the day and explore the Ft Lauderdale area, you will have a few hours until you have to be at the airport. Hertz and I'm sure the other big agencies have shuttles which will pick you up at the pier, just make sure to reserve in advance as they can get very busy on the weekends. Ft Lauderdale airport can really be a zoo when several ships are returning to port and they don't even let you check in until a couple of hours before your flight, so just sitting around the outer waiting area with your luggage can put a damper on the end of your cruise.

[Colo Cruiser]

I have never heard of this either.

 

Probably because it was not originating in the US maybe?

[TuxedoMan]

We too have had the "Oh, my how did the bill get so high" experience, as well as waiting to disembark until we were very nearly the last ones.

Over the past couple of cruises though, IMHO the new disembarkation rules have made getting your luggage much more difficult IF you don't get off with your color group.

[Mary Ellen1]

When you pack your bags to leave them out the evening before your cruise ends, don't forget to leave out some clothes to wear the next day. Can't tell you how many people forget... ;)

 

Don't forget the shoes either!!! I can't tell you how many times I've seen people wearing shorts, jeans, & other traveling clothes... with their sparkly sandals from dinner the night before!!! This is actually a ritual end-of-cruise activity for DH & me, to give us something else to focus on besides the sadness of debarkation. We wander around the ship and count how many people forgot to leave out their clothes and/or shoes the night before.

 

Also - think layers, especially if you're going on an excursion. The early mornings in FL can be cool, and you'll want a hoodie or something that you can add/remove as needed.

 

HAVE FUN!

 

Mary Ellen

[geejay]

Several years ago we once were in an elevator the last morning with a young couple and their baby. The lady had on a Princess bathrobe and was barefoot. She was so angry that you could feel the chill! I suspect her husband put the luggage out.... :D I think of her whenever we are putting our suitcases out on the last night!

[rcacace]

Several years ago we once were in an elevator the last morning with a young couple and their baby. The lady had on a Princess bathrobe and was barefoot. She was so angry that you could feel the chill! I suspect her husband put the luggage out.... :D I think of her whenever we are putting our suitcases out on the last night!

 

She could have just asked her cabin steward for pair of Princess slippers to wear until she reached her suitcase.

[Sailingpeace]

Hello. since some member are non US residents , I will add the information about what it was for us yesterday , disembarking from Sea Princess in San Francisco. They added for non US residents, an immigration procedure for wich we got a letter a day or two in advance, telling us that we had to show up at 6:05 in the morning at the Vista lounge with our passeport, cruise card and another form that some people got getting in the US. Since the ship was an hour late getting in port, immigration officers couldn't board on time and we waited in line for more than an hour before the extremely quick ( important to mention) procedure could be done. You can go back to your cabin after and then proceed to the disembarcation procedure as described on this thread. But that means an early wake up call and there is no room service on the last day so no coffee while you get ready , unles you get it yourself at the HC. Not the way it was done on previous cruises I was on ( with Princess) and really ruins the take it easy option for the last, and for some long, day.We waited standing up with no explanation for the delay, nor tea cofee or anything else offered.

[irislady]

Remember not to pack your room card! I know, that sounds like a "Duh" statement, but I actually did that on our 3rd cruise. I left the cabin the night before and felt I didn't need to bring my purse, so I put my key card in my pants pocket. DH was putting the first of our suitcases into the hall when I returned, so I didn't need to take my key out of my pocket to get into the room. I had all my stuff ready for overnight and the trip home, so I put the clothes I was wearing into the last suitcase and put it out in the hall. As soon as I awoke in the morning I remembered where my key card was! I had to wait online at the purser's desk to find out what to do. I was issued a new key card. I was told my other option would be to stay onboard, but that I'd have to wash dishes for the next week. When I agreed, the front desk staff person assured me he was just kidding. I told HIM that I was only half-kidding....

 

Since then on the past 7 cruises DH ALWAYS makes sure I have my cruise card before he puts the suitcases out.

[PescadoAmarillo]

I start feeling unwelcome the night before when i have to put the suitcases outside the room.

LOL. That's very true. Of course, the last night, things for the next cruise start showing up in your cabin (i.e. sheets, up on the shelf in the closet). It's hard to miss that hint too.

 

If you have a late flight, and aren't taking an excursion, go to Passenger Services and ask for the baggage tags for the very last group to disembark. Then (especially if it's a sunny, nice day), we go up to the pool deck and sit in a lounge chair until they make the announcement that everyone must get off the ship (ok, they say it nicer than that, but the meaning is the same), and then we disembark. No lines, no crowds, it's easy to spot our suitcases in the terminal. We find the pool area more relaxing on a nice day than even the Elite disembarkation lounge (although one of us pops in there to get one of the USA Todays that sometimes get brought on board as soon as the ship docks).

[rcacace]

Remember not to pack your room card! I know, that sounds like a "Duh" statement, but I actually did that on our 3rd cruise. I left the cabin the night before and felt I didn't need to bring my purse, so I put my key card in my pants pocket. DH was putting the first of our suitcases into the hall when I returned, so I didn't need to take my key out of my pocket to get into the room. I had all my stuff ready for overnight and the trip home, so I put the clothes I was wearing into the last suitcase and put it out in the hall. As soon as I awoke in the morning I remembered where my key card was! I had to wait online at the purser's desk to find out what to do. I was issued a new key card. I was told my other option would be to stay onboard, but that I'd have to wash dishes for the next week. When I agreed, the front desk staff person assured me he was just kidding. I told HIM that I was only half-kidding....

 

Since then on the past 7 cruises DH ALWAYS makes sure I have my cruise card before he puts the suitcases out.

 

I don't know if you save you past cards or not but ever since they collected mine last year when leaving the ship, I always 'lose' mine or pack it in my luggage on every trip so I can add it to the collection.

 

[irislady]

rcacace,

 

Yes, I do keep my past cards. I hadn't heard that they are now taking your card when you leave the ship. Bummer. I just may have to "lose" mine again so I can get a replacement to add to my collection. (I wouldn't advise having to do that on the morning of disembarkation, though... That certainly was not my fondest Princess memory).

[rcacace]

rcacace,

 

Yes, I do keep my past cards. I hadn't heard that they are now taking your card when you leave the ship. Bummer. I just may have to "lose" mine again so I can get a replacement to add to my collection. (I wouldn't advise having to do that on the morning of disembarkation, though... That certainly was not my fondest Princess memory).

 

It only happen one time in San Francisco and has not happened since. Someone on CC said it was the port security that requested Princess collect them. When we were leaving the ship (as among the first walk offs) there was no one in front of us otherwise I would have seen people dropping them in the box. From now on if I see them collecting them I'll just have to say "sorry, I packed them in my luggage. "

[Love Cruis'n]

Coming home from San Juan on a late afternoon flight a couple of years ago following a New Years cruise, we arranged with the San Juan Hilton for a day pass. We (3 couples) had one room from the time we arrived (around ten) till we needed to head for the airport (probably around 2 or 3). The cost split 3 ways was well worth having a pool, a room, a secure place to store and access our stuff, and change for the trip home to the January cold of Chicago.

[karatemom2]

I really loved the feeling on our recent B2B of walking down the hall on the last day of our first week and thinking how bad I felt for the unfortunate people who would be leaving the next day while we still had a whole week left. Of course a week later we were the poor unfortunate ones hustling out of our room and rushing through breakfast with that sad, despondent look! But it was nice to have the experience of staying onboard while most everyone else was being unceremoniously dumped off!! :D

[m steve]

fades and tension begins waiting to get off the ship. Then we book another cruise. They should serve bloody marys while waiting for your color to be called.