Would you pay $35 to have a few extra hours on a cruise ship?

[msu]

Would you pay $35 to have a few extra hours on a cruise ship? Royal Caribbean is betting you will.

 

The mass-market line is expanding a $35-a-person "Late Departure" program tested on a couple ships last year in Europe to more vessels.

 

Now available on all eight Royal Caribbean ships in Europe, the program allows passengers to stay aboard the vessels through lunchtime and into the afternoon on disembarkation day instead of a traditional early-morning departure. Passengers who sign up for the program can stay on their ship until 90 minutes prior to its next sailing.

 

The option costs $35 for adults and $17.50 for children ages 3-17. Children under three years of age are free.

 

Passengers signing up for Late Departure will have access to all of a ship's public areas and select restaurants but still must must vacate their cabins by the traditional 9 am departure time.

[MyNameIsGermy]

There's a few threads already dedicated to this, but yes, I would do it.

[NorbertsNiece]

No, I wouldn't. Places to visit etc.

[CruiseLover15]

If they are offering it in September on the Oasis, I would sure consider it. Out flight is at 2 and I am hearing you cannot check in at FLL until about 2 hours before your flight. Not sure what we are going to do about that.

[Trainman-2]

When the ship docks at the end of the cruise, I am ready to go home and pick up my wiener dogs at the Kennel.

 

Not for me!

[TrikeRider]

I wouldn't pay it. Cruise is over, let me get off.

 

Now, if it were free, I would stay.

[Happy ks]

Since you are stating this is in place in Europe my answer would have to be an emphatic no.

 

If we had extra time in the departure port city I would have to take the time and spend it there seeing the sites. I've not been to a cruise ship yet that I think would be more interesting to spend time on after the cruise is over rather than a museum, ancient ruins, a seashore with fabulous views, etc...

 

Not to mention the opportunity to enjoy one last meal from a country where I won't be visiting again any time soon versus cruise ship buffet food. We've stopped for lunch even before embarking a cruise ship so we can avoid cruise ship buffet food ;)

[hcat]

Here's a link to an ongoing thread

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1230509

[MyNameIsGermy]

When the ship docks at the end of the cruise, I am ready to go home and pick up my wiener dogs at the Kennel.

 

Not for me!

 

What if there was warm bread pudding, vanilla sauce and home made cream waiting for you in the WJ? :D :p

[Happy ks]

Here's a link to an ongoing thread

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1230509

 

OK, read that thread. My answer remains the same, unless this were for an American port and we had less than 3 hours to spend in town. 3 hours go by fast at an airport.

[Friscorays]

If it meant considerably less time sitting in a crowded uncomfortable airport waiting for my flight home, the answer would be yes.

 

Hotels often charge a similar amount, or much more, for late checkout.

 

Additionally if you look at the price per hour that you have already paid for your cruise, this is not excessive (in my opinion).

[live.love.cruise]

Yes, I hope it's available the next time I cruise with Royal.

[lablvr2]

Nope - no way! Get off and get back home to the Labradors :)

[Ashland]

If they are offering it in September on the Oasis, I would sure consider it. Out flight is at 2 and I am hearing you cannot check in at FLL until about 2 hours before your flight. Not sure what we are going to do about that.

We have checked in more than 2 hrs. before our flight in FLL..Is this something new..seems like that would make the lines even longer....Wonder how that would work with RCI luggage valet since you have to be in one of the first groups off in order to use it..at least that was the unfortunate procedure in FLL in March...That's the only thing I hated..being rushed off the ship at 8:00am when my flight didn't leave till 1:30pm..just to qualify for the luggage valet program....:mad:

[jackdiamond]

Would you pay $35 to have a few extra hours on a cruise ship? Royal Caribbean is betting you will.

 

The mass-market line is expanding a $35-a-person "Late Departure" program tested on a couple ships last year in Europe to more vessels.

 

Now available on all eight Royal Caribbean ships in Europe, the program allows passengers to stay aboard the vessels through lunchtime and into the afternoon on disembarkation day instead of a traditional early-morning departure. Passengers who sign up for the program can stay on their ship until 90 minutes prior to its next sailing.

 

The option costs $35 for adults and $17.50 for children ages 3-17. Children under three years of age are free.

 

Passengers signing up for Late Departure will have access to all of a ship's public areas and select restaurants but still must must vacate their cabins by the traditional 9 am departure time.

No.

[cruzincurt]

Nope, the cruise is over. How fast can we get off and head for home?

 

I'd rather be at the airport, checked through security and sitting in the bar at the airside rather than worrying if I might miss the plane for some stupid reason, like a cab or bus breaking down or backed up security lines. Or be three hours down the road closer to home.

[lovemylab]

Nope - no way! Get off and get back home to the Labradors :)

 

This. Except I only have one Labrador to get home to.

[MyNameIsGermy]

This. Except I only have one Labrador to get home to.

 

I have two - but still want to stay on board as long as possible. :)

[ryano]

I could see where it would be nice for someone with a late flight and dont want to hang out at an airport all day

 

its definitely not for me though...........the last day is depressing enough to me and staying on board after the cruise is over would only make it worse I think....not to mention I have a 8 - 10 hour drive home that day and am ready to get it over with

[CruiseLover15]

We have checked in more than 2 hrs. before our flight in FLL..Is this something new..seems like that would make the lines even longer....Wonder how that would work with RCI luggage valet since you have to be in one of the first groups off in order to use it..at least that was the unfortunate procedure in FLL in March...That's the only thing I hated..being rushed off the ship at 8:00am when my flight didn't leave till 1:30pm..just to qualify for the luggage valet program....:mad:

 

Not sure if it is new but I read it somewhere on this board in the last few days.

[Bluegirl]

I could see where it would be nice for someone with a late flight and dont want to hang out at an airport all day

 

its definitely not for me though...........the last day is depressing enough to me and staying on board after the cruise is over would only make it worse I think....not to mention I have a 8 - 10 hour drive home that day and am ready to get it over with

 

For me, less depressing hanging by the pool and in the WJ than in the FLL airport for hours until our flight boards ... Also, it would be nice to face the awful travel day home on a bit more sleep than we usually get.

[Linda41]

We've signed up to stay onboard in September in Venice. Main reason is we are headed straight to a hotel, spending the night, sightseeing the next day etc, then joining a land tour for 15 more days. So, by staying onboard we can have a leisurely departure and one last FREE lunch before checking into the hotel. I'm sure the hotel wouldn't let us check in early, although they would probably store our luggage for us. It just seems much easier to have the late departure. Luggage retrieval should be much easier also--there are 3 late departure times and you cannot stay onboard past your requested departure times. Each of the 3 departure times will have the luggage for that time in a secure area so there shouldn't be nearly as much luggage to sort through. (We're leaving at 1:30 pm but we could have stayed on until 4 pm.) Unless we were flying out late in the afternoon or evening, we probably wouldn't do it.

 

Linda (and C. D.)

[scorpluvsdolphins]

I live 20 miles south of Port Canaveral and if I don't have to be at work on Monday morning, then I wait until 9 or 9:30 to get off the ship. There are no lines at all and I walk right through customs.

 

If I have to drive from South Florida, then it depends....if I am with someone else, I defer to their schedule, otherwise I do the same thing.

 

I would not pay the extra $35 to stay late.

terri

[romnan]

It sounds like a good idea I have spent way to many days cooling my heels at an airport. Are there any bars open, and what dining is available:confused:

[PhoenixCruiser]

We've signed up to stay onboard in September in Venice. Main reason is we are headed straight to a hotel, spending the night, sightseeing the next day etc, then joining a land tour for 15 more days. So, by staying onboard we can have a leisurely departure and one last FREE lunch before checking into the hotel. I'm sure the hotel wouldn't let us check in early, although they would probably store our luggage for us. It just seems much easier to have the late departure. Luggage retrieval should be much easier also--there are 3 late departure times and you cannot stay onboard past your requested departure times. Each of the 3 departure times will have the luggage for that time in a secure area so there shouldn't be nearly as much luggage to sort through. (We're leaving at 1:30 pm but we could have stayed on until 4 pm.) Unless we were flying out late in the afternoon or evening, we probably wouldn't do it.

 

Linda (and C. D.)

 

Unless I'm missing something, wasn't your "FREE" lunch $70 :confused:

 

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