They Do It so Well so Why Would They Change it?

[Sea King]

 

leaving the rooms early also means they can be gone to immediately when you board. Staying in them late at the end means you need to wait until they're ready.

 

have to disagree DBA

 

anyone will tell you that on disembark day, cabin stewards are "flying" from the second the 1st group is allowed to leave right through embarkation which now begins about 11:15 to 11:30 for the most part

 

it's not allowing people to "stay in their rooms" that causes a problem ..

 

it's the # of stewards

 

their ranks have been cut and continue to be cut .. if you have the same number of pax in a given area but cut the number of stewards available, logic says it will take longer to get everything ready especially when on embark day new stocking must be done, flowers, wine and gifts delivered etc

 

I don't see any "sensible way" to improve the system as it now stands other than to let some of the pax off before home port:eek::eek:

 

anyone for spending a day or 2 at HMC:D

[solocanadian]

Nothing official I've heard from my end but consider this.

 

Some people will grumble about rooms not ready at embark. Some will grumble about needing to take the "anywhere EXCEPT your room on disembark day" approach. Those two things go hand in hand. So while I'm not aware of anything official, leaving the rooms early also means they can be gone to immediately when you board. Staying in them late at the end means you need to wait until they're ready.

 

Dutch: I hope HAL leaves things the way they are. I don't mind waiting for my cabin to be ready when I embark. It gives me time to look for my favourite bar tenders from past cruises.:)

[Roz]

My sister took her first HAL cruise with me in September, and it was also the first time she experienced a debarkation where you got to stay in the cabin until your tag color was called. She specifically commented on what a difference it made at the end of the cruise, not feeling like you're being pushed and herded off the ship, and made to wait in uncomfortable public areas.

 

On my last Carnival cruise (January 2009) they had starting using the same process HAL does, and I think it really does leave the passengers with a good impression.

 

Roz

[VioletHorse]

DD and I took our first ever Princess cruise in June. We were doing self disembarkation which I've done before on HAL, and expected a similar experience. It was not to be.

 

We proceeded to the elevators at our self disembark time, and could not get on due to the large number of pax who were already proceeeding to their assigned disembarkation waiting areas, well in advance of the 8 AM cutoff.

 

There was no way we could manage our luggage on the stairs (8 decks!), so we waited and waited and waited. Finally I was able to jam myself and my luggage on one elevator. My DD waited another 10 minutes before she was able to get an elevator that had enough room for her and her bags.

 

It took us 45 minutes to get off the ship, as opposed to my 5 minute experience on HAL.

 

It's a luxury to be able to stay in your stateroom until your color is called, and it not only is stress free, but also provides crowd control when it's needed the most.

[MM42]

Never been on HAL but now considering it for next fall. Could someone explain to me how disembarkation is done? My last 3 cruises were with Princess and I hate their method. You have to be out of your cabin by 8:00. It's like: 'ok, your cruise is over, now, get off the ship'. Also, your luggage has to be outside your cabin before dinner the night before. I hated that too. Does HAL do that too or you can wait until you go to bed?

[RuthC]

Could someone explain to me how disembarkation is done?

Early in the cruise you will be asked about your post-cruise plans. Your disembarkation will be developed around those plans.

On (usually) the last day of the cruise there will be a disembarkation talk, and a packet of instructions will be delivered to your cabin. The packet will have a letter letting you know the expected time of your disembarkation, and the tags that go on your bags.

 

Your bags need to me out before you retire, or 1:00 AM---whichever comes first. If you are in a suite, you have until 6:00 AM.

In the morning you can stay in your cabin until it's your time to leave. :) You can even have a full room service breakfast delivered, which makes the whole ordeal of leaving a bit more civilized.

Those people who need wheelchair assistance leaving the ship will have to report to a specific lounge about 15 minutes before their disembarkation time. They will have a second letter of instructions in their disembarkation packet.

[mr green]

DD and I took our first ever Princess cruise in June. We were doing self disembarkation which I've done before on HAL, and expected a similar experience. It was not to be.

 

We proceeded to the elevators at our self disembark time, and could not get on due to the large number of pax who were already proceeeding to their assigned disembarkation waiting areas, well in advance of the 8 AM cutoff.

 

There was no way we could manage our luggage on the stairs (8 decks!), so we waited and waited and waited. Finally I was able to jam myself and my luggage on one elevator. My DD waited another 10 minutes before she was able to get an elevator that had enough room for her and her bags.

 

It took us 45 minutes to get off the ship, as opposed to my 5 minute experience on HAL.

 

It's a luxury to be able to stay in your stateroom until your color is called, and it not only is stress free, but also provides crowd control when it's needed the most.

 

On our last cruise the time that our luggage had to be out by midnight. The very latest that we have waited to get off Princess was two hours after docking, the same I might add as HAL. The reason, In Vancouver our home port, we fill out our form saying that we are making our own way home, with no flight to catch, so, we are usually about the last ones off.

It seems strange to me. Some folk want to stay with the ship as long as possible, while others want to get off like yesterday. My advice to all is simple, RELAX!

 

john

[sail7seas]

On our last cruise the time that our luggage had to be out by midnight. The very latest that we have waited to get off Princess was two hours after docking, the same I might add as HAL. The reason, In Vancouver our home port, we fill out our form saying that we are making our own way home, with no flight to catch, so, we are usually about the last ones off.

It seems strange to me. Some folk want to stay with the ship as long as possible, while others want to get off like yesterday. My advice to all is simple, RELAX!

 

john

 

:) EASY to say relax when you are a short car ride home. ;) Not so when people are facing lines and connections at airports.

 

We sail from our home city each summer but we also sail from ports to which we must fly. It is VERY different when we need to get to an airport vs. our car company waiting on the dock for us.

 

Even still, we like to be off the ship in the first groups. When our cruise is over, it is over. :sadface:

[Kay240]

I love being able to stay in my cabin on that last morning; I don't mind not being able to go directly to my cabin when I board. People are embarking over a much longer period than they are disembarking. Anyone who does mind waiting to go to their cabin---well, they can just board later, when the cabins are ready!

 

It wasn't so many years ago that we all had to wait until the cabins were ready before boarding began. And we had to leave the cabins early on that last day, too. Now we have the best on both ends of the cruise. I can't believe anyone wants to go back to the way it was.

 

I used to hate debarkation day; having to get up early, rushing through an early breakfast, waiting endlessly for our color/ number to be called. I LOVE the current debarkation, with the "silent" schedule. This way, you know when you need to be ready and don't find yourself wandering around the ship while your friends and /or family are hanging out of the cabin door looking for you! Strangely, I seem to recall much less congestion leaving the ship when using this method.

I also agree that waiting for our cabins on embarkation day can be a positive experience. Since we probably have been rushing to the pier (flying or driving in that day), standing in line to check-in and rushing off to lunch in the Lido Buffet, the last thing we need to do is start unpacking without a little time to "chill-out". If cabins are not ready, we have the opportunity to just explore or sit on a deck chair and unwind.

[punknhead]

I just left the Eurodam this morning. We were 4 women that all had different flight times back. I was so nice having room service for our last morning together as our wake up call. The "primpies" (those who take a long time to get ready for the world) had pleanty of time to do their hair and makeup, while the 2 of us with earlier flights had our coffee and danish, and hugged each other good bye in the privacy of our stateroom.

 

Stateroom to airport was about a half an hour. So smooth!

 

Please don't change this last memory!

 

I high recommend dining in the one of the small restaurants the last night with your friends. Food was good, but the service and quiet civil atmosphere was a very relaxing way to wind down the cruise with some great memories.

 

Punk

[MM42]

Early in the cruise you will be asked about your post-cruise plans. Your disembarkation will be developed around those plans.

On (usually) the last day of the cruise there will be a disembarkation talk, and a packet of instructions will be delivered to your cabin. The packet will have a letter letting you know the expected time of your disembarkation, and the tags that go on your bags.

 

Your bags need to me out before you retire, or 1:00 AM---whichever comes first. If you are in a suite, you have until 6:00 AM.

 

In the morning you can stay in your cabin until it's your time to leave. :) You can even have a full room service breakfast delivered, which makes the whole ordeal of leaving a bit more civilized.

Those people who need wheelchair assistance leaving the ship will have to report to a specific lounge about 15 minutes before their disembarkation time. They will have a second letter of instructions in their disembarkation packet.

 

Thank you so much for the detailed information.

[bepsf]

have to disagree DBA

 

anyone will tell you that on disembark day, cabin stewards are "flying" from the second the 1st group is allowed to leave right through embarkation which now begins about 11:15 to 11:30 for the most part

 

it's not allowing people to "stay in their rooms" that causes a problem ..

 

it's the # of stewards

 

their ranks have been cut and continue to be cut .. if you have the same number of pax in a given area but cut the number of stewards available, logic says it will take longer to get everything ready especially when on embark day new stocking must be done, flowers, wine and gifts delivered etc

 

That's the answer right there.

Seattle has been cutting the number of cabin stewards year after year because they can't keep ticket prices high enough to maintain service levels - actually selling some berths for less than Carnival and RCI.

 

Perhaps if HAL quit building new ships & adding staterooms to existing ships and instead concentrated on providing service levels that would justify fares higher than Carnival the way HAL used to be as little as 5 and 6 years ago...

[room010]

Our last HAL disembarkation worked fine until we actually set foot on dry land again where a loooooooooong line of passengers was being processed by only 2 Canadian immigration officials who took their sweet time perusing every page of every passport..... :( I know that has nothing to do with HAL but it still shows that the most seamless disembarkation can still fall victim to plodding bureaucracy.

[jtl513]

I used to hate debarkation day; having to get up early, rushing through an early breakfast, waiting endlessly for our color/ number to be called. I LOVE the current debarkation, with the "silent" schedule.

The silent method works great when the whole process starts on time ... but see my post #25.

[Laminator]

The silent method works great when the whole process starts on time ... but see my post #25.

 

I have sailed HAL three times in the last 3 months and never once was the silent method used. Out of Seattle on the Oosterdam we were running about 15 minutes behind so it is possible that is the reason. Out of Ft. Lauderdale on the Zuiderdam we were running 15 minutes ahead so that may have been the reason. Yesterday on the Eurodam we were pretty much right on time but the luggage tag colors were still being called.

Yesterday was also the first time in the last three cruises where there was actually someone checking the luggage tag colors before we disembarked.

 

I guess every ship is different but in this instance I was three for three. Actually four for four if you include last May's Oosterdam cruise.

[mr green]

:) EASY to say relax when you are a short car ride home. ;) Not so when people are facing lines and connections at airports.

 

We sail from our home city each summer but we also sail from ports to which we must fly. It is VERY different when we need to get to an airport vs. our car company waiting on the dock for us.

 

Even still, we like to be off the ship in the first groups. When our cruise is over, it is over. :sadface:

 

If you fill in your debarkation form correctly, any cruiseline should get you off the ship in time, unless you booked yourself a tight scedule, for which the cruiseline can't be blamed.

 

john

[sail7seas]

Yes, Mr. Green. I understand. We (almost) always book our flight home for next day.

 

I'm sure you are aware that even 12 noon flights can be a tight connection if things do not all go as they should. We were on the Eurodam cruise that left the anchor at HMC. We arrived back at Port Everglades hours late and folks with 1:30 flights missed them.

It was not unreasonble for them to have booked that time flight.

 

We are all different personalties. We each 'are who we are' and all have our private preferences. We want "off" ASAP when our cruise is over.

 

Our last cruise was a last minute booking as we were pressed for how long we could be away from home and flew home the day we got off the ship. I was not calm and relaxed and lolling around. It isn't who I am. There was no way to know how long airline check in would take, how long security lines would be........ I find that anxiety producing and seriously doubt I am the only one. ;)

 

 

But, as stated, even when we disembark in Boston where we live, we still want to be among the first off. It's another thing we like about booking our cabin. We can choose the debark time we want. It's what we like. Doesn't mean anyone else has to agree.

 

 

[mr green]

Yes, Mr. Green. I understand. We (almost) always book our flight home for next da

 

 

But, as stated, even when we disembark in Boston where we live, we still want to be among the first off. Doesn't mean anyone else has to agree.

 

 

 

Your right, we don't all agree. If all those persons from Boston wished to be first off, where would that leave everyone else who have flights to catch. We should all play fair IMO.

 

john

[flgolf]

 

anyone will tell you that on disembark day, cabin stewards are "flying" from the second the 1st group is allowed to leave right through embarkation which now begins about 11:15 to 11:30 for the most part

 

it's not allowing people to "stay in their rooms" that causes a problem ..

 

it's the # of stewards

 

their ranks have been cut and continue to be cut .. if you have the same number of pax in a given area but cut the number of stewards available, logic says it will take longer to get everything ready especially when on embark day new stocking must be done, flowers, wine and gifts delivered etc

 

I don't see any "sensible way" to improve the system as it now stands other than to let some of the pax off before home port:eek::eek:

 

anyone for spending a day or 2 at HMC:D

 

 

This is exactly the problem. I was on board last month and overheard two bartenders talking that starting Jan. that the beverage staff would be helping the room stewards on embarkation day to ready the cabins.

there was also a question on the survey as to how important it was to be able to go right to your room when you arrive.

[petrakae]

Nothing official I've heard from my end but consider this.

 

Some people will grumble about rooms not ready at embark. Some will grumble about needing to take the "anywhere EXCEPT your room on disembark day" approach. Those two things go hand in hand. So while I'm not aware of anything official, leaving the rooms early also means they can be gone to immediately when you board. Staying in them late at the end means you need to wait until they're ready.

And some will grumble about the sun rising in the East. Patience is a virtue on disembarkation day.

[kalliekae]

foodsvcmgr.... Thank you for your post. I hope that is what they are talking of changing. I am not sure everyone understands how the silent debark works and wonder if everyone reads the letter that accompanies their luggage tags.

 

If all they change is that, GREAT. That would be wonderful to leave the rest the same. :)

 

 

 

When we disembarked last week from the NA, it was not silent. The CD made announcements as to what color tags were to disembark and gave a 15 minute timeframe for disembarking. Also, the CD strongly discouraged room service breakfast on day of disembarkation when he did his talk the day before.

[bepsf]

This is exactly the problem. I was on board last month and overheard two bartenders talking that starting Jan. that the beverage staff would be helping the room stewards on embarkation day to ready the cabins.

 

If that doesn't prove that there's been a decline in staffing levels...

What next: Bridge officers serving as Bartenders?

Self-Serve Buffet Dinners in the MDR?

Spa Personnel manning the Tenders and securing the ship to the pier?

:cool:

[airlink diva]

I also agree with the majority because this is one of the small perks that I love about HAL.

I know there are some who cruise that want access to their cabin once they board the ship. Others have no problem enjoying a nice embarkation meal and exploring the ship.

Since I like to arrive to port after 1:00 p.m. and normally get on board around 1:30 p.m., I either don't have a wait or a very short wait.

But I love sitting in my cabin reflecting on my cruise. On my 2008 Maasdam cruise we also had the silent disembarkation. When I left my cabin at the time requested, I walked right off the ship, gather my luggage and cleared customs in about 20 minutes.

There are some guest who will eat breakfast and sit in the public areas and those who will have very early disembarkation. This mean that a certain percentage of the cabins are empty early.

I hate having to leave the cabin early, stake out a spot (heaven forbid if I'm solo and need to head to the restroom :(!) and then a mad rush to the elevator to head to the level to leave the ship.

If I get this question on my upcoming cruise, I will mark "NO!!"

[LAFFNVEGAS]

While I am not a voice of authority I have had confirmation from a very reliable source that infact the cabins will be ready upon Early Embarkation starting the first of December.

Also another Princess type thing that will be starting is a Back of the House Tour, that HAL will charge $150.00 per person.

Fox News will be available on the TV starting December first fleetwide, as well as the Roll out of Le Cirque for the remaining ships that do not already have it.

Just my personal opinion HAL is becoming more Princess like that Carnival like :D All of the above new stuff is just the passengers starting to see the gradual change. HAL has been copying Princess on many other things this whole year of 2010 especially when it comes to pricing and Flash rates.

I am just not sure why HAL finds the need to copy Princess :confused: I am really wondering if Stein hired someone in Seattle that was a former Princess Exec :rolleyes:

[sail7seas]

Does that mean forced out of our cabins by 8:00 on Disembarkation Day?

And No Room Service last morning?

 

:( Darn but my 'source' was correct.