Disembarcation Changes

[DutchByAssociation]

I like the idea of getting access to the cabin early to drop luggage. I guess having to report to a public room just prior to disembarkation is a fair trade-off.

 

Of course you don't "have to" report to a public room... Something to keep in mind

[trvlcrzy]

Once I had the pic file I wanted, down below where you type your message there's the "manage attachments" button. Click it and follow the details/requirements listed

 

So to clarify the procedure you used... you took a picture of the document? (instead of loading an attachment in a document format such as *.doc or *.pdf?)

 

Thanks!

[DutchByAssociation]

So to clarify the procedure you used... you took a picture of the document? (instead of loading an attachment in a document format such as *.doc or *.pdf?)

 

Thanks!

 

I have Windows 7 so I used the "Snipping tool" cropped as necessary and uploaded the .jpg

 

I started with the .docx file up on the screen when I opened up the snipping tool

 

If you don't have Win7 I would imagine taking a screenshot and cropping in paint or another image editor would work just as well

[Pam in CA]

I received an email from HAL earlier today which had a link to the news release about the new procedure. http://media.hollandamerica.com/mariner-news/2011/winter/crew-spotlight/?adcode=HE1107LN&MarinerID=061014890&first=Pamela&last=Hilton&star=3-STAR

 

The way I read this article is that the change has been made to crew assignments which would free up the cabin stewards to prepare staterooms for new occupants.

 

The reality is that most people disembark before 9am, with many opting to do self-disembarkation or leaving early for the airport and flights. That's been true for a while. It seems to me that HAL is adjusting to changing passenger habits which leaves cabins free earlier for the stewards without asking for or requiring passengers to vacate cabins earlier.

 

On my Princess cruise last month, I disembarked in San Pedro. I got up at about 7:30am, had a leisurely breakfast, went back to my cabin to pack last-minute items into my carry-on, left my cabin at about 8:45am for my meeting place (where I was meeting the rest of my family) and we disembarked just after 9am. From my viewpoint, the new HAL system is somewhat similar and I personally don't see what's so awful about it. Maybe I'm missing something. I'd much rather embark, be able to go to my cabin, drop off my carry-on, check for any notices in the cabin, and then go off and explore.

[ger_77]

Please see my earlier reply... this is not the case and nothing has changed.

 

Thanks for the clarification, DBA; I appreciate knowing that.

 

Smooth Sailing! :):):)

[tcook052]

Seems we can't have everything and I'll take the ease of getting in to my cabin earlier in return for being out of it earlier.

[KAKcruiser]

The cabin stewards have been making up the beds for the next passengers for years. I don't think this is anything new.

[kazu]

The cabin stewards have been making up the beds for the next passengers for years. I don't think this is anything new.

 

No, it is not anything new, nor washing windows or whatever.

 

Personally, I think it's great that people can get in their cabins early. I don't think there's going to any real inconvenience in the disembarkation process at all.

 

HAL has given us some good news - let's not look for the 'hidden' bad news in the announcement. No reason to worry until we see if there is really something to worry about ;)

[onthegogirl]

No, it is not anything new, nor washing windows or whatever.

 

Personally, I think it's great that people can get in their cabins early. I don't think there's going to any real inconvenience in the disembarkation process at all.

 

HAL has given us some good news - let's not look for the 'hidden' bad news in the announcement. No reason to worry until we see if there is really something to worry about ;)

 

As always the voice of sanity. Sounds like the best of both worlds to me. I'll let you all know when I get home on March 9.

[mancunian]

I come in the preferring later access and keeping my cabin until I disembark group. It is something I have to come to love on HAL and something I tell everyone about.

 

However, if the new system is really what everyone wants there is no choice. BUT, whilst not many people would in fact wish to lie on the readymade bed horrible thoughts of norovirus spring to mind. I make a point on cruises of only using my own bathroom except at embarkation, and feel that I shall be highly suspicious when I get my stateroom at 11.30 onwards to feel someone else has been using it and touching all the areas which have been cleaned ready for me. Hygienically this to me does not add up.

 

Won't apply to me on Volendam in April as we are first on after refit so no disembarkers, but Ruth I would love to hear when you get back how disembarkation actually went.

[Cinder Again]

Anyone leaving FLL that can, should take advantage of the luggage direct program. Jetblue lost my luggage, and I still think it's great! Best $19.00 I spent all trip!

 

I breezed off the ship at 7:25 after breakfast, and walked (with my purse only) through customs, then outside. There was a van parked right outside that took about 8 of us to the airport for $10 each. I was at the airport SITTING AT MY GATE at 8:15!

 

For some people, having to get off early may seem like a negative, however the plus was that there were plenty of taxis and not too many folks at the airport yet, so I breezed through security, even though they only had one security point open. There were 3 ships in port that day, and even an hour later, the crowds at the airport were dramatically larger.

 

I can't say enough good things about how easy Luggage Direct made disembarkation! I will use it anytime I can. (BTW, Jetblue found my luggage later that night, and brought it directly to my home.):D

[eldercruser]

Sorry DBA, the disembarkation procedures as mentioned by Brian on 16 Feb aboard Noordam were exactly as he stated.

 

The form told exactly what time to report to either the Queen's Lounge or the Vista Lounge to wait for your color code to be called. Ostensibly, one could wait in their room until the report time, however there was no mention of that.

 

We did early disembarkation and went for breakfast around 0630. When we returned a little after 7, the stewards were already stripping our beds, cleaning the bathroom and leaving the next cruise passenger's cruise forms. We left a few minutes later and used the public restrooms before disembarking at 0730.

 

Incidentally, the cabins were not ready for occupancy until 1:30 on Feb 6.

[kalliekae]

We always do self-disembakation so we are long gone when all of this takes place ;)

 

Kirk

 

 

We've never done it on HAL, but experienced it for the first time with RCL recently. We will never do it any other way from now on. Self-disembarkation is the best way for us!

[GeriatricNurse]

Sorry DBA, the disembarkation procedures as mentioned by Brian on 16 Feb aboard Noordam were exactly as he stated.

 

The form told exactly what time to report to either the Queen's Lounge or the Vista Lounge to wait for your color code to be called. Ostensibly, one could wait in their room until the report time, however there was no mention of that.

 

We did early disembarkation and went for breakfast around 0630. When we returned a little after 7, the stewards were already stripping our beds, cleaning the bathroom and leaving the next cruise passenger's cruise forms. We left a few minutes later and used the public restrooms before disembarking at 0730.

 

Incidentally, the cabins were not ready for occupancy until 1:30 on Feb 6.

 

 

This is not right & should not be the procedure being followed!:mad: The staterooms should NOT be stripped & cleaned until AFTER the staterooms have been completely vacated by their occupants!:mad: (And I will not expect this to be happening when I return to my stateroom after breakfast and before I have vacated my stateroom)!:mad:

[jtl513]

There were 3 ships in port that day, and even an hour later, the crowds at the airport were dramatically larger.

Three ships at FLL is nothing. You should see with 8 or 9!

 

Self-disembarkation is the best way for us!

It works great unless there's a problem that causes a delay in getting started. Twice we've been in line just before the scheduled start at 7:30 and ended up waiting there over an hour as more and more people from later assigned times packed into the area. :(

[sansterre]

DBA,

What happens if you aren't in the right public area when your group is called? Do they announce it all around the ship?

We almost always ask for late departure and have a favorite spot we always go to with our carry-off things and reflect on the cruise as well as verify billing.

I like the idea of being able to drop off the carry-on things in the room before heading for lunch. It is difficult to find a table in the Lido, leave a person with those things while one gets food. For that reason, we go to the dining room instead of the Lido, if we arrive in time.

[serendipity1499]

Sorry DBA, the disembarkation procedures as mentioned by Brian on 16 Feb aboard Noordam were exactly as he stated.

 

The form told exactly what time to report to either the Queen's Lounge or the Vista Lounge to wait for your color code to be called. Ostensibly, one could wait in their room until the report time, however there was no mention of that.

 

We did early disembarkation and went for breakfast around 0630. When we returned a little after 7, the stewards were already stripping our beds, cleaning the bathroom and leaving the next cruise passenger's cruise forms. We left a few minutes later and used the public restrooms before disembarking at 0730.

 

Incidentally, the cabins were not ready for occupancy until 1:30 on Feb 6.

 

DBA posted the letter he just received on his Noordam cruise & it was the same exact letter we received on our Noordam cruise in Dec..Yes it did state a time but it was 15 minutes prior to our requested disembarkation time of 9:30...It requested that we report to the Vista Lounge by 9:15 for a 9:30 disembarcation..

It also said only one announcement would be made to signal the start of the disembarkation process & all other announcements will be confined to our designated meeting area..

Also agree it made no mention that we could stay in our cabin until 9:15 but we assumed we could & we did..Yes I know what assume means...;)LOL

When we got back to our cabin after breakfast around 9: a.m. only the beds were made up..The bathroom was not touched & we used it before proceeding to our designated area which was the Vista lounge at 9:15..BTW it also asked that people not congregate in the stairwells or congregate near the gangway & wonder of wonders, nobody did..:D :D

It was the best & fastest disembarkation we ever had !

I agree with you that stewards should not be cleaning bathrooms if Psgrs luggage is still in the cabin..Perhaps HAL should address this problem with their staff.. However, if more posters are still complaining that their bathrooms are cleaned when they return to their cabins, we'll be sure to advise our Stewards that we will be returning to the cabin to use the facilities on our next cruise..

Hope the bugs are worked out by then, as giving up the extra 15 minutes to stay in our cabin, is well worth being able to get into our cabin at 11:30..

Cheers....:)Betty

[Jo-Bob]

This is not right & should not be the procedure being followed!:mad: The staterooms should NOT be stripped & cleaned until AFTER the staterooms have been completely vacated by their occupants!:mad: (And I will not expect this to be happening when I return to my stateroom after breakfast and before I have vacated my stateroom)!:mad:

 

 

Please relax. You angry posts are wearing thin. Kindly ask your stewards on your last day to refrain until after you are gone. With respectful instructions, and if they are able, I'm sure they will accomodate. Coming at them, though, in the manner you present yourself here is not the way to go.

[serendipity1499]

DBA,

What happens if you aren't in the right public area when your group is called? Do they announce it all around the ship?

We almost always ask for late departure and have a favorite spot we always go to with our carry-off things and reflect on the cruise as well as verify billing.

I like the idea of being able to drop off the carry-on things in the room before heading for lunch. It is difficult to find a table in the Lido, leave a person with those things while one gets food. For that reason, we go to the dining room instead of the Lido, if we arrive in time.

 

Not according to the letter we received when we disembarked the Noordam...Only one announcement was made at the start of the disembarkation process & all other announcements were confined to our reporting area..BTW the Vista Lounge was almost empty when we disembarked at 9:30..Our porter took us right thru Customs & got us on the Hertz car rental bus..We picked up our rental car, were on our way toward Allegator Alley, by 10:30, stopped for lunch & were in our house by 3:p.m...As previously mentioned it was the best & fastest disembarkation we've ever had on HAL & Stress Free!..

Cheers....:)Betty

[bepsf]

Of course you don't "have to" report to a public room... Something to keep in mind

 

However, the one and only* announcement @ 7.30-8am indicated that passengers should go to the lounge listed on the disembarcation letter as there would not be any further PA announcements - so one could very easily be under the impression that one is supposed to be out of their cabin at the time of the announcement.

 

* Truthfully, there were two announcements - the one first one, then the one @ 9.30 stating that all remaining passengers should disembark right away

[catl331]

& were in our house by 3:p.m...

This is funny! You left out the "00 " after the 3, so the ": p" became :p

 

:) :)

[DizzyDallasDi]

All this talk about disembarkation announcements has me confused. I've only been on 2 HAL cruises ('08 and '09) and on both of those the "silent disembarkation policy" was in place. No announcements....you knew what time you were supposed to leave so when the clock said it was time you just walked on off. I actually feel sorry for those of you who feel the need for an "official" announcement that the clock has now reached your departure time in order to get yourself off the ship. ;):D

[VTcruisenut]

I think the solution to it all is that we never disembark! :p

 

The end of the cruise always comes too soon for us!

[NoWhiners]

Once I had the pic file I wanted, down below where you type your message there's the "manage attachments" button. Click it and follow the details/requirements listed

 

Hi Dutch

 

Thank you for this tidbit--I never even noticed that section!!

 

helpful as always:)

ML

[cruz chic]

All this talk about disembarkation announcements has me confused. I've only been on 2 HAL cruises ('08 and '09) and on both of those the "silent disembarkation policy" was in place. No announcements....you knew what time you were supposed to leave so when the clock said it was time you just walked on off. I actually feel sorry for those of you who feel the need for an "official" announcement that the clock has now reached your departure time in order to get yourself off the ship. ;):D

I was given a 10:15 disembarkation window yesterday. I am capable of reading so I understand that. They must have been ahead of time because they announced all the colors. I ended up being called at about 9:40. I can't speak for others but in this case it was different then the "official" documents.