Pay to Stay?

[bepsf]

I read with interest this CC article regarding how some lines are offering folks the choice to pay a few bucks extra to have lunch aboard ship at the end of a cruise while they wait for a late flight.

Is this something you think is worthwhile?

Would you pay HAL an extra few bucks to stay for lunch on disembarcation day?

[martinimadam]

I'd definitely be willing to pay for lunch to stay a little longer. That would be wonderful...the longer I can stay on one of those darling dam ships, the better! And so much nicer than waiting at the airport.

[Randyk47]

Not that we'd typically stay around for lunch but it would have been useful about four years ago when the Veendam was first late getting back to Tampa and then couldn't clear Customs and Immigration. We were stuck on the ship until nearly noon without anything to eat and not much to drink. A small lunch for a fee would have been a great deal.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I read that about P & O.

Since we have no choice but to stay over an extra night in a hotel at the end of the cruise due to air line flights -- no we would not be interested to pay to eat lunch on the ship on disembarkation day.

[Cruising-along]

If we had a late flight on the same day --- yes, we'd be very interested! Much better than sitting in an airport.

[kazu]

this is a very neat idea. but how do they clear the ship to embark the others? if we had to get off, fight the crowds and wait 45 minutes and then get back on then we might as well go to the airport.

 

Now, on the other hand, if we could enjoy the facilities and enjoy lunch, yes it would be a fantastic idea and yes, no matter where you eat it costs money so why not?

 

Interesting idea - it would probably depend upon the port - but in some, it would be very do-able.;)

[jtl513]

Nope! For us the cruise is over after we eat breakfast, and it's time to get going.

[bepsf]

this is a very neat idea. but how do they clear the ship to embark the others?

 

I suspect they use the passenger management computer system that's already in place to monitor the cards and the presence of those who paid for the extra time aboard vs those who didn't...

(Of course this wouldn't work in US ports since the US Customs are so persnickety about getting everyone off before allowing anyone on)

But as far as luggage - if you paid for the extra time aboard, they simply provide you with the luggage tag for the late group and station someone there to ensure that nobody walks away with a bag that's not theirs.

[sail7seas]

When we came back to FLL about 5 hours late on Eurodam, they offered a full Lido lunch for all of us. Ship docked around 11:45 or 12 noon and Lido opened by about 11:00 or so for us to have lunch before we left. Was very generous of HAL and very appreciated.

 

We would not purposely stay for lunch on a regular disembarkation as we almost always stay post cruise in FLL (or whatever city) so we'd head off for our hotel stay.

 

I think it would be great for HAL to offer the choice.

[piscesgal223]

I probably wouldn't do it if offered the chance. I'd rather let the crew get ready for the next sailing than be in their way for a few extra hours.

[lettienets]

To me the trip is over after breakfast. I just want to get off and get going even if I have to sit around an airport. But if it is a long wait for a flight and I am on the kind of cruise that has a tour and airport dropoff, I'll I do that. Otherwise I will sit at the airport and relax and people watch, have a snack there etc.

[piscesgal223]

We did a tour of Ft. Lauderdale after our dismembarkation. It was a fun way to spend a couple of hours and meant less time waiting at the airport.

[DeepWaterMariner]

I would never say never since I'm sure I could come up with a situation where it would make sense for us but generally not by design. We were very pleasantly surprised by Princess on a Hawaii/Tahiti cruise. The charter flight back to LA wasn't until 11:00 at night and we were allowed to stay on the ship, including meals, until that evening since the ship was there overnight. It was an extra cruise day we had not expected.

[bcd2010]

It's unlikely I'd stay even if lunch were free - I'm too antsy to get on with whatever I have planned, whether it's off to the airport, hotel, sightseeing, etc.

[English_in_Spain]

We did this on our recent Royal Caribbean cruise.

 

For $24.50 pp we could stay on the ship until 90 minutes before the next departure. They limited the number of people who could do this. We booked it in advance but people who were asking about it the last couple of days were told it was no longer available.

 

We thought it would be a good idea as our flight from Rome was not until 9pm

 

The way it worked with RCI was that you still put your luggage out the last night with a special coloured luggage tag. On disembarkation day you had to leave your cabin by 9am. You could use all the ship's facilities but you could not charge to your Sea Pass card. You had to pay for drinks with a credit card. You were not allowed to leave the ship and re-board.

 

It worked reasonably well. I am not sure if I would do it again though as all the new passengers are excited just starting their cruise and I found it even worse when we had to finally get off.

 

I would think it might be nice for a family with young children but I would rather have booked a hotel day room.

[lovetocruise2020]

Fantastic! It would be great to not have to find a place to hang out.

I choose HAL food over mainland food any day.

[Tamaracboy]

****** SNIP ******

(Of course this wouldn't work in US ports since the US Customs are so persnickety about getting everyone off before allowing anyone on) ****** SNIP ******

 

Brian,

 

Interesting question.

Now while there is no debate that a HAL ship is a better place to be than any airport waiting lounge, I think I would prefer to sample the local fare rather than one more hit at the Lido Buffet.

That is if it were some other port than home.

But, so much of my cruising has been through one of my two home ports, FLL & MIA, I'm not usually trying to catch a flight.

In fact, through my usual procrastination, at the end of one sailing I was so late in finishing my luggage for roll off, that I was definitely crossing paths with the incoming PAX.

I did not get any sense that Customs was looking for me, or HAL for that matter.

I did feel like the last man out ;)

 

r.

[Taxguy77]

We did a tour of Ft. Lauderdale after our dismembarkation. It was a fun way to spend a couple of hours and meant less time waiting at the airport.

 

Wish we had known. Went to airport and waited in the half-hour line only to find out we couldn't check our bags for another hour.:eek: Poor DW had to stand in the line again (I can't stand for very long at a time)after a long wait. The only airport I've ever seen that didn't have someplace to buy a cup of coffee before clearing customs! :( Security was a line I had to stand in.

[eh2zed]

Could be interested under certain circumstances but wouldn't go out of my way to use it.

[piscesgal223]

Wish we had known. Went to airport and waited in the half-hour line only to find out we couldn't check our bags for another hour.:eek: Poor DW had to stand in the line again (I can't stand for very long at a time)after a long wait. The only airport I've ever seen that didn't have someplace to buy a cup of coffee before clearing customs! :( Security was a line I had to stand in.

 

 

San Diego has several Starbucks before the security checkpoint and one after it (at the Southwest terminal anyways-people from San Diego will know what I'm talking about:D )

 

 

Ft. Lauderdale's airport has a few places to eat past the security checkpoint-I had Dunkin' Donuts coffee for the first time-awesome!) Luckily, I had my laptop with me and was able to kill some time that way. My coffee, my laptop...the good life!

[shandryl]

I would pay for the lunch!! Just to stay on the ship rather than /wait at FLL :D

[HamburgAvonLady]

Yes, if we had a long wait at the airports ----- would be nice to have access to the pool areas, too. The only concern I would have is my luggage sitting unclaimed. There should be separate tags or holding area for this option.

[sapper1]

I notice that nobody has brought up the overcrowding in the Lido as a factor in this discussion. It is pretty hectic there as things now stand on embarkation day. If you add hangers-on to the mix it could get quite chaotic, with everyone being unhappy.

[djhsolara]

WOW...I think this is an AWESOME IDEA, however I would just think this would be a nightmare for the ship's personnel. Don't they have to completely clear the ship before the new passengers embark? I guess I just don't know how it would work...but then again, I don't know much about how they do it anyhow...I'm just there to enjoy myself.

 

Other than enjoying lunch (and would this be only in the Lido or as a Mariner would I be permitted in the MDR?), would I be able to hang out at and use the pool? Would I be able to use the locker room in the spa to shower/change before getting off the ship? If it were a situation like they mentioned on RCI, being able to stay on until 90 minutes prior to the sailing leaving...wow...that's almost another full day of using the ship.

 

If this were an option, I would most likely want to "extend" my cruise as long as possible and book a later flight. We've often booked a late afternoon flight (just because you never do know if there will be a problem with getting back to port) and spent the day around Ft Lauderdale, etc, but if this were an option I would book a late afternoon flight and continue enjoying the ship.

 

:) :)

[NMLady]

I read with interest this CC article regarding how some lines are offering folks the choice to pay a few bucks extra to have lunch aboard ship at the end of a cruise while they wait for a late flight.

 

Is this something you think is worthwhile?

Would you pay HAL an extra few bucks to stay for lunch on disembarcation day?

 

 

In a word, YES.

 

It would be so much nicer than hours and hours at an airport, especially when some airlines won't accept luggage until two hours before a flight.