self disembarkation

[relaxedcruiser]

I read some people have mentioned to carry off own luggage to avoid the disembarkation mess, I'm not sure how it works? Can somebody explain how it works?

 

Thanks.

[Gardyloo]

During the cruise/crossing you go to the purser's office and collect a self-help group card, that has a group letter on it (A-Z). The morning of arrival you go with luggage to a central place (Queen's room or the foyer by the purser's desk, or the halls leading every which way from the above) and wait for your group to be called. When called, you go to the appropriate gangway and down and out to the dock.

 

When we arrived in Southampton on April 16 (QM2), the scene was, to use a technical term, a zoo. Hundreds of people and suitcases milling around, taking wrong turns, lifts all packed, etc. Nobody could hear the groups being called, all routes to the gangway were blocked by people who were in later groups; in short, chaos. Then the ramp down to the dock featured several stairs, which presented problems to the less firm and/or more bagged pax; wheelies tipping over, etc.

 

We probably saved the better part of an hour, which we needed in order to get going to LHR, but it wasn't an easy hour.