Any tips on staying on the ship as long as possible the last day?

[prattmom]

Crew members that are ending their contract must wait until all passengers are off.

 

Not true. We were sitting on our balcony waiting for the time to go to the dining room for our debark when we saw our bar waiter from the pub. He along with the others whose contract was up were leaving with their luggage. We called to him to wish him well (we had known he was leaving and looked for him specifically we saw crew debarking)...

 

 

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[LargeCornGyro]

This will probably throw my fellow posters into a tizzy, but we occupy our cabin as long as possible.

 

We go to sit down breakfast, enjoy our meal, and then go back to our room. We usually hang out on the balcony until we are close to being thrown out.

 

Then we grab our stuff and leave.

 

If we are cruising local, we take advantage of the VIP self debark, wave to everyone waiting in line, and get our car. Off the ship by 7:30, home by 8.

[Warm Breezes]

We send our luggage out the night before. Get up, have breakfast, and then hang out on the promenade playing cards until they get to the final calls. We leave the long lines and rushing to those in a hurry to get off. By the time the last calls come there is barely a line and easy to find our suitcases. I don't see it as holding up the oncoming passengers...I see it as letting those who need to get off now go first and enjoying an hour playing cards vs an hour standing in a line. The oncoming passengers won't be getting on until we are all through that line whether we wait to join it until it is almost gone or stand in a long line waiting to get through it.

[Oppalopa]

We send our luggage out the night before. Get up, have breakfast, and then hang out on the promenade playing cards until they get to the final calls. We leave the long lines and rushing to those in a hurry to get off. By the time the last calls come there is barely a line and easy to find our suitcases. I don't see it as holding up the oncoming passengers...I see it as letting those who need to get off now go first and enjoying an hour playing cards vs an hour standing in a line. The oncoming passengers won't be getting on until we are all through that line whether we wait to join it until it is almost gone or stand in a long line waiting to get through it.

I agree

[dulcimergirl]

I think we got off the Fantasy in Charleston, S.C. around 9:00-9:30 a.m. on debark day - had one last breakfast on board and ITA with the others that the vibe is different and kind of makes you want to get off - it's a downer!

 

We stayed at the Aloft hotel the night prior to leaving for the cruise that provided a shuttle to/from the port, but we also planned to stay at the same hotel for one more night after the cruise. We arrived at the hotel no later than 10:30 a.m. and they let us check into our room, I was pleasantly surprised, so you never know.

I'm convinced they spray some kind of Downer spray into the air, everyone is so dejected looking. Anti-fun spray, yep, I'm sure of it. Take a look at everyone's face as they leave. Hey, I think debarkation photos should be available, kind of like before and after. That would be sweet.. lol I know, I'm weird.

[awhcruiser]

What about the people who are waiting to get on the ship?

We are sailing the Conquest on th 18th, and when we return to NOLA we will just be taking a taxi to a downtown hotel. As it will be much too early to check into the hotel, we may as well stay on the ship as long as possible. So...just a couple questions....

Should I put my luggage outside my door the night before, or keep it with me?

Do I ignore the calls for particular zones or decks to disembark?

Where do we hang out? Our room or do we go to a certain area?

How will I know that it is time for me to leave the ship? Do they have a final announcement for everyone to leave?

 

hova

[Warm Breezes]

Remember how excited you were to start your vacation and board the ship? Please don't delay leaving!

There a alot of people that are excited and waiting to board, be considerate to your fellow cruisers.

In a city like news Orleans there is so much to do. Drop your luggage at the hotel and head to

Cafe Du mond for beignets, and coffee, take advantage of the less crowded streets to get great photos of Jackson Square, and so on.

 

The people waiting to board have to wait for everyone to get off the ship. What does it matter to them when I get in line to get off? The line is always there so whether I am 5th, 250th, or 2000th in line it shouldn't matter to those waiting as we all have to get off one at a time. I'm just kind enough to let those who want to "hurry" up and get off go first and not make the line longer for them by standing in front of them...I am being considerate of my fellow cruisers!

[Raven Days]

Well you could play a game of hide and seek! :p But I think eventully they will find you! I never want to leave either....

[fuddrules]

What about the people who are waiting to get on the ship?

 

 

Let's see;

 

Perhaps a diverse crowd regarding age

In a good mood

Ready to eat and drink

Ready to have fun

Ready to relax

 

I'm sure others can think of more things about them.

[fuddrules]

I'm just kind enough to let those who want to "hurry" up and get off go first and not make the line longer for them by standing in front of them...I am being considerate of my fellow cruisers!

 

Yes, God forbid they may knock someone down the escaltor!

 

Thank you for being a considerate cruiser!

[Sargent_Schultz]

book a b2b

[cowboygene]

Dress like a room steward

[Mara Suung]

We sail the fantasy in a few weeks, and are also staying at Aloft the day prior and the day after our cruise. I didn't know they provided a shuttle to and from the port. Wonderful news! I expect Aloft hotel vibe to be a new experience for me...:) Any advice on 'must see' places in Charleston?:D

I think we got off the Fantasy in Charleston, S.C. around 9:00-9:30 a.m. on debark day - had one last breakfast on board and ITA with the others that the vibe is different and kind of makes you want to get off - it's a downer!

 

We stayed at the Aloft hotel the night prior to leaving for the cruise that provided a shuttle to/from the port, but we also planned to stay at the same hotel for one more night after the cruise. We arrived at the hotel no later than 10:30 a.m. and they let us check into our room, I was pleasantly surprised, so you never know.

[ranger10!]

We stay as late as possible. I don't like crowds/long lines. Makes my blood pressure go up. So by waiting for the lines to get smaller to pick up luggage is better. We both have bad backs so don't want to mess with getting all our luggage off the ship. Easier to put it out the night before. We wait until they call all decks a couple of times before we leave. We eat breakfast in the MDR stay longer. Watch closely, when we see it clearing out we also leave. Then usually go to on one of the bars and play cards for a while. We make sure we are not in the way of staff doing their jobs. The comment of holding up others to get on or off the ship is just ridiculous. I have never seen anyone stay on board that long. Just long enough for the big lines to die down. It is also very relaxing not having to deal with the crowds, screaming kids and people complaining about how much money they spent or lost during the cruise. We like to end our cruises on a positive, relaxing note. So I say stay on the boat longer. Enjoy the atmosphere of the boat settling down and getting ready for another group of cruisers.

[tonit964]

This will probably throw my fellow posters into a tizzy, but we occupy our cabin as long as possible.

 

We go to sit down breakfast, enjoy our meal, and then go back to our room. We usually hang out on the balcony until we are close to being thrown out.

Then we grab our stuff and leave.

 

If we are cruising local, we take advantage of the VIP self debark, wave to everyone waiting in line, and get our car. Off the ship by 7:30, home by 8.

 

 

This is why the rooms aren't ready until 1:30. :rolleyes:

[Cricket63]

[quote name='Mara Suung'][COLOR=Red][SIZE=5]We sail the fantasy in a few weeks, and are also staying at Aloft the day prior and the day after our cruise. I didn't know they provided a shuttle to and from the port. Wonderful news! I expect Aloft hotel vibe to be a new experience for me...:) Any advice on 'must see' places in Charleston?:D[/SIZE][/COLOR][/quote]

[url]http://www[/url] (dot) charlestoncvb (dot) com/visitors/

Great site to check out whats in the area

[WLHyatt]

I am always amazed by the crew the last day. You wake up in the morning and they are so matter-of-fact straight faced, not necessarily being mean, but also not overly nice like they are the first day. Then once everyone gets off the ship, they take their happy pills and it's a complete 180, it's all about fun again. If the last passenger is off around 10:30, they have between 30 minutes and an hour to put on their good moods.

It is such a role reversal that I just can't imagine switching that fast.

[LargeCornGyro]

[quote name='tonit964']This is why the rooms aren't ready until 1:30. :rolleyes:[/QUOTE]

No it's not. They don't turn over all the rooms at once.

And my room is always ready when I board between 11 and 11:30.

[RuthlessBoss]

[quote name='LargeCornGyro']No it's not. They don't turn over all the rooms at once.

And my room is always ready when I board between 11 and 11:30.[/quote]
Probably because the people ahead of you cleared the cabin as requested. They didn't keep their stuff in the cabin while having a leisurely breakfast so the stewards could do their job. Not a nice thing to do if the person following you is FTTF.

[michelle1836]

[quote name='bruisin4cruisin']We stayed as long as we could last November, which was like 10:30. Just hang inside, eat some food, then head to the Lido Deck. We stayed until there were only a few people left.
As far as luggage goes, do what you would normally do. We put out ours the night before, no problem. Actually, it was easier to find it when there's only a few people left to claim.[/quote]

exactly what we do

[Maraprince]

Room stewards have a very limited amount of time to get ready for the next sailing. Vacate your cabin, take your stuff with you when going for breakfast, wait in the designated lounge assigned.

You will see the new passengers waiting in an area off to the side of Guest Services until they can go to their cabins. Don't forget some passengers pay extra for the FTTF just to board earlier and you are holding up the process. You can wait in the terminal and not delay anyone. What seems to happen more often than not, there are always some none US citizens who "fail" to report and hold everyone up and delay clearing of the ship. Self-disembarks are supposed to be gone earlier but sometimes they are still getting off the ship around 9 AM -- way past their time slot and this too delays everyone else from leaving the ship.

MARAPRINCE

[LargeCornGyro]

[quote name='RuthlessBoss']Probably because the people ahead of you cleared the cabin as requested. They didn't keep their stuff in the cabin while having a leisurely breakfast so the stewards could do their job. [/QUOTE]

Sounds like extreme speculation.

[Warm Breezes]

[quote name='Maraprince']Room stewards have a very limited amount of time to get ready for the next sailing. Vacate your cabin, take your stuff with you when going for breakfast, wait in the designated lounge assigned.

You will see the new passengers waiting in an area off to the side of Guest Services until they can go to their cabins. Don't forget some passengers pay extra for the FTTF just to board earlier and you are holding up the process. You can wait in the terminal and not delay anyone. What seems to happen more often than not, there are always some none US citizens who "fail" to report and hold everyone up and delay clearing of the ship. Self-disembarks are supposed to be gone earlier but sometimes they are still getting off the ship around 9 AM -- way past their time slot and this too delays everyone else from leaving the ship.

MARAPRINCE[/quote]

The only way people are holding up the process is if the line is completely gone, they are making last calls, and they don't show up. If there is always a line (which in my experience there usually is until they start making final calls), waiting until it is almost gone to get in it does not hold up a single person....people can only go through the lines one person at a time no matter how many are standing in the line behind them.

[rrraydon]

Hey, somebody has to be last! ;)

Not me though..when my vacations over I wanna be first! :D

[Warm Breezes]

[quote name='rrraydon']Hey, somebody has to be last! ;)

Not me though..when my vacations over I wanna be first! :D[/quote]

And I will be the courteous one and let you go first ;).