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

[rrraydon]

[quote name='Warm Breezes']And I will be the courteous one and let you go first ;).[/quote]

See how we all work together? :D

[jimbo5544]

[quote name='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.[/QUOTE]

No tizzy here (btw, what is a tizzy), I would expect nothing less from you. It is your vacation after all, early on and last off.

[Maraprince]

[quote name='Warm Breezes']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.[/quote]


There is a list of non-US citizens and they know who has not been processed to leave the ship. You will hear names being called out over the PA system repeatedly. The ship will not be cleared until all in this category have reported. This does cause delays.

MARAPRINCE

[wannago35]

[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]

[SIZE=3][COLOR=indigo][/COLOR][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][COLOR=indigo]Sorry just returned from our cruise so hope you get this info in time but I don't think the Aloft does shuttles to the port anymore. When we stayed there they were fazing the program out and I had to fight with them just to get them to honor our original booking which included shuttle service to/from the port. [/COLOR][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][COLOR=indigo] [/COLOR][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][COLOR=indigo]At the time, the Aloft had just signed a contract with the airport to shuttle pilots to/from the hotel and they got priority on the shuttles. Seemed they spent most of the morning hours taking them to the airport, which meant that on embark day they didn't pick us up til late. We got on around 2:00pm-2:30pm if I remember correctly, while friends of ours staying at other nearby park and cruise hotels had been on the ship for a couple hours already. Even when we could get a shuttle (to go other places), it went within 3 miles radius if I remember right but that's a pretty average distance for any hotel with a shuttle.[/COLOR][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][COLOR=indigo] [/COLOR][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][COLOR=indigo]Otherwise, the Aloft stay was fine, that was my 2nd time staying at that brand. It's definitely a little different than your average hotel. At times you can really hear the airplanes overhead (airport nearby) but it didn't disrupt our sleep or anything else. The outlets were really close, less than 1/2 mile away and we spent much of our return day shopping there. We wanted to sample some local cuisine and the driver took us to some local greasy spoon lol. Hubby tried the alligator I think, that was okay too. We also hit the Walmart near that same outlet right before the cruise which was convenient for last minute needs.[/COLOR][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][COLOR=indigo][/COLOR][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][COLOR=indigo]You can read more in the first few paragraphs of my Fantasy review here for my Aloft review & take on the things we did in Charleston - unfortunately we didn't do as much as I would've liked. [/COLOR][/SIZE][URL="http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1456393&highlight=aloft"][SIZE=3][COLOR=indigo]http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1456393&highlight=aloft[/COLOR][/SIZE][/URL]

[nodogkisses]

[quote name='Elaine5715']When they make more than one announcement of all zones, all decks, all passengers please proceed to the exit. They typically don't say final call or get off the ship.
However, they CANNOT clear the B2B passengers or the crew off the ship until you are off. Crew members that are ending their contract must wait until all passengers are off. Crew who might have a very small window of time off the ship for errands or appointments can not get off until you are off. Incoming passengers then can not start until the crew is cleared.
Once you hear all decks, get off ..[/QUOTE]

This is sooooo true. I'm currently on the Glory doing a b2b and I was amazed at the people that waited and waited to get off the ship this morning--Until they made several announcements--well after 10:30am. There were no long lines, either, from around 9:45am on. It was kind of like it was a game to be the last off the ship. Not only does doing this prevent Crew members from leaving the ship to get their errands done in port with the limited time they have or for Crew to get to the airport and make their flight home at the end their contract, and the b2b's cleared and reboarded, but it also prevents the new passengers from embarking on their cruise. It ties up the port traffic and just really holds things up in all kinds of ways. So, seriously, be considerate and leave the ship and get on with your day by 10:00am at the latest, once the lines die down. You have to be out of your cabin by 8:30am anyway, so an extra hour and a half should be enough time to do whatever it is you have to do. Try to remember how excited you were to get on the ship the first day.


Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[ManyMore]

It is so frustrating for the shore staff as well as on the ship having a couple of people hanging out to the very last second. There is very little time between turn arounds and until a zero count is had, many things can't happen and it can delay the boarding for the next guests.... remember when you are getting on... YOU are the next guests.

[awhcruiser]

[B]So why cruise if you dont like lines?[/B]
[quote name='ranger10!']We stay as late as possible. I don't like crowds/long lines. Makes my blood pressure go up. So I say stay on the SHIP longer. Enjoy the atmosphere of the SHIP settling down and getting ready for another group of cruisers.[/QUOTE]

[awhcruiser]

[B]This! Just more of the ME generation at work...[/B]
[quote name='ManyMore']It is so frustrating for the shore staff as well as on the ship having a couple of people hanging out to the very last second. There is very little time between turn arounds and until a zero count is had, many things can't happen and it can delay the boarding for the next guests.... remember when you are getting on... YOU are the next guests.[/QUOTE]