Disembarkation 12-29 from Sapphire

[DrivesLikeMario]

Wow! :eek: We were expecting a slow disembarkation since it was a holiday cruise, two big ships arrived in port at the same time, and it's been a bit rough at times with disembarkation in LA. Boy, were we shocked when we sat down for 30 secs. in the Elite/Plat. Lounge, only to be called off the ship! There were about 10 of us in the Lounge at the time. Groups A & B for walk-off were called at 7:40am, we were the only ones in immigration and were driving home by 8am. Shocking, but oh so pleasant! :)

 

This just capped off a fantastic time on the Sapphire! I can't even describe how great the crew were, the food was some of the best we've ever had and the weather the couldn't have been better. It doesn't get much better than that during a holiday cruise! :)

Edited December 29, 2013 by DrivesLikeMario
typo

[Astro Flyer]

Good to hear that you had a great cruise on the Sapphire which we sail in mid-January on a b2b. Hopefully our in transit will go as smoothly as your disembarkation & that everyone follows the instructions to get off the ship.

Edited December 29, 2013 by Astro Flyer

[Pam in CA]

Sounds good! A few of us are planning a BVE on the Sapphire on March 27th. Why don't you join us? :) One last look before she sails west.

[DrivesLikeMario]

Sounds good! A few of us are planning a BVE on the Sapphire on March 27th. Why don't you join us? :) One last look before she sails west.

 

Pam, that's very tempting. Will have to think about it. I'm on the little 3 dayer at the end of that month. Not sure if I want to drive up there twice in a week but it does sound like fun! If you add another date, let me know for sure! Hope you have a great cruise on the Sapphire in early March (love that itinerary!).

 

AstroFlyer-I hope you're as pleasantly surprised as we were with the ship's crew. I thought maybe they'd have "checked out" mentally since the ship is leaving soon, but I didn't find that at all.

 

The only negative in the whole week was the rude, bossy, unsmiling ground crew at check-in. Worst experience with them ever. Maybe it was because it was Christmas, who knows? :confused:

 

BTW, it was fun meeting calbabe & MTJSR! :)

[PotatoBug]

Sounds good! A few of us are planning a BVE on the Sapphire on March 27th. Why don't you join us? :) One last look before she sails west.

 

I swear if they did the BVE in Vancouver I would probably have lunch on a ship every week :)

 

Can the cost of multiple BVEs be applied to a single cruise?

[Pam in CA]

Can the cost of multiple BVEs be applied to a single cruise?

I'll find out in a couple of months. I'm pretty sure you can as the $39 is a credit towards a future cruise. I'm hoping to apply it towards my Royal cruise in September along with my 100% fare credit for my January "getaway " 4-day cruise.

[Woobstr112G]

Wow! :eek: We were expecting a slow disembarkation since it was a holiday cruise, two big ships arrived in port at the same time, and it's been a bit rough at times with disembarkation in LA. Boy, were we shocked when we sat down for 30 secs. in the Elite/Plat. Lounge, only to be called off the ship! There were about 10 of us in the Lounge at the time. Groups A & B for walk-off were called at 7:40am, we were the only ones in immigration and were driving home by 8am. Shocking, but oh so pleasant! :)

 

This just capped off a fantastic time on the Sapphire! I can't even describe how great the crew were, the food was some of the best we've ever had and the weather the couldn't have been better. It doesn't get much better than that during a holiday cruise! :)

 

Glad to hear you enjoyed your cruise on the Sapphire and getting off the ship went smoothly. We also had a great cruise on her in March of this year. We also were off and driving home in no time.....:):):)

 

Bob

[DrivesLikeMario]

Thanks, Bob. It's so nice to drive home instead of flying! :)

[Woobstr112G]

Thanks, Bob. It's so nice to drive home instead of flying! :)

 

That it is:). We've done two R/T's from San Pedro with another planned for March 2015. We drive to my sister's house in Torrance who then gives us a ride to the port.....:):):)

 

Bob

Edited December 30, 2013 by Woobstr112G

[Pamster]

Wow! :eek: We were expecting a slow disembarkation since it was a holiday cruise, two big ships arrived in port at the same time, and it's been a bit rough at times with disembarkation in LA. Boy, were we shocked when we sat down for 30 secs. in the Elite/Plat. Lounge, only to be called off the ship! There were about 10 of us in the Lounge at the time. Groups A & B for walk-off were called at 7:40am, we were the only ones in immigration and were driving home by 8am. Shocking, but oh so pleasant! :)

 

This just capped off a fantastic time on the Sapphire! I can't even describe how great the crew were, the food was some of the best we've ever had and the weather the couldn't have been better. It doesn't get much better than that during a holiday cruise! :)

 

Nice that the Elites got off so quickly. Wasn't so great for the rest of the ship.. While they were offloading the groups quickly - there was a backup of the line from the entry to the customs building, all along the walkway, all the way back to the ship. I don't know why they can't pace the release of passengers from the ship to customs at a more reasonable rate so that we're not standing in line for 30 mins to go through customs.

 

We did have a fantastic cruise, though.

Edited December 30, 2013 by Pamster

[DrivesLikeMario]

Pamster, it was walk-offs for anyone despite your Captain's Circle status. You can be on your first cruise and still walk off with the first group. We just happened to be in the Elite/Platinum/Suites Lounge when we were called. They called the walk-offs in the Club Fusion at the same time too.

 

So sorry your disembarkation wasn't as smooth! Sorry it backed up for you. We've learned over the years that walk-off works best for us. We don't like waiting for our bags to be off-loaded. We'd rather lug 2 bags plus a carry on off EACH than wait around for the bags to be taken off. ;)

[Pamster]

Pamster, it was walk-offs for anyone despite your Captain's Circle status. You can be on your first cruise and still walk off with the first group. We just happened to be in the Elite/Platinum/Suites Lounge when we were called. They called the walk-offs in the Club Fusion at the same time too.

 

So sorry your disembarkation wasn't as smooth! Sorry it backed up for you. We've learned over the years that walk-off works best for us. We don't like waiting for our bags to be off-loaded. We'd rather lug 2 bags plus a carry on off EACH than wait around for the bags to be taken off. ;)

 

Hubby has a medical condition that isn't conducive to us lugging off our own bags, so we have to wait for the other groups. We were in the 8:45 group and when we were getting off they had already called the 9 and 9:15 groups. (They were running ahead.) Well, no, THEY may have been running ahead but their passengers weren't since we were standing in line for so long. Just seemed that they could have paced things better. After such a calm relaxing cruise it was rather jarring to be standing on the walkway listening to all the noise created by the on and off-loading of supplies, etc.

[DrivesLikeMario]

Hubby has a medical condition that isn't conducive to us lugging off our own bags, so we have to wait for the other groups. We were in the 8:45 group and when we were getting off they had already called the 9 and 9:15 groups. (They were running ahead.) Well, no, THEY may have been running ahead but their passengers weren't since we were standing in line for so long. Just seemed that they could have paced things better. After such a calm relaxing cruise it was rather jarring to be standing on the walkway listening to all the noise created by the on and off-loading of supplies, etc.

 

Oh, I see about the walk-off not working for you. Yes, you're right - they should've cleared your 8:45 group thru immigration before they called the next group so you all weren't waiting. Did you happen to see the way the NCL Star came into port? That was WEIRD! :confused:

[LoveThisCruisingThing]

Wow! :eek: We were expecting a slow disembarkation since it was a holiday cruise, two big ships arrived in port at the same time, and it's been a bit rough at times with disembarkation in LA. Boy, were we shocked when we sat down for 30 secs. in the Elite/Plat. Lounge, only to be called off the ship! There were about 10 of us in the Lounge at the time. Groups A & B for walk-off were called at 7:40am, we were the only ones in immigration and were driving home by 8am. Shocking, but oh so pleasant! :)

 

This just capped off a fantastic time on the Sapphire! I can't even describe how great the crew were, the food was some of the best we've ever had and the weather the couldn't have been better. It doesn't get much better than that during a holiday cruise! :)

 

Same thing happened last Christmas. Off the ship by 8 and on the road to sacramento by 830 (had to pick up the car at the hotel). There were only 3 of us on the shuttle.

[LoveThisCruisingThing]

Pamster, it was walk-offs for anyone despite your Captain's Circle status. You can be on your first cruise and still walk off with the first group. We just happened to be in the Elite/Platinum/Suites Lounge when we were called. They called the walk-offs in the Club Fusion at the same time too.

 

So sorry your disembarkation wasn't as smooth! Sorry it backed up for you. We've learned over the years that walk-off works best for us. We don't like waiting for our bags to be off-loaded. We'd rather lug 2 bags plus a carry on off EACH than wait around for the bags to be taken off. ;)

 

I'm only doing walk offs from now on when I cruise. When I did my walk off in seattle last year, my sister was able to pick me up with enough time to spare to make it to church to hear her kids in the Praise Band. Walk off is the only way to go if you can handle it.

[lovevacadays]

Wow! :eek: We were expecting a slow disembarkation since it was a holiday cruise, two big ships arrived in port at the same time, and it's been a bit rough at times with disembarkation in LA. Boy, were we shocked when we sat down for 30 secs. in the Elite/Plat. Lounge, only to be called off the ship! There were about 10 of us in the Lounge at the time. Groups A & B for walk-off were called at 7:40am, we were the only ones in immigration and were driving home by 8am. Shocking, but oh so pleasant! :)

 

This just capped off a fantastic time on the Sapphire! I can't even describe how great the crew were, the food was some of the best we've ever had and the weather the couldn't have been better. It doesn't get much better than that during a holiday cruise! :)

 

Very cool! Sounds like you had a wonderful time.

[lovevacadays]

Wow! :eek: We were expecting a slow disembarkation since it was a holiday cruise, two big ships arrived in port at the same time, and it's been a bit rough at times with disembarkation in LA. Boy, were we shocked when we sat down for 30 secs. in the Elite/Plat. Lounge, only to be called off the ship! There were about 10 of us in the Lounge at the time. Groups A & B for walk-off were called at 7:40am, we were the only ones in immigration and were driving home by 8am. Shocking, but oh so pleasant! :)

 

This just capped off a fantastic time on the Sapphire! I can't even describe how great the crew were, the food was some of the best we've ever had and the weather the couldn't have been better. It doesn't get much better than that during a holiday cruise! :)

 

Very cool! Sounds like you had a wonderful time.

[MTJSR]

 

BTW, it was fun meeting calbabe & MTJSR! :)

 

 

Well thank you very much! I felt the same way, it was nice meeting you and your family and of course being neighbors on Caribe.

 

I did a picture post a bit ago. I don't ever remember seeing onboard Christmas photos posted before. Thought some might find them interesting.

 

At some point we will cross paths again and I look forward to it. Mark

[DrivesLikeMario]

Well thank you very much! I felt the same way, it was nice meeting you and your family and of course being neighbors on Caribe.

 

I did a picture post a bit ago. I don't ever remember seeing onboard Christmas photos posted before. Thought some might find them interesting.

 

At some point we will cross paths again and I look forward to it. Mark

 

Thanks, Mark and congrats on booking your long Panama Canal cruise! That is a great way to see the full Canal! Congrats & welcome home! :)

[Pamster]

Oh, I see about the walk-off not working for you. Yes, you're right - they should've cleared your 8:45 group thru immigration before they called the next group so you all weren't waiting. Did you happen to see the way the NCL Star came into port? That was WEIRD! :confused:

 

No, we weren't watching. One cruise we were on the ship came into port and then did a 180 before pulling into the dock. Looked like we were going to crash into the dock as it disappeared under the upper structures of the ship. Was it something like that?

[DrivesLikeMario]

No, we weren't watching. One cruise we were on the ship came into port and then did a 180 before pulling into the dock. Looked like we were going to crash into the dock as it disappeared under the upper structures of the ship. Was it something like that?

 

No, it backed into the port! Down that long, long channel. Was the strangest thing! But, I guess it makes sense since it was at the other berth. Maybe there wasn't enough room for it to turn around once it got there. Just looked really weird!