Los Angeles Disembarkation

[qsuzi]

We return to the Port of Los Angeles at 7am. Generally what time does disembarkation start for those using SELF ASSIST (carrying their own luggage)? It's a 4-day West coast get-away RT LA (San Diego and Ensenada). Thank you!

[Princess Patches]

On the Crown two weeks ago, disembarkation started at 7:50 am with the first walk off group.

[IECalCruiser]

On the Crown two weeks ago, disembarkation started at 7:50 am with the first walk off group.

Typically walk-off disembarkation starts around 7:45 to 8:00. Be aware that there can be slowdowns or late starts for CBP. On a cruise a couple of years ago our scheduled 8:00 disembarkation was delayed about 45 minutes waiting for CBP to get to work.

 

 

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[cattolica]

On the Golden earlier this month the first assigned walk-off was at 8:05am.

[satxdiver]

We arrived in port at about 6 AM and we were allowed to leave the ship at 7:45 AM last Friday. We were on the 4 day Golden cruise and were out of the terminal to the shuttle at 8:10 AM. We were in the first walk off group.

 

The Golden arrived in port on the prior Monday at 6 AM. We were able to watch it arrive out our hotel window. We arrived at the port at 11:30 AM and were finally allowed to board starting at 12:45 PM. I don't know what the holdup was all about but there were complaints from waiting pax. We were the first to board at 1:00 PM as platinum.

[qsuzi]

Thank you so much to everyone for the information. Disembarkation can be so stressful unless you stay over night or have a late flight.

[grandmaa]

Much of the disembarkation time issue is related to the Customs & Immigration Inspectors who have to clear the ship, crew and get set up to process passenger. If they do not have enough inspectors on hand then it can and has taken longer to clear. The bigger issues are that passengers do not read and or listen to the instructions given by the crew for disembarkation.

[SoCal Cruiser78]

Much of the disembarkation time issue is related to the Customs & Immigration Inspectors who have to clear the ship, crew and get set up to process passenger. If they do not have enough inspectors on hand then it can and has taken longer to clear. The bigger issues are that passengers do not read and or listen to the instructions given by the crew for disembarkation.

 

Another factor can be if there are two ships disembarking at the same time, at least in San Pedro/LA. Not sure if CBP bring in extra staff those days, or just divide what they would normally have for one ship, but I am told things can be slower on "two-ship" days.

Edited October 28, 2014 by Ryndam2002
clarity

[SoCal Cruiser78]

We return to the Port of Los Angeles at 7am. Generally what time does disembarkation start for those using SELF ASSIST (carrying their own luggage)? It's a 4-day West coast get-away RT LA (San Diego and Ensenada). Thank you!

 

If you weren't already aware, it is a good idea to go to Guest Services early in the cruise to get a walk-off/self-assist pass. On the shorter cruises, at least on the Golden, they don't send out the request forms for disembarkation groups that they do on the longer cruises. They assign you to a disembark group based on info they have on file for you, per Guest Services last month.

 

I was assigned a late group (non-walk off), and went to GS mid-cruise and exchanged my assigned luggage tags (left at my cabin door) for a walk-off pass. I was told by one passenger that he went to GS on the final day, and was told that all walk-off passes had been handed out by then so he had to stay with his assigned group to disembark.

 

Hope this helps!

Edited October 28, 2014 by Ryndam2002
spelling/clarity

[satxdiver]

If you weren't already aware, it is a good idea to go to Guest Services early in the cruise to get a walk-off/self-assist pass. On the shorter cruises, at least on the Golden, they don't send out the request forms for disembarkation groups that they do on the longer cruises. They assign you to a disembark group based on info they have on file for you, per Guest Services last month.

 

I was assigned a late group (non-walk off), and went to GS mid-cruise and exchanged my assigned luggage tags (left at my cabin door) for a walk-off pass. I was told by one passenger that he went to GS on the final day, and was told that all walk-off passes had been handed out by then so he had to stay with his assigned group to disembark.

 

Hope this helps!

 

We have not done many 4 day cruises (it was our second!) and unaware of the policy. So when the tags showed up in our cabin, I grabbed them and made a beeline to guest services. That is when I found out the policy. They exchanged the luggage tags for a walk off pass and since we were one of the first we were put in walk off group 1. We had a flight out of LAX later that morning.

[qsuzi]

:eek:THANK YOU for the information about requesting Walk Off passes ASAP!. Do they really check the number on the Walk Off pass? How far in advance do those with the first walk off pass line up to disembark?

[SoCal Cruiser78]

:eek:THANK YOU for the information about requesting Walk Off passes ASAP!. Do they really check the number on the Walk Off pass? How far in advance do those with the first walk off pass line up to disembark?

 

IIRC, I was in the 3rd walk-off group out of 6. Princess requires that you be out of your cabin at 8AM, and my assigned group met in the Princess Theater at 8:15AM. At first it seemed like nothing was happening, no announcements or anything (silent disembarkation, as they refer to it), then two staff members came and escorted my group off the ship at about 8:30.

 

I think they staggered the walk-off groups in 10 or 15 minute increments. It worked well, as I got to the CBP line with only 1 or 2 pax ahead of me, and was back in my car in the parking lot by 8:45.

 

P.S. Yes, the # on my pass was checked upon leaving the ship, but other posters have said theirs weren't on some sailings.

[shredie]

We decided to do the regular and sat in the Plat/Elite lounge for a couple of hours. Our color/number was very late in the day, after 10:30. Around 10, they let everyone in the lounge disembark regardless of color/number. It did make for shorter lines at immigration/customs.

[Cruisin' Chick]

Thank you so much to everyone for the information. Disembarkation can be so stressful unless you stay over night or have a late flight.

 

That's a major reason the recommended flight time is for 1pm (noon is possible, earlier you need to be praying to the traffic gods).