self disemarking procedure?

[ginka]

questions re. the self disembarking....

1. If we choose to do this, when do we make this decision (before the cruise, when we board or during the cruise) and how or to whom to we make this decision known

 

2. if we do self disembarking, do we keep our luggage right with us in the cabin instead of needing to have it out in the hallway the night before?

 

3. What is the procedure for self DE.. do you still wait in a general area until they let you off the ship, or do you wait in your cabin?

 

4. are the self DE one of the first ones off the ship, are is there no set time, just go off when you want?

 

5. how does self DE differ once you are off the ship, do you just get right in line for customs instead of going to find your luggage first? I assume this saves quite a bit of time if that is the case?

 

6. any disadvantages other than having to hall your luggage off the ship?

 

7. Any other advantages?

 

thanks!

[snc_cam]

questions re. the self disembarking....

1. If we choose to do this, when do we make this decision (before the cruise, when we board or during the cruise) and how or to whom to we make this decision known

 

- the night before the cruise ends. This is when you either put your luggage out in the hall to have them pick it up or you will carry it off yourselves. You don't need to inform anyone about this.

 

2. if we do self disembarking, do we keep our luggage right with us in the cabin instead of needing to have it out in the hallway the night before?

 

- yes, in the cabin

 

3. What is the procedure for self DE.. do you still wait in a general area until they let you off the ship, or do you wait in your cabin?

 

- there is usually an area near the exit from the ship. The times we have done it, it has been in the theatre on deck 3.

 

4. are the self DE one of the first ones off the ship, are is there no set time, just go off when you want?

 

- they are the first ones off the ship. First Diamond/Platinum, then FTTF, then the rest of the passengers who want to use self DE.

 

5. how does self DE differ once you are off the ship, do you just get right in line for customs instead of going to find your luggage first? I assume this saves quite a bit of time if that is the case?

 

- you go straight to the passport control area. They will guide you through, very easy.

 

6. any disadvantages other than having to hall your luggage off the ship?

 

- nope, you have to carry your luggage.

 

7. Any other advantages?

 

- you get off the ship in the first wave; plus you don't need to hunt for your luggage in the main hall.

 

thanks!

 

 

Steve

[serene56]

#6. Elevators are extremely slow so you might have to cart luggage down a flight of steps.

 

 

Do not put your luggage out the night before but keep it with you.

 

Go to breakfast early. VERY early.

Go back to your cabin to collect your luggage.

 

Sometimes you are told to go wait in a lounge and be escorted off. other times you wait in some lounge until your deck is called for getting off the ship

[forwardcabin]

questions re. the self disembarking....

1. If we choose to do this, when do we make this decision (before the cruise, when we board or during the cruise) and how or to whom to we make this decision known

You decide before the last night when you would have normally put all your luggage outside your door--just keep it in your cabin.

2. if we do self disembarking, do we keep our luggage right with us in the cabin instead of needing to have it out in the hallway the night before?

Yes.

 

3. What is the procedure for self DE.. do you still wait in a general area until they let you off the ship, or do you wait in your cabin?

Depends on your ship and how they want to dump everyone into the terminal. We usually take our time, get dressed, get breakfast, etc., then take our luggage and go when we want.

4. are the self DE one of the first ones off the ship, are is there no set time, just go off when you want?

On some ships, self-assist may be called first.

 

5. how does self DE differ once you are off the ship, do you just get right in line for customs instead of going to find your luggage first? I assume this saves quite a bit of time if that is the case?

Yep, you are sent to the back of the line for customs instead of looking for your luggage first.

6. any disadvantages other than having to hall your luggage off the ship?

No.

 

7. Any other advantages?

No.

thanks!

 

Here's hoping you have a great cruise. Bon Voyage!

[RD3PO]

questions re. the self disembarking....

1. If we choose to do this, when do we make this decision (before the cruise, when we board or during the cruise) and how or to whom to we make this decision known

 

2. if we do self disembarking, do we keep our luggage right with us in the cabin instead of needing to have it out in the hallway the night before?

 

3. What is the procedure for self DE.. do you still wait in a general area until they let you off the ship, or do you wait in your cabin?

 

4. are the self DE one of the first ones off the ship, are is there no set time, just go off when you want?

 

5. how does self DE differ once you are off the ship, do you just get right in line for customs instead of going to find your luggage first? I assume this saves quite a bit of time if that is the case?

 

6. any disadvantages other than having to hall your luggage off the ship?

 

7. Any other advantages?

 

thanks!

 

1. By the evening prior to debarking (#2), and you do not have to let anyone know.

 

2. Yes, you keep all your luggage with you. Do not leave anything outside your cabin.

 

3. Depends. Usually self-debark takes place before you have to be out of your cabin, but after that, you can wait anywhere on the ship. There are no designated areas.

 

4. Self-debark begins right after self-debark for Platinum/Diamond/FTTF and those returning to the ship on B2B. Self-debark is called for each deck with cabins. Once your deck is called and you are self-debarking, you can leave anytime after that.

 

5. Depends on the port. For example, in Baltimore, you go through Customs and then get your luggage. If self-debarking, you would carry your luggage through customs and then exit.

 

6. Do not do it if you can not reasonably carry off your own luggage without difficulty or holding up the debarkation process.

 

7. One of the first groups off the ship. Usually less of a line at customs. Early start to home or the airport if you have an early departure.

[CHOPPERTESTER]

What Steve said covers it.

 

On Sunshine, the instructions provided a couple of nights before the end were self disembark Diamond, Platinum, FTTF, then called by deck starting at the bottom of the ship to the top. All this started around 7:00 am, after the self disembarks are all called then they start calling the zones one by one. Never heard them call any decks or zones by 8:00 so we left with the masses on our own. Mind you there were close to 700 Platinums and Diamonds and unknown number of FTTFs on our cruise.

 

Caveat is they want you out of your cabin by 8:30 regardless if self disembark or not.

 

Our biggest pluses are;

 

1. Your don't have to decide that final night what should be packed away or not. Majority can be packed late afternoon and then you have a stress free evening.

2. No having to search for your bag among the masses.

3. You handle your bags the way you want ie not thrown into a large stack in a cage to sit for the night. Ditto for sitting in a cage in the rain shore side.

4. You have control of your bags so they will not walk away from the shore luggage area on their own.

[SadieN]

#6. Elevators are extremely slow so you might have to cart luggage down a flight of steps.

 

 

...........................

 

 

Or go up to go down. Just get into an empty elevator, eventually it will get to the deck you want.

 

***

Self debark is usually called before the assisted debark.

We almost always do self debark and leave when we want, usually late. Never had a problem on any ship doing this.

Edited January 2, 2015 by SadieN

[Honolulu Blue]

Another Michigander! Welcome aboard!

 

Most of these answers will be repeats of what others have said, but I do have some unique experiences I will describe afterwards.

 

questions re. the self disembarking....

1. If we choose to do this, when do we make this decision (before the cruise, when we board or during the cruise) and how or to whom to we make this decision known

 

2. if we do self disembarking, do we keep our luggage right with us in the cabin instead of needing to have it out in the hallway the night before?

 

3. What is the procedure for self DE.. do you still wait in a general area until they let you off the ship, or do you wait in your cabin?

 

4. are the self DE one of the first ones off the ship, are is there no set time, just go off when you want?

 

5. how does self DE differ once you are off the ship, do you just get right in line for customs instead of going to find your luggage first? I assume this saves quite a bit of time if that is the case?

 

6. any disadvantages other than having to hall your luggage off the ship?

 

7. Any other advantages?

 

thanks!

 

1. You have to decide by 11 PM the last night of the cruise. If you don't leave any luggage out, you are assumed to be self-assisting and will have to carry all your luggage. You don't have to tell anyone.

 

2. If you're self-assisting, please keep all the luggage in the cabin.

 

3. Usually the first self-assisters can wait in their room. They can also wait in any of several designated areas. The buffet and MDR are open limited hours on the very last day, so you could do some waiting there.

 

4. They're the first off the ship among those without status (Platinum, Diamond, FTTF).

 

5. You follow the lines to immigration/customs without stopping to pick up your luggage (you're carrying it, remember? :p). This saves some time, though I don't know how much.

 

6. That's the main advantage.

 

7. I can't think of any other pros, but getting off the ship in the first wave is pretty big, IMHO.

 

OK, now the notes on the cruises I've had:

 

* They will give you a sheet with debarkation information along with your luggage tags and customs form(s) on the last day. They'll also have a video with debarkation instructions on the ship's TV. Be sure to check them out.

 

* I cruised on the Valor out of San Juan. It was scheduled to arrive at 7 AM, but arrived between 6 and 6:15. There was no announcement for when self assisting passengers could leave; they were welcome to leave anytime after 7 (if the ship had been cleared, of course). The first announcements were scheduled for 8 AM, but I was long gone by them. Self assist was only offered to U.S. citizens here. Also, U.S. citizens left on the gangway on Deck 0; everyone else departed on Deck 3.

 

* My latest cruise was on the Conquest out of Miami. It was scheduled to arrive at 8 AM, but arrived about 6:50. Despite the flyer saying they would not make any announcements for self-assisting passengers, they did. They were asked to leave by decks (bottom up). Self assist was available for all, and everyone left on Deck 3.

 

* Both cruises had designated waiting areas. None of them were near the exits. The closest was the promenade on Deck 5.

[ginka]

Thanks all for the reply's!! We are early risers, are we able to leave our bags in the room and go up for breakfast without a problem? (assuming we will be back by 8 am at the LATEST to get our bags and leave)

[CruisinCrow]

Thanks all for the reply's!! We are early risers, are we able to leave our bags in the room and go up for breakfast without a problem? (assuming we will be back by 8 am at the LATEST to get our bags and leave)

 

Yes, please leave your bags in the cabin! It drives me crazy when people are carting their bags all over the ship, in the dining room, at the buffet. :) We leave our bags in the cabin until we are done with breakfast and by then it's about time to get off the ship.

 

As other people have said, they will give you a sheet that tells you the approximate disembarkation times. They call self-disembark people off floor by floor.

[ShdwKnght]

My wife and I are planning to self-disembark. As of this time, we plan to have one suitcase and one carry on. We have FTTF. I am a US citizen, my wife is a permanent resident. How will that affect our disembarkation?

[snc_cam]

My wife and I are planning to self-disembark. As of this time, we plan to have one suitcase and one carry on. We have FTTF. I am a US citizen, my wife is a permanent resident. How will that affect our disembarkation?

 

Having FTTF will allow you to disembark in the first group, after the Platinum/Diamond/Suite people, but before the main group of people wanting to self-disembark.

 

Not sure if your wife not being a US citizen will make a difference, but I would not think so.

[junglecat]

What time does this happen? Someone mentioned going to breakfast early, very early. And do you have to be out by a certain time if you choose to do this?.

[snc_cam]

What time does this happen? Someone mentioned going to breakfast early, very early. And do you have to be out by a certain time if you choose to do this?.

 

We are usually down at the entrance/exit by around 6:30am and we have been off by 7:15ish a few times.

[junglecat]

Yikes, that IS early!

[hftmrock]

Yikes, that IS early!

 

on the other hand, I waiting where they asked for self disembarkment and listened while they called every other floor and even some floors that didnt do self disembarment before my floor for self disembarkment was called. I was off around 9:30

[CruisinCrow]

Yikes, that IS early!

 

It depends on when your ship gets in. Paradise doesn't get in till 8 and self-disembarkation started at 8:30.