Severe delay disembarking Eclipse today 2/15 Miami

[Redtravel]

I was on the Eclipse Jan. 18. Embarkation was a disaster. We arrived at the appointed time (got 6 emails telling me when to arrive). My spouse had requested a wheelchair. None was available. We were packed into a crowded area in a line which moved slowly and then just came to a halt without any explanation. We waited about an hour in line ( no chairs) before we could move. We had also heard that the disembarkation that day was also very slow. It took us about 2 hours total to check into the ship. Once on, it was okay. Disembarkation was quick and easy. No lines. Easy getting bags off the conveyor belt. Customs asked a few questions. We were off early and at MIA before 9am for a flight that departed at 2pm. Having spoken to other people going on the Eclipse on various sailings, anything can happen. More often than not, something is delayed. The cruise was very good once we were on the ship. Miami seems to be a mess.

[NLH Arizona]

I was on the Eclipse Jan. 18. Embarkation was a disaster. We arrived at the appointed time (got 6 emails telling me when to arrive). My spouse had requested a wheelchair. None was available. We were packed into a crowded area in a line which moved slowly and then just came to a halt without any explanation. We waited about an hour in line ( no chairs) before we could move. We had also heard that the disembarkation that day was also very slow. It took us about 2 hours total to check into the ship. Once on, it was okay. Disembarkation was quick and easy. No lines. Easy getting bags off the conveyor belt. Customs asked a few questions. We were off early and at MIA before 9am for a flight that departed at 2pm. Having spoken to other people going on the Eclipse on various sailings, anything can happen. More often than not, something is delayed. The cruise was very good once we were on the ship. Miami seems to be a mess.

I read a review of someone who embarked on the Eclipse and they said they came at their appointed time and those around them were scheduled for later times and because of it, it took them 1 hour and a half to get onboard. Maybe Celebrity has something with the scheduling, but it only works if folks abide by it.

[drarill]

Getting on the Eclipse was super smooth today. Great start to our cruise.

 

The Eclipse is a great ship!! Happy Cruising!!:)

[richsea]

All of this sounds like a reason to avoid Miami cruises like the plague.

 

It is shameful that those who work in "essential" government jobs do so at the whim & pleasure of those morons on both sides of the aisle who care more about their personal/party agendas than those in the trenches, in addition to those who elected them.:mad:

[JudithLynne]

Cruisestitch....I am curious if you and others were offered the Luggage Valet program. I am thinking that that would help once you got to the airport in that it would save the time needed to check bags. It sure would be something for future cruisers disembarking in Miami to look at.

[az_tchr]

Arriving passengers are likely to experience delays in processing as CBP procedures have changed due to recent terrorist activity. This would include airports, roads and ships. This was from my local US Congressman. Evidently sort sort of threat similar to what Western Europe is under today as well.

 

Agree those arriving late or trying to depart on a noon flight are putting unnecessary stress on their vacation. Not worth it. Personally an extra night or two in miami or a nice drive down to the Keys sounds good to me!

[Lois R]

All of this sounds like a reason to avoid Miami cruises like the plague.

 

It is shameful that those who work in "essential" government jobs do so at the whim & pleasure of those morons on both sides of the aisle who care more about their personal/party agendas than those in the trenches, in addition to those who elected them.:mad:

 

Hi Rich:D.....I wouldn't go that far (avoiding it like the plague) but I would

book an afternoon flight home;)

[Iamthesea]

All of this sounds like a reason to avoid Miami cruises like the plague.

 

Too late for us. We cruise out of POM at the end of March.

 

Reflection turnaround yesterday in Miami, last number called at 10:15.

Back to back cruisers, 20 passengers and 40 Polish workers who are constructing Luminae, disembarked at 10:30 and back on board at 10:45. Passengers were boarding at 11.

Strange that the process on Eclipse was so different.

 

Based on what you are reporting, what time should my group shoot for when disembarking the ship? Flight leaves from FLL at 2:55, so we have a shared ride service picking us up at POM at 11:00am. We will probably carry our own luggage off the ship.

 

This past Friday, we disembarked from the Equinox in Port Everglades at 10:00. Our number was 34 and coincided with the time on the schedule. However, customs was extremely slow. We finally cleared it around 11:00. When we neared the customs window, the guy was having an extremely long conversation with the couple in front of us. When it was our turn, he took a water break, and then called us forward. He then started his usual questions, but also asked where in TN we were from. Said that we were the first to pass through from our state and wanted to know about the weather... yada yada yada. :rolleyes:

[c-legs]

Hi,

 

Reading thru all the posts, two things come to mind, and clearly :

work to rules & work slowdown.

 

I'm sure same happens in other ports .....randomly....annoyingly....

 

Cheers

 

[uktog]

Are things slowed down because a higher number on some cruises do not travel with passports making the checks more complex?

[mickey89]

When we arrived in Miami Airport in November experienced horrendous delays, over 3 hours to get to the taxi rank.

Immigration was not the problem, it was the customs officials. There was a line at least 800metres long snaking around the baggage hall and only 2 people at the numerous desks. Asked what the problem was - Working to Rule due to Government cuts was the reply from an airport uniformed official.

 

So there must be a problem with funding!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Edited February 16, 2015 by mickey89

[Wiltonian]

Yup, we got some of that. I handed the agent my birth certificate and drivers license. " you don't have your passport?" "No I have this." "So you don't have your passport?" no. "Where's your passport". "Ma'am you have my ID". "May I have your passport." "You have my ID". " so may I have your passport". It was almost comical, and clearly designed just today the process!!!!

 

That's the kind of **** that non-US citizens have always got from some US Immigration people.

 

Stuart

[bobsfamily]

Ever wonder if its just a worker "slow down"? We've disembarked in Los Angeles before and noticed very long slow lines. When we finally got to the front, the agent was nice, slow and wanted to chit chat. I was thinking - buddy, there are hundreds of people in line and you are almost deliberately delaying by wanted to talk about the time you went to Catalina and your favorite fish place in Seattle, etc.

 

Yup, we got some of that. I handed the agent my birth certificate and drivers license. " you don't have your passport?" "No I have this." "So you don't have your passport?" no. "Where's your passport". "Ma'am you have my ID". "May I have your passport." "You have my ID". " so may I have your passport". It was almost comical, and clearly designed just today the process!!!!

 

Although some of this could be a "slowdown", most likely it is part of the process. If a CBP can get someone mad and they are hiding something, like say their identity, then it could help them to stop someone.

 

I do not like the long lines but I sure do like the agents doing a through job!

[dutrie]

We had a noon flight out of FLL yesterday and made it easily

 

We left the Eclipse yesterday (Feb 15) assigned to group 3. We left the ship about 7:45. (This was 5 minutes late) We were off the ship and thru customs in about 15 minutes. Couldn't have been easier.

 

We took the SAS shuttle and made it to the airport by 9AM despite making two runs around the dock to pick up passengers.

 

There was a couple from a Disney cruise on our shuttle that had a 10:55 departure from FLL. They made it easily.

 

However, 4 of our party of 6 were flying Delta from FLL (2:30PM) and chose the luggage valet service. We were flying Southwest. Because they were using luggage valet service they could NOT exit with us (they asked several times) since there was the possibility that their bag could be selected for inspection by customs and they would have to be present. They had to remain on-board until their group was called. I think they said they got off at 9:10 and found the lines at customs to be extremely long.

 

I liked the luggage system used at the dock in Miami. It seemed to go much faster that having the bags filling a room.

[JudithLynne]

"I liked the luggage system used at the dock in Miami. It seemed to go much faster that having the bags filling a room."

 

What is this system?

Edited February 16, 2015 by JudithLynne

[2morecruises]

DW & I disembarked Eclipse on Jan 18th to. Our #10 was scheduled for 8:05 and it was called at 8:25.

 

Waited for the bags for 15 mins on the merry-go around, stood in the CBP line for 15 mins (a slow but consistent crawl, porter aided). 2 CBP agents checking the passports. (amazing :()

 

Was it aggravating? Not really. But we had no reason to blame Celebrity.

The aggravating part was waiting for over an hour and a half for our Super Shuttle driver to show up after being told he'd be there in less than 30 minutes. (3 additional phone calls later)

 

BTW, the line for arriving passengers was long but hey, they were there quiet early to say the least.

 

As locals we've been in/out of POM numerous times and can't remember the last time a disaster happened while embarking or disembarking.

POM beats PE anytime for RCL & X. (except for PE's terminal 18, Home of RCL's Behemoths :eek:)

 

Your mileage could vary.

 

2MC

[DZalumni]

GOES pre clear stations need to be installed at sea ports. Thus would help elevate congestion. When COB saw that we were pre they took our declaration form, asked no questions & waived us through. People in front of us & behind us were being read the riot act.

[nednrom]

When we arrived in Miami Airport in November experienced horrendous delays, over 3 hours to get to the taxi rank.

Immigration was not the problem, it was the customs officials. There was a line at least 800metres long snaking around the baggage hall and only 2 people at the numerous desks. Asked what the problem was - Working to Rule due to Government cuts was the reply from an airport uniformed official.

 

So there must be a problem with funding!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

It has been a long time since we left out of POM but there are several issues compound the problem at Port Everglades -- one of which is less customs officials.. there is also disorganization -- everyone picks up their luggage from different sections and are directed to cut in line by the officials who are directing ques; there are also the problem passengers who decide they can disembark for one reason or another not in the numerical order they were assigned.

 

I tend to think that if 3 custom stations are open along with cooperating passengers, the lines go fast. It is different from week to week --basically a crapshoot ..LOL

Edited February 18, 2015 by nednrom

[steamboats]

We boarded Jan. 18 and we waited outside in a very long snake line for quite some time before we even entered the building. It was awful. They said the departure of the previous cruise was delayed.

 

The Eclipse departure was very slow on January 18th as well.

 

Last numbers called at 10:30 and we weren't through customs until 11:15

 

We did the XPress Walk Off on Jan 18th. It was supposed to start by 7:15 am. As our cabin on deck 6 was directly over the gangway we were able to see that it hadn´t started by that time. Shortly past 7:30 am the first people walked off. So we left our cabin at 7:45 am and took the elevator one floor down. Of course it was already crowded in front of the elevators but we had no chance but to squeeze into the exisiting line (or whatever this was). Some people complained but what should I do? Trying to find an end of a not really exisiting line and work my way back with my luggage through the masses? Anyway we were in front of the terminal building minutes past 8 am.

 

Last numbers were supposed to be called by 10 to 10:20 am (with 10:30 am being estimated end of departure according to the information sheet) so a call at 10:30 am is not much of a delay. 45 min to collect your bags and getting through immigration/customs I think is a good time too.

 

steamboats

Edited February 18, 2015 by steamboats

[Can'tstopcruising]

I can't remember exactly what time we arrived at the port. Around 1pm.

There was a problem.

The early arrivals were waiting inside, but they stopped allowing pax in and the doors were closed for about an hour.

Thus the long snake line outside.

It is difficult to stand in line for over an hour.

[Bru92]

Ever wonder if its just a worker "slow down"? We've disembarked in Los Angeles before and noticed very long slow lines. When we finally got to the front, the agent was nice, slow and wanted to chit chat. I was thinking - buddy, there are hundreds of people in line and you are almost deliberately delaying by wanted to talk about the time you went to Catalina and your favorite fish place in Seattle, etc.

 

Sometimes the "chit chat" is very deliberate. Customs agents often engage you in conversation to hear your accent to see if it is appropriate for who you are supposed to be and where you are supposed to live. If you have an inappropriate accent or use some unexpected words, they will keep talking to you. It's part of the job.

 

We had all the same things described in this thread last year this time in Miami. Nothing new.

 

That said, sometimes those 10AM flights go with empty seats.

 

Mike

[ghstudio]

I don't suppose it makes anyone feel better, but we arrived at the Miami airport from Barcelona on Tuesday. It took over an hour to get through customs and immigration. They are using the new kiosk pre-screening and almost everyone got the black x which indicates you have to go to an agent. If they are going to "fail" over 60 or 70% why bother with the extra delay of waiting for the pre-screening kiosk?

 

Miami is just a bad place to arrive...be it by air or ship.

[keithm]

Cruisestitch....I am curious if you and others were offered the Luggage Valet program. I am thinking that that would help once you got to the airport in that it would save the time needed to check bags. It sure would be something for future cruisers disembarking in Miami to look at.

Yes,we've done it twice. Works like a charm. We were in no hurry to leave on Feb.1. Our flight was at 2:25PM, so no need to rush. We just walked around a bit(lamenting our vacation end!)& then just sat a while in one of the lounges. When we felt enough had gone through the terminal we left & it was less than 15 min. getting to the bus. That's where the trouble was. We waited close to 45 min. on the bus. Needless to say a few pax had early flights(they should know better!)and had to really run,luggage & all when we got to the airport.

[keithm]

Arriving passengers are likely to experience delays in processing as CBP procedures have changed due to recent terrorist activity. This would include airports, roads and ships. This was from my local US Congressman. Evidently sort sort of threat similar to what Western Europe is under today as well.

 

Agree those arriving late or trying to depart on a noon flight are putting unnecessary stress on their vacation. Not worth it. Personally an extra night or two in miami or a nice drive down to the Keys sounds good to me!

Being from NH, we fly down a day earlier(you've seen the weather reports!!)prevents issues. This year(Jan.18'th cruise) we were a block from Lincoln Rd.mall in South Beach.Great food & great shopping. A real blast. Our return flight was at 2:25PM Feb.1. The slowdown in Disembarkation was not a problem for us. The following day we had 18-24" of snow...Wlcome home!

[keithm]

Sometimes the "chit chat" is very deliberate. Customs agents often engage you in conversation to hear your accent to see if it is appropriate for who you are supposed to be and where you are supposed to live. If you have an inappropriate accent or use some unexpected words, they will keep talking to you. It's part of the job.

 

We had all the same things described in this thread last year this time in Miami. Nothing new.

 

That said, sometimes those 10AM flights go with empty seats.

 

Mike

I'm sure a South Boston accent gives them fits!