Escorted off ship at ports?

[New2cruise1483]

We are sailing on the AOS in September in an OS, and I was wondering if one of the perks was being escorted off the ship when in port, like what they do with NCL? Still making myself familiar with RCI's perks, and trying to plan our port days. Thanks in advance :)

[138east]

Interesting title. "Escorted off ships" often means literally thrown off the ship for some sort of bad behavior. Sometimes it is a police escort off.

 

I don't have any experience in an OS, but Ive also not heard anyone who was in an OS talk about an escort perk.

[grand isle joe]

Yes the Concierge will escort you and your family off the ship to skip the lines. He / she will tell you the time to meet to escort you off. It is really good especially on tender ports. You should be getting an E-mail from the concierge about a week before your cruise date. :)

[New2cruise1483]

Interesting title. "Escorted off ships" often means literally thrown off the ship for some sort of bad behavior. Sometimes it is a police escort off.

 

I don't have any experience in an OS, but Ive also not heard anyone who was in an OS talk about an escort perk.

 

Sorry about the title, I couldn't think of how else to state my question lol

[CruiseKeeper]

Not sure about that. We were in a CL, OS and a GS in December and were not escorted off the ship in any port.

[New2cruise1483]

Yes the Concierge will escort you and your family off the ship to skip the lines. He / she will tell you the time to meet to escort you off. It is really good especially on tender ports. You should be getting an E-mail from the concierge about a week before your cruise date. :)

 

Great! Thanks for the info! It will definately make things easier for us. My Mom sometimes has trouble standing in one place for too long, such as long lines, so this will be especially nice for her :)

[New2cruise1483]

Not sure about that. We were in a CL, OS and a GS in December and were not escorted off the ship in any port.

 

Hmm, I wonder why they're inconsistent like this. Could it depend on the concierge for that particular sailing? On NCL for example, I've heard of one concierge being great doing certain things, but another hardly doing anything for anybody that wasn't in one of the higher category suites.

[cb at sea]

This is only beneficial at a tender port. When you're docked, you simply walk off when you're ready...no "lines"!

[39august]

Escort from tender ports was listed as a Grand Suite perk on NOS March 1. I heard two different couples request it, and conceirge made appointments for time and where to meet.

[New2cruise1483]

I really appreciate all the input from everybody. This will be my first RCI cruise, so I'm trying to learn all that I can about cruising with them and what to expect so as I don't run into any " surprises" :D

[CruiseKeeper]

Hmm, I wonder why they're inconsistent like this. Could it depend on the concierge for that particular sailing? On NCL for example, I've heard of one concierge being great doing certain things, but another hardly doing anything for anybody that wasn't in one of the higher category suites.

 

 

IDK. Like mentioned, perhaps because we didn't have to tender anywhere. After reading others accounts, I assumed because we never asked to be escorted anywhere. This was all on the Allure in December and Dexter was/remains an excellent concierge. We went back again in February as we enjoyed ourselves so much.

[New2cruise1483]

That makes sense. So just out of curiousity, who crowded is it when the ship first clears for going into port? Is it better to wait awhile to let things mellow out?

[fsjosh]

It was offered on Allure in November at Falmouth. Not sure if it was offered at the other ports. But it was nice because we had a long excursion booked through a third party and were some of the first off the boat.

[New2cruise1483]

That would be nice, especially on a ship that big!

[CptSticky]

Hmm, I wonder why they're inconsistent like this. Could it depend on the concierge for that particular sailing? On NCL for example, I've heard of one concierge being great doing certain things, but another hardly doing anything for anybody that wasn't in one of the higher category suites.

I have found concierges to be very inconsistent. Most are friendly and happy to serve but we have run into a few.... As a mater of fact, on our last cruise we stopped going to the lounge after getting the "cold shoulder" from the concierge (yes, we had tipped him the previous week).

On tender day, most concierges will escort anyone that has access to the CL down past the line. You don't have to be in an OS.

Royal Caribbean = Consistently Inconsistent

[grand isle joe]

That makes sense. So just out of curiousity, who crowded is it when the ship first clears for going into port? Is it better to wait awhile to let things mellow out?

 

Since you will be in the OS you will have your own line off the ship on to the tender. We stayed many times in the GS and always had that "perk" extended to us. Also you will have reserved seating at the theater which will insure a seat with a great view up to 15 minutes before the show. Same as the ice shows. Best to go to the CL and introduce yourself on the first day and the concierge can assure you about the service to be provided. Maybe your mom would be pampered in the spa? They can take care of that also. You'll be spoiled and it will hard to go down in room stature.:)

[FLACRUISER99]

I have found concierges to be very inconsistent. Most are friendly and happy to serve but we have run into a few.... As a mater of fact, on our last cruise we stopped going to the lounge after getting the "cold shoulder" from the concierge (yes, we had tipped him the previous week).

On tender day, most concierges will escort anyone that has access to the CL down past the line. You don't have to be in an OS.

Royal Caribbean = Consistently Inconsistent

Truer words have never been spoken!

[awhcruiser]

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2181430

[cruisenfever]

I have found concierges to be very inconsistent. Most are friendly and happy to serve but we have run into a few.... As a mater of fact, on our last cruise we stopped going to the lounge after getting the "cold shoulder" from the concierge (yes, we had tipped him the previous week).

On tender day, most concierges will escort anyone that has access to the CL down past the line. You don't have to be in an OS.

Royal Caribbean = Consistently Inconsistent

Completely agree Clint. Very frustrating at times.:(

Edited March 14, 2015 by cruisenfever

[Trekker954]

OP, no worries, you worded your title correctly and yes, there are two meanings to that line. But Suite guests would know exactly what you mean.

 

It is definitely a perk for suite guests (sometimes even extended to D+ & P guests with the right concierge). I find it most helpful in foreign ports (not so much needed in the Caribbean). If you are doing a ship tour, then you do not opt for the concierge to escort you off, - you still meet where the ship tour ticket tells you to meet. You do not have a private disembark line - you will be brought down to the gangway and brought to the front of the line in most cases. You will arrange with the concierge the day before. You can tell him when you want to be off the ship (this perk is typically used when you want to get off the ship early, as soon as the ship docks or tenders). You can ask the concierge to escort you at any port, not only tender ports.

 

This is a good perk when the line to get off the ship is long or you have an early morning private tour. Once the big push is done, and the concierge is off duty, you would just go down as normal to exit the ship. This is also just a one way perk. This is not a perk, as much as it would be nice, for the return on the tender.

 

This is a perk for suite guests only. I find in Europe and in Australia where there are more tenders, the concierges will reach out and ask. Not so much in the Caribbean, sometimes, they won't even mention this perk, so you need to ask. Every now and then you have a great concierge who will extend it to his D+ and P guests.

Edited March 14, 2015 by Trekker954

[ehfl]

There are lots of ways to get "escorted" off....just be creative, and I'm sure you'll have no problems being removed.

[spookwife]

Yes the Concierge will escort you and your family off the ship to skip the lines. He / she will tell you the time to meet to escort you off. It is really good especially on tender ports. You should be getting an E-mail from the concierge about a week before your cruise date. :)

 

never been offered to us either, on several ships. at best we get told which elevator to take to bypass the tender line and to just flash our cards to be the next to get a tender.

[New2cruise1483]

Since you will be in the OS you will have your own line off the ship on to the tender. We stayed many times in the GS and always had that "perk" extended to us. Also you will have reserved seating at the theater which will insure a seat with a great view up to 15 minutes before the show. Same as the ice shows. Best to go to the CL and introduce yourself on the first day and the concierge can assure you about the service to be provided. Maybe your mom would be pampered in the spa? They can take care of that also. You'll be spoiled and it will hard to go down in room stature.:)

 

So it's similar to NCL's concierge then as far as making sure certain services and perks will be provided? Do they have a "lounge" area in the terminal for suite guests as well with drinks and snacks provided in case we have to wait to board? With NCL we are escorted to our rooms as well upon embarkation, same here?

[Turtles06]

Interesting title. "Escorted off ships" often means literally thrown off the ship for some sort of bad behavior. Sometimes it is a police escort off.

 

 

LOL, I had exactly the same reaction to the thread title! :)

[New2cruise1483]

OP, no worries, you worded your title correctly and yes, there are two meanings to that line. But Suite guests would know exactly what you mean.

 

It is definitely a perk for suite guests (sometimes even extended to D+ & P guests with the right concierge). I find it most helpful in foreign ports (not so much needed in the Caribbean). If you are doing a ship tour, then you do not opt for the concierge to escort you off, - you still meet where the ship tour ticket tells you to meet. You do not have a private disembark line - you will be brought down to the gangway and brought to the front of the line in most cases. You will arrange with the concierge the day before. You can tell him when you want to be off the ship (this perk is typically used when you want to get off the ship early, as soon as the ship docks or tenders). You can ask the concierge to escort you at any port, not only tender ports.

 

This is a good perk when the line to get off the ship is long or you have an early morning private tour. Once the big push is done, and the concierge is off duty, you would just go down as normal to exit the ship. This is also just a one way perk. This is not a perk, as much as it would be nice, for the return on the tender.

 

This is a perk for suite guests only. I find in Europe and in Australia where there are more tenders, the concierges will reach out and ask. Not so much in the Caribbean, sometimes, they won't even mention this perk, so you need to ask. Every now and then you have a great concierge who will extend it to his D+ and P guests.

Thank you very much for the helpful reply:). We won't be booking any tours in advance, because if my mom isn't feeling particularly active that day ( she is currently battling ovarian cancer, so some days aren't as good as others), we won't be out any money by missing a prearranged tour. We will basically just being winging it day to day, and visiting various beaches every day, we would just like to get out early as possible to snag a decent spot at the beaches lol. So if we could get priority disembarking at ports, and not have to wait as long, it would be great :D