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FLL tour after debarkation

57redbird

By 57redbird,
in Holland America Line

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57redbird

57redbird

Posted
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Our flight home doesn't leave till 6:30 so we're thinking about doing one of the FLL tours....my question is....the tours start at 9 am & there have been times that we aren't off the boat by then.....also, how is luggage handled for a booked excursion? We have gotten in the habit of carrying ours off & doing a later off-load time to avoid the crush. Is there a Priority Debarkation for people with booked tours?

TIA...

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pizzadog

pizzadog

Posted
Posted
Our flight home doesn't leave till 6:30 so we're thinking about doing one of the FLL tours....my question is....the tours start at 9 am & there have been times that we aren't off the boat by then.....also, how is luggage handled for a booked excursion? We have gotten in the habit of carrying ours off & doing a later off-load time to avoid the crush. Is there a Priority Debarkation for people with booked tours?

TIA...

 

We have booked a HAL tour on debarkation day in Fort Lauderdale. I was hoping to use luggage direct so as to not worry about luggage but we are flying into Canada so it can't happen. We've been told that our luggage will go with us on the bus, stay on while we do our inland waterway tour and then be offloaded with us at the airport. I plan to check all this with the shore-x desk on the ship. Since it's a HAL tour I think we will be taken care of.

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Krazy Kruizers

Krazy Kruizers

Posted
Posted (edited)

The cruise lines make it easy for those who have booked excursions through them on disembarkation day.

You will put your luggage out by the designated time the evening before. You will have a meeting place on the ship. You all will go off the ship in a group, claim your luggage, go through immigration and customs and then head out to the bus. Your luggage will go onto the bus. You can either keep your carry-ons with you or have them put in the luggage hold on the bus. There is limited room inside the bus for larger carry-ons.

Edited by Krazy Kruizers
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avian777

avian777

Posted
Posted
... You will put your luggage out by the designated time the evening before. You will have a meeting place on the ship. You all will go off the ship in a group, claim your luggage, go through immigration and customs and then head out to the bus. Your luggage will go onto the bus. You can either keep your carry-ons with you or have them put in the luggage hold on the bus. There is limited room inside the bus for larger carry-ons.

 

Isn't there a different process when you use the Luggage Direct service or the Bags VIP Luggage Delivery service?

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Marigold252

Marigold252

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Last year we did the Everglades excursion with airport transfer. It definitely left the port later than 9 am. We put our luggage out the night before, went through the disembarkation/customs process, picking up our luggage in the hall, then met the tour guide who herded us on the bus. The port was crowded and pretty chaotic so we watched our luggage until we saw it put in the hold. The tour was great. We did the airboat ride and crocodile farm. As we approached the airport the tour guide asked which airline the passengers were on and we were dropped off at the individual gates. Again, we watched as the luggage was taken out to make sure ours wasn't taken by mistake. All went smoothly and was a good way to spend the day.

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Jemima

Jemima

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Last year we did the Everglades excursion with airport transfer. It definitely left the port later than 9 am. We put our luggage out the night before, went through the disembarkation/customs process, picking up our luggage in the hall, then met the tour guide who herded us on the bus. The port was crowded and pretty chaotic so we watched our luggage until we saw it put in the hold. The tour was great. We did the airboat ride and crocodile farm. As we approached the airport the tour guide asked which airline the passengers were on and we were dropped off at the individual gates. Again, we watched as the luggage was taken out to make sure ours wasn't taken by mistake. All went smoothly and was a good way to spend the day.

 

Yes that is how it worked both times that we did a tour/transfer in Fort Lauderdale. We did not meet on the ship. We disembarked at our tag color's time, located luggage, went through customs, went to the tour bus, waited a long time on the bus, went on the tour, and were at the airport early afternoon. IMO the tours were "ok", but much better than sitting in the airport for hours.

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hpf

hpf

Posted
Posted
We have booked a HAL tour on debarkation day in Fort Lauderdale. I was hoping to use luggage direct so as to not worry about luggage but we are flying into Canada so it can't happen. We've been told that our luggage will go with us on the bus, stay on while we do our inland waterway tour and then be offloaded with us at the airport. I plan to check all this with the shore-x desk on the ship. Since it's a HAL tour I think we will be taken care of.

 

We did this a couple of years ago and it was great. Much better than sitting around at the airport.

Our luggage was loaded aboard the bus and it was with us all day. Even when we were at the Everglades aboard their boat the bus stayed parked and locked. We were delivered back to the airport in lots of time.

We also enjoyed the Everglades tour very much.

Helen

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Roz Great Review Rare

Roz

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It may vary from sailing to sailing, or may depend on which cruise terminal you're debarking at. What does it matter? Why do you need to know this ahead of time? Just sign up for the tour and follow the instructions they give you.

 

When I did the Everglades tour, we picked up our luggage and then walked out to a waiting bus that had a sign in the window. We gave the driver our ticket and our suitcase.

 

Roz

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57redbird

57redbird

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If you re-read my OP, my main concern was the starting time of the tour & the fact that, in all 4 of our HAL cruises, we have NEVER gotten off the boat close to our scheduled/elected time.....& was wondering if there were 'special arrangements' made for those with a tour after disembarkation.

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Roz Great Review Rare

Roz

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Posted

If you sign up for a post cruise shorex thru the cruise line and the ship or debarkation is delayed, the shorex schedule will be adjusted. We were all in the same color coded group.

 

Roz

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cruz chic

cruz chic

Posted
Posted
If you re-read my OP, my main concern was the starting time of the tour & the fact that, in all 4 of our HAL cruises, we have NEVER gotten off the boat close to our scheduled/elected time.....& was wondering if there were 'special arrangements' made for those with a tour after disembarkation.

 

Hal is going to do its best to get you off the ship so it can make money on the shorex. It's not going to want to forgo that revenue.

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