A completely different disembarkation plan - with no lines! It works!

[micmacmissy]

So many threads about disembarkation, lines, and getting to the airport. Thought I would share how we do it:

 

This only works if you can book a flight that leaves at or after 12:30pm. Put your luggage out the night before (no dragging it through and off the ship with this plan! No packed elevators!). Don't worry about what number you are assigned. Better yet, ask to be assigned to the LAST group!

 

Here's what you do the last day of your cruise:

1) Sleep in! Well, sleep in til 7 or 7:30.

 

2) Head to MDR (if open) or buffet as late as possible for breakfast.

 

3) Linger and enjoy your last breakfast! Watch everyone scrambling around like crazy. Yes, the buffet will be packed- but so what? You're not in a hurry!

 

4) After breakfast, find yourself a cozy spot. A seat up on an outside deck, the promenade is nice, or maybe a soft comfy chair in a lounge somewhere. (Some areas may be off limits the last day, but that's ok- you'll find a spot.)

 

5) When the very last group is called to exit (maybe around 9:30 or so), wait another ten minutes, then begin to make your way out. You'll be among the last hundred or so people off the ship. Lines will be moving along as the bulk of the passengers are gone!

 

6) When you get to the luggage claim area, there will only be a few dozen suitcases left. So EASY to spot your own! Plenty of room to wheel/negotiate. No lines going through customs, either!

 

7) Arrive at the airport AFTER the morning rush. A much better way to end your cruise!

 

Now this won't work for everyone...but it's our preferred method! Just thought I'd share!

Edited February 23, 2016 by micmacmissy
Typo

[A&L_Ont]

A great plan, but you better have a flight for 3-4 for some terminals. I have read Indy has has people getting off as late as noon over the last few weeks.

 

I understand what you are getting at.:)

Edited February 23, 2016 by A&L_Ont

[RuthlessBoss]

I do it that way. My only fear is my luggage not being there. Watched from an upper deck and the sights of what goes on at the dock was amazing.

[Clarea]

I do it that way. My only fear is my luggage not being there. Watched from an upper deck and the sights of what goes on at the dock was amazing.

That's the key. Happened to us once, someone took one of our bags by mistake. What a pain to get it back. Now we always get off the ship with the lowest luggage tag number we can get.

Edited February 23, 2016 by clarea

[molly361]

I wish we could do that but even though we are retired and live in Florida I'm the "when it's over, it's over" mindset and like to get off as early as I can to get back home to see the dogs.:)

[Clarea]

I wish we could do that but even though we are retired and live in Florida I'm the "when it's over, it's over" mindset and like to get off as early as I can to get back home to see the dogs.:)

I imagine you carry all your bags, so you can be out of there quick.

[cruisinfanatic]

We did the luggage valet service for the first time a couple weeks ago. Only one of us had to pay the $20 to have our 2 large cases (Southwest Free) transported. Will never do it another way!

[suizas]

I wish we could do that but even though we are retired and live in Florida I'm the "when it's over, it's over" mindset and like to get off as early as I can to get back home to see the dogs.:)

 

 

Agree! There is really not much fun to be had on the ship on debarkation day... And after luggage valet failing me one time ( bags did not arrive!) I will always prefer waking up early and carrying off my own bags.

[molly361]

I imagine you carry all your bags, so you can be out of there quick.

 

Yes we do- love the ships with some sort of priority self disembarkation- Had a brief thought of going and trying a short cruise on the Indy but I have read so many bad self disembarkation stories that we crossed that off the list

[Ken at the beach]

This would certainly be a great plan for getting off the ship however a major delay could happen at customs IF (and it has happened) there are very few customs inspectors. With fewer inspectors this can create a huge bottleneck and then you would find at the tail end of a huge line and potentially wait for hours.

[Clarea]

Yes we do- love the ships with some sort of priority self disembarkation- Had a brief thought of going and trying a short cruise on the Indy but I have read so many bad self disembarkation stories that we crossed that off the list

I'll bet it's not bad if you are one of the first to get off. Plus, Indy can use terminal 18 if not Saturday or Sunday.

[dcgrumpy]

We had no problems getting on or off Indy this past summer. We lucked out and were the only ship in port that day and used terminal 18. Self disembarkation started at 7:30. By 8:45 we had already waited for the car rental shuttle, picked up the car and were having breakfast on the beach.

 

But I see for our Indy cruise next year Harmony will be disembarking the same day as us. So I'm prepared for long waits.

[jticarruthers]

Agree with the philosophy, I used to be a Green Card holder which meant having to report at about 5am to "preclear" customs at the start of disembarkation day. Since I had to be up I was up, showered, dressed, etc. Which meant my family was too and then we were fighting to get off the ship.

 

Now that I don't have to go through that process we plan around getting to breakfast right at the end of the window and taking our time through the morning. Definitely a better "adjustment" period back to reality.

[cb at sea]

If you wait until 7:30 to wake, by the time you're showered, dressed, made-up, etc....breakfast is over! So, now you're sitting in your "cozy" area, hungry for hours...not my idea of a good time.

 

I'd just as soon get on up and out....the last morning on the ship is no fun!

[Ocean Boy]

That's the key. Happened to us once, someone took one of our bags by mistake. What a pain to get it back. Now we always get off the ship with the lowest luggage tag number we can get.

 

That is why we don't put the luggage out the night before any longer. We keep it and take it off with us so I know exactly where it is.

 

Personally, as far as I'm concerned when the ship docks in the morning the cruise is over. We eat breakfast and get off the ship. The crew wants you off, the arriving passengers want you off, and I just want to get home. Heck, you can't even get a cup of coffee at the Cafe Promenade on the last morning as they are cleaning it for the next cruise.

Edited February 23, 2016 by Ocean Boy

[setsail]

I don't see anything different about this. Somebody gets off last every week and since there have been cruise ships. Just depends on what part of the process you want, front end, back end

[MiniChunks]

We self disembarked off Adventure in October, and were 5th off the ship. No customs lines, nobody at the airport. That was the best disembarkation I have ever experienced. I am also not someone who can sit around and wait. When vacation is over and its time to head home, I have to get moving. I booked the family in the RFS on Freedom next year and I am excited to self disembark while using the luggage valet. Walk off the ship first with no luggage and go find a beach to hang out at for a few hours while we wait for our flight.

[Paulette3028]

Agree with the philosophy, I used to be a Green Card holder which meant having to report at about 5am to "preclear" customs at the start of disembarkation day. Since I had to be up I was up, showered, dressed, etc. Which meant my family was too and then we were fighting to get off the ship.

 

Now that I don't have to go through that process we plan around getting to breakfast right at the end of the window and taking our time through the morning. Definitely a better "adjustment" period back to reality.

 

There is no 'adjustment' period back to reality.....that is the sleep time the night before disembarkation morning.

 

Just like I wanted to be on the ship as early as possible, I want to let the next cruisers get to start their cruise on time and without any delays from me.

[champagne123]

Everyone is different.

 

We prefer to be off the ship immediately, as we do not count disembarking day, a cruising day.

 

Heck, I am probably home doing laundry at the same time you are just boarding your plane. :)

[Havingfun2010]

Sounds like pretty much like we do. One carry off bag for overnight stuff, an nice relaxing breakfast, and mostly an easy walk of the ship. Only difference is that we usually just get in our car and drive home. It's not that "its over so its over" or rush rush rush to get home and do laundry or anything else.

[champagne123]

Sounds like pretty much like we do. One carry off bag for overnight stuff, an nice relaxing breakfast, and mostly an easy walk of the ship. Only difference is that we usually just get in our car and drive home. It's not that "its over so its over" or rush rush rush to get home and do laundry or anything else.

 

That laundry isn't going to clean "itself"....LOL :eek:

[Paulette3028]

A great plan, but you better have a flight for 3-4 for some terminals. I have read Indy has has people getting off as late as noon over the last few weeks.

 

I understand what you are getting at.:)

 

There had to be some serious reason for people still leaving the ship as late as noon. When we were on Indy last year, it was a smooth debarkation, started early --- could the ship have arrived in port much later than expected for some unknown (to us here) reason. Even if there were not many Customs Agents the cruisers would have been que'd up within the Customs terminal and not still on the ship by that point. This makes little sense to me, at least.

[CruisingChick]

I'd just as soon get on up and out....the last morning on the ship is no fun!

 

I agree the last morning of the cruise is pits. They don't want you on ship as they want to clear it so the new crop of cruisers and can get on and into their staterooms.

 

I just as soon get off by 8 am and get out of there.

 

Also not everyone has the luxury of getting whatever flight times they want. Some have to make connections, etc. If it's a choice between an 11 am flight or a 4 or 5 pm flight I am taking the 11 am flight.

 

Anyway, those are just my feelings, obviously others will differ.

[island lady]

We had a medical emergency on Serenade 2/5 sailing just before disembarkation was to begin in Ft. Lauderdale. There were a record amount of self disembarkation passengers, according to the officer that was in the C&A waiting area who was about to call numbers. All of those passengers were standing in line waiting to go out, and it was a long...long line. :eek:

 

They would not let anyone off until the ambulance cleared the dock, and for some reason it took a long time to bring the man off the ship on the stretcher. He was alert and looking around, so hopefully all went well for him.

 

We were happy to be comfy in the waiting lounge, but there were many passengers grouchy and having hissy fits having to continue to stand in line with all of their luggage (not wanting to give up their place in line to sit down).

Edited February 23, 2016 by island lady

[pjnj40]

What Rccl need to do is let these people get off the ship with self disembarkation at anytime during those hours. Ncl does this and I love it. I just went along the line and bypass the luggage staging area and straight to cba.

 

 

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