Tips & Tricks - Disembarkation

[st3ph888]

Hi all!

I'm wondering if any of you have insight on how we can quickly get off the ship after the cruise?

 

I called Carnival and they said the earliest people can get off is 8am - which I feel like is later that I remember disembarkation starting but my memory is a bit fuzzy.

 

Is it better to keep your luggage and take it off yourself? Will carnival work with us on this? Thoughts- we are flying standby and the earlier flights look really really good. I can't really remember how it worked the last few times I've cruised- because we were never in a hurry.

 

Many thanks, in advance, for your help and insight!

[bigdog1958]

Hi all!

I'm wondering if any of you have insight on how we can quickly get off the ship after the cruise?

 

I called Carnival and they said the earliest people can get off is 8am - which I feel like is later that I remember disembarkation starting but my memory is a bit fuzzy.

 

Is it better to keep your luggage and take it off yourself? Will carnival work with us on this? Thoughts- we are flying standby and the earlier flights look really really good. I can't really remember how it worked the last few times I've cruised- because we were never in a hurry.

 

Many thanks, in advance, for your help and insight!

 

depends on what time your ship docks.. if its 7am, most of the time, self assist would start at about 7:30am.. I just came off the conquest a month ago and we docked at about 6:30am and I was off the ship at 7:10am. That was the earliest I have ever been off, but its possible to get off prior to 8am. However, you then have to go through customs which can take some time

[Out of Iowa]

Keep all your luggage in your room the night before. Don't use the Zone tags the steward will leave for you and don't leave suitcases outside your door overnight.

 

Be ready to go in the morning. When Self-Assist guests are called to leave the ship, don't panic if you are routed through the big show lounge and it seems like the line is incredibly long. It went fast for us in New Orleans and was quite efficient.

 

We've been on the Interstate heading home by 7:30 a.m. on two occasions.

 

I hope you have a similar experience in Galveston.

[stargate fan]

Hi all!

I'm wondering if any of you have insight on how we can quickly get off the ship after the cruise?

 

I called Carnival and they said the earliest people can get off is 8am - which I feel like is later that I remember disembarkation starting but my memory is a bit fuzzy.

 

Is it better to keep your luggage and take it off yourself? Will carnival work with us on this? Thoughts- we are flying standby and the earlier flights look really really good. I can't really remember how it worked the last few times I've cruised- because we were never in a hurry.

 

Many thanks, in advance, for your help and insight!

 

Your best bet is to use Self Assist You keep all your luggage on the last night. On debarkation morning, SA passengers will be called by deck. You must be able to handle all of your luggage yourself. There is no assistance since crew members are helping those who don't use SA and are getting the ship ready for the next group to embark.

 

Depending on the port and actual docking time, we've seen SA begin as early as 6:45. On Breeze last month, SA wasn't called until after 8:00. Debarkation stopped a few times due to hold-ups at customs so the quicker you leave the ship the better it will be for you.

 

Good luck. Have a great cruise.

[MCFTJCH2V]

Hi all!

I'm wondering if any of you have insight on how we can quickly get off the ship after the cruise?

 

I called Carnival and they said the earliest people can get off is 8am - which I feel like is later that I remember disembarkation starting but my memory is a bit fuzzy.

 

Is it better to keep your luggage and take it off yourself? Will carnival work with us on this? Thoughts- we are flying standby and the earlier flights look really really good. I can't really remember how it worked the last few times I've cruised- because we were never in a hurry.

 

Many thanks, in advance, for your help and insight!

 

Before we became VIP, we would loiter around a corner somewhere along the very long line. When the line started moving we would just eventually start moving with it, as if we belonged there. Never had a problem.

[DebbieMo]

Can SA debark anytime or it has to be when called? We would like to do SA but don't want to be off the ship really early.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

Edited March 10, 2016 by DebbieMo

[canadaman111]

DO people using self assist have to leave the ship right at the start? Or can they still take their time getting off just having to drag there bags around with them??

[stargate fan]

Can SA debark anytime or it has to be when called? We would like to do SA but want to be off the ship really early.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

 

I really don't think there is a way to tell from which deck you come to debark.

[stargate fan]

DO people using self assist have to leave the ship right at the start? Or can they still take their time getting off just having to drag there bags around with them??

 

No, people do not have to leave right at the start.

When we use Self Assist, we take our luggage to the Main Dining Room, have a leisurely breakfast, and head out when we are ready.

[okgirl]

If this is for your Freedom cruise this month, you probably won't be off the ship much before 8am.

 

I was on her a couple of weeks ago and had the best debarkation experience ever. We're Diamond and they put us in the upper Chic restaurant. We were escorted off the ship at 8am (there were about 50 of us). I was in my car by 8:30. If you're not Platinum or FTTF then SA by decks probably starts closer to 8:45.

 

Keep in mind that the closest airport is about an hour away and maybe a bit longer with the weekend construction on I-45. Your best (not cheapest) transportation to the airport is a taxi they are readily available.

 

When we debarked this last time not even the zone 1 luggage had been brought to the terminal. First time I've ever seen that.

[dmdiver]

Quickest way off the ship is self assist - we were actually on the road at 8:30am one time in Galveston. And that included grabbing the shuttle to Lighthouse Parking's lot. But please, if you do self assist, have your act together. It's frustrating to be behind someone who has 5 bags that keep falling everywhere, slowing the entire line down. Don't take more than you can handle.

Edited March 10, 2016 by dmdiver

[okgirl]

Quickest way off the ship is self assist - we were actually on the road at 8:30am one time in Galveston. And that included grabbing the shuttle to Lighthouse Parking's lot. But please, if you do self assist, have your act together. It's frustrating to be behind someone who has 5 bags that keep falling everywhere, slowing the entire line down. Don't take more than you can handle.

 

Agreed, or to be behind those people who suddenly can't find their passport or completed customs form or they haven't filled out both sides of the form........ughhhh

[st3ph888]

Thank you all for the very helpful and quick input, I appreciate it! :)

[winddawn]

Hi all!

I'm wondering if any of you have insight on how we can quickly get off the ship after the cruise?

 

I called Carnival and they said the earliest people can get off is 8am - which I feel like is later that I remember disembarkation starting but my memory is a bit fuzzy.

 

Is it better to keep your luggage and take it off yourself? Will carnival work with us on this? Thoughts- we are flying standby and the earlier flights look really really good. I can't really remember how it worked the last few times I've cruised- because we were never in a hurry.

 

Many thanks, in advance, for your help and insight!

Carnival Freedom does not dock in Galveston until about 8 AM. Keep in mind that fog is not uncommon in Galveston and they do occasionally close the port for that which could possibly delay arrival. If everything goes smoothly and no non-U.S. citizens hold up debarkation by not reporting as they are instructed to, then the ship could be cleared by authorities for debarkation soon after 8 AM. If you do self-assist debarkation you will get off the ship more quickly and on your way. Keep in mind Hobby is close to an hour ride from the port of Galveston. How are you getting to the airport?

[winddawn]

Can SA debark anytime or it has to be when called? We would like to do SA but don't want to be off the ship really early.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

You can debark anytime after your group is called for self-assist. Since you will have your luggage with you, there's no worry about it sitting out in the terminal if you choose to debark later. Keep in mind Carnival will want everyone off the ship timely to prepare for the next departure.

[terri-eddie]

No, people do not have to leave right at the start.

When we use Self Assist, we take our luggage to the Main Dining Room, have a leisurely breakfast, and head out when we are ready.

 

 

We do this, too. We choose self-assist because it's so much faster than hunting for our luggage onshore. But we don't leave as early as self-assist is allowed to do. We leave our bags in our room, go have a nice leisurely breakfast, then return to get our bags around 830....the stewards do want you to leave the room by that time so they can get started on their clean-up.

 

We take our bags to one of the designated waiting areas...usually Lido near an ice cream machine to make my husband happy! Then, when we're about 3 hours from our flight time, we head off the ship and taxi to the airport, so we don't have too long a wait there.

 

So, we still have to wait somewhere, but it's nicer to wait on the ship a little longer, than wait in the airport.

[Jdfireman]

Quickest way off the ship is self assist - we were actually on the road at 8:30am one time in Galveston. And that included grabbing the shuttle to Lighthouse Parking's lot. But please, if you do self assist, have your act together. It's frustrating to be behind someone who has 5 bags that keep falling everywhere, slowing the entire line down. Don't take more than you can handle.

 

If you have this problem use a porter when getting into the terminal thats what they are their for .

 

 

Fastest way off the ship is being a Self assist Diamond

[crusinpsychRN]

It depends if all the people who have to go to customs go when they are supposed to. There are usually a few who have their name called numerous times which delays everyone.

[crooooze]

Since we sail Carnival at least once a year, we've noticed that the disembarkation luggage tag numbers and colors are the same across ships. When we are lucky enough to get an earlier number, we ask the stateroom attendent for a few extras, which we save and bring with us on the next cruise.

Edited March 13, 2016 by crooooze