Priority Disembarkation tip for Gold/Platimun and CAS Sapphire and above

[fourofakind]

Just thought I would post a quick tip for those that don't know they can get priority disembarkation even as a walk off. For whatever reason they list it as a perk but don't freely give out the information until you ask around and finally find the right person who knows (even many at the guest services desk had no idea and had to ask others).

 

Latitude members Gold and above as well as CAS Sapphire and above get priority disembarkation. I only know the Breakaway well not the other large ships but on the Breakaway you would head to the Manhattan room to disembark. The area is roped off and someone will be there checking cards. If you qualify for priority you will walk right off the ship and be very close to the area where you enter customs. No need to wait in the long walk off line. I have done this every cruise on the Breakaway and it saves a lot of time.

 

If you are on a different NCL ship ask guest services where priority disembarkation is and have them call someone to find out if they don't know!

 

Also, it took me a few times to learn if the lines are very long inside customs you can grab a porter (even if you walked off with your own luggage) and they will fast track you right to the front of customs no waiting in line (make sure to tip your porter well for this service). The lines are usually not too bad in NYC if you walk off early but on occasion I have been very happy to grab that porter ;)

 

Hope this help someone and happy cruising!!!! :cool:

Edited October 31, 2017 by fourofakind
Sorry guys I just realized I spelled platinum wrong in the thread title and it won't let me edit it. I swear I can spell! LOL

[Sand and Seas]

We are Platinum Plus and also I am Sapphire with CAS. We tried asking about this on the Escape earlier this year and just got a blank look from those 'directing traffic'. On the Escape they had us slowly winding through the Manhattan room with everyone else.

I will try asking Guest Services next time. Thanks for the tip:cool:

[garycarla]

....Also, it took me a few times to learn if the lines are very long inside customs you can grab a porter (even if you walked off with your own luggage) and they will fast track you right to the front of customs no waiting in line (make sure to tip your porter well for this service). The lines are usually not too bad in NYC if you walk off early but on occasion I have been very happy to grab that porter ...

 

We left the ship in NYC around 9:30 or so, walk off with ALL of our carryon bags in tow. Customs/passport check lines for left or right.

 

The far right was for handicap,etc so that stations was tied up. The porters were coming down the middle taking another station. So, the right side moved very slow and the left side did better.

 

Knowing what I know now, I should have grabbed a porter and given him $10-$20 to walk us almost to the front of the line. Crazy.

[fourofakind]

We are Platinum Plus and also I am Sapphire with CAS. We tried asking about this on the Escape earlier this year and just got a blank look from those 'directing traffic'. On the Escape they had us slowly winding through the Manhattan room with everyone else.

I will try asking Guest Services next time. Thanks for the tip:cool:

 

 

It's crazy right?! Nobody on the ship seems to know about this. On the Breakaway the walk off line circles around by O'Sheehan's and then through the casino. If you know to keep walking towards the Manhattan room and get out of that mess you literally walk right off. I am Platinum and also CAS Sapphire and had to talk to several people at guest services and then finally at the casino to get that info. The casino staff were very helpful with this too so definitely talk to them next time you sail and hopefully they will have the location for you.

 

Really excited about sailing on the Escape when she comes to NYC next year so if you find out that location please pass it on to me :p

[fourofakind]

We left the ship in NYC around 9:30 or so, walk off with ALL of our carryon bags in tow. Customs/passport check lines for left or right.

 

The far right was for handicap,etc so that stations was tied up. The porters were coming down the middle taking another station. So, the right side moved very slow and the left side did better.

 

Knowing what I know now, I should have grabbed a porter and given him $10-$20 to walk us almost to the front of the line. Crazy.

 

 

Exactly! The porters walk right down the middle and they have station #7 assigned to them. No wait ever as they need to get them back inside to help other passengers. If it's crowded I'll grab one and be outside in less than 5 minutes. And they will take you and your luggage up the elevator and to the waiting taxi area. I always give them a $20.00 and they have been very happy and appreciative, as am I :D

[NMLady]

We have been Platinum our past four cruises and have been consistently told that Platinum priority is the yellow luggage tags, that only those in suites can be specially escorted for disembarkation.

[Sand and Seas]

We have been Platinum our past four cruises and have been consistently told that Platinum priority is the yellow luggage tags, that only those in suites can be specially escorted for disembarkation.

 

That is exactly what I was told. Very interesting that the original poster had a better experience during disembarkation from the Breakaway.

 

Can any others tell us if they have had actual Platinum priority to bypass the long lines on other ships? Where was the special area to gather on those ships?

[jlmd56]

this is what the concierge is for. the last three cruises we were in a suite and the concierge contacted is the day before disembarkation and told us where to meet her. She escorted us to be off the boat and we bypassed everyone in line. If you are platinum you should be able to use a concierge even if you're not in a suite/Haven.

[Sand and Seas]

It's crazy right?! Nobody on the ship seems to know about this. On the Breakaway the walk off line circles around by O'Sheehan's and then through the casino. If you know to keep walking towards the Manhattan room and get out of that mess you literally walk right off. I am Platinum and also CAS Sapphire and had to talk to several people at guest services and then finally at the casino to get that info. The casino staff were very helpful with this too so definitely talk to them next time you sail and hopefully they will have the location for you.

 

Really excited about sailing on the Escape when she comes to NYC next year so if you find out that location please pass it on to me :p

 

I will check with CAS too. The CAS hosts usually go out of their way to answer questions to a Sapphire card holder;) Thanks for this great tip!

 

You will love the Escape. We are booked on two more cruises on her before she leaves Miami in April. It's our favorite ship so far. Waiting for our Bliss cruise to see if she will be our new favorite:cool:

[Sand and Seas]

this is what the concierge is for. the last three cruises we were in a suite and the concierge contacted is the day before disembarkation and told us where to meet her. She escorted us to be off the boat and we bypassed everyone in line. If you are platinum you should be able to use a concierge even if you're not in a suite/Haven.

 

Yes you should be able to, but as a Platinum Plus cruiser I can tell you only once was I given the Concierge contact when we were not in a Haven/Suite. I have given up asking for it, we just book our own dinners etc. Disembarkation, you just get told your yellow tags are what you get.

 

On one cruise as a Casino VIP we were even invited to the special Captain's cocktail party with the Suite guests but we still did not get an escorted disembarkation. Just got told to use our Platinum bag tags. Now having cruised once in Haven, I can tell you it's quite different.

 

We cruise four times per year and have been Platinum for a long time, and Platinum Plus since that new designation was made. I haven't felt much 'priority' love except for boarding. Not complaining, but if we could miss out on that long trailing line dragging luggage around the ship to disembark I would gladly wait longer to board.

[Enavigo]

this is what the concierge is for. the last three cruises we were in a suite and the concierge contacted is the day before disembarkation and told us where to meet her. She escorted us to be off the boat and we bypassed everyone in line. If you are platinum you should be able to use a concierge even if you're not in a suite/Haven.

 

 

 

Logistically, this does not work for ships with a sectioned off Haven. For Haven disembarkation you are told to meet in the Haven Lounge when you are ready I leave. From there you do not leave the Haven but go directly into an internal elevator that take you right down to a separate area to key out of the ship. There is no way for a non-Haven passenger to meet up with the Conceirge.

 

Now, on other ships without a separate Haven I don't see why they can't make it work somehow given you would be meeting in a public place.

 

 

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[NMLady]

this is what the concierge is for. the last three cruises we were in a suite and the concierge contacted is the day before disembarkation and told us where to meet her. She escorted us to be off the boat and we bypassed everyone in line. If you are platinum you should be able to use a concierge even if you're not in a suite/Haven.

 

If you read the Platinum Perk benefits as of the latest level change it specifies that concierge benefit is for "Specialty restaurants, entertainment, and Shore excursions". That concierge escort is for suites only.

[jlmd56]

My bad. Thanks for the info.

[Sand and Seas]

If you read the Platinum Perk benefits as of the latest level change it specifies that concierge benefit is for "Specialty restaurants, entertainment, and Shore excursions". That concierge escort is for suites only.

 

It makes sense about the escorted disembarkation (except for those lucky to be on Breakaway!) but they don't seem to want to give you that Concierge number for restaurants either. I asked once at guest services, then again at the Latitudes desk and finally got it on one ship, but it was reluctantly given. I've given up asking since.

[fourofakind]

We have been Platinum our past four cruises and have been consistently told that Platinum priority is the yellow luggage tags, that only those in suites can be specially escorted for disembarkation.

 

 

Just to clarify I have never received an escort off the ship. I have seen suites and Havens being escorted off the ship but that's it. I have to fight my way through the crowds to get to the priority exit but once I get there I can exit pretty easily without waiting on that really long line.

[fourofakind]

I will check with CAS too. The CAS hosts usually go out of their way to answer questions to a Sapphire card holder;) Thanks for this great tip!

 

You will love the Escape. We are booked on two more cruises on her before she leaves Miami in April. It's our favorite ship so far. Waiting for our Bliss cruise to see if she will be our new favorite:cool:

 

 

The only reason I found out was because of CAS they definitely do treat us good in the casino ;p I am only a few points away from a Ruby card so I'm going to try and tier up in February on one last Breakaway cruise before she leaves. Can't wait! The Escape looks amazing and I'm sure I will definitely LOVE it but the Bliss...WOW. My kids have been begging me to take them on the Bliss because of that race track, can't blame them it looks awesome! I hate to fly so it probably will never happen but I can dream :D

 

Have fun on your cruises and can't wait to read about your Bliss experience!!!

[pizzalady1]

Just to clarify I have never received an escort off the ship. I have seen suites and Havens being escorted off the ship but that's it. I have to fight my way through the crowds to get to the priority exit but once I get there I can exit pretty easily without waiting on that really long line.

 

There is a separate priority exit??? I thought everyone had to funnel through the card reader line.

[HokiePoq]

Can't remember which ship, but we went to a "priority disembarkation" location once. No staff person ever appeared and we ended up getting off later than if we had just walked off with everyone else.

[SuiteCruiser]

Under the Tier benefits for Gold and above, it says

"Priority Disembarkation*

(only available to U.S. Citizens and benefit varies for international guests)"

That doesn't sound like luggage tags to me, otherwise there would be no differentiation between US and Non. In fact, leading someone out a doorway makes no difference either, so I don't know what they're getting at.

As far as the smaller ships go, there's a place to meet up (on the Gem it's the theatre) as soon as the ship clears, they let you out a separate door. I'd be interested to hear how it works on the newer ships.