Disembark by colors

[Live2vacation]

Happy Holidays to everyone!

 

I know that each stateroom is assigned a color code which references the time you are called to leave the ship. I also know that the ship has been given our flight schedule information; so they know when we need to be at the airport. Our ship is the Century; our port is Port Everglades, Ft. Lauderdale.

 

Does anyone know if the color you are assigned is associated with the time you need to be at the airport? We will have 6 hours between docking time and flight departure time, so I don't believe I will need to rush off the ship. BTW, we have purchased transfers from X.

 

Also, do you know...If we don't leave the ship when our color is called, have we missed our transfer? Or, do you end up getting on any bus that is headed for the airport, regardless of your assigned color code? :confused:

 

Any info will be appreciated. Thanks. :)

[canderson]

 

Also, do you know...If we don't leave the ship when our color is called, have we missed our transfer? Or, do you end up getting on any bus that is headed for the airport, regardless of your assigned color code? :confused:

 

Any info will be appreciated. Thanks. :)

Yes, you can miss your transfer altogether. Celebrity's contracted shore transporation companies arrange (when they get it right - see previous thread on Galveston 12/17 disembarkation) to have buses arriving at times appropriate for the disembarkation of its guests in order to get them to the airport within various time slots. In our experience, these buses do not run clear though the entire disembarkation process, but cease at some point prior to that.

 

The color/number you are assigned does indeed correspond to a range of possible airport departure times, and transportation is scheduled accordingly. Since you're leaving quite late, however, you're likely to have a fairly late departure in any case (last bus, I'd guess!)

 

The good news is that you have a later departure from FLL. It's a bugger to show up at that airport earlier in the day, especially when a number of ships are disembarking concurrently. Also, it's entirely possible to show up early enough to have no one at the ticket counter -- depends upon the airline of course -- since some airlines don't even have any "early" departures from that airport. As I recall, Frontier has been a classic example of this. Since you can't check in, you wind up having to tote your bags all over the place or have a family member or friend hold down the fort while you use the restroom or get some coffee from the restaurant, etc.

[espmass]

Has anyone shaded the truth (I'm avoiding saying lied) about their flight times to get off earlier? I mean, say the flight is at 10AM when it's really at 4PM just to be able to get off and spend time on the island? Does the cruiseline check?

[Live2vacation]

Thanks Canderson,

 

I hope our color/number is NOT one of the first to be called. On my last cruise with HAL, they had started calling the next "batch of pax" before all of the current batch had disembarked. This leads me to believe that if I'm a tad bit late no body will even know or care. I don't even think they checked to see what your color code was when you got in line.

 

Anyway, I certainly would not be rude about it. I absolutely would never ever try to jump in line before my turn, it's much more likely that I'd be late. I have a feeling more people will want to be getting off the ship before me, than there will be wanting to leave after me.

 

As you mentioned about airline counters not even being open....

When we arrived in Vancouver Airport the counter was open, so we stood in line, but we were told we were too early to check-in for our late afternoon flight. We had to do exactly what you said...drag our luggage around the airport for about 3 hours (at least they had FREE luggage carts). I really don't want to do that again on Ft. Lauderdale.

 

Thanks for the reply. I will try hard to get myself in the disembarkation line when I'm called. I just hope it's not too early in the AM.

[canderson]

Has anyone shaded the truth (I'm avoiding saying lied) about their flight times to get off earlier? I mean, say the flight is at 10AM when it's really at 4PM just to be able to get off and spend time on the island? Does the cruiseline check?

Unless you have booked your air through Celebrity, they have no idea what you're doing until you tell them.

 

However, if you say your flight is at 10:00am, the best you can hope for is an "I'm sorry, but you do know you will miss your flight, don't you?". If you plan to mess with the rules, at least do something plausible.

 

Meanwhile, understand that if you do this, the folks who do have somewhat earlier flights than you do are being delayed by your tactics.:mad: There's a reason for the assigned timing of disembarkation -- it's to do what's possible to assure everyone gets home in an orderly manner and not stuck somewhere.

[espmass]

Oh I know. I was just curious what others do. I always just sit and patiently wait my turn after providing the correct flight time!