Luggage tag numbers mean anything on Serenade -Tampa?

[coaster]

Got back from Serenade yesterday. We got luggage tag #3. They called #1 and #2. We watched the numbers being called on TV. About and hour and a half later with no new numbers being displayed on TV, they say all the last 25 numbers can depart.  Made for packed elevators and huge line when we got off. I believe people with higher numbers got off as there was not much luggage left in the terminal.

 

We didn't get out of the terminal until 11am. Can't imagine the added stress if we had a flight to catch.... Had a delay in the past from Tampa in the past, but it was because of a drug bust. I heard this was not the case time, just a Royal issue. Porters in the terminal could not believe why the ship called 25 numbers at the same time either.

Edited November 9, 2021 by coaster

[CMurph]

We were on this sailing, also with tag #3.    There was no doubt people with higher tag numbers were leaving before their numbers were called.   Yes, the terminal was crowded when the rest of us were called to leave, but I felt the line moved along reasonably well (I’ve experienced longer waits and lines in the past).   Part of the problem was there were only 3 customs agents checking passports and at times only 2.     I don’t think the cruise line have any control over that.  People have to pack extra patience when they cruise. 

[coaster]

They should of stopped those with higher numbers from getting off if you ask me. I play by the rules. No need for luggage numbers if they don't enforce it. 

[publicpersona]

5 minutes ago, coaster said:

They should of stopped those with higher numbers from getting off if you ask me. I play by the rules. No need for luggage numbers if they don't enforce it. 

I don’t disagree with you at all. The way they do disembarkation always seems to me to be flawed. The numbers are given out seemingly randomly, calling them is often not done well, and there is no mechanism except luggage availability to enforce the order. For this reason, we’ve started doing self-disembark on all our cruises now. 

[coaster]

5 minutes ago, publicpersona said:

I don’t disagree with you at all. The way they do disembarkation always seems to me to be flawed. The numbers are given out seemingly randomly, calling them is often not done well, and there is no mechanism except luggage availability to enforce the order. For this reason, we’ve started doing self-disembark on all our cruises now. 

We were on a b2b for 9 nights so self-disembark was not an option with all our luggage. Wish we could of done it. It seemed like those of us who followed the rules were told just to abandon ship all at once. My wife planned on working part of the day on departure, but folks who don't obey rules got priority.

Edited November 10, 2021 by coaster

[coaster]

Seems like you can just disembark with no regard to luggage tags? I will do the same in the future as most on our last cruisers did. Elevators were packed due to lack of a controlled and orderly disembarkation process. Pushed up to go down. Thought the CDC was monitoring things like this. Our room steward banged on the door to see if we were out, but we just said that we were following Royal's instructions to wait for our luggage tags to be called for an orderly disembark process.

Edited November 10, 2021 by coaster

[AustinCruise]

Totally depends on the ship and how well they manage it. I have seen people get sent back, but I have also noticed people slip out without a word. 

[Bronx12]

We didn't have anything like that on our B2B Serenade cruise to Alaska, out of Seattle in September, it was very organized. You stayed in your room until your tag number came on the television, and at the elevators there were crew members making sure that there were only 4 people on the elevators at any given time, or more people if all the people getting on the elevator were from one group.

[twangster]

Tampa has a small luggage area.  Getting off early can be a problem there.

[coaster]

On 11/10/2021 at 7:29 AM, twangster said:

Tampa has a small luggage area.  Getting off early can be a problem there.

Normally I would agree. Ship was under 50 percent capacity. Luggage area was not an issue.  No crew members to be seen controlling elevator capacity like when we boarded when 25 luggage tags called at once on departure. It was like get the 'hell off' if you followed the rules and waited for you luggage tag to be called. Calling 25 numbers out of 27 at once is crazy.  A real crap show to put it nicely. A real sour note to end on a cruise that was really good.

Edited November 12, 2021 by coaster

[coaster]

On 11/10/2021 at 5:23 AM, Bronx12 said:

We didn't have anything like that on our B2B Serenade cruise to Alaska, out of Seattle in September, it was very organized. You stayed in your room until your tag number came on the television, and at the elevators there were crew members making sure that there were only 4 people on the elevators at any given time, or more people if all the people getting on the elevator were from one group.

Sounds like a plan! Maybe different staff on ship now since it is in Tampa now. I am glad you had an orderly disembarkation process that I expected.

Edited November 12, 2021 by coaster