Disembarktion

[AVShockey]

"Another distinction is NCL's revolutionary (for mass-market cruising) disembarkation policy, so relaxed that is more resort-like than cruise-like."

 

I pasted this off of the cruise critic review of NCL. Anyone who has sailed NCL, what exactly does that mean? How much easier is it than other cruise lines?

[Retired not Expired]

The main difference is with NCL you can stay in your cabin and relax or at least leave your carry on luggage in there until your color is called. With other lines, you must be out of your cabin by around eight with your carry on and try to find somewhere to sit in a common area.

[newmexicoNita]

No matter what you hear and from whom, there is no debarkation that will be as enjoyable (it there is such a thing) as what NCL offers. We love going to the buffet or dining room for that last breakfast, leaving the carry on luggage in our cabin. We can then return to the cabin and wait until we are called. What a great program, we have cruised on 2 other lines since NCL introduced this kind of debarkation and neither has been able to implement anything similar: why?

[sailwi]

You also have the option of express disembarkation. If you are willing to carry your own luggage off you can leave the ship any time after the first anouncement for express which on the Sun was 45 minutes before the first color code was called. We used this, had breakfast in the dining room returned to our room at 9 collected lugggare and were in a cab on the way to the airport at 9:15. It was very painless.

[pool girl]

You also have the option of express disembarkation. If you are willing to carry your own luggage off you can leave the ship any time after the first anouncement for express which on the Sun was 45 minutes before the first color code was called. We used this, had breakfast in the dining room returned to our room at 9 collected lugggare and were in a cab on the way to the airport at 9:15. It was very painless.

When do you request express disembarkment? We would like to you this option. Do you tell them when you board the ship?

[Jewelrymom]

Just wanted to let you know that express disembarkation is not always offered. Even if they tell you when you book your cruise, it can change. We got off the Spirit on Sunday in New York and express was not offered for some reason. I couldn't get a reason out of the reception desk personnel, but since it took a long time for the port authorities to allow us off of the ship, I suspect it was them and not NCL. We docked at about 8:00 am and did not get off of the ship until 10:45 and we were the first called. Just wanted to give you the heads up.

Jewelrymom

[WaldosPepper]

JewelryMom - I wonder if it was as a result of our two ships arriving within minutes of each other? Express was offered on the Dawn, and many did take advantage of it. We were fortunate to have VIP disembarkation, but we were delayed approximately 15 minutes longer than NCL expected - reportedly as a result of a delay in getting all the luggage off the ship. When we walked into the terminal, all the VIP bags were there, but the other areas were just barely starting to have luggage placed.

 

Perhaps these two issues are connected, and a result of the two huge vessels docking so quickly behind one another? BTW - we thoroughly enjoyed watching the Spirit slip into port! :) I snapped a few photos, and I'll post them when I get my camera back - it's inside a piece of luggage that was mistakenly left in the parking lot. Fortunately it was found, and will make its way to me shortly. ;)

[Jewelrymom]

WaldosPepper, It would make sense that because the ships came in so close in time that we had to wait. I actually asked on Saturday at the receception desk so they must have known at that time that it would be close. I would suspect that there was not enough personel on shore to accommodate all of us at the same time pertaining to customs, etc. It was not a huge problem except that we had a 12 hour drive in front of us so we ended up leaving about 2 hours later than we had hoped. Then we hit a snowstorm as we were leaving Ohio and getting into Indiana.:eek:

[WaldosPepper]

WaldosPepper, It would make sense that because the ships came in so close in time that we had to wait. I actually asked on Saturday at the receception desk so they must have known at that time that it would be close. I would suspect that there was not enough personel on shore to accommodate all of us at the same time pertaining to customs, etc. It was not a huge problem except that we had a 12 hour drive in front of us so we ended up leaving about 2 hours later than we had hoped. Then we hit a snowstorm as we were leaving Ohio and getting into Indiana.:eek:

 

Good heavens! Sounds like an adventursome trip home! :eek: Luckily we didn't encounter any foul weather on the drive to New Hampshire, and the weather is finally warming up a bit as the day progresses. :D

 

I'm curious - could you see the Dawn ahead of you at all during the trip home, or while you were travelling up the river????? I had forgotten that you folks were coming in along with us, so I never checked to see if you were anywhere around us at sea or on the river! :o

[Zeno]

There is nothing more pleasant than being able to wait in your cabin until your "colour" is called rather than waiting in an over-crowded public lounge full of cranky people and children. It really is one of my favorite things about NCL.

[4merlurker]

If everyone is allowed to just hang in their rooms how do they get a jumpstart on cleaning the cabins for the next passengers? I thought that was why they wanted you out of the cabins early.

 

~Connie

[Retired not Expired]

If everyone is allowed to just hang in their rooms how do they get a jumpstart on cleaning the cabins for the next passengers? I thought that was why they wanted you out of the cabins early.

 

~Connie

 

I've been told by crew that NCL brings in extra people to help during change over, but I've never checked to see if they do. If they do, I would guess they start on the top deck since the colors, after priority, start at the top and work their way down.

 

Like I said, this is only my guess based on what crew members have said. I do know they've stripped beds and taken used towels while we've been out to get a head start.

[johnjrval424]

You also have the option of express disembarkation. If you are willing to carry your own luggage off you can leave the ship any time after the first anouncement for express which on the Sun was 45 minutes before the first color code was called. We used this, had breakfast in the dining room returned to our room at 9 collected lugggare and were in a cab on the way to the airport at 9:15. It was very painless.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that express is offered on our cruise coming back into Miami since we have an 11:20 flight out...

[AVShockey]

Thank you for all of your responses. I have been on 3 other cruises, but all of those were with Carnival, and we did have to sit in the common areas, which is not much fun when customs delays the disembarktion. I would much prefer to stay in my room.

Thanks again.

[Zeno]

If everyone is allowed to just hang in their rooms how do they get a jumpstart on cleaning the cabins for the next passengers? I thought that was why they wanted you out of the cabins early.

 

~Connie

It probably depends on the cabin steward. On our first 2 NCL cruises, the steward just asked us if we minded if he made up the beds and vacumed (for the next passengers) while we were at breakfast. We said no problem and he was done that by the time we returned from breakfast - that way he just had the bathroom to do when we left. On our last NCL cruise, our steward just tapped on the door and asked us our disembarkation colour. Since we were one of the last to leave, he just did other cabins first. We saw him in the hall and let him know when we were leaving. They really don't rush you at all.

[NormanW]

FIFO - First In, First Out.

 

Everyone wants to get on the ship first and be the first off. I never understood this. Just like I never understand why everyone JUMPS up as soon as the plane stops at the jetway.:rolleyes:

 

When we used to go to the movies (before cellphones and less than courteous folks that bring toddlers to R pictures) we'd always wait until the end and I mean the end...of the roll credits. No line, no wait. They used to show cartoons too!

 

I'm doing a B2B with the same cabin. I'll make sure the hidden camera is running to see what happens. ;)

 

Cheers,

 

Norman

[NormanW]

FIFO - First In, First Out.

 

Everyone wants to get on the ship first and be the first off. I never understood this. Just like I never understand why everyone JUMPS up as soon as the plane stops at the jetway.:rolleyes:

 

When we used to go to the movies (before cellphones and less than courteous folks that bring toddlers to R pictures) we'd always wait until the end and I mean the end...of the roll credits. No line, no wait. They used to show cartoons too!

 

I'm doing a B2B with the same cabin. I'll make sure the hidden camera is running to see what happens. ;)

 

Cheers,

 

Norman

 

p.s. Freestyle disembarkation is definitely much better than the "rawhide" technique that all the other lines use.

 

Keep movin', movin', movin'

Though they're disapprovin'

Keep them dogies movin'

Rawhide!

 

EDIT: Dupe post. MySQL server (CC host) is acting up again! :eek:

[nhvacation]

Just wanted to let you know that express disembarkation is not always offered. Even if they tell you when you book your cruise, it can change. We got off the Spirit on Sunday in New York and express was not offered for some reason. I couldn't get a reason out of the reception desk personnel, but since it took a long time for the port authorities to allow us off of the ship, I suspect it was them and not NCL. We docked at about 8:00 am and did not get off of the ship until 10:45 and we were the first called. Just wanted to give you the heads up.

Jewelrymom

 

I was told it was due to Customs not allowing express disembarkation at Pier 92. Whether or not that is true is another thing. I was aware of the docks/berths/arrival times of the Spirit and the Dawn before cruising (Port of NYC website listed these) so Port personnel and Cutoms should have been aware also. We did not get called until 11:30ish and there were two more groups and nonUSA citizens yet to go. Before the ship was cleared, the Captain announced the delay was not NCL's fault and he would support any letter writing to port officials. I'm sure the delay made getting ready for embarkation a pain. We finally left our stateroom so the steward could start cleaning our cabin.

[Jewelrymom]

nhvacation - you are right about the annoucement. I had forgotten he did that. He sounded as irritated as some of the passengers were about the delay. We were disappointed, but not mad. What is the point of getting upset about something that you just can't do anything about?:p Yes, we were late getting home, but we got here eventually and all is well...except my sea legs.:D

 

WaldosPepper, we were in Windows for breakfast which is at the back of the ship so I suspect that you could see the Dawn, but I personally did not. I wish I would have thought about it because it was probably a wonderful sight coming into port!

[OldNavy]

Just getting off the 'Sun', I am always impressed with the way NCL gets pax off the ship. You choose your color tags dependant on your schedule after tieing up at the pier. We had booked our own air trans so we received red/white tags and were the third set to be called. No fuss, no muss getting off the ship and no real lines to speak of. The bags were very well organized on the pier and doing it they way they did, you didn't have 500 people scrambling around fighting over bags. We didn't have to deal with customs until we had collected our bags and were ready to walk out. We grabbed a porter as soon as we had our bags collected (I recommend) and he wisked us thru customs in about 3-5 minutes. VERY painless. We were able to use our cabin until our color was called. Our room steward went ahead and made the room ready while we were at breakfast which also gave him a chance to double check the cabin to make sure we had collected ALL of our belongings. We returned to find a small pile on our bed of things we had left.(nightlight, fabreeze, door decors, etc). I was very impressed. Like Norman, it always tickles me the way some folks are in such a big hurry to get on the ship and then push and shove to get off the ship. Guess some folks just need to be the first for everything. haha I on the otherhand, want my vacation to last as long as it can.

[sailwi]

For the person with the 11:20 flight you should be fine if the ship is in on time or close to it. We were literally 15 minutes cabin to cab and had a 12:30 flight out of Ft. Lauderdale and we arrived at the airpport at 10 am. Miami airport is about 20 minutes and Ft. lauderdale is 40-45 minutes.