Late departure? How does one buy it?

[LoganTheCruiser]

I just came across the attached Royal Caribbean document. How does one get this? It says available on select ships but I haven't seen or heard about it on any of the Oasis or Quantum class ships I've been on? One of my biggest pain points with cruising is the fact that you have to be out of your stateroom by 7 or 8am. Being able to leave your room at 9am would make things a heck of a lot more enjoyable for me on the last day. I really wish Royal offered some kind of paid priority departure option. I think the top tier suite passengers get some fancy departure option, but I would be more than happy to pay 100 bucks extra (per person) just to have no line to get off and be taken to a priority customs line. Every time I get off a cruise ship it's 1 to 2 hours of waiting in line hell that I dread from the moment I step foot onboard.
 

 

[Havin'fun]

Actually there is an option - Grand suites and above are escorted off the ship and past the lines.  It will just cost a bit more than $100 pp.

[poocher]

Have never waited that long in line.  We did get escorted off once and that was heaven.  But on our last cruise, we left our room just before 8, had breakfast in WJ then sat in the Royal Theater til about 9:15.  Took maybe 15 minutes to clear customs & get our bags.  Maybe you are just leaving at the wrong time. 

[smokeybandit]

Seeing as that makes reference to Continental, AirTran and US Airways, that graphic is over 10 years old

[Ourusualbeach]

15 minutes ago, LoganTheCruiser said:

I just came across the attached Royal Caribbean document. How does one get this? It says available on select ships but I haven't seen or heard about it on any of the Oasis or Quantum class ships I've been on? One of my biggest pain points with cruising is the fact that you have to be out of your stateroom by 7 or 8am. Being able to leave your room at 9am would make things a heck of a lot more enjoyable for me on the last day. I really wish Royal offered some kind of paid priority departure option. I think the top tier suite passengers get some fancy departure option, but I would be more than happy to pay 100 bucks extra (per person) just to have no line to get off and be taken to a priority customs line. Every time I get off a cruise ship it's 1 to 2 hours of waiting in line hell that I dread from the moment I step foot onboard.
 

 

This is only offered on select European sailings

[kernow]

I've only ever seen the late departure offered on certain European itineraries, don't know if they do it on US cruises at all. Strangely enough on cruises outside of the US we've never really had any lines and even in US ports don't think we've ever waited hours, perhaps we've been lucky. We usually just sit in a lounge somewhere and wait until the crowds have gone down a bit.

[LoganTheCruiser]

5 minutes ago, poocher said:

Have never waited that long in line.  We did get escorted off once and that was heaven.  But on our last cruise, we left our room just before 8, had breakfast in WJ then sat in the Royal Theater til about 9:15.  Took maybe 15 minutes to clear customs & get our bags.  Maybe you are just leaving at the wrong time. 

Where do they escort you to? To the FRONT of the customs line, or do you just join the line like everyone else?

[LoganTheCruiser]

2 minutes ago, kernow said:

I've only ever seen the late departure offered on certain European itineraries, don't know if they do it on US cruises at all. Strangely enough on cruises outside of the US we've never really had any lines and even in US ports don't think we've ever waited hours, perhaps we've been lucky. We usually just sit in a lounge somewhere and wait until the crowds have gone down a bit.

US CBP is severely understaffed and they like to ask everyone 50 questions, including citizens. When I got off Wonder in Miami, it was, I kid you not, a 95 minute customs line. Even worse, right before getting off the boat an elderly woman with trouble walking asked an officer how long the line is in the terminal and they told her 15 minutes. I thought "Oh good, should be pretty easy." Got off and into the terminal and I saw the longest line I've ever seen in my entire life. I'm not exaggerating about 95 minutes. I timed it. 

Europe is better, but still a problem. It took 50 minutes when getting off Symphony in Barcelona. 20 minutes of that was due to a hold as customs stopped anyone else from getting off the ship because the terminal was too full.

[poocher]

Brought us to the front of the gangway where they scan you off the ship.  Luggage is also in a separate area so easier to find.  IMO, it was the best Suite perk.  We went from finishing CK breakfast at 8:40 to getting in the car at 9.

Our last cruise was out of Miami & with facial recognition, I don’t think we broke stride going through customs.

Edited April 7, 2023 by poocher

[SG65CB]

There can be a line to get off the ship since you need to have your SeaPass scanned, then another line to go through customs. 

 

Once you are off the ship and pick up your bags, if you hire a porter to transport your bags they will take you to a separate customs line and bypass all the people waiting to go through customs. Grand Suite and above passengers along with Pinnacle members have a separate line to bypass the crowd waiting to go through customs too.  

 

In ports like Miami it is so quick to go through customs using facial recognition that they do not need separate lines. 

 

[LoganTheCruiser]

11 minutes ago, poocher said:

Brought us to the front of the gangway where they scan you off the ship.  Luggage is also in a separate area so easier to find.  IMO, it was the best Suite perk.  We went from finishing CK breakfast at 8:40 to getting in the car at 9.

Our last cruise was out of Miami & with facial recognition, I don’t think we broke stride going through customs.

That's it? The priority departure you get with a suite is that they just bring you to where they scan you off the ship? I've never waited in that line for more than 10 minutes myself, so I don't see that as a big perk. I thought they escorted you all the way off the ship, through the terminal, and to the front of the customs line. THAT would be way more valuable.

[LoganTheCruiser]

4 minutes ago, SG65CB said:

There can be a line to get off the ship since you need to have your SeaPass scanned, then another line to go through customs. 

 

Once you are off the ship and pick up your bags, if you hire a porter to transport your bags they will take you to a separate customs line and bypass all the people waiting to go through customs. Grand Suite and above passengers along with Pinnacle members have a separate line to bypass the crowd waiting to go through customs too.  

 

In ports like Miami it is so quick to go through customs using facial recognition that they do not need separate lines. 

 

I always carry my bags on and off as I only have one small roller bag. But you're saying that if you hire a porter to transport your bags then that comes with getting access to a separate less busy customs line?!

What about when you don't collect your checked bags until after customs? In Miami, you collect before customs. In Barcelona, you collect your bags after passport control. 

Your statement about Miami is incorrect. As mentioned just above, I had the longest customs line (or any line for that matter) that I've ever experienced in my life getting off Wonder in Miami. Why they don't even have a separate line for citizens, I don't understand. The disorganization and chaos during disembarkation has always astounded me. I've been on 10 cruises in the last 2 years.

[mjkacmom]

16 minutes ago, LoganTheCruiser said:

I always carry my bags on and off as I only have one small roller bag. But you're saying that if you hire a porter to transport your bags then that comes with getting access to a separate less busy customs line?!

What about when you don't collect your checked bags until after customs? In Miami, you collect before customs. In Barcelona, you collect your bags after passport control. 

Your statement about Miami is incorrect. As mentioned just above, I had the longest customs line (or any line for that matter) that I've ever experienced in my life getting off Wonder in Miami. Why they don't even have a separate line for citizens, I don't understand. The disorganization and chaos during disembarkation has always astounded me. I've been on 10 cruises in the last 2 years.

In Manhattan, you grab your luggage, grab a porter, he puts the luggage on a cart and you go through a special line (which is basically no line).

[not-enough-cruising]

44 minutes ago, LoganTheCruiser said:

US CBP is severely understaffed and they like to ask everyone 50 questions, including citizens. When I got off Wonder in Miami, it was, I kid you not, a 95 minute customs line. Even worse, right before getting off the boat an elderly woman with trouble walking asked an officer how long the line is in the terminal and they told her 15 minutes. I thought "Oh good, should be pretty easy." Got off and into the terminal and I saw the longest line I've ever seen in my entire life. I'm not exaggerating about 95 minutes. I timed it. 

Europe is better, but still a problem. It took 50 minutes when getting off Symphony in Barcelona. 20 minutes of that was due to a hold as customs stopped anyone else from getting off the ship because the terminal was too full.

We always do self assist departure, in the las 5 years or so I can't ever remember more than 20-30 minutes passing from the time i was "beeped" of the ship, until i was standing on the sidewalk waiting for my ride.

 

You rarely even see a CPB agent any longer with the new facial recognition kiosks.

 

To answer your initial question, the late departure" program isn't offered in the US

[not-enough-cruising]

29 minutes ago, LoganTheCruiser said:

I always carry my bags on and off as I only have one small roller bag. But you're saying that if you hire a porter to transport your bags then that comes with getting access to a separate less busy customs line?!

What about when you don't collect your checked bags until after customs? In Miami, you collect before customs. In Barcelona, you collect your bags after passport control. 

Your statement about Miami is incorrect. As mentioned just above, I had the longest customs line (or any line for that matter) that I've ever experienced in my life getting off Wonder in Miami. Why they don't even have a separate line for citizens, I don't understand. The disorganization and chaos during disembarkation has always astounded me. I've been on 10 cruises in the last 2 years.

Miami does have separate lines for US citizens, that line is further segregated by passport holders and non passport holders.

[poocher]

34 minutes ago, LoganTheCruiser said:

I always carry my bags on and off as I only have one small roller bag. But you're saying that if you hire a porter to transport your bags then that comes with getting access to a separate less busy customs line?!

What about when you don't collect your checked bags until after customs? In Miami, you collect before customs. In Barcelona, you collect your bags after passport control. 

Your statement about Miami is incorrect. As mentioned just above, I had the longest customs line (or any line for that matter) that I've ever experienced in my life getting off Wonder in Miami. Why they don't even have a separate line for citizens, I don't understand. The disorganization and chaos during disembarkation has always astounded me. I've been on 10 cruises in the last 2 years.

Sorry, that just has not been my experience.

[LoganTheCruiser]

7 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

We always do self assist departure, in the las 5 years or so I can't ever remember more than 20-30 minutes passing from the time i was "beeped" of the ship, until i was standing on the sidewalk waiting for my ride.

 

You rarely even see a CPB agent any longer with the new facial recognition kiosks.

 

To answer your initial question, the late departure" program isn't offered in the US

I don't know what terminals you're being dropped off in, but I have never not had to see a real CBP agent when getting off the ship. You're saying you just go up to a kiosk that takes a picture of your face and then you walk to the street and don't interface with a live person at all? Where is this? 

[smokeybandit]

Just now, LoganTheCruiser said:

I don't know what terminals you're being dropped off in, but I have never not had to see a real CBP agent when getting off the ship. You're saying you just go up to a kiosk that takes a picture of your face and then you walk to the street and don't interface with a live person at all? Where is this? 

 

Los Angeles was still "manual" CBP last summer.

[LoganTheCruiser]

6 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

Miami does have separate lines for US citizens, that line is further segregated by passport holders and non passport holders.

Where's the separate US citizen line at the Miami Royal Caribbean terminal? I look every time I'm there, never see it. I asked a customs agent if there's a separate line last time I went through. He said no. Am I living in the same world as you? lol 

[FionaMG]

1 hour ago, Ourusualbeach said:

This is only offered on select European sailings

 

1 hour ago, kernow said:

I've only ever seen the late departure offered on certain European itineraries, don't know if they do it on US cruises at all. Strangely enough on cruises outside of the US we've never really had any lines and even in US ports don't think we've ever waited hours, perhaps we've been lucky. We usually just sit in a lounge somewhere and wait until the crowds have gone down a bit.

 

I don't know if it's come back since the restart. It wasn't offered on any of our post-covid cruises.

[orville99]

15 minutes ago, LoganTheCruiser said:

Where's the separate US citizen line at the Miami Royal Caribbean terminal? I look every time I'm there, never see it. I asked a customs agent if there's a separate line last time I went through. He said no. Am I living in the same world as you? lol 

When was the last time you went through customs in Miami? 

[LoganTheCruiser]

Just now, orville99 said:

When was the last time you went through customs in Miami? 

17 days ago.

[not-enough-cruising]

28 minutes ago, LoganTheCruiser said:

I don't know what terminals you're being dropped off in, but I have never not had to see a real CBP agent when getting off the ship. You're saying you just go up to a kiosk that takes a picture of your face and then you walk to the street and don't interface with a live person at all? Where is this? 

Miami

 

Fort Lauderdale

 

Galveston (February in Galveston, we were scanned off the ship at 718, and were in our car driving home at 743)

 

DFW airport upon half a dozen return international flights over the last year or so

[Tlbecker1]

We have been to the Miami port 5 times in the last 4 months.  It is super easy and the facial recognition makes it super fast.

[steamboats]

It´s not offered for US departures as the ship has to be empty prior to the boarding of the next passengers.

 

It used to be available in Europe and the sticker was 35 or 39 Dollar. But it never reappeared since the ships started again after the Covid-19 break.

 

steamboats