Disembarking Infinity

[mhedoct6]

I have been reading about all the nightmares people have experienced disembarking Infinity. Several questions: For those with afternoon flights, can't one just wait until most people are off the ship (and do something else, like enjoy a more leisurely breakfast), rather than try to get off as early as possible? Or does one have to get off when your "color" is called?

Someone said in another post that they opted to drag their own luggage off the ship. Is that always an option?

Once off the ship, is it easy to get a taxi?:confused:

[DAllenTCY]

As far as I know, one does not have to disembark when your colored luggage tags are called. The priority sequence is meant to accomodate those with immediate travel plans (early flights, tours, etc.) by giving those people the opportunity to disembark first. When I have a late flight, we usually go to the dining room just as it is closing (usually 8-9am) and have a leisurely breakfast. As long as you vacate your stateroom so that your cabin attendant can strip the room, you aren't likely to feel rushed to disembark. There isn't any reason you can't relax in a Promenade deck chair and await any announcement that you should leave the ship.

David

[c-legs]

:) Good evening,

 

A point to bear in mind when referring to '' stories about disembarkation off Infinity:".....This is NOT Infinity-related; there are three ships in the same terminal on Sundays, plus another one at Ballantyne Pier. Vancouver Port and the three shore side operations involved in those four ships are taxed to near maximum as regards flow, handling, busses, taxis, logistics, etc etc....plus the fact the incoming guests for those 4 ships are already starting to show up, sometimes around 0900. Then, you have customs officers, for both countries ( Canadian for incoming, US C&BP for outgoing ) and we all know how '' finicky'' that aspect of passengers flow can become at times....

In a word:" it's a Zoo out there and we're yeet to see a sunday zip by without any mess.....be it Celebrity, RCCL, HAL or NCL....they all have their ''horror stories'' to exchange over a pint after the last ship has sailed away around 1830....

Mind you;; you throw in a late arriving Infinity like 2 sailings ago...and that really buggers things up big times....

 

It's no fun debarking anyways....means the cruise is over...done...finito....

 

Cheers

Claude

;)

[quahog8]

:) Good evening,

 

A point to bear in mind when referring to '' stories about disembarkation off Infinity:".....This is NOT Infinity-related; there are three ships in the same terminal on Sundays, plus another one at Ballantyne Pier. Vancouver Port and the three shore side operations involved in those four ships are taxed to near maximum as regards flow, handling, busses, taxis, logistics, etc etc....plus the fact the incoming guests for those 4 ships are already starting to show up, sometimes around 0900. Then, you have customs officers, for both countries ( Canadian for incoming, US C&BP for outgoing ) and we all know how '' finicky'' that aspect of passengers flow can become at times....

In a word:" it's a Zoo out there and we're yeet to see a sunday zip by without any mess.....be it Celebrity, RCCL, HAL or NCL....they all have their ''horror stories'' to exchange over a pint after the last ship has sailed away around 1830....

Mind you;; you throw in a late arriving Infinity like 2 sailings ago...and that really buggers things up big times....

 

It's no fun debarking anyways....means the cruise is over...done...finito....

 

Cheers

Claude

;)

 

Claude,

 

I've appreciated your thoughtful, thorough, and well-informed posts, particularly regarding the differences between "pod" problems and "electrical" problems. You've taught me much in the past few days.

 

With all respect, though, I need to clarify about the debarkation nightmares some of us have been writing about. Whereas the problems may not be SHIP-specific (it wasn't the Infinity crew that broke down in our process, but the X land-based team), I believe it is LINE-specific.

 

For the 7/30 sailing, the folks who unwittingly promoted all the communication problems, headaches, and unintentional misinformation were wearing Celebrity uniforms and nametags -- even at the airport. They weren't working for Canada Place or YVR, unless they change nametags depending on whose ship they are clearing.

 

What happened to our sailing was not the usual disappointment of ending a vacation. We arrived in port only 2 hours late, but the system was not equipped to handle the change. My point remains that the Vancouver land-based Celebrity team needs to work on their contingency plans and communication processes in the event of (inevitable) delays. I can't speak to other debarkation sites and processes; perhaps they have something to teach the Vancouver team.

 

With respect,

quahog8

[nanbill47]

Does anyone know if you arrive at the airport early, say aroulnd 9:00, and transfer on your own to the ship what you can do with your luggage until you can board? Celebrity doesn't seem to have much of an answer. We don't care about getting on the ship early, just would like to see Vancouver without two big suitcases.

[DAllenTCY]

I'd like to reply to two comments:

1. When passengers arrive hours before their cruise, we often direct them to a local hotel where they can check their luggage with a bellman. There are no facilities at our airport for storing luggage, and there is no way to drop off your luggage before 11am at the pier. This seems to work out nicely.

2. Depending on which ship is in town, we do change our nametags....one day Carnival, the next day HAL, and maybe the next day X. It depends on which ship is in town.

David

[quahog8]

I'd like to reply to two comments:

2. Depending on which ship is in town, we do change our nametags....one day Carnival, the next day HAL, and maybe the next day X. It depends on which ship is in town.

David

 

David,

 

This is so helpful. Thank you for this clarification. Apparently the problems I (and others) had in Vancouver probably did have more to do with Canada Place than with Celebrity. I'm glad to know that employees change nametags, depending on which ship is disembarking at that time.

 

So, Claude, again, I learn from you. Please accept my apologies for my previous post.

 

With thanks,

quahog8