Self-Assist

[clojacks]

In other threads that I have posted about trying to debark smoothly and early to catch a noon flight in MCO from the Glory, a number of posters have mentioned self-assist. I haven't cruised in 6 years and am unfamiliar with what self-assist is and what is involved. Can someone explain the process and concept to me . Many thanks for the previous info I have received.

[vincenzo0506]

In other threads that I have posted about trying to debark smoothly and early to catch a noon flight in MCO from the Glory, a number of posters have mentioned self-assist. I haven't cruised in 6 years and am unfamiliar with what self-assist is and what is involved. Can someone explain the process and concept to me . Many thanks for the previous info I have received.

 

You simply keep all your luggage. Do NOT put it out the night before. In the morning, you and your luggage get in the self-assist line off the lobby and you carry it all off yourself. You will be off the ship after the crew but before they start calling the ship by luggage tag color.

 

pack light.

 

vincenzo:)

[jleq]

In addition, nobody will help you. You may have to go up/down stairs

[vincenzo0506]

In addition, nobody will help you. You may have to go up/down stairs

 

And the elevators will be PACKED. The Atrium elevators will be disabled.(at least on a Spirit class ship they are)

 

vincenzo:)

[clojacks]

We are going to be on the Main (2nd) deck and about midhip. Does that put us above, below, or the same level as debarkation? As long as we're not lugging our bags up 3 flights or down 4 hallways, it shouldn't be a problem...

[asoutherngal]

I have done debarkation using "self-assist" for my last four cruises and it has worked fine--have been off ship by 8:00-8:15 a.m. all four times. And, did it on the Spirit in Vancouver several years ago without a glitch! This from a 60 yr old gal--if I can do it, anyone can!!! Depends on how light you pack as to how easy it is.

[vincenzo0506]

We are going to be on the Main (2nd) deck and about midhip. Does that put us above, below, or the same level as debarkation? As long as we're not lugging our bags up 3 flights or down 4 hallways, it shouldn't be a problem...

 

Check the deck plan for your ship, on the Legend, Deck 2 is the same deck as the Lobby.

 

vincenzo:)

[RalphC]

We are going to be on the Main (2nd) deck and about midhip. Does that put us above, below, or the same level as debarkation? As long as we're not lugging our bags up 3 flights or down 4 hallways, it shouldn't be a problem...

You will be one deck below the Lobby Deck. You have to go all the way forward to the elevators you used when you got on the ship. The elevators are really crowded at debarkation so if you use the stairs you only have to go up one level and it will be quicker than trying to get an elevator. (You might get lucky at the elevator:)) As soon as debarkation starts go with the flow right through the Lobby and off the ship. You still have to go through Customs so make sure you have the customs forms filled out and proof of citizenship ready.

 

If you have a lot of luggage see the purser with your flight info and they will give you special luggage tags for early flights and you won't have to lug it off the ship you can pick it up in the luggage area.

 

Have a great cruise!!!

[suzy671]

I recommend it, we did this on the Glory and had no problem.

[clojacks]

Thanks to everyone for your suggestions. I was seriously considering changing our flights, but the next later flight back to Minnesota was at least $150 more, plus whatever change penalty Northwest is tacking on now a days....unless we stayed one more night, but we dealing with school and work schedules that made that difficult.

[Leo Jay]

Just be aware that if many others are eager to get off the ship ASAP, the line may start forming early. The guy at the front of our line lined up at 7:30 -- I have no idea whether that's the norm. After seeing the long line that had already formed, we chose not to wait in line, and as one of the helpful Carnival staffers suggested, we simply relaxed in our room until they called 'last call for self-embarkation' -- at that point we breezed off the ship in 10 minutes. Of course we had the luxury of doing so because we had no flights to catch -- we chose to self-debark only so we wouldn't have to worry about having our luggage tossed about and so we wouldn't have to wait and/or search for it once we debarked.

 

As an aside, I did find it slightly annoying that the ship's announcements generally broadcast only in the public areas of the ship, not directly into the individual cabins -- this is true even of the debarkation calls. Only emergency announcements, like muster drill, etc. broadcast directly through your cabin's speaker. Otherwise, whenever you hear the faint muffle of an announcement coming over the system, you have to prop your door open so you can hear it from the speakers in the hallway. :(

[jimw]

We did the self assist last week on the Miracle in Tampa. They had said it would start at 7:30ish, actually started at 8:20am. There were a ton of folks jamming everything. Still we got off and thru Customs pretty quickly. We got a taxi and were checking in at the airport at 9am for a noon flight. That said, the airport is closeby in Tampa, etc.