Just off Holiday-crazy debarkation!!!

[blueocean]

Just off the Holiday and I wanted to pass this on to those cruising on her. I have been on 14 Carnival cruises and this one was the worst cruise to disembark! Passengers with bags get off first, and over half of the 1600 passengers used this method!! (I asked someone at the purser desk and they said this.) It was a mad rush off the ship with everyone carrying all their bags. The lines were unbelievable!! Luggage and people in line waiting to get off the ship. We had "priority" to disembark since we are platinum cruisers and we didn't get off the ship until 10:00. (The ship arrived in Mobile around 7:30.) Our friends didn't get off the ship until 11:00 because they waited until their color tags were called. We have cruised on larger ships and got off much, much earlier. Maybe they need to stop having people carry off their own luggage to make it a smoother disembarkation. Besides this, it was a wonderful cruise!!!! Food perfect, ship wonderful, shows entertaining, and staff outstanding!!!!

 

Blueocean

[Cruisetrio]

We experienced this last summer on the Ecstasy...."self-assist" was not easy as everyone was doing it too. Sat on various stairwells with 4-5 suitcases along with 150 other people.

[Cotton]

Well, I'm glad to see that you at least enjoyed the cruise!:)

 

I was on the Holiday a few years ago when they were first 'trying out' the self-debarkation process on just a few ships. I guess they decided it was an ok thing to do, so now it's on all ships.

 

To me, unless there's a plane to catch or some other necessary reason to get off the ship early....I don't know why folks do it. I've read several times about half the passengers doing self-debarkation, and what a wreck they are once they're off. Why put yourselves into the mad scramble to end your wonderful voyage?

 

I take my time, and am probably one of the last few passengers on board. Just like in some ports, I stay on deck and watch the mad 'exodus' below, while enjoying a last cuppa coffee.:D

[DocF]

I think I know why the self-assist disembarkation has become such a mess. The typical American's attention span has deteriorated to 45 seconds. We want everything instantly and are unwilling to wait even a few minutes.

 

It is us to blame for the chaos, not the cruise line, not customs, not the port.

 

Doc:(

[2Ports]

of all those folks on the plane who are already standing in the aisle before it's even at the gate - as if this will somehow get them somewhere faster? I just sit in the (relative) comfort of my seat and watch these folks stand there for 10 -15 minutes, then stroll off with no stress or hassle. Like Cotton, same on the ship - Eggs Benedict in the dining room, then a comfy chair to watch all those people raise their blood pressure trying to escape from the vacation they paid big bucks for as quick as they can.

 

"Excuse me, Sir, but we really do need to let the next passengers on the ship." :( Oh, all right. :p

[JudyKa]

Well, I'm glad to see that you at least enjoyed the cruise!:)

 

I was on the Holiday a few years ago when they were first 'trying out' the self-debarkation process on just a few ships. I guess they decided it was an ok thing to do, so now it's on all ships.

 

To me, unless there's a plane to catch or some other necessary reason to get off the ship early....I don't know why folks do it. I've read several times about half the passengers doing self-debarkation, and what a wreck they are once they're off. Why put yourselves into the mad scramble to end your wonderful voyage?

 

I take my time, and am probably one of the last few passengers on board. Just like in some ports, I stay on deck and watch the mad 'exodus' below, while enjoying a last cuppa coffee.:D

 

LOL....yeah, Cotton, that's us. We usually just lounge up in the buffet area until our color is called. We just hate juggling suitcases down stairs and and in crowds.

 

Really, they do need to come up with a process for those people that sincerely need to catch early flights or that have medical reasons to get off first, etc. Maybe do away with allowing people off first that just want to get off IMMEDIATELY for no particular important reason or good excuse.....especially, since now they interview everyone through the customs stop.....like in New Orleans.

 

BUT....then again, they don't care what little ole me thinks.....siiiigh....LOL!

[mrdood]

Self assist is a great idea and is very helpful for those of us that travel great distances in the air to cruise, unfortuneately with too many taking advantage of it, many for no good reason, it screws it up for all the others. They are going to have to figure out how to fix it...

 

The next cruise we are staying over in the departure port so that we are not part of the madhouse. They will have to kick us off the ship :)

[luckycruzer]

then get a pass, tag, or something to show the need for self/early debark??? might work..JMHO

[Yazoo cruiser]

We are leaving on the Holiday next Monday, my favorite ship, and our first as platinum club members. Are you saying that we will have to get off the same time as the passengers carrying their luggage. I thought we would be able to get off before the self debarkation. Am I wrong?

[LRene]

It's my understanding that Platinum (priority) disembarkation is always after self-disembarkation. Kind of defeats the purpose, though, huh?

 

I've done it a couple of times when I needed to go back to work the same day but truthfully, it didn't save me enough time to want to do it again because EVERYONE is doing it on the shorter (4-5 day) cruises. There is no longer a "sea" of luggage to sort through when you get off because most of the people are gone! :)

[ata1976]

On the Inspiration in February they had self-assist then a general announcement for everyone to get off the ship. There were no colors called.

 

Unfortunately the group I was with was in a hurry to get off the ship so I had to go with them. We had a 6 hour drive back to Atlanta so I am guessing that was why we were in a hurry.

 

This time I am not traveling with all of the same group and we are staying a few days in Orlando so hopefully there will be no rush to get me off the ship.

[Twaincruisers]

I've been thinking about our cruise on the Holiday a few years ago out of San Juan because it is the only real negative I could remember on a Carnival cruise--for disembarkation we were assigned to wait on an upper, outside deck and it took hours. We kept moving around to try to stay in the shade but eventually lost the battle! We were on 3 Carnival cruises last year and didn't encounter this problem...I hope they don't do that any more!

[osiebosie]

This also happened a few years ago on the Holiday with us. This was an unfortunate cruise in that the propulsion system was broken, and there were alot of unhappy pax. I think the crew knew this, and just wanted all of the unhappy people off and so that they could try to repair the ship before the next group got on in a couple of hours. So, they called for the self-disembarking group, and literally just a few moments later, called for everyone else to disembark. No color codes, nothing. Just everyone get off. So we did, and ran into a major jam in the stairwells. Some people had luggage and some did not. We were packed as tight as sardines, and my main concern was that if someone needed medical assistance, help would have a very difficult time getting to them. I'm claustrophobic and dislike crowds, and wasn't a happy camper. We were stuck in the stairwells for at least an hour.

 

That was the absolute worst debarkation I've ever done. All other ships have been organized, and, like Cotton and the others, we like to just hang around and relax before leaving. Alot of lines now let you stay in your cabin. We always try to have it where we don't have to be on the road before noon, or at the airport before 2:00 or 3:00.

 

Shay

[revans35173]

We are leaving on the Holiday next Monday, my favorite ship, and our first as platinum club members. Are you saying that we will have to get off the same time as the passengers carrying their luggage. I thought we would be able to get off before the self debarkation. Am I wrong?

 

We were on the Holiday last August and Platinum members were given special priority tags the night before and told to meet in the loby at 7:30. Self assist platinum members got off right then. Then they started regular self assist, as soon as our bags cleared customes they stopped self assist and let us off. Very easy, on other ships we have had to wait in a lounge but it worked the same way.