Getting off in a hurry

[Mom3Boys]

Hi,

 

My husband and I will be driving to Tampa to sail on the Legend. We have a long drive and would like to get the earliest possible start on our return. Does anyone have any advice for getting off the boat early? I believe I have read that you can carry your luggage off yourself and not leave it out the last night??? If you do carry it off is it more difficult to clear customs?

 

Thanks,

Linda

[OhioJeff]

Hi,

 

My husband and I will be driving to Tampa to sail on the Legend. We have a long drive and would like to get the earliest possible start on our return. Does anyone have any advice for getting off the boat early? I believe I have read that you can carry your luggage off yourself and not leave it out the last night??? If you do carry it off is it more difficult to clear customs?

 

Thanks,

Linda

 

I have found the customs agents to really careless when doing self assist. I did it on Legend when she sailed from Ft Laud. It was super fast and easy. They barely looked at my customs form.

[JaguarGirl]

If you do self-assist just leave when they call the first floor. No one checks what floor you were on.

[crusinpsychRN]

You and everyone else will be leaving on the first call. Customs wasn't even interested if there was nothing to declare.

 

If you have too much luggage and don't have one hand free to hold onto the escalator they make you wait for an elevator and that takes a long time. The lady letting passengers on the escalator was adamant about this.

[iowagirl411]

I've done the self assist and I'll tell you one thing....

 

If my car were somewhere in the parking lot, no way in he// would I mix with jostling, grouchy,crowding pax that may or may not need to be off first the ship just to gain 30 to 45 minutes. It wasn't a good experience and should be left for those in serious danger of missing a flight. IMHO a more leisurly departure would make for a more relaxed and pleasant drive home.

[Flip2cruise]

You and everyone else will be leaving on the first call. Customs wasn't even interested if there was nothing to declare.

 

If you have too much luggage and don't have one hand free to hold onto the escalator they make you wait for an elevator and that takes a long time. The lady letting passengers on the escalator was adamant about this.

 

Guess it depends on the Terminal. I did self assist last Sunday in San Juan. They let anyone use the escalator that wanted. I had 2 bags and just put on on the step below and one on the step behind.

[Rowan555]

We always do self assist - even with young kids, we've never had problems. Our 5 day cruises always return on Thursday, and dh has to get in to work (that way he only has to take 3 days off). We are usually off the ship by 8 and home by 8:30, and he makes it to work between 9:00 and 9:30.

 

If you're in a hurry to get home, I highly recommend self assist. Just pack light, and be prepared to get yourself to the lobby as quickly as possible once self assist debarkation begins.

[CanadianEh!]

is there like an abosulte last time to do self assist?

 

me and my wife are staying in Tampa after our cruise and really are in no rush to get off with the crowds. What about breakfast what time do they serve it to on the last day?

[SouthernCaribbean]

is there like an abosulte last time to do self assist?

 

me and my wife are staying in Tampa after our cruise and really are in no rush to get off with the crowds. What about breakfast what time do they serve it to on the last day?

 

With Self assist you are normally off the ship before 8:30. If you arent in a rush just leave your bags out and wait for your color to be called. Or wait until the last color is called.

[dan40]

We don't do self assist [silly term] and pay no attention to them calling colors.

 

Only when they call my name do I think its time to................hide until they find me and drag me off.:D

 

Dan

[Knights on the Beach]

I've done the self assist and I'll tell you one thing....

 

If my car were somewhere in the parking lot, no way in he// would I mix with jostling, grouchy,crowding pax that may or may not need to be off first the ship just to gain 30 to 45 minutes. It wasn't a good experience and should be left for those in serious danger of missing a flight. IMHO a more leisurly departure would make for a more relaxed and pleasant drive home.

We've done self assist twice and we did not have the same experience as you. It was pretty easy both times and the only reason anyone was grouchy in the first place was because they had to get off the ship -- period. If they had just let me stay on for another week, I would have been perfectly happy! :p