early disembarkation...

[halliewd]

we have a mini suite on the Sun in Feb....we dock in Miami at 8am and our return flight is at 1pm.

 

I've heard mixed review on if we will be able to disembark 1st because of having a mini suite....so I'd rather be safe then sorry how do you go about getting early disembarkation?

 

Set it up with TA before cruising or once on the ship.....is there a extra charge? we handle our own luggage off the ship correct?

[DAGVBSB]

Yes, they have early disembarkation.

 

Mini-Suites do not have the escorted disembarkation, just the high end suites.

 

For early disembarkation, you have to sign up earlier in the week and you have to carry all of your own luggage off the ship without help from crew or a cart. Recent reports from various ships say that it has been chaotic on some ships with the elevators being so bad that they shut them down. (just an FYI to be prepared for.)

 

Also, 8:00 a.m. docking does not mean 8:00 a.m. disembarkation. After the ships dock, the U.S. Customs agents have to check the ship and clear it. This usually takes 60-90 minutes. (2 hours on a Dawn cruise I was on.) No one can leave until this is done. Then they call for Express Disembarkation and the free for all is on!

 

You should be ok though if you use Express. Even if the ship is not cleared until 9:30 (90 minutes), you should be able to get off, get a cab and get to the airport by 11:00 a.m. (two hours before your flight.)