Debarkation Question???

[joeb49]

We will be sailing on Carnival Inspiration 11/27 out of Tampa and I just heard from the airline that our flight home will be later than we expected.

 

Been many years since my last cruise and I only remember everybody in such a hurry to get off the ship all at once.

 

Could anyone tell me if it is ok at take my time and not rush with the first throng of people running to get off?? Would love to enjoy a second cup of coffee in the morning! Any time constraints of getting your luggage and getting the shuttle that we booked through the cruise line back to the airport???? I am speaking of a reasonable amount of time- know thay want us off so they can prepare for the lucky folks sailing after us!

 

Thanks in advance for your assistance!!

Happy Cruising to all!

Sue :)

[springtxbill]

Stay on until they absolutely tell you to get off. You could probably stay on about 2 hours after the first start to leave. It makes finding your bags very easy, they are the only ones left. :)

[joeb49]

Thanks for the advise! Know that I won't want the cruise to end and would rather relax on the ship for a few more minutes than join the flurry on the dock first thing! Last cruise it was a bit stressed and I left a carry on bag after grabbing my big suitcase .Noticed it was missing before we boarded the shuttle and went back for it-found a customs agent (or cop?) searching it! lol! That was pre 9/11. Imagine if I left one now!

 

Have a great Christmas Cruise!!!!

[SharkieRools]

Relaxxxx and take your time getting off. :) On several of our cruises we've either driven or been picked up from the port so we would just relax on deck and enjoy the last morning on the ship while watching everyone else scramble off the ship. Makes it easier to find your luggage too! :cool:

[betsyrossapk]

Not sure how late your flite is, but ours is not until 3:30PM, so we are going to check out the Channelside area before we go back to the airport. There is an aquarium, shops & restaurants that you can visit right next door.

[joeb49]

Would be fun to just be able to watch the "scramble"!!!! I've been the "scrambler" in the past!!

 

betsyrossapk- thanks for your reply! We were in Tampa last April and took the trolley from Ybor City (great old Cuban cigar making part of the city- with THE best restaurant!!) to the port and found by accident Channelside!! lol! One of the reasons I was interested in leaving from Tampa! But what will you do with your luggage while you go out and explore?? Guess with only 2 cruises under my belt I still feel like a "newbie"!!! You will have to let me know how your cruise was now that its out of dry dock!

Thanks to everyone for all their assistance!

 

Inspiration 11/27/04

[betsyrossapk]

I haven't made the call yet to the Florida Aquarium. Here is there website:

http://www.flaquarium.com/

They have a discount coupon & I heard rumor, that you can pay them a small charge to hold your luggage for you. But I haven't personally verified that yet. There is an email address on the website to contact them, so I am going to do that & if I receive an answer I will post it here.

[joeb49]

Thanks for that info!!! Look forward to finding out if they will hold it for you!

 

Seems like everytime I get an answer to a question it leads me to think of another one!!! Jeez! How late can you get a pre-paid shuttle back to the airport from the port???

 

I guess I just have to quit thinking!! lol! But all the preparation for the cruise is SO much fun!!!!!

[springtxbill]

When you get on it.:D You can pay for them on board, but you can also pay as you get on the bus.:)

[joeb49]

Thanks Bill!

Guess I didn't explain myself well though- head works faster than my typing!

 

I have already paid for the shuttle- just wondering how long they keep taking people back to the airport after the ship has docked??? Like if the ship starts debarkation at 9am can you still get a shuttle at Noon? 1pm???

 

Thanks for all the input!!!

[betsyrossapk]

Joe, do you have the shuttle thru Carnival? If so, you might have to get the name of the shuttle service they use to ask that question. I have arranged to use Tampa Bay Shuttle & I believe they can pick you up whenever you want.

http://tampabayshuttle.com/

[springtxbill]

I am pretty sure you could not get a shuttle at noon. If you allow a couple of hours for all the pax to depart and then another hour at the most, the latest would possibly be around 11.

[betsyrossapk]

Well, I have answers to both questions. I contacted the Florida Aquarium & the very nice lady told me that they will hold your luggage for you for No Charge as long as you purchase an admission to the Aquarium, which we are planning to do. Now you would have to schlep your luggage next door to them by yourself, but I believe my hubby & I will be able to do that.

Then I called Tampa Bay Shuttle & asked if they could pick us up at 1:30PM for our trip to the airport. Our plane is at 3:45PM. Now we booked this shuttle service directly ourselves, not thru Carnival, but thought it might be of interest to some.

[joeb49]

Thanks for the info- still waiting to hear back from VP at Carnival on the time limit question. But did print the coupon for the Aquarium! Added it to my collection of coupons for shops in Grand Cayman near the pier! Internet is amazing!!!

 

Got our docs this weekend- NOW it all seems real!!!

If I don't hear from VP by tomorrow will call Mears as thats what listed on the doc coupon for our return transport!

 

Are you packed??? lol!

[finally928]

Hi, Joe --

 

now you've piqued my curiosity -- you have coupons for shops in Grand Cayman? Where did you find those? I"m heading there in March and would love to know what to expect - and maybe save a dollar or two!!

 

Thanks!

Jay

[momofmeg]

We will be sailing on Carnival Inspiration 11/27 out of Tampa and I just heard from the airline that our flight home will be later than we expected.

 

Been many years since my last cruise and I only remember everybody in such a hurry to get off the ship all at once.

 

Could anyone tell me if it is ok at take my time and not rush with the first throng of people running to get off?? Would love to enjoy a second cup of coffee in the morning! Any time constraints of getting your luggage and getting the shuttle that we booked through the cruise line back to the airport???? I am speaking of a reasonable amount of time- know thay want us off so they can prepare for the lucky folks sailing after us!

 

Thanks in advance for your assistance!!

Happy Cruising to all!

Sue :)

 

Usually you are called by the colors of your luggage tags which is based on the time of your flight etc. So it is not like you can "pick" a time and leave when you want. Carnival is doing a new thing though called self assist where you can get off a little sooner. For this you do not leave your luggage out the night before for the stewards to pick up. You take all your own luggage off yourself. If you do this you are allowed to leave sooner and it is based on what deck your stateroom is on when you are allowed to leave.

 

I went out and bought new luggage-all rolling- so I can take advantage of this.

 

One other thing about Tampa. The ships seems to dock later there then other ports- then US immigration comes on ship before you are released. We were on Inspiration in Dec.03 and though we had a 1:30 p.m. flight-we ended up not getting off until almost noon. We were at the airport before the flight-BARELY- but as we were starving-we ended up doing the 4 p.m. flight on standby.

[momofmeg]

Well, I have answers to both questions. I contacted the Florida Aquarium & the very nice lady told me that they will hold your luggage for you for No Charge as long as you purchase an admission to the Aquarium, which we are planning to do. Now you would have to schlep your luggage next door to them by yourself, but I believe my hubby & I will be able to do that.

Then I called Tampa Bay Shuttle & asked if they could pick us up at 1:30PM for our trip to the airport. Our plane is at 3:45PM. Now we booked this shuttle service directly ourselves, not thru Carnival, but thought it might be of interest to some.

 

No problem about taxis. They have a stand where they are all waiting. We were in a taxi within 5 minutes after we finially got off ship. The fare was $19 before tip. Ofcourse if you leave a lot later then that may not be true-but heck take the self assist if you can. You could probally tour the aquarium before everyone else gets off. I know when we were on the Miracle in April- We could have left at 8:30 if we had done the self assist. Instead we got off at 11 by our color of luggage tags.

[wallie5446]

Find out which color tag will be the last to be called to leave, and get some of them for your luggage. Next to the last night there is usually a form given out that ask about flight times an such. This is one of the ways they figure out who to give what color to.

[joeb49]

Jay-

Web site I found a few coupons at is http://www.caymanislanddiscounts.com

 

only printed ones for souvenirs at Blue Iguana and Silver City- think there may be one or 2 more- This will be our first trip to both Grand Cayman and Cozumel so don't know what to expect there either! Just find the preparation for the trip great fun and love to do the research! I probably should have been a travel agent instead of a nurse! Maybe when I retire---just for kicks! I will keep looking!You have to be sooo excited! Your first cruise!!

 

Thanks for all the replys about debarkation!!!!! I am still torn and may just have to wait to see what time we actually get cleared by customs! I get into a mild(well Joe might say a major!) panic at the thought of being late to the airport! lol!

Taking our luggage off ourselves might be the answer to getting off early- still time for a second cup of coffee and then leave when we want!

 

THANKS AGAIN!

Sue