Zone Jumpers - self disembark

[spikester]

I was just on the imagination, and they started the self assist, then brought the platinum self assist peeps down.

It was a total madhouse. You couldn't even get through the lobby to the stairs on the Empress deck.

I waited up in the library for the nonself assist call, and they never sent anyone up there. We got off when they called numbers 1/2/3.

 

Everytime I have a fabulous cruise and then have to deal with the nastiness of debarkation. I was so infuriated getting off the ship.

And to make matters worse, they didn't have the luggage separated at all. It was on the conveyor belts like at the airport, and they had 10 different groups on each one.

What is the point of putting on a tag if they don't separate them?

 

I just can't imagine what they can do differently.

 

 

However, we were number 1 and 2 to get on the ship.

[pulledporky]

Got it...thanks!

I'm guessing there are marititime laws that say while you are on-board, the Captain is the law, especially if there is a safety/environmental concern. Also, don't confuse the BOAT clearing customs with the PAX clearing customs. Customs and immigration takes place on shore (at least for US citizens).

 

Regardless, we'll be VIP in two weeks, so get outa' da way.

[jetskier]

On the Holiday it was not any better. Out of 1820 passengers, 952 decided to self-assist. More than half the ship. You are right in that I dont believe Carnival expected it to be this popular.

 

We had a lady making fun of a guy who asked her not to get so close as he was recovering from a broken leg. She had already bumped into him once before.

Dave

[BigDfromTN]

Wow all this chatter makes me glad when we got off the Glory this past June we patiently waited our turn. As we were leaving they were handing out coupons for $50.00 OBC on your next cruise!!!!!

This did not really happen but will surely be the talk of the boards shortly! We actually were off very quickly and early due to doing the luggage express and selfassist to catch a flight out of Orlando.

[Houstoncruiser2007]

Wow all this chatter makes me glad when we got off the Glory this past June we patiently waited our turn. As we were leaving they were handing out coupons for $50.00 OBC on your next cruise!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

This did not really happen but will surely be the talk of the boards shortly! We actually were off very quickly and early due to doing the luggage express and selfassist to catch a flight out of Orlando.

 

You're a bad boy starting trouble like that. ;)

[dan40]

I agree. Carnival and other cruise lines are really between a rock and a hard place with this. Fortunately, most people do have the courtesy to follow the rules.

 

Sadly, that becomes less and less true by the HOUR.:mad:

 

Carnival and rules.......................If they suspended all rules on Carnival, how many YEARS would it take till someone noticed?:rolleyes:

 

 

My method of avoiding the disembarking, line jumping, Aholes is simple. I find a place to relax and I relax. And stay relaxed even while they drag me off the ship after the last pax has gone.:D But then I usually drive to the ports and do not have a schedule to meet.:cool:

 

Dan

[LHP]

Sadly, that becomes less and less true by the HOUR.:mad:

 

Carnival and rules.......................If they suspended all rules on Carnival, how many YEARS would it take till someone noticed?:rolleyes:

 

 

My method of avoiding the disembarking, line jumping, Aholes is simple. I find a place to relax and I relax. And stay relaxed even while they drag me off the ship after the last pax has gone.:D But then I usually drive to the ports and do not have a schedule to meet.:cool:

 

Dan

 

That will be us on the Splendor. We aren't leaving until they announce over the intercom.....LHP get your butt off the ship!!!! :eek:

[G'ma]

Zone jumping is just another symptom of the "me first" attitude of so many. They think the rules don't apply to them....any of the rules...

 

If the CD tried to enforce this rule, further chaos could ensue. Turning people back in an already crowded area filled with people who don't listen to the advice to "stay out of the way until your zone is called" message would simply cause more complaining and grouching.

 

So many people don't listen, don't care; so they all head for the stairwells anyway, crammed in together, griping about the crowding.

 

Personally, I want no part of it. After I'm out of the cabin, breakfast done, I find a nice comfortable chair somewhere - on the Lido deck or other upper deck, pull out my book and read. I don't pay any attention to the deck announcements - or the moaning and complaining that goes on. Finally, when "last call" is announced, I pick up my carry-on, walk down the stairs and out....no waiting, no crowds, no angry people. In the customs areas, most of the suitcases are long gone and I'm able to walk right to my own and leave.

 

We see these debark hogs all the time; they don't pay any attention to anyone's rules but are simply self-centered. They are the same in their hometowns as they are on the ships....selfish, discourteous with no thought for anything or anyone but themselves.

[rtrtx2]

this might be slightly off topic but I am curious as to why Disney cruiseline disembarkation is so different then all the otherlines we cruise(Carnival, RCL, NCCL) Once the ship is cleared, you are free to disemabark, no zones, no color tags, etc. You are encouraged to go to your assign breakfast time in the dining room (although you are free to eat on the pool deck) then disembark when finished. It seems a fair number of people do just that, which spreads the mass exit out. I am sure there are times when you get a large number, but the two times we cruised last year, we simply walked off the ship. It just seems people don't feel the urgency when they are free to leave at will. Also disney has your luggage arranged in cabin number order,all rooms luggage together, really simplifies the process there too.

 

It is just so different with all of our other cruises, people's tempers really flare up and they get down right rude, etc. ALways felt it was a shame and quite sad that people allow themselves to end their vacation in such a manner

 

I for one follow the rules, it just seems as though that is the right thing to do!

[dan40]

That will be us on the Splendor. We aren't leaving until they announce over the intercom.....LHP get your butt off the ship!!!! :eek:

 

A long, long, time ago in a galaxy far, far away, a gang of us took a B2B cruise. In those days the bars were open on debark day and we had made friends with all kinds of crew. We had been to the crew's private bar, the petty officers, private club and the officers club. We were all in our favorite bar drinking with some of the crew on debark day. As the ship emptied they called "All passengers may make their way off the ship at this time." We, of course, ignored that. And much later when they called, " Would all passengers please leave the ship at this time!" That call was made a few times and we continued to ignore it. But when they started calling us each by our names and telling us to, "Get off, NOW!" We sauntered [staggered?] off.:eek::D

 

Dan

[2sweetgrits]

Then how does Carnival hold people for the FBI and local police after clearing Customs? We have seen debarking interrupted twice over the years to have a passenger "taken off" by officials... and other time, the individual was escorted off first.

 

That is one to be the first one off of the ship!:p

[LHP]

Self assist definately caught Carnival off guard....but they have been doing it long enough now to have it right.

 

And again, we have never had a problem except on the Fantasy class ships.

 

The Spirit class ships handle it well because there is plenty of room for folks to line up from the Lobby all the way to the front of the ship (main theater). A single line that has no chaos....no problem.

 

The Fantasy class ships though have cabins on the Debarkation Deck and there is no room to "line up". It does not "ruin a cruise"...but it causes folks to end their cruise with frustration that is not necessary. And CLEARLY the clientele that some ports draw need more direction than others.

 

I have sent a Focus Meeting Recommendation with a solution for the Fantasy class ships that is simple and easy to implement. We will see what happens.

[LHP]

I'm guessing there are marititime laws that say while you are on-board, the Captain is the law, especially if there is a safety/environmental concern. Also, don't confuse the BOAT clearing customs with the PAX clearing customs. Customs and immigration takes place on shore (at least for US citizens).

 

Regardless, we'll be VIP in two weeks, so get outa' da way.[/QUOTE]

 

woo hoo...enjoy!!!!

 

If you are on a Fantasy class ship, I would recommend that you have a chat with the ACD during the cruise to remind them they have VIP on board.

 

Of our 5 cruises this year, VIP Debarkation has been totally forgotten THREE times. Not an acceptable ratio!!!

[lovebug33]

People were actually very self-controlled on our Conquest self-debark in August. However, this one cracked me up. They said OVER AND OVER again that you could only get off if you had all of your luggage. Well, there's this elderly couple behind us with only a couple of bags. The man had cut himself and while I was looking for a Band-Aid, DH says, "Man, you travel light, don't you." And, the man says, "No, I don't know why all of you are carrying all of that luggage. We put ours out last night!" :eek: DH and I didn't have the heart to tell him he was in the wrong line. So, anyway, when they got to the front of the line and asked for their luggage, they were told it would be several hours (they were on deck 2 with us). They couldn't go back to the ship, so they just found them 2 chairs and apparently, they had to sit there for a few hours until their zone was called. Listen to the announcements, peole.

[LHP]

People were actually very self-controlled on our Conquest self-debark in August. However, this one cracked me up. They said OVER AND OVER again that you could only get off if you had all of your luggage. Well, there's this elderly couple behind us with only a couple of bags. The man had cut himself and while I was looking for a Band-Aid, DH says, "Man, you travel light, don't you." And, the man says, "No, I don't know why all of you are carrying all of that luggage. We put ours out last night!" :eek: DH and I didn't have the heart to tell him he was in the wrong line. So, anyway, when they got to the front of the line and asked for their luggage, they were told it would be several hours (they were on deck 2 with us). They couldn't go back to the ship, so they just found them 2 chairs and apparently, they had to sit there for a few hours until their zone was called. Listen to the announcements, peole.

 

You do see that from time to time and it breaks my heart. (especially older cruisers who are new to cruising) I do try to help in those kinds of instances.

 

Those are the folks that are not simply disregarding the rules; they just get confused from time to time. Mom was 47 when I was born, so I have been raised around "older people" all my life....I have a soft spot for them.

[lovetodream]

On our last Carnival cruise, line-hopping was so bad that two women got in a fist fight and Carnival security used tasers to break up the fight.

 

Same situation, line-hoppers with numbers higher than 1-3 decide to disembark and won't listen to announcements by CD. Cruise staff doesn't really do anything to stop it either.

 

YIKES! A fistfight? My gosh...what is the world coming to?

 

DH & I disembarked in the last group (I think it was #35 or #36) 'cause we were doing 2 overnites in Rome. Carnival did give low numbers to folks who had early flights and for those who expressed an interest to disembark early.

 

I didn't witness any chaos but I can only imagine. DH & I sat back and enjoyed breakfast.

 

A bit off the post but still related...I gave up going to the Lido Deck for b'fast on excursion days 'cause people were in a FEEDING FRENZY! I felt like I was in a stampede. People rushing, sweating, gobbling food while running to and fro...broken plates, cups of hot coffee spilling, trays flying, disgreements about saved tables, It was surreal to me!

 

And I can tell you that not ONE of these folks looked liked they'd missed a meal in their lives. Tragic.

 

At any rate, DH & I ordered cold cereal, toast, coffee & yogurt in our cabin on our planned excursion days.

 

Anyhow, nice thing about being last to disembark is that it was a cinch to spot & retrieve our luggage :D

[racegrrl]

I have sent a Focus Meeting Recommendation with a solution for the Fantasy class ships that is simple and easy to implement. We will see what happens.

 

We are on a Fantasy class ship in a few months, cabin is on the Empress deck - and we are NEVER in a hurry to leave the ship! In fact, we are 5th from the last to get off last time and have no schedule when we got off next time, so this is kind of a non-issue for us. But I am very curious what your idea is? Do you mind sharing? If not, I understand, but I am very interested to hear it!

[misguidedangel]

Line jumpers happen on every ship. They do what they can to enforce it, but when it gets down to it, they are going to go when they go. The only issue is the luggage is offloaded by tag number, so if you're tag #25 and they just started calling #1-5, your bags won't be there waiting for you, you'll be waiting in the bag area for your bag for a while.

 

I had tag #30 for the Liberty and was told I would be off by 10:30, so OK fine, no worries. The calling was going slow, so at 10am they started calling numbers in the high teens. I ran into the assistant CD and he said that all the bags were off and waiting and I could go anytime. I figured it'd be good to get off ASAP to get my bags and get through that customs line. It took 40 minutes to get through the line and onto a bus (which leaft after 10 minutes).

 

Sometimes the jumpers think they can get off quick, get their bags, and avoid the massive lineups at customs....NOT if their bags are not offloaded yet, and if it is by the numbers....well, they B waiting..

 

In January on the Valor I have a late 5:30 flight out so I am going to do a tour instead of sitting at the airport for six plus hours. I'll be able to get off the ship with all the others as soon as self assist are off and then go see something I have always wanted to see, the everglades!!!!!

[The_Answer_Is_42]

I was under the impression that the reason behind the zoning of disembarkation was because your Bags were coded by zone.

 

If it were me, I'd say "Sure, go ahead and leave the ship, but you're goinna be waiting for a while: your bags aren't likely to be out and ready yet. Cheers!"

 

I personally prefer self-assist, and will do it every time it's available (Thanks to a really crappy disembarkation in Galveston).

[newcatintown]

Anyhow my point is there may be circumstances that make it necessary for those who do go out of turn. You never know what they've been told from other staff as well.

 

Thank you. One very dreaded phone call put us off the ship first, and the last thing on my mind (oh, wait, it wasn't on my mind at all) was what others thought about it. If anyone made any remarks, trust me when I tell you the comments were wasted, as I had only one thing on my mind.

[LHP]

We are on a Fantasy class ship in a few months, cabin is on the Empress deck - and we are NEVER in a hurry to leave the ship! In fact, we are 5th from the last to get off last time and have no schedule when we got off next time, so this is kind of a non-issue for us. But I am very curious what your idea is? Do you mind sharing? If not, I understand, but I am very interested to hear it!

 

Being married to a Logistics Engineer and being a retired Accountant and Solutions Engagement Manager....our minds are always thinking efficiency.

 

(I know it is a curse)

 

If there is a suggestion, critique, issue or problem ... my brain automatically goes into "solution mode". I have been retired for almost 20 years and I can not get it to stop.

 

My suggestion was class specific (Fantasy class) and only for Self Assist Debarkation. The Fantasy has a specific problem since the cruisers debark on a cabin deck. There is no place to "line up" like on the other ships.

 

Fantasy class ships only have 2 "openings" for guests on Empress after Customs seizes the ship. Those are the PORT side hallway doors going into the lobby. (the starboard side hallway door is for crew whose contracts are over) All other means of entrance are blocked or closed. The Lobby becomes a Customs area when the ship is seized.

 

All Carnival would need is one Security Guard at each door.

 

The key would be that all self assist luggage MUST be left in the cabin until your deck is called. Passengers could go anywhere on the ship they wanted to...as long as their luggage stays in the cabin.

 

Customs clears the ship.

 

CD calls for Platinum, CVC and disabled cruisers ( also any cruisers that had "issues" develop during the cruise and needed to self assist first ~ like a death in the family ~ could get a slip from the Purser).

 

The Security Guards simply check the Platinum (or CVC) cards (disabled cruisers are obvious) as they come through the door with their luggage.

 

Anyone needing to get to the Purser's desk could easily do so....because they would not have their luggage with them....so no way to "crash" the line.

 

Then the CD calls each floor starting with Empress for self assist. Security guards simply spot check since everyone's luggage has the luggage tags on them with the deck clearly displayed. Anyone "breaking in line" is simply pulled to the side by Security and "sat" in the Port side holding area until their floor is called. The CD could even make a joke about being put in Time Out if you try to self assist before your deck is called.

 

This would stop the delays that are caused when the lobby gets JAMMED and Customs stops debarkation. It would reduce the chaos of debarkation on the Fantasy class ships.

 

The hallways and elevator areas would not be jammed with people and luggage.

 

Yes, there is always a certain small percentage who don't have the brain capacity to follow simply instructions....but for the most part...if you make the plan CLEAR....people will follow it.

[Vanessa L]

We have always done self assist because we book early (noonish) flights. And yeah, it is a madhouse to be sure. I think for us the answer is going to be to book a later flight and just wait for the madhouse to clear out. I've not ever gotten mad at the seeming lack of organization, but that has been because, even though crazy I've been off the ship no later than 8AM ever doing self assist. I think if I did self assist and it got to be 9 or 9:30 before I could get off the ship I'd become more and more anxious about missing my flight. As I said, easily fixed ;)

[LHP]

My two main complaints with the way Carnival is handling now on Fantasy class ships is it makes it impossible for Carnival to deliver a promised benefit of the Platinum package.

 

If Carnival offers a benefit, they should deliver. Three times in our 5 cruises this year alone...Platinum VIP Debark has been forgotten. Folks who cruise the Ecstasy a lot told us last month (as we waited to debark) they are forgotten more than they are remembered. That is not an acceptable percentage.

 

In addition to lobby crowding; causing Customs to stop debarkation (which I have seen many times)... this kind of crowding also makes it impossible for the handicapped cruisers to be taken care of properly.

 

On the Fantasy, we were behind a wonderful family with a little boy about 9 who was in a wheelchair (his personal one..not Carnival's). They had been told by Carnival to meet Port side in the Lobby for assistance off the ship...which they clearly needed. They could not even get to the Lobby to get the assistance they needed. As the Mom of a special needs child, this is unacceptable. Gary was finally able to assist them but it was still a madhouse.

[okgirl]

Sorry, but you a passenger selects "I agree" with the Carnival contract, it is no longer just a courtesy.....it is an agreement between you and Carnival to abide by their rules. It has nothing to do with ICE. Until you step off that ship, you belong to Carnival!

 

I have just mailed a Focus Meeting Recommendation about this very subject to the Executive VP of Marketing and Guest Experiences. We did have some excellent solutions to this problem.

 

It is the worse on Fantasy class ships because debarkation is held on a deck that contains cabins.

 

I do believe that self debarkation was wildly more popular than Carnival ever dreamed of and to this point has just allowed it to be a "free for all". That needs to change. Hopefully our solutions will be considered and implemented.

 

LHP..........I agree with you completely..........I think with the technology........Carnival or any line could easily "track" who is suppose to get off the ship at what time..........If you have Zone Jumpers........they should get a stern letter of warning.....and a possible penalty if it's done again............

Maybe they should have a DONG.........instead of a DING......at debarkation and if you get DONGED.........you get escorted to the show lounge to debark LAST................

[REDZONE]

My two main complaints with the way Carnival is handling now on Fantasy class ships is it makes it impossible for Carnival to deliver a promised benefit of the Platinum package.

 

If Carnival offers a benefit, they should deliver. Three times in our 5 cruises this year alone...Platinum VIP Debark has been forgotten. Folks who cruise the Ecstasy a lot told us last month (as we waited to debark) they are forgotten more than they are remembered. That is not an acceptable percentage.

 

In addition to lobby crowding; causing Customs to stop debarkation (which I have seen many times)... this kind of crowding also makes it impossible for the handicapped cruisers to be taken care of properly.

 

On the Fantasy, we were behind a wonderful family with a little boy about 9 who was in a wheelchair (his personal one..not Carnival's). They had been told by Carnival to meet Port side in the Lobby for assistance off the ship...which they clearly needed. They could not even get to the Lobby to get the assistance they needed. As the Mom of a special needs child, this is unacceptable. Gary was finally able to assist them but it was still a madhouse.

 

I hope this gets better, I was on the Imagination in May and it was crazy. I was not platinum but will be in Dec for a B2B hope I can benefit from platinum debarking.