Once your number is called, then you proceed to the gangway area and scan your SeaPass card as you leave the ship. Head to the buffet or main dining room to enjoy a leisurely breakfast unless you are in a rush to get to your flight. It also said exactly when, because you get the compass the night before. On some ships, you can even do this electronically on your app or smart TV. Private transfers or tour guides can also pick up passengers at the terminal. This can save a lot of time, if the check-out line is backed up. If you think you'll have questions, send one member of your group to the talk. In addition, the most pertinent disembarkation information will be included in the ship's daily newsletter or in a separate memo left in your cabin. Another option is to extend your trip by a day or more before flying back. We are going through that right now with our Sting Ray tour in GC. So, it would say change your time after departing (insert name of port). Carefully wrap them in your dirty clothes. Also, you will receive an As You Depart guide that will provide detailed information on timing, where to grab breakfast and other important instructions. Most cruise ships are cleared for passengers to debark between 7 and 9 a.m., depending on their arrival time. But what is that last day like? Looks like you should stay on ship time regardless of what the local time is, St. Thomas is on Atlantic Standard Time. When at port ignore the local time as the only time that matters in terms of when the ship sails away is ship time. Just be prepared for a little chaos and take these steps to avoid any common disembarkation day mistakes. Whether you cruise multiple times per year or you're new to cruising, the goal of Royal Caribbean Blog is for it to bea useful resource for keeping up to date with what's new and exciting with Royal Caribbean. Sometimes earlier, sometimes later. Related: How to disembark from your cruise ship before everyone else. It's not the most entertaining way to spend your last sea day, so check to see if the session will be shown later on your in-cabin TV. We had some fun with that one before they removed it. The disembarkation briefing, usually held on your final day at sea by the cruise director in the main theater or other large lounge is a good starting point. At the same time, leaving a packed carry-on bag in one corner, out of the way, while you go to breakfast may be acceptable. The buses will run again and again until everyone gets a lift. How can I find out more about getting on or off the ship. Canadian cruisetours can be added to Alaska cruises too, with six-night stays in Alberta and British Columbia, where you can relax in natural hot springs and ride through the Rockies in a vintage railcar. Keep in mind any minors need to have an adult present when disembarking the ship, including teenagers. My point is that they will tell you specifically when and how to change your watch, etc. He came back and posted about how he wanted to strangle a guy on that forum who disagreed with him-what a loser! Ok but what about booking an excursion in advance. The suite concierge provides so many benefits, and priority disembarkation can be worth its weight in gold if getting off the ship with a minimal wait is important to you. Please adhere to the ships time while in port. Many first timer cruisers want to know if you need a passport to take a cruise, and the answer depends on a few factors, Once you start cruising frequently, its easy to forget how it feels to go on a cruise for the very first time. A couple steps need to be completed first: There is no set time how long each of those steps can take, and that is why answering the question of what time someone can disembark the ship is so difficult. If you want crewmembers to shepherd your luggage when you disembark, you will need to have your bags packed, tagged with color-coded tags provided by the ship, and set outside your cabin door at a specified time the night before disembarkation. Please contact your travel advisor or our Customer Sevice Department for complete details. Its a busy work day. Ship Time!!! ;) You will be told the night before to change your watches to GC timeMaureen. In preparation for, Have a Royal Caribbean cruise planned for September 2022? How long does it take to get off a cruise ship? Also have to consider that since you will probably be on an international flight and check in is 2 . It doesnt hurt to ask. Do you know about when you'd like to sail? Ahh yes. The length of disembarkation varies, based on several factors, but typically the process takes a few hours to get everyone ashore. Guests who elect to carry their own luggage off the ship will be required to take their luggage from their stateroom, and take it all the way off the ship and through customs. The ship first must be cleared by Customs and port authorities before anyone can disembark. Most often, the Express Departure option is preferred by guests who want to depart as early as possible due to travel plans, work requirements, or other needs. So how long does the whole process take? You should always budget several hours to both disembark the ship, reach the airport and deal with checking in, checking luggage for your flight, and clearing security. Our goal has been to provide our readers with expansive coverage of all aspects of the Royal Caribbean experience. Get expert advice, insider tips and more. 5 Things You Need to Try Aboard Wonder of the Seas, World's Biggest Cruise Ship and Royal Caribbean's Newest Ship in the Caribbean Carnival's 50th Anniversary Cruise 'Sailabration' Voyage: Just . This thread got me thinking and I pulled my Cruise Compass from the Grandeur. The first group who may disembark the ship once the ship is cleared by local officials is guests who carry their own luggage off the ship (sometimes referred to as Express Departure). What often takes the most time is getting down to the appropriate deck with your carry-on bags (or all of your bags if you opted for self disembarkation), since the elevators are always crowded on the final morning. If not, just leave blank. These include luggage tags for your bags each tag will have a number that will correspond to your departure time the next day. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached, or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Royal Caribbean Blog. Dont forget the bedside table drawers and the very back of the shelves. Not sure if there is any rhyme or reason to any it. The specific length of disembarkation depends largely on how long the vessel is due to be in port. Would the ship be on St. Thomas time when in port? Then comes the reality of disembarkation day. Should I buy my flights through my cruise line? airport transfer, taxi or awaiting family, Which Room on Icon of the Seas Is Right for You, 5 Ways Royal Caribbean Practices Sustainability, The Best Things to Do in Greece and the Greek Isles, 8 Hours in Royal Caribbeans Perfect Day at CocoCay, Icons Captain Henrik Shares The Top Things to Do on The New Ship, Wave Season: The Best Time To Score Deals. Although fond of lake Erie, her first love is the sea. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. It'll be easier to ask the cruise director a question in the briefing than to wait in the long line at the front desk later on. Started in 2010, Royal Caribbean Blog offers daily coverage of news and information related to the Royal Caribbean cruise line along with other relevant topics of cruising, such as entertainment, news, photo updates and more. If a ship arrives later whether a late arrival is scheduled ahead of time or due to a delay a general rule of thumb is that it will be cleared about an hour after it docks or anchors, assuming there are no regulatory snags. Most lines will automatically add tips to your final shipboard bill; some (like luxury lines, whose gratuities are included in the cruise fare) require no tipping. Cruisers who have booked shore excursions through the ship also get priority. Just because the ship returns at this time, does not mean it is ready to let passengers off the ship. Ask for one of the earlier debarkation times, maybe 8:00 - 8:30. To at least half of you it is obvious that ship time IS ship time, but a lot of people still don't seem to comprehend this. Many cruise ships have internet centers where you can pay to check in for your flight and print boarding passes. 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. Special Event: Q&A with Rudi Schreiner, President, Co-Founder & Co-Owner - AmaWaterways River Cruises, Q&A with Avoya Travel: Learn How to Turn Your Passion into Success by Becoming an Independent Travel Advisor. You can explore landscapes and native treasures with the help of local Adventure Specialists. Next, everyone will have an assigned departure lounge and time that corresponds with your tagged luggage, detailed in your As You Depart guide. LEARN MORE. The suite concierge can provide expedited disembarkation, which means they will escort you and other suite guests off the ship at a pre-arranged time and bypass some of the line. There will be no porters onboard or ashore to assist with your luggage, and since you're the first group called, you can often be off the ship by 7:15 or 7:30 am. It is up to the Captain. If you book an excursion with the ship I would assume the tour would always be on ship time, but that is just a guess. If you have received a customs form, its important to have this filled out (one per family). So how do you know in advance so to plan and book excursions accordingly? While some lines let you stay in your cabins until it's time to leave, others request that those with later disembark times vacate staterooms by a specific time (often around 9 a.m.) so the cabin stewards can clean for the next passengers. You could walk off the ship before your luggage tag number is called, but you'll simply end up waiting in the cruise terminal for all the luggage to be brought out. What are the largest cruise ships in the world? Be sure to keep your watch on Ship Time so you don't arrive late for the sail away partywould not be fun to watch it from the dock. On your Serenade cruise it's easy, you never leave the Atlantic time zone while on your itinerary so ship's time = local time.:D. More banned items: What not to pack for a cruise. Or are Captains so powerful they can decide which side of the ship is port? In both cases, an officer from the bridge will make an announcement over the ship's public address system to let passengers know when they can begin leaving. Royal Caribbean offers two departure types: Regular and Self-Assist . It definitely depends on the Captain AND the sailing so always check your Compass and just make sure to follow ship's time. If you leave any items behind, it's difficult to recover them once you're off the ship. Do I need to go through Customs and immigration at the cruise port? The advantage of picking your luggage up in the terminal building is it makes the disembarkation process simpler. Self assist early walk off is the first to leave the ship after clearance from local authorities. You obviously can't disembark before the ship docks. Even though the ship usually arrives in its final port before dawn, it will be hours before you get off. You aren't allowed to get off earlier than the time designated to you in order to avoid crowding at the gangway (the ramp leading off the ship), which could cause delays for travelers who must disembark early. Still need help? NCL calls self disembarkation self-assist, referring to the option of skipping the luggage-outside-the-door system and self transporting your own luggage off the ship. The biggest issue with knowing how long it will take to walk off the ship are factors no one can truly know in advance: It could take a few minutes or an hour to walk off the ship once it's over. Be aware that these lines can be long. It is my understanding that they usually tell you, but we were not told. Click here to reload the page in order to enable certain features, Split between Houston/Schulenburg/La Grange, Texas. You'll need to stay in a Grand Suite or higher for this benefit, and suites are far from inexpensive.
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