Why the rush to disembark?

[sansterre]

We often sail out of Florida ports and I am always amazed at the push to get off the ship first. I just read another thread talking about how everyone is eager to get disembark. Why?
Most people are flying west so will gain hours; why take an early morning flight? Why hurry off to wait at the airport? And for those of us who drive, why hurry to get home? Is 30 or 45 minutes going to make a difference?
Maybe we are the only ones who enjoy our last morning on the ship. We find a quiet lounge and relax as we reflect on where we've been and what we've seen.
I know there are occasional emergencies, but we always ask for late debarkation - even when flying out of the west coast when we book an afternoon flight home.

[windsor26]

We often sail out of Florida ports and I am always amazed at the push to get off the ship first. I just read another thread talking about how everyone is eager to get disembark. Why?
Most people are flying west so will gain hours; why take an early morning flight? Why hurry off to wait at the airport? And for those of us who drive, why hurry to get home? Is 30 or 45 minutes going to make a difference?
Maybe we are the only ones who enjoy our last morning on the ship. We find a quiet lounge and relax as we reflect on where we've been and what we've seen.
I know there are occasional emergencies, but we always ask for late debarkation - even when flying out of the west coast when we book an afternoon flight home.

We took the laid back approach and were the last off the ship once and then we could not get a shuttle bus to the car hire places as they had been many times and did not think there was anyone else to come Now we do not rush but we do leave in the thick of things so we can partake of the opportunities for transport

[kazu]

I know some people have very early flights to catch as I watch them do self disembarkation from my balcony. We never rush off but we are certainly not last. We have a nice breakfast and usually get off around 9 or 9:30. Leaves us plenty of time to get to the airport.

I think some people just always have to rush ;) Maybe afraid of the lineups at the airport, customs? I don't know. Or maybe just like to hurry up and wait ;)

[pizzalady1]

Or maybe we have a full day planned in the disembarkation city?

[Randyk47]

We typically don't rush but on the other hand we got off the Maasdam last Friday earlier than ever before. In retrospect I think the ship was really trying to get on with their dry dock and they worked hard to get folks off and out of their way. I honestly didn't expect to get off much earlier than 9:00 AM - 9:30 AM but we were having breakfast in the airport by that time Friday. :)

[jtl513]

And for those of us who drive, why hurry to get home? Is 30 or 45 minutes going to make a difference?

Maybe we are the only ones who enjoy our last morning on the ship. We find a quiet lounge and relax as we reflect on where we've been and what we've seen.We are early risers, at home and on the ship, and we are always ready to go early, so why wait? For us the cruise is over at that point, and a little more time on the ship isn't going to make it any better.

It gives the stewards more time to work on turning around our room too.

[CruiserBruce]

If you go over to the Cruise Air and Florida boards, you will see why. There are some flights that are early- particularly between 10 and 11, that are cheaper then the flights after 11. So people are rushing to try and catch. This seems common in several ports. There is a question every other day about "Can I make the XXXX flight?" I have seen people ask if they can catch 8:30 flights!!!

[Krazy Kruizers]

why rush to get off?

some people feel that the cruise is over

some have flights to catch

some have a long drive home

us -- no reason to rush as we are just going to a hotel for the night

[Randyk47]

After I did my earlier post in this thread I got to wondering if HAL was trying to push people off a little earlier now that they've come up with the program to have cabins ready at embarkation? Obviously the end of our cruise was unique since the Maasdam was going off to dry dock. In fact, they'd closed off some of the higher decks to passengers and were loading containers on the sports deck while we were still on the ship.

[dmwnc1959]

I always try and plan a 1-night post cruise so even if I am last off the ship I can just head to the hotel and check-in. Most never have a problem with me showing up at 10am and have rooms available. Then I can go out, relax, sightsee and have some lunch, then get ready to watch the ships leave with a whole bunch of new people on 'my' ship. :)

[iriemon]

We never rush off, in fact we really don't want to get off. We take advantage of the HAL benefit of having room service breakfast and just relax. With the luggage direct now, it is really easy, no more dragging the suit cases around. I know some people book early flights, we never do, we have been on ships that have been delayed getting into or getting cleared in port and don't want to take a chance.

[jhannah]

No rush to get off for us. If we're flying on home that day, we're on an afternoon flight. Occasionally an 11:30 flight out of FLL. Still no problem getting to the airport and to the gate with time to spare.

[FLACRUISER99]

We often sail out of Florida ports and I am always amazed at the push to get off the ship first. I just read another thread talking about how everyone is eager to get disembark. Why?
Most people are flying west so will gain hours; why take an early morning flight? Why hurry off to wait at the airport? And for those of us who drive, why hurry to get home? Is 30 or 45 minutes going to make a difference?
Maybe we are the only ones who enjoy our last morning on the ship. We find a quiet lounge and relax as we reflect on where we've been and what we've seen.
I know there are occasional emergencies, but we always ask for late debarkation - even when flying out of the west coast when we book an afternoon flight home.
Different spokes for different folks!

[LH25]

Most people are flying west so will gain hours; why take an early morning flight?

We might gain hours according to the clock, but it's still a long trip. And by that point on our cruise that left Ft. Lauderdale, we knew the cruise was over and just wanted to get home. There weren't a lot of good options as far as flights home, so not a lot of flexibility.

[sail7seas]

We often sail out of Florida ports and I am always amazed at the push to get off the ship first. I just read another thread talking about how everyone is eager to get disembark. Why?
Most people are flying west so will gain hours; why take an early morning flight? Why hurry off to wait at the airport? And for those of us who drive, why hurry to get home? Is 30 or 45 minutes going to make a difference?
Maybe we are the only ones who enjoy our last morning on the ship. We find a quiet lounge and relax as we reflect on where we've been and what we've seen.
I know there are occasional emergencies, but we always ask for late debarkation - even when flying out of the west coast when we book an afternoon flight home.


:) Lots of people are flying North (to Canada and Northeast for example) and not necessarily due West. There are limited choices for good flights on some routes and people take the best route and price they can find. They don't always have the luxury of selecting just what time they'd prefer to fly.

Others, like us, are staying on in FLL or whatever disembarkation port. Once our cruise is over, it is over and we are eager to get on with what remains of our vacation. We see no reason to loll around the ship when we could be disembarking and getting to our post cruise hotel. We usually get to our room immediately upon arrival there and DH is at the pool within an hour of passing out of the cruise terminal. Another day of vacation in the sun. :)

It's so easy for us to think everyone's circumstance and travel consideration resemble our own when they may be very different.

We always ask for first off the ship, Suite priority disembarkation and leave ASAP.

[Hlitner]

We have been cruising a long time (nearly forty years) and have probably tried just about every method of embarkation and debarkation. In Florida ports, we finally adopted the "laid back" debarkation method with very nice results. If we are flying-out the same day we usually book an afternoon flight. On the final morning we go to breakfast towards the end of the cycle and have a relaxing meal (while others are rushing to and fro). We then return to our cabin, freshen-up, grab our carry-off luggage and usually head to one of the outside decks. We then settle into a comfy deckchair with our books, usually go find some coffee, and just relax while the mad rush, lines, tempers, and everything else is going on many decks below. Usually about 9:30 or 10, once most passengers are off the ship, we take the elevator down to the appropriate deck (no problem gettting an elevator at this point) and simply walk off the ship, grab our luggage (easy to find since most of the luggage is now gone), walk outside the terminal, and grab a taxi (no lines at this point). At that point we are relaxed, have not worked up a sweat, and leave the ship with good memories.

Hank

[sansterre]

Thank you all for a variety of thoughts. Now that I think of it, I do recall a few trips when I couldn't wait to get home to the children. (That was a long time ago.)
I'm glad that HAL tries to accomodate all of us.

[searaider]

I would love to slowly get going on the last morning, and envy those who have the mental determination to relax and extend what they can of their cruise, but reality gets in the way for us. We usually are planning the hows and whats of what we need to do before we get home, many miles and many hours away.

For us, this next curise: we are taking a repositioning cruise from FLL to Vancouver--it means transportation to our vehicle, rush to catch whatever ferry we can (they run every two hours or so) to Vancouver Island, drive for 5 hours once on the island, stop somewhere for groceries as we live in a remote village on the west side. Taking two days to go home makes more sense but sometimes sensibility does not rule in our lives.

Those that can take life at a more calm pace on disembarkation day, I envy you.

Searaider

My god, I am already tired and I have not even had my cruise yet. Okay, back to excitement about going to Florida for a few days and then the cruise.

[bepsf]

If I'm not in the office, it's still a vacation day...
...and I'm not about to wake up at the crack of dawn on a vacation day to deal with crowds & lines - I might as well be at home at that point!

I much prefer to sit in Pinnacle and enjoy my leisurely breakfast, wander down to the terminal and easily spot my pile of luggage sitting there with plenty of porters waiting for me - customs officials who would rather be out of there than asking me a bunch of annoying questions - and a string of taxis at the curb waiting for me rather than a string of passengers at the curb waiting for taxis.

I consider it a personal accomplishment if I'm the very last passenger off the ship.
;)

[Typhoon1]

There are flights to catch. The earlier you leave the ship, the easier it is to get a cab.

[Se4deb]

We try to leave early as a convenience to the crew that has worked so hard for us during our cruise. The sooner we are out of our cabin our steward can get to work. If we do stay later, we stay in the public areas. I think of it as a courtsey.

[sail7seas]

It is also a courtesy to those who are waiting to board and to those guests doing a back-to-back. In FLL (and most U.S. ports), they must wait ashore for all guests who are supposed to leave to have done so before they can board. Back-to-back people must wait ashore until the ship zeroes down and all have left.

[Linda&Vern]

I think it's personal preference about rushing on debarkation day. However, if you have booked your flight "early" and the ship is "late" - please don't knock me over as I'm leaving a wonderful breakfast in the Pinnacle - because you want to get in the "line" for self debark! Seriously, on our Thanksgiving Zuiderdam cruise my DH and I somehow walked into the middle of a heated debate between passengers lining up wanting to leave ... and the ship had not even docked yet! (We were late due to mechanical issue.) Those people were beside themselves and very angry. What a shame. I could never end a cruise that way.

[trvlcrzy]

DH has a 12+-hour drive ahead of him!

[1of4]

I agree I leave when I am supposed to as a curtesy to staff who must do a whole lot of work for the next lot of people waiting eagerly to get on. Then again, HAL allows people to wait and enjoy.

But I have 3 people depending upon me to organize them, tell them where to go, and make sure we make it to the airport (not flying west) in time to go through long interrigation...oops...securtity lines where we have to take off our shoes (hopefully we will stop there and I don't have to worry about my 9 year old daughter being groped by an adult stranger!) and line up at least 2 if not 3 times and that is even before we consider the weather back home and if there will be delays and cancellations.

Once home I have to unpack, get kids organized and to bed and make sure we have some food in the house. This is the the perspective on a working mum on a limited vacation schedule. As many have provided their ability to sit back and relax I am one of those ready to "get on with it" so I can relax once at home as the middle part is anything but relaxing.

Happy travels...whatever works, works!;)

Gail

[dockrocker]

We try to leave early as a convenience to the crew that has worked so hard for us during our cruise. The sooner we are out of our cabin our steward can get to work. If we do stay later, we stay in the public areas. I think of it as a courtsey.

Bingo.

[RuthC]

I'm always at my place for wheelchair assisted disembarkation well before my assigned time. But, it's my dream to hear an announcement "Will RuthC of cabin xxxx please get her sweet self off our -dam ship. Thank you."

I came close on my recent Volendam cruise! It was an incredibly long walk to the terminal, so the pushers were taking a long time. Beyond that, everyone had to go through a TSA-type screening---both for themselves, and for their luggage, then another long walk to the cabs. All this added to the turn-around time before pushers returned---it took close to an hour for pusher.
I heard the third announcement for all remaining passengers to leave the ship before I was sent packing. There was luggage for 3-4 people left. :D

[Hlitner]

There are flights to catch. The earlier you leave the ship, the easier it is to get a cab.

We have not found that to be true in Florida ports (foreign ports can be different). Typically, if you fight your way off the ship with the other hoards you will find that there is a line (queue for our Brit friends) at the taxi stand. On the other hand, when we are among the last to leave, we simply walk over to the taxi stand where there are always a few taxis and no line. Having seen folks getting angry, working up a sweat, pacing nervously, trying to push ahead or the crowd, fighting their way through hoards to get their luggage, etc.. we still prefer to relax on board until we can walk off without hoards. I guess over a period of years we have grown to dislike pushing crowds, lines, etc. When we travel we like to find ways to make it all as relaxing as possible. When we need to catch an early flight we look forward to the process with some degree of dread.

Hank

[LoveMyBoxer]

Like others have stated, not only is it a courtesy to the staff but to others who are waiting to board. The sooner the staff is done, maybe they can have a little releax time. Also, the sooner the next boarding people will be able to board. Your vacation is over, deal with it!

[Infi]

Aside from the early flights reason, I think some people just have to rush rush rush and be the first ones off and aren't happy unless they're doing so. It's the same reason you see people crowding the gangway before the all-clear sign is given in the ports of call. I don't get that, either.

We always ask for the latest disembarkation time, whether it's in a FL port or abroad. No reason to rush - we never fly out on disembarkation day, and the hotel and sites will still be there when we disembark. It's much easier to find our luggage and customs lines are much shorter. For me, it's a no-brainer.