Miami Debarkation?

It's been a long time since I've sailed out of Miami and can't remember how smoothly/time efficiently debarkation goes. I know some ports are MUCH slower than others. We have Platinum so we will be able to get into the line whenever we want after self asst. I'm thinking we will be heading to the line around 9:30. Does anyone know about how long it would be before we would likely be finished? Also is there a disability line?

We will also be taking a shuttle to rent a car at the airport. Does anyone know how smoothly this goes?

Just trying to see how feasible our hopeful post cruise plans will be or if we are likely to be disappointed.

Thanks in advance. :)

It's been a long time since I've sailed out of Miami and can't remember how smoothly/time efficiently debarkation goes. I know some ports are MUCH slower than others. We have Platinum so we will be able to get into the line whenever we want after self asst. I'm thinking we will be heading to the line around 9:30. Does anyone know about how long it would be before we would likely be finished? Also is there a disability line?

 

We will also be taking a shuttle to rent a car at the airport. Does anyone know how smoothly this goes?

 

Just trying to see how feasible our hopeful post cruise plans will be or if we are likely to be disappointed.

 

 

Thanks in advance. :)

Obviously, the sooner you can get to the terminal and to Customs, the better. I don't recall seeing a dedicated line for those with disabilities, but one of the people working in the terminal may be able to get you closer to the head of the line at Customs. The shuttles and taxis move in and out pretty quickly on embarkation/debarkation day, so it should go pretty smoothly for you. As long as you have nothing to declare, and you've got your passports ready, you should be able to zip right through Customs.;)

We just got off a ship in Miami this past Sunday. Zone One Platinum guests and it took us one hour of standing and watching that carousel before our bags came out! After that, everything was fast. We did use a skycap so I'm not sure if that helped or not but we zipped right through customs and out the door. But waiting for an hour for our bags was a total pain in the neck and changed our plans for the rest of the day.

We just got off a ship in Miami this past Sunday. Zone One Platinum guests and it took us one hour of standing and watching that carousel before our bags came out! After that, everything was fast. We did use a skycap so I'm not sure if that helped or not but we zipped right through customs and out the door. But waiting for an hour for our bags was a total pain in the neck and changed our plans for the rest of the day.

It could be that this is why some prefer self-debarkation and take their luggage with them, especially if they have post cruise plans and want to get off of the ship and on their way as soon as possible.

I was also in Miami on Sunday (disembarked from Splendor).

Got a different paper in the cabin one day that I'd never seen before that showed different times available for "relaxed" disembarking. I rarely carry off my bags (I'm not in that much of a hurry) and rarely need to get off early.

But, we had a 9 am shuttle reserved to take us to FLL. I went to the service desk and asked for some clarification on the times shown. She just said that we could disembark any time after self-assist.

Then, on Saturday, we got the "usual" letter for VIP disembarkation. That one said to be in the mid-ship dining room on Deck 3 at 7:30, which we were. We were then told that it would be about an hour before we'd start to leave!

But I think we only waited about 10-15 minutes.

Walked down the ramp, immediately got our bags off the carousel, walked straight up to a customs officer, and out the terminal. We were early enough that we got the earlier shuttle at about 8:10.

It was one of the most painless disembarkations I've had.

But, honestly, I don't think anyone's experience can be relied upon. Just like every sailing, it seems every embarkation and disembarkation varies.

I certainly wouldn't count of breezing through like we did!

Oh, and we were actually out of the terminal before some people who were dragging all their luggage. I really don't think I'll ever do that (tried it a couple of times and regretted it) unless it's a short cruise and I have only one bag. People drop bags; people run over each other; your arms hurt; you get hot and annoyed. Just not worth it, imho.

We disembarked Miami in January 2014 and self-assist started at 6:45 a.m. :) I don't recall exactly what zone we were, but the actual disembarkation process was a piece of cake ;)

I was also in Miami on Sunday (disembarked from Splendor).

 

 

 

Got a different paper in the cabin one day that I'd never seen before that showed different times available for "relaxed" disembarking. I rarely carry off my bags (I'm not in that much of a hurry) and rarely need to get off early.

 

 

 

But, we had a 9 am shuttle reserved to take us to FLL. I went to the service desk and asked for some clarification on the times shown. She just said that we could disembark any time after self-assist.

 

 

 

Then, on Saturday, we got the "usual" letter for VIP disembarkation. That one said to be in the mid-ship dining room on Deck 3 at 7:30, which we were. We were then told that it would be about an hour before we'd start to leave!

 

 

 

But I think we only waited about 10-15 minutes.

 

 

 

Walked down the ramp, immediately got our bags off the carousel, walked straight up to a customs officer, and out the terminal. We were early enough that we got the earlier shuttle at about 8:10.

 

 

 

It was one of the most painless disembarkations I've had.

 

 

 

But, honestly, I don't think anyone's experience can be relied upon. Just like every sailing, it seems every embarkation and disembarkation varies.

 

 

 

I certainly wouldn't count of breezing through like we did!

 

 

 

Oh, and we were actually out of the terminal before some people who were dragging all their luggage. I really don't think I'll ever do that (tried it a couple of times and regretted it) unless it's a short cruise and I have only one bag. People drop bags; people run over each other; your arms hurt; you get hot and annoyed. Just not worth it, imho.

We also came off the Splendor. Our piece of paper said we should be in the dining room between 7:15 and 7:30am. There were a ton of people that were self debarking and it took forever to get them out of the dining room. I think it took them so long to get them off the ship that it backed everything up. We were not called until almost 7:45 and then waited for our bags to come down on Carousal 1 until 8:45 AM. There were many people with higher bag tag numbers who were getting their bags off of other carousels and getting right out. In fact, there were Zone 4 bags on our Carousal for a good 15 minutes before our batch of Zone 1 bags came out. There were a lot of really annoyed people.

It's been a long time since I've sailed out of Miami and can't remember how smoothly/time efficiently debarkation goes. I know some ports are MUCH slower than others. We have Platinum so we will be able to get into the line whenever we want after self asst. I'm thinking we will be heading to the line around 9:30. Does anyone know about how long it would be before we would likely be finished? Also is there a disability line?

 

We will also be taking a shuttle to rent a car at the airport. Does anyone know how smoothly this goes?

 

Just trying to see how feasible our hopeful post cruise plans will be or if we are likely to be disappointed.

 

 

Thanks in advance. :)

I believe the Special Needs Desk can arrange for assistance