express check out with bags possible?

Hi,

Just a quick question. Is it possible to disembark taking your own suitcases along? Or is it absolutely mandatory to leave them out the night before? I've heard that regular disembarkations were rather lengthy, where you had to wait in certain locations for hours....I really don't feel like that and am now looking for a way to avoid that. Has anyone ever done that? I know you can take your own luggage on RCCL and just leave as you please...no waiting in special areas....I want something similar to that.

Stef

Hi,

 

Just a quick question. Is it possible to disembark taking your own suitcases along? Or is it absolutely mandatory to leave them out the night before? I've heard that regular disembarkations were rather lengthy, where you had to wait in certain locations for hours....I really don't feel like that and am now looking for a way to avoid that. Has anyone ever done that? I know you can take your own luggage on RCCL and just leave as you please...no waiting in special areas....I want something similar to that.

 

Stef

You can do it at 7 am . just remember no one will help you with your luggage . You don't have to wait hours really by 10 am everyone is out . If you don't have early flight home I don't see a reason to be out at 7 am .

Yes you can. Disembark when you want to.

The gangway in Ancona was quite steep and they did carry my suitcase down for me.

It is very common on the US sailings, less so on Te European ones but still doable. You still have to wait for the ship to be cleared and the go ahead given to start disembarking.

I've never tried it myself, nor would I as I'd rather wait a bit than have to drag all my luggage of myself. I'd also have the hassle of dragging it in to breakfast or skipping breakfast.

You don't actually have to wait for hours in a lounge anyway. I never do. I go and have a leisurely breakfast, then might sit up on deck (take advantage of a final drink on Allegrissimo) and only go to my meeting point at the time (or a few minutes before the time) for my group to get off.

Amomondo,

I would have thought that being 'Black' would have entitled you to priority disembarkation. Do you still have to sit in the same lounge as us 'paper mâché' level roughians!

You don't actually have to wait for hours in a lounge anyway. I never do. I go and have a leisurely breakfast, then might sit up on deck (take advantage of a final drink on Allegrissimo) and only go to my meeting point at the time (or a few minutes before the time) for my group to get off.

Hi Amomondo,

Thanks. How do you know when the time comes for your group to get off? Let's say you're supposed to meet at the Theater at 8:00...do they announce the actual disembarkation times for the separate groups after that? Don't you get in trouble for not showing up to your "waiting" group at the time they posted:o? If not this sounds like the perfect way to go:D.

Stef

Thanks everybody for your quick help!

I've never tried it myself, nor would I as I'd rather wait a bit than have to drag all my luggage of myself. I'd also have the hassle of dragging it in to breakfast or skipping breakfast.

That's the main argument for me as well. One has to vacate the cabin fairly early in the morning and it already is a pain to drag the hand luggage to breakfast, which is more crowded than usual on disembarkation morning, since people have more time to kill.

We never had to wait more than 15 minutes past the published disembarkation time for our color, before we were led off the ship, so I would not see this as a major problem.

Amomondo,

 

I would have thought that being 'Black' would have entitled you to priority disembarkation. Do you still have to sit in the same lounge as us 'paper mâché' level roughians!

No priority for us Black bods. To be honest, I'm rarely in that much of a rush to get off. I'm a bit naughty when it comes to vacating my cabin at 7, I leave about 8 and they never hassle me. They seem to cut me a bit of slack there. My reasoning (or self justification) is that each steward has so many cabins to do, they can't possibly be ready to do all of them at 7!

Hi Amomondo,

 

Thanks. How do you know when the time comes for your group to get off? Let's say you're supposed to meet at the Theater at 8:00...do they announce the actual disembarkation times for the separate groups after that? Don't you get in trouble for not showing up to your "waiting" group at the time they posted:o? If not this sounds like the perfect way to go:D.

 

Stef

Years of travelling with them has allowed me to more or less estimate my leaving time. They disembark in the order listed on the Daily the night before. So say your meeting point is 8.30 and you are in the first group listed for that venue and time, then you'll be getting off around 8.45. If there are 4 or 5 groups and your group is the fifth one, it's going to be at least 9.00 or 9.15 before you get off.

They don't tick you off at your allocated venue. Heck you don't even have to get off at your slot. I once waited until the last group got off although I was in an early one because my hotel transfer wasn't due and I preferred sitting in a peaceful lounge, relaxing with a drink than standing outside in a chaotic terminal for an hour.

My method doesn't always work. They once caught me on the hop. I was trundling my way towards the theatre about 15 minutes after my meeting time only to be stopped by a crew member asking me where I was going. Told them I was going to my meeting spot only to be told they'd run early and all the groups for that venue were already off. So I just about turned and headed for the gangway. No harm done really, I still had plenty time for my flight and I wasn't stuck in a theatre with several hundred very bored passengers and wailing kids. Finding my suitcase in the baggage hall was super easy as there were only a handful left in that section.

Hi,

 

Just a quick question. Is it possible to disembark taking your own suitcases along? Or is it absolutely mandatory to leave them out the night before? I've heard that regular disembarkations were rather lengthy, where you had to wait in certain locations for hours....I really don't feel like that and am now looking for a way to avoid that. Has anyone ever done that? I know you can take your own luggage on RCCL and just leave as you please...no waiting in special areas....I want something similar to that.

 

Stef

Having your luggage collected and put ashore is in part a service for your convenience and also to speed up the turnaround for those waiting to board. There is no compulsion but if a lot of people started to take matters into their own hands, compulsion could be introduced.

As I usually travel hand-luggage only, I prefer the convenience of not having to pack the day before and the security of keeping everything with me. I have always ignored the assembly points and times but left my cabin by the time told to with minimal luggage in tow and continued to enjoy my cruise - jacuzzi, lunch, bar etc. until it was the best time for me to leave for the airport.

The short answer is 'yes', but if everyone did it, it probably would not work.

No priority for us Black bods. To be honest, I'm rarely in that much of a rush to get off. I'm a bit naughty when it comes to vacating my cabin at 7, I leave about 8 and they never hassle me. They seem to cut me a bit of slack there. My reasoning (or self justification) is that each steward has so many cabins to do, they can't possibly be ready to do all of them at 7!

It may be a new perk but it is definitely available to BLACK card holders

Pete

Hmm, it's be one you have to request rather than just get automatically like you do at embarkation and tenders. Thing is all the Balck card perks happen automatically like invitations to the events, the bubbly and chocolate, the unending fruit baskets....so why don't they automatically give you a luggage lable for the first group? Very strange. Since being black I've always just got the colour of lable for my deck for those not on transfers.

I'll bear it in mind for the future, should I ever want to be amongst the first to get off.

Years of travelling with them has allowed me to more or less estimate my leaving time. They disembark in the order listed on the Daily the night before. So say your meeting point is 8.30 and you are in the first group listed for that venue and time, then you'll be getting off around 8.45. If there are 4 or 5 groups and your group is the fifth one, it's going to be at least 9.00 or 9.15 before you get off.

 

They don't tick you off at your allocated venue. Heck you don't even have to get off at your slot. I once waited until the last group got off although I was in an early one because my hotel transfer wasn't due and I preferred sitting in a peaceful lounge, relaxing with a drink than standing outside in a chaotic terminal for an hour.

 

My method doesn't always work. They once caught me on the hop. I was trundling my way towards the theatre about 15 minutes after my meeting time only to be stopped by a crew member asking me where I was going. Told them I was going to my meeting spot only to be told they'd run early and all the groups for that venue were already off. So I just about turned and headed for the gangway. No harm done really, I still had plenty time for my flight and I wasn't stuck in a theatre with several hundred very bored passengers and wailing kids. Finding my suitcase in the baggage hall was super easy as there were only a handful left in that section.

:DYou`re my guru of disembarkation now! I'll humbly adopt your method! Thank you so much!!!!!!

Stef