Information about self-disembarkation

What are the details to know about self-disembarkation?

On our last cruise, we put our luggage outside our stateroom door. When we arrived in the terminal the next morning, only 1 of our 2 pieces of luggage was there. We filled out a form at the pier and have filed a claim with RC Customer Relations. The process has been a headache and our luggage has yet to be found. In an effort to avoid this frustration in the future, I'm considering self-disembarkation and would like to know more about it. I once read something about self-embarkation - is this possible as well?

Thanks in advance for your experienced advice.

To use self-assist disembarkation, you must be able to handle all your bags by yourselves, with no help from crew or from carts. On some ships, we've seen people taking bags down the stairs.

You ca also take all your bags on the ship, but they have to fit through an airport type x-ray machine.

Thanks, Bob. Can I use the elevators during self-disembarkation?

Thanks, Bob. Can I use the elevators during self-disembarkation?

Yes...of course you can...but get off during the designated time....nothing worse than people tying up those already crowded elevators with their luggage. ;)

Thanks, Bob. Can I use the elevators during self-disembarkation?

Yes, but they seem to get tied up for long periods of time during the self-assist period, and then when they do open, they can be filled.

Yes, but they seem to get tied up for long periods of time during the self-assist period, and then when they do open, they can be filled.

Sorry Bob...didn't mean to crowd the elevator with my answer to your question. :D

We used self-assist for the first time getting off the Explorer in May. It was so easy and fast. Will likely do it again, although it will depend on flight time. Wouldn't want to be at the airport at 8am if we had a 3pm flight... lol... rather wait on the ship for awhile.

Thanks, Bob. Can I use the elevators during self-disembarkation?

Yes, you can use the elevators on the ship and in the terminal, but expect a wait. Some ports will require you to use the elevator in the terminal if you can not hold onto the railing on the escalator with one hand.

Self disembark at the earliest time listed and subtract 30-45 minutes and you will probably not find it too busy. We have friends who do it all the time and haven't heard they had many issues.

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You should really go to the disembarkation talk at the end of the cruise. On my last one, one person from each cabin had to go.

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You should really go to the disembarkation talk at the end of the cruise. On my last one, one person from each cabin had to go.

 

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What cruise line has disembarkation talks? Never heard of it before.

I called RCCL's customer service line to ask about this, since we have a nine hour drive home next month, and we want to get on the road early. The customer service rep told me "you can sign up for it on the ship". That was the extent of his helpful information. So if anyone has anything else to add, I'm all ears.

I called RCCL's customer service line to ask about this, since we have a nine hour drive home next month, and we want to get on the road early. The customer service rep told me "you can sign up for it on the ship". That was the extent of his helpful information. So if anyone has anything else to add, I'm all ears. ��

I've niot seen any "signups" in quite a while. You just keep your bags and exit during the self-assist period.

I called RCCL's customer service line to ask about this, since we have a nine hour drive home next month, and we want to get on the road early. The customer service rep told me "you can sign up for it on the ship". That was the extent of his helpful information. So if anyone has anything else to add, I'm all ears. ��

On Harmony in March, we were given a form mid-week & we were to select what option we were doing..We always self-disembark since we usually drive home also..but its 16 hrs for us!! lol

Yes...of course you can...but get off during the designated time....nothing worse than people tying up those already crowded elevators with their luggage. ;)

We do self-assist because we only have one suitcase each and don't want to have to find another bag to hold the stuff we need for overnight. If we don't have an early flight, we don't disembark early. But our bags are only carry on size, so we don't have any more than most people who also have a bag waiting for them in the terminal.

Maybe we are doing this wrong but, the two times we tried self disembark there were huge lines snaking around pretty much everything waiting to get off. Is this normal? We are not diamond does that make the difference?

What cruise line has disembarkation talks? Never heard of it before.

Almost every cruise line I've ever been on (including RCCL) has one on the last day at sea.

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We used self-assist for the first time getting off the Explorer in May. It was so easy and fast. Will likely do it again, although it will depend on flight time. Wouldn't want to be at the airport at 8am if we had a 3pm flight... lol... rather wait on the ship for awhile.

There really isn't a reason to limit your self-disembark time to the early time slot only. Seems to me, that slot is more for people in a hurry to get off, and don't wan't to deal with their bags.

We self disembark when we are ready- whenever that ends up being. For sure, it's at least an hour after the designated time.

If one plans carefully enough to self embark, with all of your stuff- that generally means that you can carry on all of your luggage on a plane- your stuff is not really more than half of the people who have to pick up luggage. Pretty much everyone has a bag or two they carry off the ship.

I don't think we stand out at all as self-disembarking people...

One note here that's a tangent- packing light is pretty darned nice. I see some people with two bags that are each twice the size of what we have, and I just can't see taking that much stuff. Being able to have a two week vacation out of two overhead bags and two under seat bags is really cool. Although, I wish I could convince some bag makers to slightly alter their bags- it would make it much, much easier- but that's a second tangent...

Yes...of course you can...but get off during the designated time....nothing worse than people tying up those already crowded elevators with their luggage. ;)

Worse still, is when the cruise line lets, say a party of 3-4 w/six suitcases and three LARGE steamer trunks !!:eek: And STILL doing (or trying..) too do the 'self assist'. Actually saw this exact thing on the Oasis OTS in 2013. They had just called for 'self assist' first An adult idiot ( he was either, husband or boyfriend) actually had the nerve to get IN the face of red coated port rep and literally scream 'We NEED SOME HELP HERE !!' Too her credit, the agent didn't even blink an eye, she merely smiled and said, 'Well sir, we'll see if we can find a porter with a luggage carrier, for you'. I was standing behind this moron watching the scene, and after he struggled past I saw her silently roll her eyes and I asked her, 'Wonder WHAT part of 'self assist' did this idiot NOT understand?' She just smiled, as if too say, all in a day's work. Sad part is, I also saw parties of 3 trying to do the stairs with 4 and 5 suitcases. :mad: Now, that IS a dangerous, a good way to knock several people down. All because THEY don't want to wait and feel they're 'entitled' to leave right then. But, I guess as long as cruise lines let 'em do it, people WILL push it as far as they can.

Mac

You should really go to the disembarkation talk at the end of the cruise. On my last one, one person from each cabin had to go.

 

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While I definitely agree with this statement, on the surface, the sad part is most of those who NEED to go, don't. The 'typical' American male, who has (or thinks he does..) the superior 'gigantic know-it-all brain' and NOBODY can tell him anything, he knows HE is superior, therefore is allowed to disembark when HE decides. Not some stupid ship's officer.:mad:

Mac

Thanks, Bob. Can I use the elevators during self-disembarkation?

The exact answer to that can vary somewhat by ship. Which ship are you going on? An example, on Majesty you get off the ship on either deck 4 or 5, and the center elevator is locked out as the line forms on deck 6.

We do self-disembark every time we cruise. It's easy and FAST. We leave at the earliest time possible with 2 carry-ons each. My DH insists on NO over packing so that we can carry our luggage on and off the plane and ship. It better work smoothly for us in Sept. as we have a flight before 10:00 a.m. in FLL:cool:

Happy cruising!

One thing I've always been dubious of is leaving luggage in the passageway overnight on the last evening because it's pretty much just sitting out there unprotected. That was the main reason we did self-disembarkation on our previous cruise; looks like we're doing it again. Another benefit is, no waiting for your color to be called out.

While I definitely agree with this statement, on the surface, the sad part is most of those who NEED to go, don't. The 'typical' American male, who has (or thinks he does..) the superior 'gigantic know-it-all brain' and NOBODY can tell him anything, he knows HE is superior, therefore is allowed to disembark when HE decides. Not some stupid ship's officer.:mad:

 

Really?!? Kind of an A hole remark by you.... that is not "typical" American Male....

While I definitely agree with this statement, on the surface, the sad part is most of those who NEED to go, don't. The 'typical' American male, who has (or thinks he does..) the superior 'gigantic know-it-all brain' and NOBODY can tell him anything, he knows HE is superior, therefore is allowed to disembark when HE decides. Not some stupid ship's officer.:mad:

 

Really?!? Kind of an A hole remark by you.... that is not "typical" American Male....

We always carry our own cases.

Last week in Barcelona the departure hall was packed and cases were going around on carousels and people looked frustrated.

When we departed Freedom on June 11 at 9 am i have never seen the taxi queue so long in several Barcelona departures so please give yourself plenty of time if you have a flight.