On BA now ... Easy walk off.... What a joke

Trying to disembark....utter chaos..... No organization

Been on BA three times never saw such a horror...!

We would never attempt to do self disembark. It's easier to choose a later flight, train, or car service and be one of the last ones off of the ship. Crowds are gone, and luggage is easier to find.

Never in any hurry to go home.

Trying to disembark....utter chaos..... No organization

 

Been on BA three times never saw such a horror...!

What's the horror? You just take your bags, walk off and go through customs. What other organization is needed? Unless maybe it is just that crowded? And if so, well, there is nothing anyone can do about that.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Seems like every Sunday morning this same complaint gets posted. NCL allows a free for all off a mega ship.

Too often people chose to self disembark with luggage that they really can't handle, jamming elevators and stairs.

An entire week of vacation, and that is your complaint. I'd say that's a much better week then all of us had working this week. Always something to complain about... Hmmmm. A real tragic event. Thank you for keeping us posted.

The problem with Easy Walk Off is that many people choose to use it thinking that it means they'll be the first ones off of the ship. They forget that the thousands of other people on board can also make that same choice...then they try to act surprised that things are slow because of the large number of people.

Barb hit the nail on the head with this one.

Trying to disembark....utter chaos..... No organization

Been on BA three times never saw such a horror...!

I was on the Breakaway 10-4 to 10-11 & was a Suite/Haven guest -I paid for an easier way to embark/disembark & never got it. Embarking consisted of being taken with 40+ other Suite guests onto elevators (of course not everyone can get on just one elevator) to the Haven restaurant. But no one waited by the elevators for the rest of the guests to show us where to go. Many just walked away to their cabins.

Getting off the ship was worse. Get on an elevator & the Concierge points to a door to walk out of. The line of passengers waiting to get off was enormous. No signage for the 'priority' service I paid for. Finally found a crew member who said -stay to the right for Haven guests. Thankfully we were able to bypass most if the line. A sign near our exit telling Haven to 'stay to the right' would have been nice.

It was chaos & uncalled for. No one seemed to know where to go & there weren't many employees directing passengers.

This Haven experience & paying for services I didn't receive throughout the cruise caused me for the first time not to place a deposit on another.

I do hope you enjoyed your cruise -although getting off the ship caused you some trouble.

Too often people chose to self disembark with luggage that they really can't handle, jamming elevators and stairs.

That's why I purposely take wheeled carry-on and backpack only for Caribbean trips - easy to deal and walk down the stairs with. Especially when customs want to take their sweet time processing people...

I was on the Breakaway 10-4 to 10-11 & was a Suite/Haven guest -I paid for an easier way to embark/disembark & never got it. Embarking consisted of being taken with 40+ other Suite guests onto elevators (of course not everyone can get on just one elevator) to the Haven restaurant. But no one waited by the elevators for the rest of the guests to show us where to go. Many just walked away to their cabins.

 

Getting off the ship was worse. Get on an elevator & the Concierge points to a door to walk out of. The line of passengers waiting to get off was enormous. No signage for the 'priority' service I paid for. Finally found a crew member who said -stay to the right for Haven guests. Thankfully we were able to bypass most if the line. A sign near our exit telling Haven to 'stay to the right' would have been nice.

 

It was chaos & uncalled for. No one seemed to know where to go & there weren't many employees directing passengers.

 

This Haven experience & paying for services I didn't receive throughout the cruise caused me for the first time not to place a deposit on another.

 

I do hope you enjoyed your cruise -although getting off the ship caused you some trouble.

Folks who travel light and have tight ground transportation to make to fly home, etc. or otherwise feel the need to rush home to see their pets :D or feed their goldfishes are typically good reasons to join the herd of 500 to 1,000 pax rushing to get off the ship ...

There are numerous bottlenecks along that pathway out to 12th Avenue ... not being among the first in line at 5:30 AM (skipping breakfast) ;) or foot traffic backing up on the gangways (2 of them for the *Away class ships) and the lines into the CBP for one-stop immigration & customs screening, not to mention those ship elevators jammed pack with folks lugging their 28" rollers & spinners plus backpacks in tow, or the escalators.

But, I can't be sure if today's famous, annual NYC Marathon had anything to do with outside matters, far beyond NCL's control or staffing issues inside the terminal. Using the porter's services (and, tipping) is a well-established fast track to get thru some of the bottlenecks. I wouldn't be surprised if there's a slight shortage of taxis and car service, even those "ride-sharing" services being unavailable (or surge pricing) - as the runners are on the pavement now on their 26 miles road course thru all 5 boroughs ... and drivers are known to take a "break" as it's not worth the trouble in sit in bumper-in-bumper traffic going nowhere with upset riders. I would think that OP being from Astoria, NY & 30 to 45 minutes from Pier 88 would've been an informed local CC traveler ... sit back, relax & wait for the cattles to exit while enjoying a full breakfast onboard.

We find it a lot more civilized when we are not in a "must" to hurry off the ship on disembarkation morning, our luggages are usually ready & waiting for us in the color coded section downstairs, neatly lined up for us to find - and it's a breeze pulling our 22" rollers (expanded) thru the terminal. It helped a little bit that we have been Platinum & get priority disembarkation tags. Easy doesn't translate into a fast track - better luck next time or try not to rush off (our BIL/SIL were the impulsive type who used to joint the let's hurry & get home "mob" ... and they learned their lessons standing in those lines for 90+ minutes :p )

Only going to be worse.....today is NYC marathon...many street closures:eek:

On the GEM they asked for those walking off with all of their belongings to start leaving the ship. My DH and I did so and met several "Salmon" going back up the gangway from the port as they were turned back by the port people. They were asked "Do you have all of your suitcases and belongings" Some thought that they could take a shortcut and get their checked luggage and leave early. People don't listen and follow directions. This clogged up the whole process having to walk back up the whole gangway. Once we got past the gate checker and "Salmon" it was an easy walk off. That being said, NCL could do a better job coordinating walk offs, but with some passengers it would be like herding cats.

What's the horror? You just take your bags, walk off and go through customs. What other organization is needed? Unless maybe it is just that crowded? And if so, well, there is nothing anyone can do about that.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hurry up and get off. I'm waiting to get on lol

If you're walking off with your luggage (which I always do) be prepared to queue. Use the stairs rather the elevator. Simples.

Trying to disembark....utter chaos..... No organization

Been on BA three times never saw such a horror...!

what time was this?

on the gem and BA this past july, I ate breakfast first, then walked off.

walk off the ship was easy.

the bottleneck I encountered both times was customs, mainly the line to the escalators that leads you into the customs area.

On the GEM they asked for those walking off with all of their belongings to start leaving the ship. My DH and I did so and met several "Salmon" going back up the gangway from the port as they were turned back by the port people. They were asked "Do you have all of your suitcases and belongings" Some thought that they could take a shortcut and get their checked luggage and leave early. People don't listen and follow directions. This clogged up the whole process having to walk back up the whole gangway. Once we got past the gate checker and "Salmon" it was an easy walk off. That being said, NCL could do a better job coordinating walk offs, but with some passengers it would be like herding cats.

Doesn't sound like utter chaos at all, just some rude, non-direction following passengers. I have walked off the breakaway twice and never had any issues other than having to wait in line.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Customs on a Sunday tend to be shorter staffed. Add the NYC marathon into the equation... It once took us hours to self disembark on the Jewel. We had no problems on the BA - guess everyone showed up for work!

Just think of the man power it saved the ship collecting the luggage the night before.

I think it worked great for about a year.

Now so many people want to do this that it is chaos on most cruise lines.

We now try and find out the night before where exactly the exit door will be. I KNOW they assign you to wait in a certain area but so many people do not do this so if you do....you get trapped in a bottleneck when it is time to go.

We usually have a fairly early flight so want to be sure to get off early.

Also, we have seen where right after you get off there becomes some kind of backup in customs. Then you can really get delayed.

The horror? :eek:

We have always done easier walk off.......and it was always and easy walk off with one exception and that was Tampa. Customs did not have enough people working.

We down the elevator (early) around 7:15-7:30 and get in line. The three times in NYC we were off the ship and driving away by 8:15am

By the way did I forget to mention my husband and I were traveling with two disabled people... One in a wheelchair and the other in a scooter...the problem also was no crew assisting....took us THREE HOURS to disembark....no matter what I don't think this is acceptable.

By the way did I forget to mention my husband and I were traveling with two disabled people... One in a wheelchair and the other in a scooter...the problem also was no crew assisting....took us THREE HOURS to disembark....no matter what I don't think this is acceptable.

so sorry for the hectic end to your cruise...while I am sure fellow PAX were a big problem as others have said...NCL should have had crew to assist you..

By the way did I forget to mention my husband and I were traveling with two disabled people... One in a wheelchair and the other in a scooter...the problem also was no crew assisting....took us THREE HOURS to disembark....no matter what I don't think this is acceptable.

we were with my MIL 2 weeks ago on the BA, and we had to request wheelchair assistance off, they told us where to go and we were escorted off the ship. Did you request assistance or just went off yourself?

We would never attempt to do self disembark. It's easier to choose a later flight, train, or car service and be one of the last ones off of the ship. Crowds are gone, and luggage is easier to find.

 

Never in any hurry to go home.

Or self walk off at 7:30am

By the way did I forget to mention my husband and I were traveling with two disabled people... One in a wheelchair and the other in a scooter...the problem also was no crew assisting....took us THREE HOURS to disembark....no matter what I don't think this is acceptable.

While this is in no way a comment on your 2 disabled people.....but one has to admit that this did make your exiting the ship more complicated and I think that is the reason you had a difficult time

Fwiw. You might have mentioned this is your op as well as mentioning if you requested assistance but just didn't receive it. Makes a huge difference.