Getaway / PoM disembark strategy

I'm thinking of a last minute trip on GA next month, and reading some recent reviews reminded me that my last two disembarks last year (GA and Escape) were pretty ugly, with lines snaking through the whole ship and trapping people and their luggage on elevators. I didn't have this problem on my first GA cruise in 2015, and I'm wondering if it's because I slept too late on the next two.

So: given that I'm self disembarking, where and how early should I be to avoid the long lines?

Alternately ... if I decide to hang out on board and wait it out, maybe at a table in the buffet, when do the lines start to clear? 9:30 ish?

Thanks in advance.

Have a leisurely breakfast. Enjoy the ship for the last hour. Only foolish people queue at 6 am trying to be the first off the ship. Why?

Have a leisurely breakfast. Enjoy the ship for the last hour. Only foolish people queue at 6 am trying to be the first off the ship. Why?

Sometimes, to catch an early flight.

Have a leisurely breakfast. Enjoy the ship for the last hour. Only foolish people queue at 6 am trying to be the first off the ship. Why?

I agree. Stay on the ship as long as you can & let them bring your luggage to shore. Being among the last to get off the ship means it's easier to find your luggage. No long lineup to get off the ship but there is still likely a lineup at customs but that can't be helped.

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So: given that I'm self disembarking, where and how early should I be to avoid the long lines?

 

Alternately ... if I decide to hang out on board and wait it out, maybe at a table in the buffet, when do the lines start to clear? 9:30 ish?

 

Thanks in advance.

No long lines, if any, by that time.

I have an international flight from MIA at 12:20 so I need to be at MIA 2-3 hours before then. What time should I line up? I was thinking to be in line by 8-8:30 and I am not sure if we should bring our own bags or pick them up at the terminal. Thoughts?

I have an international flight from MIA at 12:20 so I need to be at MIA 2-3 hours before then. What time should I line up? I was thinking to be in line by 8-8:30 and I am not sure if we should bring our own bags or pick them up at the terminal. Thoughts?

I would say lineup at 7 AM to get off the ship about 8. If you have your luggage with you there will be less pressure to get to the airport on time.

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Just got off the Getaway this past Sunday. The issue with lines is 100% within the ship. Once you get in line it takes about 30 minutes to clear the ship itself. Customs is a breeze since they have done away with the customs form that you have to fill out if you are under your limit. By 8:00 a.m. they are beginning to call colors. I got in line around 9:00 and was off the ship and to my hotel in South Beach by 10. With a 12:20 flight to Canada if you are at MIA by 10:30 or 10:45 you will have plenty of time. Just remember that you have to check in at the airport an present your passport.

We're on Escape in July, and fortunately having family take & pick us up. What is the latest time to get off, since we will be in no hurry and don't want them "circling" to get us?

We're on Escape in July, and fortunately having family take & pick us up. What is the latest time to get off, since we will be in no hurry and don't want them "circling" to get us?

Between 9:30-10am, depending on pace of disembarking passengers.

Thanks, looks like a nice leisurely breakfast in a dining room! Not only does my son live in the Miami area and when we do fly, we live near CLT so plenty of flights, so come in a day early and fly out in the afternoon after a cruise. I really enjoy a leisurely pace before and after cruises, don't think a cruise would be the same worrying about bad flights coming in the day of a cruise or worrying about make the flight leaving.

Ok, spinoff question. If I decide to wait out the madness, what's a good place I can get to and wait it out without being too much in the way of the crew? Indoors. Maybe the Atrium?

Ok, spinoff question. If I decide to wait out the madness, what's a good place I can get to and wait it out without being too much in the way of the crew? Indoors. Maybe the Atrium?

Not the Atrium. Hide yourself in an "out of the way" spot like one of the lounge areas.

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Thanks for the advice, I guess the sooner you are off the ship and waiting in line the happier the on board crew is. We'll be scouting for what I call a "hunker down" spot on Escape in July!

On Getaway in a few weeks and need to get off asap. What floor is disembarkation on?

On Getaway in a few weeks and need to get off asap. What floor is disembarkation on?

I think Deck 6.

I think Deck 6.

Thank you!

Was on the Getaway in February and did self disembark . They said this would start at 7:45, we got up at 5:00 got ready and were on line by 6:30 we were 15th in line, Doors opened at 7:30 and we were driving out of the terminal by 8:00. That is the way to do it, Too many people, who cut lines, disregard what color they are and think the world revolves around them. Just my 2 cents

Was on the Getaway in February and did self disembark . They said this would start at 7:45, we got up at 5:00 got ready and were on line by 6:30 we were 15th in line, Doors opened at 7:30 and we were driving out of the terminal by 8:00. That is the way to do it, Too many people, who cut lines, disregard what color they are and think the world revolves around them. Just my 2 cents

For the privilege of being 15th in line and being first off the ship, you (and 14 other groups/couples) got up at 5 AM and waited an hour in line. I would rather sleep in until 7:30 AM, have a leisurely breakfast and wait half an hour in line to be last off the ship. That's my two cents. No more or less valuable than your two cents.

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I think Deck 6.

It's deck 7 (same level as casino).

This past Sunday they called the 8:30 group (my group) at about 9 am; and it was about 10 am by the time we got out of customs.

We did sail with over 4600 pax.

Was on the Getaway in February and did self disembark . They said this would start at 7:45, we got up at 5:00 got ready and were on line by 6:30 we were 15th in line, Doors opened at 7:30 and we were driving out of the terminal by 8:00. That is the way to do it, Too many people, who cut lines, disregard what color they are and think the world revolves around them. Just my 2 cents

This reads to me that you still *stood in line for an hour* which is what I'd like to avoid.

This reads to me that you still *stood in line for an hour* which is what I'd like to avoid.

The only way to avoid standing in line to disembark is to be last off the ship. But then there's still the line at customs which can't (legally) be avoided.

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The only way to avoid standing in line to disembark is to be last off the ship. But then there's still the line at customs which can't (legally) be avoided.

 

 

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On my first cruise on the GA in summer 2015, I got up during the self embark time and more or less walked off the ship. I think it was around 7:30. I didn't encounter a line until I tried it again on the GA in summer 2016, and then it was about 20 minutes, maybe. I didn't run into this horrible thing with a line snaking through the entire 7th floor and doubling back on itself and blocking elevators until the Escape last October. This last scenario is what I'm trying to avoid, as it was pretty miserable and full of very grouchy people. I'd rather sit and read my email out of the way until it clears out.

My other cruises (X, DCL, and Princess) didn't require me to line up on the ship, just a quick moving line at customs. But for two of those three I was in a suite.

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Seemed like major improvements on Sunday with lines moving briskly. No backup on ship and elevators easily accessible. New change is that they eliminated mandatory customs declarations form. Only complete it if you meet criteria for declaring.

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Does anyone have any other recent disembark info? I've been reading reviews on various sites and I've lost count of the number of people who claimed they stood in two-hour lines *on the ship* during February sailings.

I'm also wondering if anyone thinks I could manage to get to the library and wait there? I might do the studio lounge, too, but my idea with a deck 6 location (like the atrium or library) would be that I could see when the deck 7 lines started to clear.