Disembarking and flight home question, help please...

Hi everyone, :)

We're newbies, never been on a cruise before so, we a little bit scared and have many many questions about everything.:confused:

Here is the one.

What is the earliest departure time to reserve a flight after the cruise in order to make port/airport connections on time?

We are back to Seattle at - 6:00 AM

The cruise line estimates 11:45, but we already booked a flight at 11:40, so, will we be able to make it to the airport on time or will we have to make a change? :(

Do not sweat the five minutes. You will need to be among the early disembarkers so that you can go straight to the airport but 11:40 should work out fine. In other questions you might also add name and date of your ship. More info allows better answers, as for instance Seattle has 2 different docks depending on which line you are cruising

Hi everyone, :)

We're newbies, never been on a cruise before so, we a little bit scared and have many many questions about everything.:confused:

Here is the one.

 

What is the earliest departure time to reserve a flight after the cruise in order to make port/airport connections on time?

 

We are back to Seattle at - 6:00 AM

 

The cruise line estimates 11:45, but we already booked a flight at 11:40, so, will we be able to make it to the airport on time or will we have to make a change? :(

 

If there are no delays with arrival and customs, you should be able to make the flight without a problem. If you are able and you want extra leeway, opt for self-assist disembarkation to be close to the first ones off the ship. Otherwise, visit Guest Services during the cruise and request luggage tags that will get you off the ship by 8:30am.

I will jump in here having never gone straight to the airport from Seattle. I suggest you do not take the ship transfer or a shared shuttle service. You might find yourself sitting in the bus or van and waiting for the last person signed up for your transfer who can't find their luggage or needed a long breakfast. Just take a taxi.

If you can handle your own luggage, do self debarkation.

Thank you very much quick reply:)

You will need to be among the early disembarkers so that you can go straight to the airport but 11:40 should work out fine.

How do we do that?

In other questions you might also add name and date of your ship. More info allows better answers, as for instance Seattle has 2 different docks depending on which line you are cruising

We are on Royal Caribbean - Explorer of the Sea - August 26 - September - 2.

I suggest you do not take the ship transfer or a shared shuttle service. Just take a taxi.

If you can handle your own luggage, do self debarkation.

How do we do that?:confused:

Like I said, we have a lot of questions, sorry :rolleyes:

...

 

How do we do that?:confused:...

You will get a flyer on the last day entitled "As You Depart". It will have details on how to do self-assist disembarkation. Basically, it means you keep your luggage inside your stateroom on the last night and you are responsible for carrying it off the ship yourself, with no help and no carts.

About midway thru the cruise,. they will ask those with early flights to tell them...so do that! They will put you in one of the first groups off the ship. You don't need to do the self-carry thing.

Thanks everyone. :)

Okay, I found some answers on how to be among the early disembarkers and self-assist disembarkation. The SAD (the second one) sounds good, I'm sure two of us can handle 1 suitcase and 1 carry-on, both have wheels it should be easy, I think. :rolleyes:

But if you do self-assist disembarkation can you get off the ship anytime with any group?

About midway thru the cruise,. they will ask those with early flights to tell them...so do that! They will put you in one of the first groups off the ship.

How early the first groups usually go off the ship?

And if usual breakfast time starts at 7 am will they start serving breakfast earlier than that on a last morning?:confused:

Thanks everyone. :)

 

Okay, I found some answers on how to be among the early disembarkers and self-assist disembarkation. The SAD (the second one) sounds good, I'm sure two of us can handle 1 suitcase and 1 carry-on, both have wheels it should be easy, I think. :rolleyes:

 

But if you do self-assist disembarkation can you get off the ship anytime with any group?

They ask that you get off within a certain time frame, but feel free to ignore that as they are not likely to enforce it.

Thanks everyone. :)

 

Okay, I found some answers on how to be among the early disembarkers and self-assist disembarkation. The SAD (the second one) sounds good, I'm sure two of us can handle 1 suitcase and 1 carry-on, both have wheels it should be easy, I think. :rolleyes:

 

But if you do self-assist disembarkation can you get off the ship anytime with any group?

Usually, with self debarkation, carrying your own luggage, you are required to be off first. Before the "regular" debarkation people. It makes it easier, since those groups aren't wrangling large bags through the line getting off.

Thanks everyone :)

Don't know Seattle, but a couple of observations:

So RCI suggest an earliest flight time of 11.45. That'll be for those who opt to book ship's airport shuttle. Although your flight is only 5 minutes earlier, as per EGG's advice avoid ship's transfer since you'll be held up until the bus has filled.

Doesn't sound like unassisted disembarkation is needed, though that does allow you to get off the ship ahead of the herd & avoid the scrum around baggage reclaim and lines for formalities and taxis. And it sounds like you can easily handle your own luggage.

And if you do opt for unassisted, do please disembark early - as per Schmoo's comment, folk with luggage are pretty unpopular fouling-up the lines and elevators after regular disembarkation has started.

So don't expect to have time for breakfast - mebbe a quick visit to the buffet to knock up a bacon sandwich and tip back a coffee.

As I said, I don't know Seattle - if my one & only experience of that city's traffic is typical you'd best disembark about two days before your flight :D

But I suspect I was just plumb unlucky ;)

JB :)

As a Seattle resident I do know that the Cruise traveler is given priority to/from the airport. It is usually a 20 minute drive from the cruise docks to the airport.

Hi everyone, :)

 

We're newbies, never been on a cruise before so, we a little bit scared and have many many questions about everything.:confused:

 

Here is the one.

 

 

 

What is the earliest departure time to reserve a flight after the cruise in order to make port/airport connections on time?

 

 

 

We are back to Seattle at - 6:00 AM

 

 

 

The cruise line estimates 11:45, but we already booked a flight at 11:40, so, will we be able to make it to the airport on time or will we have to make a change? :(

 

 

 

Being scheduled to arrive at 6:00 AM and actually arriving at 6:00 AM can be vastly different things.

Being scheduled to arrive at 6:00 AM and actually arriving at 6:00 AM can be vastly different things.

Plus, there's customs and immigration and other procedures that may delay letting off even the earliest disembarkers.

Seatac is not in Seattle, it's far south, so if there's construction or accidents that may affect your ride down there. Could go smoothly but also have a back up plan available.

I would try to reschedule, with disembarking, traffic and TSA you would be cutting it pretty close, plus if you have luggage to check they want you there no later than 90 minutes before boarding...

Thanks everyone, really appreciated your help to make a decision.:)

After reading this thread and other topics on the forum we did reschedule our flight to 3:10pm.

We will not get home that night, but no biggie, just one more day of vacation.;) We really don’t need an extra stress after a trip:).

What was I thinking in a first place….

Being scheduled to arrive at 6:00 AM and actually arriving at 6:00 AM can be vastly different things.

Correct and no one can get off the ship until its cleared

Thanks everyone, really appreciated your help to make a decision.:)

 

After reading this thread and other topics on the forum we did reschedule our flight to 3:10pm.

We will not get home that night, but no biggie, just one more day of vacation.;) We really don’t need an extra stress after a trip:).

What was I thinking in a first place….

I think you would have been ok with the 11:40 flight. I have disembarked in Seattle 2x. The last was with Holland America, not sure Royal uses same pier, but we were at our hotel (near the airport) by 10AM.

But since you've changed your flight, you might want to book a small/ short post cruise excursion. Seattle is an awesome city to explore. Sometimes these will give you a tour of the city & then take you to airport afterward. Just a thought, not sure if Royal offers this.