Walk off question

[CFD130]

We have done several cruises but have never done the self debarkation when we get back to port. We have an earlier flight than normal and am curious how this works. Any tips or thoughts?

[Times Prince]

Originally Posted by CFD130

We have done several cruises but have never done the self debarkation when we get back to port. We have an earlier flight than normal and am curious how this works. Any tips or thoughts?

You carry off your own luggage, and your group will be called first.

[CFD130]

Do you wait in your room or in a special area? Any thoughts about timing?

[ncsongbird]

Originally Posted by CFD130

We have done several cruises but have never done the self debarkation when we get back to port. We have an earlier flight than normal and am curious how this works. Any tips or thoughts?

We walked off of the Emerald in Dec. in Ft. Lauderdale. All passengers walking off with all of their luggage met at 7:00 in one of the dining rooms. We were given a number when we entered and then sat in different areas depending on which group we were assigned. I think we were group 3. Once the ship was cleared for disembarkation, we were called by our group number and it went very orderly. There was a line of course, but it moved pretty quickly. I think we were off the ship and in the parking lot by 7:30. We each had one med. rolling suitcase, and a backpack so it was easy for us. But we did see some people with multiple bags. We would definitely do it for our next cruise.

[Luckyone2]

We always carry our luggage on and off. Look out for the sign up sheet for self-debarkation that will be placed in your mailbox or on your bed. Fill it out and turn it in to the main desk ASAP. There are several rounds to self-debarkation. You will be assigned a number; the sooner you turn in your request, the lower the number you will receive. We received Debarkation Group #1, 6:45 a.m. At 7:00 a.m., we were driving away. You will be assigned a place to meet for debarkation.

Have fun!

[CFD130]

Thanks for the info

[donh1]

If you are mobile enough to easily navigate around the airport with all of your belongings and luggage you will have no problem with self disembarkation. A little tip..... if you have a problem getting an elevater the last day on the ship consider grabbing an upbound one. Lots of times the elevators arrive full that time of day.

[caribill]

With self-disembarkation or regular disembarkation, the process on disembarkation day is the same.

You will receive notice of what time and where to meet to disembark. This will usually be a public lounge or one of the dining rooms.

When it time for your group to leave (which may be a little before, at the time of, or even a while after the meeting time), the announcement will be made at the location you were assigned to meet. There are no shipwide announcements.

[freetocruise]

Also, be sure that you can handle all your baggage and leave one hand free for any escalator that is dock side. Princess representatives are stationed at any escalators to enforce the one hand free for the escalator rule. I've seen it at both Los Angeles and at two days ago at embarkation in Ft. Lauderdale. If you need both hands to carry your luggage, they will direct you to an elevator where the lines to get on can be very long, negating any benefit you get from walking off.

[1 HappyCruiser]

Originally Posted by freetocruise

Also, be sure that you can handle all your baggage and leave one hand free for any escalator that is dock side. Princess representatives are stationed at any escalators to enforce the one hand free for the escalator rule. I've seen it at both Los Angeles and at two days ago at embarkation in Ft. Lauderdale. If you need both hands to carry your luggage, they will direct you to an elevator where the lines to get on can be very long, negating any benefit you get from walking off.

I'm not sure why you would say that since the walk offs would still be ahead of 3,000 other people no matter how long the elevator wait.

[sprite]

We have the done the walk off disembarkation a few times now and getting an elevator to get off the ship is always a hassle. The most recent time we were waiting in one elevator lobby and there was one elevator being "manned" for handicap riders only. He was waiting with his elevator door open for the next disembarking handicap passenger while we were waiting for another elevator going down (that we could fit in with our luggage). We watched several packed elevators stop on our floor for about 15 minutes and although there had been no handicap riders on the reserved elevator, he wouldn't let us get on. Really - how many handicap passengers are doing the self disembark anyway? So we gave up and drug our luggage down the steps.

Lesson learned for the ship elevators. The port elevators (I love Port Everglades!) were no trouble at all - we had the giant car to ourselves. Obviously, the elevators on the ship were busy with people moving about the ship, not getting off. We still love the walk off - we made it to FLL for a 10am flight!

[gdisney]

I guess it must be different based on where you sail from? I've only sailed off the west coast of north America, and we've done self-disembarkation every time. We've never had a designated meeting spot, never had an assigned number or group or anything. There was always a time frame posted in the newsletters for self-disembarkation (estimated due to not knowing how long exactly it could take for the port authority to clear the ship), and we just waited for the general announcement and proceeded to the gangway. Usually we're either finishing up breakfast or hanging out on deck or in our stateroom when this happens.

EDIT...Ooops...I forgot this was the Princess forum I was posting on. Our one Princess cruise we actually didn't do the self-dismembark as we were with a group. My other trips were on other lines. Maybe that's why it was different

[caribill]

Originally Posted by gdisney

we just waited for the general announcement and proceeded to the gangway.

EDIT...Ooops...I forgot this was the Princess forum I was posting on. Our one Princess cruise we actually didn't do the self-dismembark as we were with a group. My other trips were on other lines. Maybe that's why it was different

On Princess there is no longer a general announcement.

[Snow cat]

We were on the Crown Princess disembarking Apr 28 in Fort Lauderdale and were in the first group scheduled off the ship with self-disembarkation at 7:05.

Unfortunately, not everyone from the ship could be cleared by Customs right away so we ended up getting off the ship about 45 minutes later than planned.

Just keep that in mind.

[Pam in CA]

Originally Posted by 1 HappyCruiser

I'm not sure why you would say that since the walk offs would still be ahead of 3,000 other people no matter how long the elevator wait.

Not true. While walk-offs are ahead of most of passengers, they are not necessarily ahead of "regular" disembarking passengers. I've been on several cruises where the walk-off disembarkation times were mixed with the first passengers disembarking and picking up their luggage on the pier. I've also been on a couple of cruises with my daughter, who needed a wheelchair to disembark, and had to wait at least 20 minutes while those doing walk off pushed ahead with their luggage because they were in a hurry and couldn't handle their luggaage on the escalator.

[Pam in CA]

Originally Posted by sprite

We have the done the walk off disembarkation a few times now and getting an elevator to get off the ship is always a hassle. The most recent time we were waiting in one elevator lobby and there was one elevator being "manned" for handicap riders only. He was waiting with his elevator door open for the next disembarking handicap passenger while we were waiting for another elevator going down (that we could fit in with our luggage). We watched several packed elevators stop on our floor for about 15 minutes and although there had been no handicap riders on the reserved elevator, he wouldn't let us get on. Really - how many handicap passengers are doing the self disembark anyway? So we gave up and drug our luggage down the steps.

So, you chose to take your own luggage off rather than wait a couple of minutes and pick it up on the pier, and those requiring wheelchairs aren't as important as you? The point of doing self-disembarkation is that you can handle your luggage. Often, "regular" disembarking passengers have the same disembarkation time as some walk-offs. That was true last month on the Star Princess. My Orange 1 early disembarkation (not self-disembarkation) was scheduled for the exact same time as one of the walk-off groups. A little empathy for those requiring assistance would be more attractive.

[1 HappyCruiser]

Originally Posted by Pam in CA

Not true. While walk-offs are ahead of most of passengers, they are not necessarily ahead of "regular" disembarking passengers. I've been on several cruises where the walk-off disembarkation times were mixed with the first passengers disembarking and picking up their luggage on the pier. I've also been on a couple of cruises with my daughter, who needed a wheelchair to disembark, and had to wait at least 20 minutes while those doing walk off pushed ahead with their luggage because they were in a hurry and couldn't handle their luggaage on the escalator.

I've always seen that walk offs are called first and the next group is called even before they clear the ship so they do get off before most other passengers. Waiting for an elevator might be a necessity for handicapped or elderly but taking the escalator is quickest. The big buildup for elevator service is always after the walk off are long gone, at least in my experience. .

[Pam in CA]

Originally Posted by 1 HappyCruiser

I've always seen that walk offs are called first and the next group is called even before they clear the ship so they do get off before most other passengers. Waiting for an elevator might be a necessity for handicapped or elderly but taking the escalator is quickest. The big buildup for elevator service is always after the walk off are long gone, at least in my experience.

And in my experience, even referring back to the order of disembarkation for my last few cruises (I save everything), is that it's not true that walk-offs are always first and "long gone." Referring to the disembarkation as it should have been on the Star last month, there was a whole 15 minute difference between the first walk-offs and the last. The first was scheduled for 8:30am, 2nd at 8:35, 3rd at 8:40 and 4th at 8:45am. My group was also scheduled for 8:45am. That's hardly "long gone" as not everyone jumps up and runs to the exit when their time is called.

[1 HappyCruiser]

Originally Posted by Pam in CA

And in my experience, even referring back to the order of disembarkation for my last few cruises (I save everything), is that it's not true that walk-offs are always first and "long gone." Referring to the disembarkation as it should have been on the Star last month, there was a whole 15 minute difference between the first walk-offs and the last. The first was scheduled for 8:30am, 2nd at 8:35, 3rd at 8:40 and 4th at 8:45am. My group was also scheduled for 8:45am. That's hardly "long gone" as not everyone jumps up and runs to the exit when their time is called.

Maybe what we are calling walk offs & express walk offs is why we don't see it as the same thing. The express walk offs have always been given the "opertunity" to evacuate the ship first and of course Princess can't possibly wait till they're completely gone before calling the next color. If they did that it would take the better part of the morning to clear the ship but they still are given the "opertunity" to leave first.