How are disembarkation groups assigned? (Coral Princess, Whittier, AK)

This is our first cruise and I've searched the forum but did not find an answer.

We'll be cruising on the Coral Princess next week from Vancouver to Whittier. Once we're in Whittier, I've arranged a private tour, not through Princess, for our group (Anchorage highlights, and will drop us off a the airport in time for our flight home.) The tour guide said they'll meet us in the Whittier cruise terminal at 8:45am.

My question is: Will everyone be disembarked by then (with enough time to claim luggage and do whatever else we need to do)? Do I need to talk to someone to make sure we get into an early enough group to disembark? If so, who do I need to contact?

Thanks for any help you can provide. We're very excited... and I'm just trying to nail down all the final details now.

The fastest way off is called "walk-off" where you keep your luggage in your room and then walk off the ship with all of your baggage in tow. These are usually the first off the ship. Depending on your abilities and amount of luggage, this can be a challenge for some. The rest are scheduled by flight-times or ship's tours, etc. It takes time, sometimes several hours, to get all the luggage off the ship and into the large room where it's sorted by your de-embarkation color. "Walk-offs" often begin de-embarkation even before all the luggage is off and sorted.

You'll be asked your preference a few days before the end of your cruise and then you'll get a sheet in your room assigning your de-embarkation information. If walk-off is a problem for you, let them know in advance or take your sheet down to the main desk and request the "color group" you'd like to de-embark with. Assuming there are no weather or port issues, the ship usually arrives very early. So, you should be able to negotiate a time that works for you.

Enjoy your first cruise!! Alaska is wonderful!

You can find a list of last month's disembarkation times from the Island Princess in Whittier HERE. While they probably won't be exactly the same for your ship, it should give you an idea of what the schedule might look like. Also, because most people don't have independent arrangements in Whittier, there isn't much luggage in the terminal to sort through. We found it super easy to find ours.

Princess assigns disembarkation groups based on those booked on ship's tours, flight time, and for those with independent travel arrangements, by deck. If the time assigned for your party is too late to work for you (and remember these are estimated, not guaranteed times), go to the passenger services desk to request an earlier time. As you are meeting your guide at 8:45, I would suggest an 8 to 8:15 disembarkation time to allow time to actually exit the ship and collect your luggage.

During the cruise you will get a disembarkation questionnaire in your cabin. You select the time you wish to disembark. There are early walk off options, which start around 7am, maybe even earlier. With this option you have to wheel all your own luggage. There are also options and times where you place your luggage in the hall the night before and you pick it up in the terminal. You would select independent arrangements and a time. Don't mention your flight because then you will be scheduled to disembark in time to meet the flight and not to meet your guide. If you don't get what you need just go to passenger services and request a change. Since you will clear U.S. immigration in Vancouver disembarkation should be fairly easy.

Note: Even if you have an assigned time for an early walk off option, for example 7am, you can walk off at a later time. You would still have to wheel your own luggage. You are requested to leave your cabin by 8am no matter what time you are scheduled to disembark.

I believe the time your tour guide leaves is important as there are windows to get through the one way tunnel. Check with the tour guide.

Be aware that the ship will actually dock in Whittier around 12:30am so there is no frantic rush to get the luggage off the ship. It is theoretically possible to get off the ship much earlier. EM

Thank you, everyone!

I was on the same cruise as idahospud and as you can see from the attached disembarkation schedule there is no need to do self-carry/express walk-off (why responses continue to recommend it is inexplicable) as time slots for "Guests with Independent Arrangements" to claim their bags in the terminal are as early as 6:45 AM.

Note that it is essential to turn in the Disembarkation Information form (which appears in your cabin mid-cruise) to have your bags out in the terminal that morning as the large majority of passengers will be claiming them somewhere in Anchorage (airport terminal, airport rental car center, Egan Convention Center, or Captain Cook Hotel) where Princess will forward your bags even if you didn't purchase a transfer from them. Where your bags will be if you do not specifically request claiming them in the Whittier terminal, who knows?

And it does bear repeating about meeting your guide on time: if they do not make the 9:30 AM tunnel opening it will likely be at least another hour--or more if a train is scheduled for around 10:00 to 10:30.

One note about walk-off disembarkation: Passengers are expected to be able to handle their luggage with one hand free.

to use the escalators...

or they can take an elevator...like we do...balance issues on the moving escalators..:(

One note about walk-off disembarkation: Passengers are expected to be able to handle their luggage with one hand free.

to use the escalators...

 

or they can take an elevator...like we do...balance issues on the moving escalators..:(

In Whittier there are no elevators or escalators. You head down the gangway to the terminal level - which is also the ground floor. As fishywood said, there is no need to do self-disembark in order to get off the ship earlier in Whittier. It's nothing like you might find in Ft. Lauderdale or San Pedro or Vancouver.

The ship arrives around 12:30 am. Locals are hired to help load luggage for the coaches and train through the early morning. For those with independent arrangements - and there aren't many - the luggage will be in the terminal. We had no problem leaving the ship and grabbing our luggage immediately as we headed out the door. And with no customs in Whittier, you can get from the ship to luggage pick up to parking lot in 5 minutes.

This is our first cruise and I've searched the forum but did not find an answer.

 

We'll be cruising on the Coral Princess next week from Vancouver to Whittier. Once we're in Whittier, I've arranged a private tour, not through Princess, for our group (Anchorage highlights, and will drop us off a the airport in time for our flight home.) The tour guide said they'll meet us in the Whittier cruise terminal at 8:45am.

 

My question is: Will everyone be disembarked by then (with enough time to claim luggage and do whatever else we need to do)? Do I need to talk to someone to make sure we get into an early enough group to disembark? If so, who do I need to contact?

 

Thanks for any help you can provide. We're very excited... and I'm just trying to nail down all the final details now.[/quote

 

We’re on the same cruise!

This is our first cruise and I've searched the forum but did not find an answer.

 

We'll be cruising on the Coral Princess next week from Vancouver to Whittier. Once we're in Whittier, I've arranged a private tour, not through Princess, for our group (Anchorage highlights, and will drop us off a the airport in time for our flight home.) The tour guide said they'll meet us in the Whittier cruise terminal at 8:45am.

 

My question is: Will everyone be disembarked by then (with enough time to claim luggage and do whatever else we need to do)? Do I need to talk to someone to make sure we get into an early enough group to disembark? If so, who do I need to contact?

 

Thanks for any help you can provide. We're very excited... and I'm just trying to nail down all the final details now.

We are on the same cruise...we are booked with ACT Big Bus for the tour and transport to the airport from Whittier....

eclue:cool:

We live in Alaska, so we fly to Vancouver and then we will ride home to Sterling in a rented van with our friends. Have fun! We leave tonight to visit my cousin in Vancouver.

Bottom line--on any Princess ship, if you don't like the assignment you are given, go to passenger services desk and ask to be moved to a different group. They will just hand you the tags for the new group--very easy.

They supposedly assign groups based on the transportation info you provide, but that can be odd at times.

You can find a list of last month's disembarkation times from the Island Princess in Whittier HERE. While they probably won't be exactly the same for your ship, it should give you an idea of what the schedule might look like. Also, because most people don't have independent arrangements in Whittier, there isn't much luggage in the terminal to sort through. We found it super easy to find ours.

Hello - The disembarkation times and groups was very interesting and helpful. (I know our ship will be different, but when I saw that the ship docks at 12:30 a.m. I wondered how it would work!) So - - - Thank you.

It reminded me that I am going to be in Whittier - pretty much all day - until I reboard the ship. Technically, I am not "in transit" (I am doing a back to back, heading South on the Coral on same day) so I think they will make me get off the ship! Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions of what to do in Whittier, Any (reasonably priced!) tours? Also, has anyone been to the Whittier/Princess? Hospitality Center? What is it? What is cost to get there? Any info would be appreciated. This will be my first time in Whittier.

Patti Hanley

It reminded me that I am going to be in Whittier - pretty much all day - until I reboard the ship. Technically, I am not "in transit" (I am doing a back to back, heading South on the Coral on same day) so I think they will make me get off the ship! Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions of what to do in Whittier, Any (reasonably priced!) tours? Also, has anyone been to the Whittier/Princess? Hospitality Center? What is it? What is cost to get there? Any info would be appreciated. This will be my first time in Whittier.

Patti Hanley

If you're doing a B2B on the Coral you are in transit. You won't have to leave the ship for the day unless you want to. Typically they make sure the ship is at a 0 count so you may be asked to meet at a certain place on the ship to get your card scanned off and scanned back on. But they won't kick you off for the day.

There isn't much in Whittier. If the weather is nice you can easily walk the entire town. There are some hiking trails in the area, too. Here is a link to the Whittier port guide. There is a glacier tour during the day that leaves from right there at the terminal but it is pricey. The Hospitality center is in Anchorage. No point in going that far away unless you're really wanting to go there.

Here is a pic of Whittier so you can see the size:

One note about walk-off disembarkation: Passengers are expected to be able to handle their luggage with one hand free.

In Ft. Lauderdale, if you have a free hand, they allow you to take the escalators.

If you do not, they force you to take the elevator.

This was an issue for me when the elevators were malfunctioning.

I finally had to ride down the escalator with one bag, walk up, and then ride down with the second.

In Ft. Lauderdale, if you have a free hand, they allow you to take the escalators.

If you do not, they force you to take the elevator.

 

This was an issue for me when the elevators were malfunctioning.

 

I finally had to ride down the escalator with one bag, walk up, and then ride down with the second.

I've sometimes done the same thing as the wife doesn't want to use the escalator & the elevator is jammed if you get off a little late.

Just wanted to say thank you to everyone for information about the disembarkation process. We are just back from our cruise (had a great time). However, we did not receive the disembarkation questionnaire in our room. (We were 3 families traveling together. Apparently we were each supposed to get one, but only one of us did.) Anyway, we went to Passenger Services and asked about it and it was all taken care of easily and everything worked out fine. However, I would not have known that we should have received a questionnaire without this thread, so Thanks!