Self disembarking easy as it sounds?

[coltsgal1]

We have a relatively early flight home after our Allure of the Seas cruise end of April and hope to walk off with our luggage as early as possible. Was wondering if this just involves going down the gangways and halls or would we have to carry up/down any steps? Our luggage is easily pushed on wheels, not so easy to have to lift. Thank you!

[nanwel]

Just use your sea pass one last time, and you are off - no stairs, just a ramp into the terminal building - we had a long line on the 17th due to customs, they had fewer than normal agents available. Took us 3/4 hour and we left at 8:10

so, plan to leave earlier just in case!

[H2Oregon]

We have used self disembarkation a few times on smaller ships than Allure and have seen the elevators totally packed and had to carry our bags down the stairs. It will probably depend on how early you are trying to get off and how many people will be using the self disembarkation.

[Eriksgarden]

It's by far as easy and hassle-free as it sounds. Just walk off and through Customs.

[PattyG12]

we used it yesterday getting off the Freedom. We did have to go down an escalator. You had to have one hand free. If you had 2 bags, they were sending you into an elevator. That line got long. It was a breeze. We left the ship at 730 and were out and through Customs by 7:40.

[edjny]

It is easy assuming you do not have too many bags of luggage to haul. Some ships will require carrying the bags up/down stair cases. What ship are you going on?

We can handle up to 4 suitcases and bags. Beyond that we will not attempt self-disembarking.

[DragonOfTheSeas]

We always do self disembark. One huge advantage is that you do not need to set out your luggage the night before or look for it in the terminal. One time the elevators were crowded and we chose to use the steps. We saw someone that had this problem ask a pax on the elevator if they could add their big bag to the elevator. [it fit but, not the person, too. Then they walked down the stairs and met the bag. Since we were walking, too we saw that they were there way before the bag--since the elevator stopped a couple of times.

 

Another trick is to take your bags to breakfast in the WJ [or take an up elevator] so you start at the top of the ship.

[coltsgal1]

We are on the April 28th Allure sailing. Arriving back on Sunday May 5th.

[slugger27nj]

We did it yesterday off Explorer with 2 large suitcases, 2 small suitcases, 1 garment bag, 1 backpack, 1 briefcase, and a crazy 3 year old (haha). It's definitely worth the challenge, and would do it again!

[Twibes]

I disembarked in 2010 from Navigator in Miami, and boy was I shocked how quick that morning went. I too was concerned about making a flight, so first thing in the morning we walked down to where the self disembarking was located at. There was a crowd of probably only 20-30 people at the time. The second the doors opened, we were off walking down the gangway.

 

Imagine my surprise when a few minutes later and through customs, we actually found ourselves the first in line for a bus or taxi outside. I still can't believe out of all those passengers we were first but, it was worth it! I ended up skipping the Royal Caribbean bus and grabbing the first taxi. We were enroute to the airport so early I called via phone during the ride and switched to the earliest flight out.

 

It's a great thing to get off early, if you have an early flight, but I couldn't judge what that process is like on Oasis or the larger ships.

[CruisinMatt]

I would like to self-disembark at about 9:30 - is that possible or do you have to go at the specified time? :confused:

 

Sailing Liberty of the Seas March 30 (Port Everglades)

[kingsgirl]

I don't know the floor plan for Allure, but we found a way around the use of the main elevators. If you can get to a set of elevators that are not being used, use those ones. You still might have to take your luggage down some stairs depending what floor you're on.

 

We used the centrum elevators on Majesty that no one else was using (probably because you have to access them midship and they only go a few decks up and down). We had to walk down a few flights first though. It definitely saved a lot of time vs. waiting for an empty elevator that never comes.

[39august]

Be prepared to carry down stairs. Usually the elevators are too crowded. On some cruises, depending on what percentage of cruisers self-debark, the lines for this can be very long.

[Tim,n,Sue]

I would like to self-disembark at about 9:30 - is that possible or do you have to go at the specified time? :confused:

 

Sailing Liberty of the Seas March 30 (Port Everglades)

 

You can self disembark at your leisure. You will have to wait in the customs line with the people who chose regular disembarkation.

[kingsgirl]

If you want to get of asap, be at the disembark location well before the first call. Probably by like 30 minutes.

[cruisin4kicks]

Be prepared to carry down stairs. Usually the elevators are too crowded. On some cruises, depending on what percentage of cruisers self-debark, the lines for this can be very long.

Just curious. What ports have stairs? We've cruised out of a lot of ports in the last few years and they all seem to have ramps and escalators. The only time we've lugged luggage up and down stairs have been at train stations in Europe.

 

Tim

[39august]

I am referring to stairs on the ship! You have to get from your cabin down (or up)to the debarkation deck.

[JMG]

Another trick is to take your bags to breakfast in the WJ [or take an up elevator] so you start at the top of the ship.

 

This does not always work. On Explorer yesterday the elevators were loaded by people on the way up, they stayed on the elevator for the ride down. Elevators went up and down past our deck and were filled to capacity...but the elevator stopped several times, opened, and further delayed the process.

[slugger27nj]

If doing the express disembarking, request it early as they do it by groups (A, B, C, etc.). We had group B on Explorer yesterday which was 8:30 - 9am. They started early, and we were actually through customs and driving home by 8:30.

[cruisin4kicks]

I am referring to stairs on the ship! You have to get from your cabin down (or up)to the debarkation deck.

Got it. Sorry for the confusion. I know that can be an issue. We've been lucky enough recently that our waiting area was on the same deck as the outer deck where you disembark. We've also been unlucky enough in the past that you have to lug the luggage down 3 or 4 flights of steps to disembark. Have never had a problem taking the elevator to the waiting area though.

 

Tim

[wrp96]

Just curious. What ports have stairs? We've cruised out of a lot of ports in the last few years and they all seem to have ramps and escalators. The only time we've lugged luggage up and down stairs have been at train stations in Europe.

 

At the end of my Jewel TA in Boston a few years ago, only one ship could fit at the good terminal (not us), so our gangplank was quite steep. We set ourselves up in the Champagne View with a view of the gangplank. The gangplank was so steep that unless you could physically carry your all your bags with one hand and hold onto the rail with the other, you were going to have an extremely hard time of it. Unfortunately we saw people who had no business doing self-disembark at easier ports attempt it here (and I mean people with canes, walker, etc). We saw multiple people trip, fall, lose control of their bags and have them go flying down the gangplank and off the end, etc.

 

Is this typical of many of the ports? No, but it's best not to assume that just because it was easy at Ft. Lauderdale, for example, that it will be easy at every port.

[chellecruise12]

We are on the April 28th Allure sailing. Arriving back on Sunday May 5th.

 

I just had to comment since I see you are from Indiana also..Our family is on the nxt sailing right after you on May 5th..lol Have a great time! It helps knowing we will be on in 41 days dealing with all the snow we have had..

[molly361]

On the Allure/Oasis it is as easy as it sounds. On other ships we have found it very easy to very hard.

[coltsgal1]

Does anyone know the deck disembarkation would be on the Allure. We are on deck 11 and would need to get there.

[coltsgal1]

We are so ready to sail, had enough of this snow