Self disembark on RCI?

[star65]

Hi, on my 1st cruise last year on carnival we were able to self disembark which was very easy. I am wondering if RCI (explorer of the seas) allows you to do this. Thanks.

[Seapup]

I think all RCI ships do.

[BobBeaSea]

In Miami last March there were two time slots for self disembarkation on our Voyager cruise.

[Love2cruisegirl]

This might be a silly question (haven't cruised in about 9 yrs) but exactly is self disembarkation? Thanks!

[negc]

This might be a silly question (haven't cruised in about 9 yrs) but exactly is self disembarkation? Thanks!

They now allow you to carry your own luggage off the ship and if you choose to do so, you are among the first to disembark. We have never been on a cruise where our luggage was small enough to maneuver by ourselves, so we are content to leave our large bags out in the hall when we retire on the last night of the cruise. :)

The new system seems to work well, but I'm afraid that eventually there will be cruisers wrestling with several oversize bags trying to maneuver through the passageways and stairwells as they attempt to disembark. Sort of the same thing you see when people carry too big bags onto an airplane and hold everyone up while they try to stuff them into the overhead compartments.

[wrp96]

On my Voyager cruise in January they had 4 self-disembark groups (called Express). They would call one express group at a time, so you had to go to the purser's desk and get tags for the express groups, that way they could control how many people were going through immigration at a time. Because so many people wanted to do express, it delayed the rest of the colors getting off.

[Love2cruisegirl]

Bill,

 

Thanks so much for the information. After a wonderful cruise, I really don't think I'll see a need to wrangle/wrestle with my luggage, pull a muscle and go home feeling lousy. I'll let them deal with all my bags.;)

[MariTenor1]

If they are going to allow the "express" disembarkation, then those people should have their own lines through imigration and not hold everyone else up.

[msts]

If they are going to allow the "express" disembarkation, then those people should have their own lines through imigration and not hold everyone else up.

 

I would agree however there are only so many who work immigration per ship and the cruise line does not control them. I do believe you have an excellent point. For those that have a flight close to 12:00 or 1:00p.m and you do not want to lug baggage will you be late getting to the airport because you are waiting for all the express to clear first.

 

Mike and Trish

[kenandlaura06]

I think we will let someone else do the work for us, then!

[negc]

On the Mariner in May, ours was the second color called (after the Express debarkation) and were still off the ship before 7:45 and at the airport in Orlando in enough time to take an earlier flight home, so in that case at least it didn't appear to delay the rest of us. If you have an early flight be sure to request tags that will get you off the ship first. :)

[MariTenor1]

Unfortunately, a lot has to do with the individual ports. While embarkation and debarkation went very smoothly out of Miami this past May, they were absolutely horrible out of Baltimore. Debarkation didn't even begin until 10:30! Obviously, the waiting room is well packed with anxious cruisers before they manage to get the last passenger off the ship from the previousl cruise. Adding "Express" debarkation in that instance would have been a nightmare!

[RDeagazio]

I did the Express Debarkation while on the Monarch last year and it worked well. They only have a limited number of "tickets" for this service so if you want to take advantage of this service, go to the Purser's desk immediately and get one. Once all the tickets are gone that's it and they DO check for these tickets when you try to leave the ship. On my cruise, I was in the Windjammer having breakfast at 6:45am when they announced that Express check out started. I raced down to my cabin, grabbed by bag and was back in my office in San Diego by 9am.. very fast and efficient.