On BA now ... Easy walk off.... What a joke

[mking8288]

We've sailed the BA twice ... and the Easy Walk-Off program is not really designed for pax with special needs, especially in wheelchairs & motorized scouters, or similar mobility issues. As others noted with OP's amended info, wheelchair assistance & "attendants" are generally available after the completion of the "Easy" Walk-Off, beginning with the calling of the color luggage system - as it's written in the guide distributed to all pax in their cabin, at the beginning of the cruise, that some of that is due to CBP regulations & labor matters in the terminal.

 

In brief, pax who wished to take advantage of the Walk-Off must take all of their luggage themselves, and, those needing special assistance - are given info & instructions to meet at a designated place on the morning, and wait for crew members to become available. It's a little different than embarkation morning, where those with special needs are given priority in boarding first ahead of most guests, assuming one arrived early enough & completed the check-in and wait in the designated area with the zone # card, etc. (true for NYC sailings ... not going to generalize this for other ports / terminals)

 

Despite the hundreds of pax using the program, crew members are extremely busy on port turnaround days, unloading & transferring easily 10,000 pc. of luggage - onto the pier and then reversing the steps with another 10,000 pc. coming onboard, while others are busy cleaning the staterooms - as dining room crews & others are pressed into extra duties to make everything happen.

 

Could OP clarify whether it's a shortage of assistance, delays and/or other particulars in being dissatisfied with the process. Being frustrated is not a joke and I get that, and hopefully, Miami HQ can address any valid issues for others sailing in the future, if the process & steps can/should be re-evaluated for enhancement. NCL is generally good in looking after the special needs of its pax - and, we've stood in lines behind others being helped in wheelchairs in the boarding process.

Edited November 1, 2015 by mking8288

[NLH Arizona]

By the way did I forget to mention my husband and I were traveling with two disabled people... One in a wheelchair and the other in a scooter...the problem also was no crew assisting....took us THREE HOURS to disembark....no matter what I don't think this is acceptable.

Had you asked for crew assistance? Was it that the crew wouldn't help pushing the wheelchair or would they not help with the luggage?

[gwsster]

Doesn't sound like utter chaos at all, just some rude, non-direction following passengers. I have walked off the breakaway twice and never had any issues other than having to wait in line.

 

My point was that folks that can't follow directions clog the disembarking process.

[Vyhanek]

The best way to avoid all that nightmare is to be at the very front of the line. As disembarkation progresses there are more issues with people jamming the elevators, the lines get longer and slower with each passing minute!

 

So to self assist off the ship gets you in the front of that line.

 

Let everyone who wants to take their own sweet time get in line whenever they want. If they want to stand in line for 45 minutes....you know so they can take their time and leisurely disembark then by all means please do that.

 

I find nothing leisurely or relaxing or pleasant about that last morning. My goal is to be at the front of the line because I hate the whole process.

[Tura Lura]

The horror? :eek:

 

We have always done easier walk off.......and it was always and easy walk off with one exception and that was Tampa. Customs did not have enough people working.

 

We down the elevator (early) around 7:15-7:30 and get in line. The three times in NYC we were off the ship and driving away by 8:15am

 

Same here. Getting off the Breakaway was easy, just rolled my suitcase down and out. Customs took no time. Some people just like to complain.

[mjkacmom]

Same here. Getting off the Breakaway was easy, just rolled my suitcase down and out. Customs took no time. Some people just like to complain.

 

We walked easil ft the Breakaway, as well. On our previous Jewel cruise, when there were issues in customs, we were ready to all off at 7:15, got through customs at 10:45, and spent much of that time freezing on an outer deck, with absolutely no communication from the crew. And yes, people were definitely complaining!

 

Just because you didn't have a bad experience doesn't mean others didn't.

[Qwerty731]

I got off the breakaway this morning & it was chaos in there. The staircases were packed & no one could get through anywhere. It didn't help when customs put a hold on people coming off the ship!

[brian99]

I was on BA this morning as well and can say it was quite hectic. Customs was supposed to clear the ship by 8am but we didn't start getting off until 8:25. This led to hundreds of people waiting with no organization at all.

 

Once they started letting people off everything went smoothly from what I saw. There was no line for customs and I was in my car before 9am.

[RuthlessBoss]

By the way did I forget to mention my husband and I were traveling with two disabled people... One in a wheelchair and the other in a scooter...the problem also was no crew assisting....took us THREE HOURS to disembark....no matter what I don't think this is acceptable.

 

No crew assisting? Really? Don't forget easy walk off are for people carrying their own luggage and not needing any other assist. There likely was crew there, but out of sight with someone else. The rest of the crew was likely working their asses off with cabin changeover for another batch of 4,000 people wanting to board.

[Tura Lura]

Why would you do easy walk off if you needed assistance? The whole point is for folks who don't need help to take their own bags off and go with no help.

[Gershep]

What deck do you disembark from on the Breakaway? (I don't remember from our last BA cruise) We didn't have problems on the Breakaway but our Gem cruise was very disorganized.

[jaja]

so sorry for the hectic end to your cruise...while I am sure fellow PAX were a big problem as others have said...NCL should have had crew to assist you..

 

No crew assisting? Really? Don't forget easy walk off are for people carrying their own luggage and not needing any other assist. There likely was crew there, but out of sight with someone else. The rest of the crew was likely working their asses off with cabin changeover for another batch of 4,000 people wanting to board.

 

thanks for clarifying...I did not know easy walk off was not for people needing assistance...good to know.....

[maywell]

What deck do you disembark from on the Breakaway? (I don't remember from our last BA cruise) We didn't have problems on the Breakaway but our Gem cruise was very disorganized.

 

If I remember correctly, it deck 7 by the bowling alley - its both the embark and disembark point.

[Gershep]

If I remember correctly, it deck 7 by the bowling alley - its both the embark and disembark point.

 

Thanks, I thought it was 7 but couldn't remember exactly where.

[executive2]

Just off the Breakaway today. As a gold member had yellow disembark tags. Was supposed to get off around 9:00, and it was after 10:00 when we disembarked. Total chaos.

Those who chose walk off waited in line for 1 1/2 hours.

[cb at sea]

I was on the Breakaway 10-4 to 10-11 & was a Suite/Haven guest -I paid for an easier way to embark/disembark & never got it. Embarking consisted of being taken with 40+ other Suite guests onto elevators (of course not everyone can get on just one elevator) to the Haven restaurant. But no one waited by the elevators for the rest of the guests to show us where to go. Many just walked away to their cabins.

 

Getting off the ship was worse. Get on an elevator & the Concierge points to a door to walk out of. The line of passengers waiting to get off was enormous. No signage for the 'priority' service I paid for. Finally found a crew member who said -stay to the right for Haven guests. Thankfully we were able to bypass most if the line. A sign near our exit telling Haven to 'stay to the right' would have been nice.

 

It was chaos & uncalled for. No one seemed to know where to go & there weren't many employees directing passengers.

 

This Haven experience & paying for services I didn't receive throughout the cruise caused me for the first time not to place a deposit on another.

 

I do hope you enjoyed your cruise -although getting off the ship caused you some trouble.

 

 

Yes...walk off is for those who CAN WALK OFF...that's the whole point...to get the faster folks out of your way.

 

As far as paying to be "escorted" TO your cabin....jeez...how hard is it to find the room you booked??? Surely, you looked at the deck plans when booking....it's pretty self-explanatory....

[brian99]

What deck do you disembark from on the Breakaway? (I don't remember from our last BA cruise) We didn't have problems on the Breakaway but our Gem cruise was very disorganized.

 

You disembark from deck 7, both aft and forward.

[NLH Arizona]

Yes...walk off is for those who CAN WALK OFF...that's the whole point...to get the faster folks out of your way.

 

As far as paying to be "escorted" TO your cabin....jeez...how hard is it to find the room you booked??? Surely, you looked at the deck plans when booking....it's pretty self-explanatory....

The poster was in a suite and that is part of the perks you get for booking a suite. You are checked in separately and then escorted onto the ship and taken to the Haven restaurant for a lunch. Getting off the ship, suite passengers are usually asked to assemble in a location and then the Concierge escorts them to the disembarkation location on the ship. They are usually the first group to disembark right after the easy off passengers. Edited November 2, 2015 by NLH Arizona

[Moby0215]

Just off the Breakaway today. As a gold member had yellow disembark tags. Was supposed to get off around 9:00, and it was after 10:00 when we disembarked. Total chaos.

 

Those who chose walk off waited in line for 1 1/2 hours.

 

 

Being late and/or waiting in line does not equal chaos. Chaos would be people yelling, screaming, fighting etc. people need to just relax and not be in such a rush.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Edited November 2, 2015 by Moby0215

[darlene62]

Being late and/or waiting in line does not equal chaos. Chaos would be people yelling, screaming, fighting etc. people need to just relax and not be in such a rush.

 

 

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This was my first NCL cruise, my companion was on Breakaway 6 months ago with no issues with disembark. Today was chaos, no direction. We were scheduled to get off at 9. We started our journey to deck 7 at 8:30 and twice were turned away at deck 7 and even 6 because no room, staircases were filled with people standing in line or just waiting to attempt to get to where they need to disembark. 45 minutes later we able to get to deck 7 but ended up at 0sheens (spelling?) because at that point i was in a lot of pain, had injured my knee earlier. The line wrapped around the end of casino. Customs did stop all disembarking for time because of all the crowding. The NCL staff was almost non existent but the the few I had run into were very helpful when they could be to help me. This was really beyond the front line staff control. My opinion only is NCL totally unprepared for this particular disembark. After a very long wait we arrived to port to pick up luggage. Now I have taken 6 NYC cruises and never had issues getting a porter and thru customs......OMG no such luck today.....total mad house.....but this time of standing in line was in so much pain could hardly walk....again so many random acts of kindness by others. Longshoreman unusually slow not sure why....they were working hard. finally got to my waiting bus at 11:30. We had to wait another hour on bus to rest of passengers to get to bus. So yes there was chaos.....people were very angry..but because no fist fights doesn't make it not chaotic. Although was a horrible disembark I have to say there were some angels from NCL. longshoremen and even customs who noticed my pain and tried to help me. I thanked profusely but wish I could have done more to recognize them.

[trish1c]

I have never seen NCL get disembarkation right. It's always a mess & NYC is the worst. Everybody wants to be 1st off & it's chaos. We even disembarked from the Garden Villa & it was still congested.

 

Other cruise lines do a much better job, IMO.

 

However, our secret has always been to be last. We have breakfast then find a comfy spot to sit & wait. We all have books or at least something to read. When practically everybody else is off, we stroll off, find our luggage because the hanger is empty, & breeze through customs.

 

Last year on Epic we sat on the couches in Maltings looking down on all the people jostling & generally being annoyed. When the line disappeared, we headed out. Very simple. No stress.

[nyrfurby33]

The issue was do to customs not the boat. as we were waiting there where multiple PA announcements that stated that do to under staffing Customs was getting backed up and asked us to stop disembarking. As much as it caused a back up that is out of the control of the boat and just required a bit of patience. First time on this boat was an amazing vacation

[karoo]

I have never seen NCL get disembarkation right. It's always a mess & NYC is the worst. Everybody wants to be 1st off & it's chaos. We even disembarked from the Garden Villa & it was still congested.

 

 

 

Other cruise lines do a much better job, IMO.

 

 

 

However, our secret has always been to be last. We have breakfast then find a comfy spot to sit & wait. We all have books or at least something to read. When practically everybody else is off, we stroll off, find our luggage because the hanger is empty, & breeze through customs.

 

 

 

Last year on Epic we sat on the couches in Maltings looking down on all the people jostling & generally being annoyed. When the line disappeared, we headed out. Very simple. No stress.

 

 

It works really well in Europe! You just walk straight off. Quick and efficient. US - chaos as getting through customs is always so slow.

[Wavesprite]

Don't they usually announce when people can start disembarking? Even if they are self - disembark? I'm curious why people would que up in the halls and stairways if it wasn't even announced that they could start to disembark. I've only been on about 10 cruises, but each time the customs was the hold up when we had late disembarkation start....

 

Also, I would agree, that folks on scooters are wheelchairs should NEVER be included in self disembarkation. It is for the people that need absolutely NO help from anyone.

[khaide612]

Early walk off is for people who do not need assistance. YOU walk off with YOUR luggage. If you need help with luggage, you put it out the night before and retrieve at pier. Other passengers stated that there were announcements regarding Customs stopping the disembarkation process. This causes delays to the walk off people & then there are non-walk offs who decide they can go now as it should be their turn.

 

Whether or not I travel in a suite, I take my time, have a long breakfast & then by the time all the lines are done. I exit the ship with no lines or stress.