Disembark Self Assist options

[Sun Lakes Cruiser]

I understand that self assist can get you off the ship really early. However can we use this option and then just meld into later groups that are being called. Family is picking us up so would like to make sure we can give them a specific time and be sure of getting off fairly close to that time I.e. 10 am? They have to drive a fair distance to pick us up. Galveston is our port and it seems they have issues.

[cb at sea]

Yes, you can...but why not just let your bags get taken off and leave in the last group?? So much easier! You will need to be OUT of your cabin by 8am....so you'll have to keep all your stuff with you, sitting around in some public area...

[tomko2]

Totally agree with CB. Let your bags get taken off by RCL rather than lugging them yourself. Most people do not realize you have to take your luggage down stairs. When you fill in your Sea Pass information prior to your cruise you will be asking what time you expect to get picked up (take a plane, etc.) and you will get a luggage tag for departure based on that information.

Hope this helps.

Kathy

[Biker19]

However can we use this option and then just meld into later groups that are being called.

 

You can walk off whenever you want.

[spookwife]

I understand that self assist can get you off the ship really early. However can we use this option and then just meld into later groups that are being called. Family is picking us up so would like to make sure we can give them a specific time and be sure of getting off fairly close to that time I.e. 10 am? They have to drive a fair distance to pick us up. Galveston is our port and it seems they have issues.

 

you do that and you will get stuck in Customs. and yes Galveston can take forever to get through Customs. by getting off at the first call, you will be in the front end of the crowd, before things get backed up.

 

we typically sail Suites so get off as soon as the self disembark line has exited the ship. we tend to be in the front( first or second elevator trip down) and have still had 1 hour waits at G to get through Customs and that is with us finding our luggage almost immediately.

[MrsPete]

Yes, you can...but why not just let your bags get taken off and leave in the last group?? So much easier!

Totally agree with CB. Let your bags get taken off by RCL rather than lugging them yourself. Most people do not realize you have to take your luggage down stairs.

I disagree. With wheeled luggage, "lugging" isn't really necessary -- especially if you've packed wisely and have only one small-to-medium sized suitcase. You can speed things up by taking the stairs, but you also have the option of waiting for the elevator.

 

On the other hand, if you let the staff take your luggage off the ship for you, you face a couple negatives:

- You have to leave your luggage outside by a certain time on the last night of the cruise. While theft is not common, it's also not unheard of.

- You're not free to walk off at your leisure; rather, you have to adhere to whatever time frame seemed right to you days ago.

- You have to search out your luggage in a big pile of other people's stuff. You can make this easier by making your luggage more identifiable, but the time frame for your luggage's arrival in the terminal is always an estimate.

- If you place yourself in the large group waiting for luggage, you always end up in a crowd ... meaning you wait longer to go through Customs.

 

We have found self-disembarkation very easy, and every time we cruise we seem to see more and more people doing it. We've always left as early as possible, and our time from stepping off the ship to opening the car door tends to be 15-20 minutes.

[mollyeilis]

I disagree. With wheeled luggage, "lugging" isn't really necessary -- especially if you've packed wisely and have only one small-to-medium sized suitcase. You can speed things up by taking the stairs, but you also have the option of waiting for the elevator.

 

....

We have found self-disembarkation very easy, and every time we cruise we seem to see more and more people doing it. We've always left as early as possible, and our time from stepping off the ship to opening the car door tends to be 15-20 minutes.

 

I don't consider packing wisely to be the opposite of having more than one bag. Packing wisely means bringing what you need and sometimes want, using those things, and being able to deal with the luggage.

 

When we did walkoff from Vision we were absolutely positively NOT allowed to use the elevators.

 

And it certainly didn't take us that short of a time. Now, we were in Fort Lauderdale, so maybe it's different in Galveston, but THAT different?

 

 

And the more people who do walkoff, the longer time it's going to take...

[riclop]

With Galveston you never know, it's the worst.