Getaway / PoM disembark strategy

[adjensen]

Does anyone have any other recent disembark info?

 

We always carry our stuff on the ship and get off as soon as possible, because we have to drive back to Daytona. On the Breakaway last Sunday, my beef was having to walk through the entirety of Deck 7 to get off -- we used the forward elevator (hint: press the "Up" button to get an empty elevator, ride it up to 15 or wherever, then back down to 7) and had to drag our luggage all the way to the back of the ship and then all the way back to where we started from, which was totally unnecessary that early in the disembarkation. They only had one person at the disembarkation station, even though they had two card readers.

 

Customs took all of five seconds.

[perditax]

We always carry our stuff on the ship and get off as soon as possible, because we have to drive back to Daytona. On the Breakaway last Sunday, my beef was having to walk through the entirety of Deck 7 to get off -- we used the forward elevator (hint: press the "Up" button to get an empty elevator, ride it up to 15 or wherever, then back down to 7) and had to drag our luggage all the way to the back of the ship and then all the way back to where we started from, which was totally unnecessary that early in the disembarkation. They only had one person at the disembarkation station, even though they had two card readers.

 

Customs took all of five seconds.

 

Do you mean the Breakaway or the Getaway?

[adjensen]

Do you mean the Breakaway or the Getaway?

 

Getaway, sorry. I was looking at cruise on the Breakaway earlier this afternoon :)

[perditax]

Getaway, sorry. I was looking at cruise on the Breakaway earlier this afternoon :)

 

Ah, ok, thanks (I thought so when you mentioned driving to Daytona). Do you mean you just had to walk the whole roped off deck 7 area, but the lines didn't actually reach that long at that time?

 

That's part of what I'm trying to strategize--which areas I can actually get to when they're trying to herd everyone and have some things blocked off.

 

(I'm the OP. I now officially have a late-ish flight and I don't care about getting off the ship early. I also don't want to stand in line for 1-2 hours. I also don't want to be in the crew's way. I want to grab a quick breakfast in the buffet and then park myself, one suitcase and a book somewhere that is air-conditioned while the chaos clears out. Maybe I'll ask my steward or someone on the ship if they have any advice, they should have the freshest info on how disembark has been going.)

 

(Edited to add: if you think I'm worrying too much, go read the most recent reviews on the GA and note that almost every one of them, going back a month or so, mentions an absolutely hellish disembark, even the positive reviews.)

[dixieagle]

This information is so helpful. We're on the June 3 Getaway Baltic cruise, and I am SO happy we didn't book a same-day flight.

 

I think we'll just plan to wait out the mad rush to get off the ship in Copenhagen (unless we end up getting an upgrade to the Haven and get streamlined disembarkation.) We're heading to a hotel and have no real time constraints; anything is better than waiting in an interminable line.

[zqvol]

I'm thinking of a last minute trip on GA next month, and reading some recent reviews reminded me that my last two disembarks last year (GA and Escape) were pretty ugly, with lines snaking through the whole ship and trapping people and their luggage on elevators. I didn't have this problem on my first GA cruise in 2015, and I'm wondering if it's because I slept too late on the next two.

 

So: given that I'm self disembarking, where and how early should I be to avoid the long lines?

 

Alternately ... if I decide to hang out on board and wait it out, maybe at a table in the buffet, when do the lines start to clear? 9:30 ish?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

If you are going to do self walk off you need to be in line by 7:00. If you are going to wait until later, put your luggage out the night before.

 

A large part of the problem with disembarkation is that many people use self assist as the colors are being called which means that people are dragging lots of luggage around and clogging up the system.

[zqvol]

I agree. Stay on the ship as long as you can & let them bring your luggage to shore. Being among the last to get off the ship means it's easier to find your luggage. No long lineup to get off the ship but there is still likely a lineup at customs but that can't be helped.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Since they have done away with the customs form if you don't have anything to declare (at least in Miami) immigration is really fast. Lately the delays on the Getaway have all been on the ship. They don't have enough people manning the check out kiosks.

[TravelingAPor]

I have a noontime flight and I'm worried about getting to the airport in time because the debarkation is so horrible on the Getaway. Why isn't NCL doing anything to fix the problem?

[perditax]

I have a noontime flight and I'm worried about getting to the airport in time because the debarkation is so horrible on the Getaway. Why isn't NCL doing anything to fix the problem?

 

If I'm being honest, that's part of why I'm keeping this thread bumped. It seems kind of specific to this ship (although Escape was kind of bad for me too). You wouldn't believe how many recent "nightmare disembark" reviews I've read ahead of my upcoming (3rd) GA cruise. A higher-up needs to take notice.

 

(Honest question for everyone as a relatively new cruiser ... if it's pax insisting on disembarking outside their window that's causing part of the problem ... is this a new phenomenon? I notice people in general seem angrier, pushier, and me-me-me-er when I'm traveling in the last year or so.)

[4cats4me]

We disembarked our Princess cruise in Ft Lauderdale on March 12, then checked in to our hotel. While waiting for our room to become available I met another couple who also were waiting for their room, and they shared with me that they had just disembarked the Norwegian ship in Miami, and she told us they had had a horrible disembarkation experience. She kept repeating how awful it was. I never got any details, but I now have a much clearer picture. Self disembark is so orderly on Celebrity, Royal and Princess. What is the problem with Norwegian? On Princess they have several self disembark group spaced apart at intervals. Do they lump everyone in one big group on Norwegian?

On Celebrity, we lined up earlier than the allotted time, but once disembarkation commenced it ran smoothly

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[tartan cruiser]

We were on the Getaway 1/15 - 1/22 2017 and it was the worst disembarkation ever. I would have thought by now NCL would have addressed this issue. It's a NCL problem. I thought for sure a few fights were going to break out. A lot of stressed out people worrying about missing their flight and not one officer or authority person around. The topper was the cruise director and other officers on the gangway with big smiles on their faces seemingly oblivious to the LONG lines of passenger trying to disembark. I'm trying to plan a family cruise on the Getaway but will not book until I know they have fixed this issue. Won't go through that again. It was that bad.

[TravelingAPor]

I was on another thread, where the OP was posting about his Getaway Cruise and he bit my head off concerning the Disembarkation on the Getaway. "We've been on the Getaway 3 times. We've always used early walk off. It's never taken us more than 45 minutes from cabin to cab. It's not a Getaway problem. You'll here the same thing about NYC. They don't own the ports."

Three times and it went smoothly, so he says!

[42CruiseCrazy]

We were on the Getaway 1/15 - 1/22 2017 and it was the worst disembarkation ever. I would have thought by now NCL would have addressed this issue. It's a NCL problem. I thought for sure a few fights were going to break out. A lot of stressed out people worrying about missing their flight and not one officer or authority person around. The topper was the cruise director and other officers on the gangway with big smiles on their faces seemingly oblivious to the LONG lines of passenger trying to disembark. I'm trying to plan a family cruise on the Getaway but will not book until I know they have fixed this issue. Won't go through that again. It was that bad.

 

 

It's a very big ship and of course everybody can't get off at once. Been on the Breakaway several times (same size ship) and don't find it that bad. You should definitely let NCL know of your experience so they can fix those problems on the Getaway.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[perditax]

I was on another thread, where the OP was posting about his Getaway Cruise and he bit my head off concerning the Disembarkation on the Getaway. "We've been on the Getaway 3 times. We've always used early walk off. It's never taken us more than 45 minutes from cabin to cab. It's not a Getaway problem. You'll here the same thing about NYC. They don't own the ports."

Three times and it went smoothly, so he says!

 

For what it's worth, I saw that post and advised the person to read some recent reviews. :)

[TravelingAPor]

Thank you! I was just reporting what I read.

However, it may get better in Europe. Maybe it was just the Port of Miami.

[tartan cruiser]

I have contacted NCL and they said they are aware of the problem. Do you think contacting Andy Stuart's office would help? The problem is the elevators and stairs empty right into the line to disembark. They totally abandon the color system and let anyone disembark at any time. It's total chaos. Have sailed Princess (3500 passengers) and Celebrity( 2800 passengers) in February. Self disembark was cleared before any colors were allowed to disembark .Also had waiting areas. Ran as smooth as could be. Yes Getaway is a big ship but with a little organization from the top it wouldn't have to be this bad. Seems no one in management cares since this has been a constant issue. We had a good time on Getaway but the final impression of disembarking is what sticks most in my mind.

[42CruiseCrazy]

You are right, Tartan. It can always be done better. Making suggestions from the passenger's point of view will help NCL Getaway CD & crew do a better job.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[perditax]

I have contacted NCL and they said they are aware of the problem. Do you think contacting Andy Stuart's office would help? The problem is the elevators and stairs empty right into the line to disembark. They totally abandon the color system and let anyone disembark at any time. It's total chaos. Have sailed Princess (3500 passengers) and Celebrity( 2800 passengers) in February. Self disembark was cleared before any colors were allowed to disembark .Also had waiting areas. Ran as smooth as could be. Yes Getaway is a big ship but with a little organization from the top it wouldn't have to be this bad. Seems no one in management cares since this has been a constant issue. We had a good time on Getaway but the final impression of disembarking is what sticks most in my mind.

 

I also want to reiterate (not sure I've said so in this thread; probably) but the GA didn't have this problem when I first sailed her in 2015, so it's not the size of the ship or the POM (most people are reporting that once they are checked off the ship everything is fine).

[TravelingAPor]

I hope the person that missed their NCL transportation bus, made a loud complaint, when she asks for her refund of the transportation fee. They ended up taking a taxi to the airport because they couldn't wait for the next bus. NCL knew she had an early flight but getting off was so horrendous, they just couldn't get off the Getaway, in time.

[42CruiseCrazy]

I hope the person that missed their NCL transportation bus, made a loud complaint, when she asks for her refund of the transportation fee. They ended up taking a taxi to the airport because they couldn't wait for the next bus. NCL knew she had an early flight but getting off was so horrendous, they just couldn't get off the Getaway, in time.

 

 

NCL should make good on the refund and / or provide reimbursement for the taxi. However the moral of the story is not to book an early flight if it can be avoided.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[perditax]

NCL should make good on the refund and / or provide reimbursement for the taxi. However the moral of the story is not to book an early flight if it can be avoided.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

If it's the same person I'm thinking of (I think it was another thread) they had a flight around noon and were using NCL's own transportation. So it might have been too early for the very conservative, but it wasn't too early for the cruise line.

[TravelingAPor]

I think we have an early flight because someone plans on going back to work, the next day.

[TravelingAPor]

If it's the same person I'm thinking of (I think it was another thread) they had a flight around noon and were using NCL's own transportation. So it might have been too early for the very conservative, but it wasn't too early for the cruise line.

Yes, I think we saw the same thread. We seem to visit the same threads. :)

I have an early flight because someone in our group, plans on going to work the next day. It would have been nice to see Copenhagen. Our dilemma now, is whether to take a taxi from the port to the airport, or rely on NCL transportation. And it ain't cheap!

[Meg67]

Yes, I think we saw the same thread. We seem to visit the same threads. :)

I have an early flight because someone in our group, plans on going to work the next day. It would have been nice to see Copenhagen. Our dilemma now, is whether to take a taxi from the port to the airport, or rely on NCL transportation. And it ain't cheap![/quote

I believe you're on the same sailing as myself.

Hopefully by then, someone will have posted what the disembarkation is like in Copenhagen.

Personally, I would pay for an NCL transfer as it would cause me too much stress worrying that there wouldn't be a taxi available😎

[TravelingAPor]

Hi Meg, Yes, I've seen you on the Roll Call thread. I was told the Getaway problem may be just for Miami and hopefully the disembarkation from Copenhagen should be better. I'm being optimistic because we still have an early flight.