Does Princess have expedited departure at end of cruise?

[Lazz]

This is our first Princess Cruise and we are disembarking at the Port of Vancouver.  When disembarking from other cruise lines at US ports, we have always taken advantage of expedited departure where we carried our own luggage and walked off the ship first.  Does Princess have this option?  Thanks.

Edited November 27, 2022 by Lazz

[MissP22]

Yes they do. 

[sabreline]

8 minutes ago, Lazz said:

This is our first Princess Cruise and we are disembarking at the Port of Vancouver.  When disembarking from other cruise lines at US ports, we have always taken advantage of expedited departure where we carried our own luggage and walked off the ship first.  Does Princess have this option?  Thanks.

Yes, Princess does. We were in the first group to disembark at Port Everglades on Wednesday. Met in Island Dining room at 7:30 and were in our car in the parking deck by 8.

[Buckeye10640]

2 hours ago, Lazz said:

This is our first Princess Cruise and we are disembarking at the Port of Vancouver.  When disembarking from other cruise lines at US ports, we have always taken advantage of expedited departure where we carried our own luggage and walked off the ship first.  Does Princess have this option?  Thanks.

Yes. We did this in Vancouver earlier this year and were way ahead of the crowds on the train and at the airport. 

[disneyochem]

Yes, but please make sure that you can truly self-embarkation.  Princess will provide no assistance in getting off the ship.  We have seen folks in scooters, wheelchairs and walkers who try to use this service and are upset (sometimes very vocally!) when they aren’t provided assistance.  
 
 

[Steelers36]

9 minutes ago, disneyochem said:

Yes, but please make sure that you can truly self-embarkation.  Princess will provide no assistance in getting off the ship.  We have seen folks in scooters, wheelchairs and walkers who try to use this service and are upset (sometimes very vocally!) when they aren’t provided assistance.  
 
 

I will just add that Princess is pretty clear about this process on the ships - that guests need to be able to self-disembark if using this option.  Otherwise, get an early option with assistance.

[disneyochem]

4 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

I will just add that Princess is pretty clear about this process on the ships - that guests need to be able to self-disembark if using this option.  Otherwise, get an early option with assistance.

Yes, I agree.

 

BUT, in my experience (granted only 15 Princess cruises), there has always been a least one group who didn’t get the memo!  Just off HAL yesterday—people in scooters, walkers trying to self-disembark and getting very upset when they couldn’t navigate the stairs.  HAL was pretty clear as well about the procedures.

[donaldsc]

3 hours ago, disneyochem said:

Yes, I agree.

 

BUT, in my experience (granted only 15 Princess cruises), there has always been a least one group who didn’t get the memo!  Just off HAL yesterday—people in scooters, walkers trying to self-disembark and getting very upset when they couldn’t navigate the stairs.  HAL was pretty clear as well about the procedures.

 

deleted

Edited November 27, 2022 by donaldsc

[avonlady6390]

If you need off fast to get to the airport I would suggest finding out the day before what deck you will be leaving from usually it's mid ship and get in line early my last cruise on the discovery princess last month already had a long line.

[sunsetme]

what deck does Discovery depart from in San Pedro?

[CruisingFromLA]

Anyone know which deck is debarkation on for the Emerald Princess out of Fort Lauderdale? And if we are supposed to arrive at 7am, what time should I start lining up?

[avonlady6390]

42 minutes ago, sunsetme said:

what deck does Discovery depart from in San Pedro?

If you're asking for disembark it was deck 6  midshipmen in order to do self disembark you have to go down an escalator or use the elevator with all your luggage but it was quick and customs was facial recognition.  I believe also there was to decks to leave from but I can't remember if it was 5 or 7.

[Honolulu Blue]

22 minutes ago, CruisingFromLA said:

Anyone know which deck is debarkation on for the Emerald Princess out of Fort Lauderdale? And if we are supposed to arrive at 7am, what time should I start lining up?

Annoyance #362 about other cruisers is people who head down to disembark and line up contrary to the rules.  PLEASE DON'T DO THIS.  Every ship I've been on (Princess or not) has explicit instructions on where to go to wait to disembark.  It can vary based on status, plans to self-assist, whether you have an excursion, and some other things.  If the time of departure has to vary for whatever reason, they'll make announcements, and if it affects where and when the meeting locations are, they'll mention that too.

[CruisingFromLA]

8 minutes ago, Honolulu Blue said:

Annoyance #362 about other cruisers is people who head down to disembark and line up contrary to the rules.  PLEASE DON'T DO THIS.  Every ship I've been on (Princess or not) has explicit instructions on where to go to wait to disembark.  It can vary based on status, plans to self-assist, whether you have an excursion, and some other things.  If the time of departure has to vary for whatever reason, they'll make announcements, and if it affects where and when the meeting locations are, they'll mention that too.

 

Never cruised on Princess before, so I have no idea what the protocols are. The only line I have been on is Carnival and they just call your deck number for self-assist debarkation and tell you to head straight to the gangway. 

[sirclean]

Just back from LA...

IF you want to walk off, you can.  Should you?  I dont know. My luggage is usually heavier (or rather bulkier) than I would want to comfortably want to lug around.

 

When you register, you provide the with your travel plans. IF you are getting a ride to the airport from them (some ports it is required -  You wont find a faster/cheaper route back from Whittier/Anchorage- some it is a waste (Ft. Lauderdale, where a cab is cheaper and faster), others a convenience (Vancouver has a nearby train to the airport, but you have to lug your bags a block or 2 uphill (both ways!) and then deal with them on a train).

 

Anyway, they will get you off the boat in time to catch your plane.  You are given colored/numbered tags for your bags.  You put your bags out the final night by 10.

 

The next day you get breakfast and make your way to the lounge they send you to  (like the Princess Theater, or one of the large bars).  You wait for your group to be called and they take you to the exit.  They stagger this so that there is not a huge back up at Customs, and so that the bags can be offloaded and grouped better.

 

In the end it is your call, but it is not a terrible experience to wait to get off the ship.

 

 

That said.... One of the benefits of Platinum status (after your 5th cruise) is that you can use the Platinum/Elite departure lounge.  They provide coffee and not great danish and you wait in nicer seats.  (and anyone in a group with even 1 platinum member can go with them to the lounge!)

 

You are on vacation, dont rush ending it just to get off the ship!  Let them carry the bags as far as they can so you dont have to!