Embarkation Day Process and Disembarkation

[smheese]

Good morning, It's been a very long time since we've cruised and we've only ever done Disney before. Cruising on Oasis in a couple of weeks and wanted to hear how embarkation day works? After check in, what/how soon will we have room access? When will our luggage arrive to our room? 

 

How/when are we informed of our disembarkation time and how does that work? Does the luggage go outside the door the night before? 

 

How smooth or chopping generally speaking is the RC process for these things? Thank you!

[knittinggirl]

Most of our embarkation experiences are pre-pandemic.    If things are going well for the crew, we were allowed into our cabins at 1 pm.   We got lost on our way to the port, and we almost missed the ship.    During the pandemic, check-in via app, was done the night before and we presented our sea pass forms.   I had printed out two seapass forms for DH and none for me, but the agent printed one out for me.    No more paper health forms, these had to be done online.   We got onto the ship in a wheelchair, and they pushed me to the lifeboat station.   I had watched the safety video the night before.  So, it was the easiest safety drill we have ever had!   I hope they keep it.

 

Disembarkation is hard to talk about, since Diamond Plus.  So it may not be the same as yours.    Mid-week, we're sent a questionnaire.   We're given luggage tags, and the luggage goes out the night before.    They each have a number, and I put at least two tags on each bag.   They tell us which place to wait, and they call out the tag numbers.    They also display the tags on a computer monitor.

 

Hope this helps!

 

 

Edited March 21, 2023 by knittinggirl

[dna1990]

Normally, 1pm the cabins will be ready and doors opened for access.  Normally, luggage arrives between 1-5pm.

 

If the previous sailing had any health issues, or there are some odd mechanical repairs needed, or the ship is due for any inspections - the 1pm time can get pushed back some.

If there are any port issues, unusual weather, unusual clearing of last sailing, unusual customs issues - the luggage delivery can be stretched out as well.

 

RCCL is pretty standard about the process and Oasis has a solid system down for onboarding so many guests in a short window.  We find the port itself and official agencies can vary with regards to having and executing a smooth plan from week to week.

 

Disembark can vary depending on method.  We still always choose the standard option for putting bags out the last night and getting off according to a number system.  We never feel rushed or crowded this way.  You can choose your preferred disembark method/time in the App about mid cruise.

 

Other factors like staying in a suite, purchasing the Key, or certain C&A levels - could come into play as well.

[CynBeth6]

Do they still allow you when disembarking to be able to take your own luggage off and leave whenever you want?

[jalves]

19 minutes ago, CynBeth6 said:

Do they still allow you when disembarking to be able to take your own luggage off and leave whenever you want?

Yes they do

[DavidMutchler]

6 hours ago, dna1990 said:

Disembark can vary depending on method.  We still always choose the standard option for putting bags out the last night and getting off according to a number system.  We never feel rushed or crowded this way.  You can choose your preferred disembark method/time in the App about mid cruise.

Do you recall what the LATEST time slot to get off the ship is?  10 a.m.??  (Trying to plan for a shuttle to the airport, and would rather wait on the ship than in the airport for our 5 p.m. flight.)

[Mum2Mercury]

9 hours ago, smheese said:

Good morning, It's been a very long time since we've cruised and we've only ever done Disney before. Cruising on Oasis in a couple of weeks and wanted to hear how embarkation day works? After check in, what/how soon will we have room access? When will our luggage arrive to our room? 

 

How/when are we informed of our disembarkation time and how does that work? Does the luggage go outside the door the night before? 

 

How smooth or chopping generally speaking is the RC process for these things? Thank you!

The new process:

- You need to make an appointment for check-in /boarding.  You can do this online something like ... 45 days before your boarding date?  If I'm wrong about the 45 days, someone will correct me.  

- When you make your appointment, you'll put in your passport /birth certificate information, your credit card (for onboard spending), your emergency contact.  You can take a picture, but they always seem to re-do it at the terminal anyway.  

- The last item is your check-in time.  Most people want the earliest time, which is usually 10:30.  If you really want that, you can stay up until midnight the night before and do your check-in at 12:01.  I'm a night owl, so this is easy for me.  

- Once this is all done, you'll be able to see your boarding pass (with a bar code) online.  We like to print ours, but some people show it on their phones.  

- Off topic, but you'll also need to print your own luggage tags now.  

 

On your boarding day: 

- The terminal staff will line people up according to their check-in time.  Suites, Keys and a few other groups go first, then 10:30 people, 11:00 people, etc.  In my experience, they do enforce check-in times.  

- This seems to run pretty well.  We've always checked in at 10:30, and we've usually set foot on the ship 11:00ish.  

- As other people have said, rooms open around 1:00.

- Our luggage has always been in the hallway when we arrived, but -- as I said -- we've always had an early boarding time, so they haven't had time to get backed up yet.  You know, first in -- first out for delivery.

 

Disembarkation: 

- We found our disembarkation information on our bed after dinner towards the end of the cruise.  

- Yes, if you plan to use traditional disembarkation, you must put your luggage out the last night. 

- We much prefer self-disembarkation:  You can walk off the ship any time you choose, but you must carry your own luggage.  We have a long drive ahead of us, so we like to be among the first to disembark.  We get into line at 7:00 (this doesn't make us first), and we tend to be in our car headed North 7:30 - 7:40.  

- If you haven't been through it yet, the new facial recognition software in the terminals is amazing.  It really speeds you through the terminal. 

[BirdTravels]

11 hours ago, dna1990 said:

Normally, 1pm the cabins will be ready and doors opened for access. 

 

Since the fired a bunch of stewards and gave their rooms to those they remain, don’t count on 1 pm.