Day of Disembarkment

[live4vacation]

I was wondering what you experienced cruisers do the day of disembarkment? How do you keep the kids occupied? What about breakfast? We arrive in San Juan at 6 am so not really sure what time they start getting people off. Any experiences you can share would be helpful.

[crusinmama06]

Well it depends on what time your flight leaves. On most ships you have to be out of your cabin by 8am. So then the best thing to do is to take the kids to breakfast. The biggest pain is carrying around all of the gear associated with having kids. :rolleyes:

 

I usually load up our stroller with all of the stuff. Don't know how old your children are though and if you will even have a stroller.

 

Then after breakfast you have to wait in a "common area" until your luggage tag color is called. The cruiseline will let you know what areas those are.

 

I have to be honest, debarkation morning is not fun. Trying to entertain kids while listening for the color to be called. So try not to stress too much over it.

 

How old are your children?

[sandy toes]

The age of the little ones makes a big difference. On our last cruise, the family members with tweens to teens complained the most while the ones with the less than 8yr old were really very good. We bring some special things that we keep away for this morning from hell. We hate the hurry up, out of the cabin rush just to wait and wait and wait. Bring something from breakfast for them to eat while they wait. We bring juice boxes that we keep for in port and this morning. We try not to let it bother us. It is amazing the difference between even the same ship just 2 mo apart. Some debarks go so smoothly and others are held up by customs or immigration or by people that owe money and need to settle their accounts. No one leaves until those issues are all solved. The kids really are much better than some adults around you. I dislike hauling all the bags (kid stuff and carry ons) around ship but it is just one of those things. Try to find a quieter area of the lounge you are assigned to wait in. If you can, take turns walking them around a bit. Let them look at the pics on the camera or the video of the cruise. They always seem to enjoy being the star of the movie. Try to stay calm. Know that you will do get through it.

[Kerry's Girls]

We stay far away from the crowds of people waiting in lounges and go up on deck where they can run around. We have lots of snacks (I bring empty zip locs on the cruise and load them up with fruit, cereal, rolls from the buffet) and the DVD player as well.

 

The best thing is to not be in a rush. Let everyone else go first - it also makes it easy to find your luggage!

 

Best,

Mia

[CaribbeanCrush]

Some debarks go so smoothly and others are held up by customs or immigration or by people that owe money and need to settle their accounts. No one leaves until those issues are all solved.

 

Is this true? Debarkation can be held up by people having to pay their accounts? How often does that happen?

[Onessa]

We always try to find a quiet nook and like Mia and her girls just chill. Electronic diversions and/or some small toys always seem to help. I've also taken to bringing on my own ping-pong and golf balls -- there is NO body else playing but very often equpment is lacking -- we stack the carry-on stuff where we can keep an eye on it and play a round.

 

PS - I am the worst "waiter" in our family. I HATE lines and all the other stuff associated with debarking!:D

[sandy toes]

I have read about it here and elsewhere. On ship, you will hear names called out as you are all just waiting. I read that many of thoses names are for people that owe the ship money and must settle up with the pursers desk. I have never known anyone personally so this is just what I have read.

[live4vacation]

Thanks for the info crusinmama,

We will be traveling with our 3 1/2 year old and our flight leaves at 1:30pm. I plan on bringing an umbrella stroller so I will use your idea and throw whatever I can in there.

I too dread disembarking so I am up for anything that will prepare me for D-day :eek: ! Thank you everyone for all the great ideas, I really appreciate it!!

[dolphinwyo]

Going on a Carnival cruise - if we have our own transportation and an evening flight, do we have to wait around for disembarkation, or can you leave whenver you want? Does everyone have to wait no matter what? Thanks

[crusinmama06]

Going on a Carnival cruise - if we have our own transportation and an evening flight, do we have to wait around for disembarkation, or can you leave whenver you want? Does everyone have to wait no matter what? Thanks

 

Unless you do "Self Disembark" which means carrying your own baggage off at an ungodly hour...then you will have to wait until your color is called. Now with that being said....you can ask for an earlier color. Just go to the customer service guest and get new luggage tags. They actually had them out for anyone to take on our last Carnival cruise.

 

Then you can be one of the first colors called. And you can leave the ship.

[larronry]

Cruisingmama,

 

Do they really let you switch colors that easily? A few years ago we were with a group both times of about 50 one time Port Canaveral on Carnival and we were taking Port/ship transport to the airport then (planes, hotel shuttle, whatever from there - a lot parked cars at the hotel) anyway we were going to all get on the same bus. Carnival wouldn't let us get the same color and I think we had 3 colors based on where our cabins were. (2 ends of 1 floor and Verandas). The following year NCL we really just needed it grouped by who was traveling together (Port of Miami and the people I was riding with got off an hour before I did) again NCL refused. Maybe things have changed. Last year on Princess I just asked what time about and they easily gave me that information which is something that no cruise line gave me before so maybe things have changed. This year I again don't care because again my father is picking me up and I don't want to make him come to early I just hope Celebrity can give me an aproximate time the night before like Princess did. Also our friends have a late flight out so we'd like to hang out on deck chatting.

[mcfam5]

They called self assist at 7:00 am. We could have left that early, but choose to go have breakfast in the dining room, return to our room to pick up our luggage and then off we went. We did have to wait in a line at the point. The night prior they gave us luggage tags with the number 31 on them. When we were standing in line at 9:00 am doing our self assist, they were calling for numbers 7 & 8. Yikes!

 

Funny thing, the week before when we were getting to the port to leave ~ we saw many people at noon and 12:30 who still appeared to be disembarking from their trip. We kept saying "why are this many people getting off the ship so late???" On our disembarking day, we realized those people the week before must have had our number (31) luggage tags. :o)

 

Anyway, even our room steward suggested we do self-assist. He kept saying if we used the luggage tag system, we should be prepared to wait. He was right!

[mom2NnB]

We have 2 additional days in FT Lauderdale after cruise. So we aren't in a rush. We are on the Main deck on the Liberty. Now for my specific questions:

 

1. In what order are rooms called lowest to highest or other way around? Would we be second called or second to last?

 

2. How and where do we wait if we are not in a rush. Also, DH HATES crowds, if we wait on an open deck will we hear floors/colors being called?

 

3. If our color is called early and we dont want to leave yet (like still eating breakfast or whatever) can we wait till a later color/floor is called?

 

Don't want to mess anyone up, but getting my DH and DS moving in the morning is usually a loooooooong ordeal on any given day, let alone on the last day of the cruise.

 

TIA for any info.

[crusinmama06]

larrony - yes, when we were on Sensation in August, they had all of the colored tags just sitting out in bins at the excursions desk. They weren't marked, and we didn't try to figure out the earlier colors. But many people asked to change their tags.

 

mom2NnB - I swear there is no rhyme or reason on how it's done. We were in a Cat 12 suite on Sensation - Upper Deck. Half of the cabins on Riveiera were called first. Then it went up a deck and another row of cabins were called next. Then it went back to Riviera. We were called last. Dead last. :rolleyes:

 

And yes if your color is called and you aren't ready to leave, then you can stay on the ship. Just as long as you don't stay too long...lol. But as long as they are still calling other colors, you will be fine.

[larronry]

Thanks, I'm glad to know they let you switch easier now. Of course it would be when I no longer care. LOL This will be the second time I just make sure everything is packed, check with the cabin steward before going to breakfast to let him know that we just want to have breakfast then collect everything if that is OK, but if he changes the bed linens or cleans the room we promise we won't touch anything but the suitcases which we have left by the door or closet or where ever depending on the room setup. He didn't seem to care last time so hopefully it won't be a problem this time. And if it takes to long since the little one is with us I guess will go get the stuff while we are still eating.

[abitaturbodog]

I have read about it here and elsewhere. On ship, you will hear names called out as you are all just waiting. I read that many of thoses names are for people that owe the ship money and must settle up with the pursers desk. I have never known anyone personally so this is just what I have read.

 

I don't think that this can be accurate. When you check in you give the Purser's desk a credit card or cash to cover your account. They keep up with you if the cash gets low or there's a problem with the card.

 

At some time during the last evening you are unable to charge anything to your account.