Disembarkation for private tour

I hope someone can offer some advice please. I have heard that when in port the ship gives priority disembarkation to those booked on a ship organised tour. What happens if you have booked a private tour and need to be off ship by a certain time. Do you need to request a timed ticket in advance or is it just a question of getting in line early and hoping for the best

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Which port? Will you be tendering? We need more information in order to give advice.

I hope someone can offer some advice please. I have heard that when in port the ship gives priority disembarkation to those booked on a ship organised tour. What happens if you have booked a private tour and need to be off ship by a certain time. Do you need to request a timed ticket in advance or is it just a question of getting in line early and hoping for the best

 

 

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The only time there are tickets is when you need to tender into a port. Otherwise, there is never a delay getting off a ship. Tours sometimes use another exit. Just be prepared to exit as soon as they allow it.

St Petersburg and we will be docked

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Getting off the ship won't be a problem but there could be a line however to get through Russia immigration. We did a private tour and were among the first 6 people off the ship the first day.

We were on the Baltic Cruise on the Silhouette in 2015. At that time, no distinctions were made on disembarking based on a ship's tour versus a private tour. The first morning, there were long lines to go through Russian Immigration. Lines were much shorter the second morning (don't know if fewer people were on tours or if immigration is just faster the second time around). For timing, you are at the mercy of how many Immigration agents are on duty and which dockage the ship receives. All private tour operators are aware of the vagaries of the timing. Generally, everyone starts out early to get in the Hermitage "early hours" (it's still packed, but you move through more quickly with smaller groups). My DH and I booked a private tour for the two of us, so when we were out of immigration, we met our tour guide and off we went. If you have a small group, make sure everyone gets out in good time to meet up. Several friends were with group tours that had latecomers. Tours left only after the last person showed up, irritating everyone else. Have a great cruise. St. Petersburg is a marvelous city!

Also keep in mind that the time the ship says it will make port is not the time you can disembark. They have to receive clearance from the port authority. This may take 30 to 45 minutes after docking.

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Wow. Just saw this thread re:St. Petersburg

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2504447

Wow. Just saw this thread re:St. Petersburg

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2504447

I just read that as well. If at all possible, I would definitely rethink my options and take a ship's tour, especially if you have an early morning tour booked.

We encountered this same immigration problem in New Orleans a couple of months ago. While there were no ship's tours planned for that night, we were still given numbers aligned with a group on which to get off the ship. I understand that many didn't abide by this system and our group number wasn't called until 6 hours into the process and we had a relatively low number provided to us. It was chaotic but I refused to take part in that. We simply followed the rules and ended up getting off once our number was called. We ended up having no issues getting off the ship the following two days.

I just read that as well. If at all possible, I would definitely rethink my options and take a ship's tour, especially if you have an early morning tour booked.

We encountered this same immigration problem in New Orleans a couple of months ago. While there were no ship's tours planned for that night, we were still given numbers aligned with a group on which to get off the ship. I understand that many didn't abide by this system and our group number wasn't called until 6 hours into the process and we had a relatively low number provided to us. It was chaotic but I refused to take part in that. We simply followed the rules and ended up getting off once our number was called. We ended up having no issues getting off the ship the following two days.

Hopefully, Celebrity won't repeat this mistake. There are better ways to give priority to ship's tour passengers than shoving private tour passengers out of the way. :o You were remarkably patient in waiting in New Orleans. Hopefully, Celebrity can improve on that process also. :)

Hopefully, Celebrity won't repeat this mistake. There are better ways to give priority to ship's tour passengers than shoving private tour passengers out of the way. :o You were remarkably patient in waiting in New Orleans. Hopefully, Celebrity can improve on that process also. :)

I always do ship's excursions and I have never seen any passengers shoved out of the way by Celebrity. Celebrity will stop their line and allow those on the ships excursions to go by. Sounds like those in line were doing the pushing and shoving.

I've never seen it either, but willing to believe the OP here.

I've never seen it either, but willing to believe the OP here.

I've never seen it either, but willing to believe the OP here.

I believe one would take the OPs situation (of the other thread) with a very heavy grain of salt. She pushed and shoved and complained. She objected to anyone "cutting the line", even after being told the reason why.

Celebrity can not control immigration. Perhaps the Russian staff was short-handed? etc. Everyone knows that ship excursions get first priority.

If you book a tour privately, or intend to tour on your own, then you take your chances. If everyone else is ready to go and they have no obligation to wait for you, they may not. So, I would get online hours before you have to. If you think this is unreasonable, then take a ship sponsored tour.

I was on the Baltic cruise last July and we were off the ship at 7:45 and through immigration by 08:10 ready for our private tour at 08:30. I didn't see ship tour groups given priority.

Day two and three was much quicker and the Russian immigration staff only gave our documents a cursory glance.

I have just been on the Tahitian Treasures cruise and we had to clear immigration onboard at Maui. People were issued with a group number and time. People who were on a Celebrity tour were given priority, but anyone who had documentary evidence of a private tour was given priority too. They had to go to guest services to be issued with a new letter and time. We are from the UK and from queuing to clearing it took an hour. I know that some people did not get off the ship until after lunchtime. A ship full of passengers is a lot of people to process and then the queues for the tender boats were long. I think Celebrity handled it well as they are at the mercy of immigration and the number of staff provided. For American citizens there was one person, for the rest of the world there was I think five.

I expect more of the same next year in Boston when we have to clear immigration as it's the first port on our TA.

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Most reputable tour organizations are well aware of docking times and of the delays sometimes encountered when disembarking. Consequently, their departure times are somewhat flexible and they'll wait a reasonable period of time when passengers are running a late.

Wow. Just saw this thread re:St. Petersburg

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2504447

From the that other thread:

Disheartening to learn that disembarking in St. Petersburg is still a hassle with Celebrity. In June of 2007, I, my husband and parents were scheduled on an Alla tour of the city when an announcement was made that all folks on private tours must first gather in a lounge on the 11th floor (far from the exit gangplank) before disembarking. Fortunately, I had a copy of a letter that my favorite travel magazine (ITN) had sent to the president of Celebrity about just such an issue. His response was to categorically deny any attempt to delay disembarkation of passengers taking private tours. When I showed this letter to guest relations, she personally escorted us off the ship, after insisting "But don't tell the others".

Had a private tour in St. Petersburg before. We were allowed to disembark only after those on ship's excusion are almost done. SPB Tours waited for all those registered with them and we still had plenty of time for the 1st day tour. Disembarking on 2nd day was not regulated.

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would being in the royal suite, bump you up to the same level as the people taking the celebrity tour?

I believe one would take the OPs situation (of the other thread) with a very heavy grain of salt. She pushed and shoved and complained. She objected to anyone "cutting the line", even after being told the reason why.

 

 

 

Celebrity can not control immigration. Perhaps the Russian staff was short-handed? etc. Everyone knows that ship excursions get first priority.

 

 

 

If you book a tour privately, or intend to tour on your own, then you take your chances. If everyone else is ready to go and they have no obligation to wait for you, they may not. So, I would get online hours before you have to. If you think this is unreasonable, then take a ship sponsored tour.

The OP on the other thread clarified this issue was in the immigration line AFTER getting off the ship. The issue was not the line on the ship to get off of the ship / Celebrity property.

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Celebrity has always made it know that people who book their tours get priority. I guess it is a perk for spending so much money on the tour. Many who book private tours book early to get the most of their day. Problem is .. what if 500 people book an early private tour and expect to get off early. ?

I personally don't enjoy ship tours especially when people ignore the fine print regarding physical fitness and then can't walk or climb .. holding everyone up.. oh ,then the people who do not respect the time allotment on a stop.. I could go on.. many hold ups

What about tender locations with several (at least 3) ships in port?

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The OP on the other thread clarified this issue was in the immigration line AFTER getting off the ship. The issue was not the line on the ship to get off of the ship / Celebrity property.

 

 

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Yes, this a point a lot of posters on this and the original thread aren't getting. Celebrity clearly controls the timing of pax getting off the ship. But, once the pax are in the Immigration Zone, then it's a little different. We have cruised many times and have used both ship's tours and private tours. I've never seen this type of intervention once the pax are in the immigration line.

We were on Celebrity in St. Petersburg three years ago. On our cruise, they took the ship's excursion passengers off using the forward gangway (with no announcements) while those of us on private tours waited around midships wondering why nobody was getting off![emoji849]

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As others have stated private tour operators are used to waiting for all booked guests.

My one suggestion would be to meet as a group on the ship and walk off together - saves the frustration of waiting for stragglers. I've met groups at poolside, in the library, any public place determined by group leader...my favorite was a cruise where 11 of us shared tours of 5 ports. We met in the MDR for breakfast, got a chance to mingle and get to know each other over breakfast. A few wanted breakfast elsewhere but joined us for coffee. After the first port we all shared breakfast each morning.