booking friends w/us, their 1st cruise....question about debarking

Been on my share of cruises before, but have never done it this way before, so here goes. We have 2 cabins booked, 1 with me & a friend under 1 booking, and the other with dh & a friend under a different booking number. We all know that we can all check in & stay together this way before getting on the ship, and that we can switch out room cards once we're onboard. So here's the question. When it comes time to debark, we're platinum, so we have priority debarkation. Because we switch out the room keys earlier in the cruise (so she can be w/ her dh, and me in the same cabin w/mine), will we all still be able to debark together? Will switching out the room keys mess this aspect of it up? If it will, it's no biggy ziggy, we'll hang out on the ship 'til their zone # is called.....but thought it was worth asking. Anyone with any experience with this?

If self-assist is an option for your group, you could do that and all debark at the same time, and before they start doing the zone debarkation.

If self-assist is an option for your group, you could do that and all debark at the same time, and before they start doing the zone debarkation.

thanks, had thought of that too, but still curious in case they don't want to try that

When DH and I have booked 2 rooms, rather than switching the S&S cards around, we've just asked at guest services for a separate key to open the door.1 person per room needs to request this. Then both cabins are considered platinum and will receive tag 1 for disembark.

Been on my share of cruises before, but have never done it this way before, so here goes. We have 2 cabins booked, 1 with me & a friend under 1 booking, and the other with dh & a friend under a different booking number. We all know that we can all check in & stay together this way before getting on the ship, and that we can switch out room cards once we're onboard. So here's the question. When it comes time to debark, we're platinum, so we have priority debarkation. Because we switch out the room keys earlier in the cruise (so she can be w/ her dh, and me in the same cabin w/mine), will we all still be able to debark together? Will switching out the room keys mess this aspect of it up? If it will, it's no biggy ziggy, we'll hang out on the ship 'til their zone # is called.....but thought it was worth asking. Anyone with any experience with this?

Priority debarkation means two things:

For Self Assist, Platinum and Diamonds meet somewhere on the ship, usually a lounge, and are called to debark first.

For putting luggage outside cabins the night before, Platinum and Diamonds receive #1 luggage tags and are called to debark after P & D Self Assist.

We have done this exact thing when we sailed with friends a few years ago. On the last day of the cruise, go to Guest Services and request extra #1 luggage tags and give them to your friends. Then when luggage numbers are called, you can all debark together.

Have a great cruise.

When DH and I have booked 2 rooms, rather than switching the S&S cards around, we've just asked at guest services for a separate key to open the door.1 person per room needs to request this. Then both cabins are considered platinum and will receive tag 1 for disembark.

Why bother with extra key cards? See my post about getting extra #1 luggage tags.

Why are you not booking as couples in the first place? We are Platinum and got Zone 2 and went down to guest services and said we are in no hurry. They said don't worry go down and get your bags when you want. We had a late flight and waited on the Lido Deck for the last numbers to be called. We would never do self debarkation, way too much work

Why bother with extra key cards? See my post about getting extra #1 luggage tags.

We were given 4 zone 1 tags and only needed 2 of them. It's possible that's all they will need.