Debarkation from Splendor

[flutepilot]

We just got back from a wonderful cruise on Splendor - full review to follow - nearly spoiled by debarkation.

 

As we had an early flight, we elected to self-debark. UGH!!! In order to get a down elevator from deck 8, we had to take an up elevator and stay on. Things were a sardine can on deck 3, which is where we had to go.

 

Two women - please note I did NOT say ladies - were a royal PIA. I also hope they read this. They were in the back of our elevator and had more luggage than anyone. When we reached the bottom they pushed and pushed until they somehow managed to get off the elevator. They then kept pushing forward through the crowd, once running over my wife's foot with a suitcase. As other elevators came down they insisted that the people there, now in front of them because of the elevator position, get to the back and wait "like we had to". Everybody wished them a flat tire, a dead battery, or both as they were eventually let through to get rid of them.

 

More to follow in generally great review.

 

Dan

[gatour]

The reason why I don't do self-debarkation. Tried it once and it was no fun. While I read positive experiences, I read enough poor experiences that makes me leary of it. To each his own.

[bakechef]

Most flights to the east coast leave early, but we had the luxury of booking a flight the following day. This made for a really easy debarkation, had a leisurely breakfast and walked off the ship.

 

I have been able to plan all my debarkations like this way recently, I couldn't imagine trying to get off the ship with hoards of other people.

[gpcruiser]

I also had an experience getting off the Splendor that nearly ruined my cruise. We were in line and this family cut in front of us... I told them where the end of the line was and the teenage son told his mother "don't listen to her, we're all going the same place" and stayed in line. I made a comment about the way some people's kids are raised and it became a stink. Some people that were cutting in line also started to yell at me. It was pretty outrageous how I became the problem. I even made mention that they were cutting in front of my niece who uses a cane because she had a stroke and was told that "she should be in a wheel chair":mad: I couldn't believe the bad behavior. There was no direction or help from any employees. What a mess! I learned to always be last off the ship and avoid this in the future. I did shake it off and The Splendor was one of my favorite cruises.:D

[big_duck]

I did shake it off and The Splendor was one of my favorite cruises.:D

 

I'm glad you did because, short of arming themselves with cattle prods, there really isn't anything the staff can do.

[Guest JJWW]

We just got back from a wonderful cruise on Splendor - full review to follow - nearly spoiled by debarkation.

 

As we had an early flight, we elected to self-debark. UGH!!! In order to get a down elevator from deck 8, we had to take an up elevator and stay on. Things were a sardine can on deck 3, which is where we had to go.

 

Two women - please note I did NOT say ladies - were a royal PIA. I also hope they read this. They were in the back of our elevator and had more luggage than anyone. When we reached the bottom they pushed and pushed until they somehow managed to get off the elevator. They then kept pushing forward through the crowd, once running over my wife's foot with a suitcase. As other elevators came down they insisted that the people there, now in front of them because of the elevator position, get to the back and wait "like we had to". Everybody wished them a flat tire, a dead battery, or both as they were eventually let through to get rid of them.

 

More to follow in generally great review.

 

Dan

 

 

Who let the dogs out {who?, who?, who?, who?, who?} (x3)

Who let the dogs out.

 

Well, the party was nice, the party was pumpin'

{Yippie-Yi-Yo}

And everybody havin' a ball {Hah, hah, Yippie Yi Yo}

I tell the fellas "start the name callin'" {Yippie Yi Yo}

And the girls respond to the call {hah, hah, hah, hah}

Heard a woman shout out

 

(Chorus:)

Who let the dogs out {who?, who?, who?, who?, who? (x3)

}

Open the cattle doors and let em out :D!

I think your review will be interesting

[boaterette]

I would rather sit in the airport for hours than deal with early disembarkation. People are animals.

[cuyahoga11]

I never book a flight before 4pm and just sit back and relax until they kick me off the ship. I would rather have a tooth pulled than fight that mob scene.

[gargoyle999]

We are going to do self debarkation after our cruise in two weeks! Wish us luck! ha ha... :D

[Middleager]

On Sept. 6/09, we were also doing the self debark on the Splendor. The ship had docked early and the self debark had started early.

 

We took our time with a good breakfast. It was one hr into the self debark, when we tried it. We were on deck 10 Panorama. Waited at least 15 min, and every elevator that was going down, was full. We decided to go up first, and still had to wait, before getting on one that barely had room. Then we went to the top, and stopped at almost every floor with people waiting by the elevator.

 

That was on a cruise where at least 300 people did not get on. Hurricane Jimena caused changes in the itinenary, and I was told at least 300 people decided not to get on.

 

On the Triumph 5-day cruise we took earlier, most people did the self debark. It wasn't quite like the mess it was on the Splendor.

[Nunu]

I would rather sit in the airport for hours than deal with early disembarkation. People are animals.

haha yup

[yogi2929]

Favorite thing to do on the Paradise is to sit up in the atrium and watch the many lines merge into one. We really missed this 'entertainment' on the Splendor.:p

[pokergirl34]

We will most likely have to self-debark on our Victory cruise. I appreciate hearing the stories so we will be well-prepared. I am thinking we may miss our breakfast that day :(

[G'ma]

I'd never find myself in the dilemma experienced by OP.

 

I book a return flight after 1:00PM.....

Eat a leisurely breakfast.

Find a nice comfortable chair with or without a good view

Take out my book and enjoy the relaxation.

 

When they announce "final call"....I walk to the elevator (no wait), walk straight into the terminal (no lines), pick up my luggage (which is easily found....most others are gone) and walk out the door.

 

No stress, no strain, no crowds, no lines, no packed elevators, no listening to the griping, whining and moaning, no crying children, no grumpy passengers, no employee announcements to "please don't crowd the stairwells and departure area", no pushing and shoving.

 

I leave the ship the way I came on: in vacation mode with a smile on my face.

[Nunu]

G'ma whatcha reading? :confused:

[G'ma]

G'ma whatcha reading? :confused:

 

Hey, is that a different critter today?

 

Right now, I'm finishing up Stephen Kings "Just Before Sunset"...love that man... I swear, if he wasn't an author, he'd be a serial killer.....he is weird beyond weird.....!!:o

 

Waiting in the wings:

 

Mornings on Horseback by David McCullough

Indecent Obsession by Collene McCullough (no relation---ha)

The Hornets Nest by Jimmy Carter

 

And, a bunch of Steven Martini, James Patterson, Jonathan Kellerman re-reads......

 

Also going to re-read "The Path Between the Seas" which I read 20 years ago. Going on the Elation transcanal in April..thought I'd revist the book.

[flutepilot]

I'd never find myself in the dilemma experienced by OP.

 

I book a return flight after 1:00PM.....

Eat a leisurely breakfast.

Find a nice comfortable chair with or without a good view

Take out my book and enjoy the relaxation.

 

When they announce "final call"....I walk to the elevator (no wait)' date=' walk straight into the terminal (no lines), pick up my luggage (which is easily found....most others are gone) and walk out the door.

 

No stress, no strain, no crowds, no lines, no packed elevators, no listening to the griping, whining and moaning, no crying children, no grumpy passengers, no employee announcements to "please don't crowd the stairwells and departure area", no pushing and shoving.

 

I leave the ship the way I came on: in vacation mode with a smile on my face.[/quote']

 

I would have loved to have done that. Getting back to Milwaukee, however, involved a relatively early flight and self-debarkation. If we could have done it any other way, we would have.

 

Dan

[jayesouthworth]

I also had an experience getting off the Splendor that nearly ruined my cruise. We were in line and this family cut in front of us... I told them where the end of the line was and the teenage son told his mother "don't listen to her, we're all going the same place" and stayed in line. I made a comment about the way some people's kids are raised and it became a stink. Some people that were cutting in line also started to yell at me. It was pretty outrageous how I became the problem. I even made mention that they were cutting in front of my niece who uses a cane because she had a stroke and was told that "she should be in a wheel chair":mad: I couldn't believe the bad behavior. There was no direction or help from any employees. What a mess! I learned to always be last off the ship and avoid this in the future. I did shake it off and The Splendor was one of my favorite cruises.:D

 

Hmmm, if that happened to me, they would be calling homeland security on me. I wouldn't have let up either, I would have made their lives MISERABLE. I would have made a scene asking them "what makes you so special that you have to cut in line in front of other people?" Line Hog!! Oink, Oink! Then I would blame it on blood sugar being all out of whack...LOL! Idiots!

[southbayer]

Just off Splendor Nov 8, and it was the smoothest debark in all my sailings from LB. First, the customs were moved from thier usual stations just inside the dome, now to just outside the dome doors on the way out. Guess they finally realized that its the best way to keep the lines moving all the way through - without backing things up just outside the gangway from the ship.

 

My embarkation was so fast too, never been on the ship at 12:15 in all my sailings from LB, it was always 1:15pm.

[Middleager]

I'd never find myself in the dilemma experienced by OP.

 

I book a return flight after 1:00PM.....

Eat a leisurely breakfast.

Find a nice comfortable chair

Other people can encounter different situations.

 

As the OP explained, there are not many later flights from LA to the east coast, due to the time difference. The later flights are usually the first ones to sell out.

 

In my own trip we booked a flight at 2:40pm, and planned to have a leisurely debark. But the airline changed the time to 12:45noon. That forced us to have to do self debark, to leave the ship earlier.

 

Good for you if you never have to deal with changes beyond your control. Good for you if you never met people who cut in lines and are nasty. It's easy to brush off the challenges faced by others, as if it's their own fault to start with. But most people do have to face with real life situations.