Debarkation Briefing

[wanderlust402]

I have read various posters comment that the debarkation briefing is a waste of time. I have also heard that it is a mandatory briefing. Could someone share their experiences with skipping this event? Obviously I want to get off the ship and have my luggage waiting for me outside, but I don't want to waste any time listening to a cruise director tell me how to give an inflated "exceeds expectations" rating for the trip unless I really feel that they exceeded my expectations.

 

What else will I miss by skipping this?

[Sirwinston]

They usually tape it and show it on the "cruise director channel". That is when I usually catch it. Often while I am packing. Seems like they always change one thing to keep it confusing. Like they decided that all the self help still had to wait for zone numbers.

 

The whole exceeds expectations thing gets me too. It really can only be true the first time you cruise in some areas.

 

Usually the high points are also in the debark capers. Also does anyone really win the free carot on a stick cruise for filling out the surveys ??

 

Tom in Long Beach

[firefly333]

I have read various posters comment that the debarkation briefing is a waste of time. I have also heard that it is a mandatory briefing. Could someone share their experiences with skipping this event? Obviously I want to get off the ship and have my luggage waiting for me outside, but I don't want to waste any time listening to a cruise director tell me how to give an inflated "exceeds expectations" rating for the trip unless I really feel that they exceeded my expectations.

 

What else will I miss by skipping this?

 

Not at all mandatory. Lots of people dont go. If you really want to hear it, it will be rerun on the tv for the rest of the day .... over and over and over and over and over.

[jetwet1]

Not at all mandatory. Lots of people dont go. If you really want to hear it, it will be rerun on the tv for the rest of the day .... over and over and over and over and over.

 

The silly thing is, on more than one cruise the CD has made an announcement that at least one person per cabin MUST attend the meeting, this of course we ignore, just for the fact that it's the same stuff over and over AND IMHO it ends up being a lecture on how to fill out the guest comment card.

 

So the short answer is no, you don't need to go, if your not carrying off your luggage have it packed and outside your door by the time listen in the capers, have your documentation ready and go enjoy your last day.

[Max Circus]

My wife and I are just off the Inspiration and heard that the briefing was "mandatory" because a few things had changed. They said it would last about 20 minutes. We had heard that Tampa customs and immigration procedures had changed so we attended. It was a complete waste of time. The first 20 minutes were spent on that evening's events, comment cards and gratuities. The CD really hit us over the head with the rules on the "exceeds expectations" category and how most passengers don't check that category even if the cruise was great. Sounds to me like there is a problem with the form.

 

Then about 5 minutes on custom forms which didn't have any new information from past cruises. Then the last segment was to bring out many of the waitstaff, cooks and housekeeping staff and award the November employee of the month.

 

We will never attend one of these again. What I found funny was that the CD had said there would be lots of giveaways during the briefing. I wasn't expecting anything and I wasn't disappointed. The only thing I saw them giveaway was a cheap travel bag to a lady in the front row. So I guess this exceeded my expectations. ;)

[firefly333]

The silly thing is, on more than one cruise the CD has made an announcement that at least one person per cabin MUST attend the meeting, this of course we ignore, just for the fact that it's the same stuff over and over AND IMHO it ends up being a lecture on how to fill out the guest comment card.

 

So the short answer is no, you don't need to go, if your not carrying off your luggage have it packed and outside your door by the time listen in the capers, have your documentation ready and go enjoy your last day.

 

When they say one person per cabin SHOULD attend, Iv never taken it as mandatory, nor has it ever been .... and Iv been on 6 Carnival cruises in 2009 and not once was it mandatory. Muster is mandatory, if you dont go they will find you and tell you to go. This is quite obviously NOT mandatory. Should go doesnt mean have to go. I think people must be taking things literally sometimes to think they ever said it was mandatory.

[conchead]

I have read various posters comment that the debarkation briefing is a waste of time. I have also heard that it is a mandatory briefing. Could someone share their experiences with skipping this event? Obviously I want to get off the ship and have my luggage waiting for me outside, but I don't want to waste any time listening to a cruise director tell me how to give an inflated "exceeds expectations" rating for the trip unless I really feel that they exceeded my expectations.

 

What else will I miss by skipping this?

 

What??

I never heard anything about it.

I guess it wasn't too mandantory, I made it off the ship :)

[thesmiths]

Thx for the info...we're in no rush to get off the ship.....

How does one go about being the last group off????

 

Is it less stressed this way.. our flight isn't until 2:30 PM and provding we're not late arriving back to MIA...

Was looking for some idea of not being rushed the last day....

 

 

Thx

[Traveler353]

Thx for the info...we're in no rush to get off the ship.....

How does one go about being the last group off????

 

Is it less stressed this way.. our flight isn't until 2:30 PM and provding we're not late arriving back to MIA...

Was looking for some idea of not being rushed the last day....

 

 

Thx

 

Very easily done, just don't get off when your zone number is called. They will track you down and make sure that you get off before the new passangers are allowed to start coming on-board.

[thesmiths]

Is there a particular area that is best to hang out ????

To not be in the way....

 

Late breakfast somewhere???

 

 

 

 

Very easily done, just don't get off when your zone number is called. They will track you down and make sure that you get off before the new passangers are allowed to start coming on-board.

[Max Circus]

Is there a particular area that is best to hang out ????

To not be in the way....

 

Late breakfast somewhere???

 

They will tell you what decks you can wait on as certain areas are offlimits and controlled by customs. Normally Lido deck is one of the given areas where they will have buffet breakfast setup.

[gatormama]

So if the talk is mandatory, and I do not attend, does that mean I get to stay on the ship forever?

 

 

 

 

 

Sue

Carnival Freedon 6/22

Carnival Inspiration 3/15

[carads]

So if the talk is mandatory, and I do not attend, does that mean I get to stay on the ship forever?

 

No, we didn't go last week and had to get off anyway.

[firefly333]

They will tell you what decks you can wait on as certain areas are offlimits and controlled by customs. Normally Lido deck is one of the given areas where they will have buffet breakfast setup.

 

How would they know if you were hanging around because you were a B2B and allowed to roam the ship until everyone else was off. Iv never heard of this about customs controlling certains decks/areas. My last two cruises were B2Bs and nothing was ever said to us about which areas I could be in until they were ready for us. Other than telling me I couldnt have ice cream, had to wait until lunch and the new pax to board, no one said I had to hang around any particular place.

[Max Circus]

How would they know if you were hanging around because you were a B2B and allowed to roam the ship until everyone else was off. Iv never heard of this about customs controlling certains decks/areas. My last two cruises were B2Bs and nothing was ever said to us about which areas I could be in until they were ready for us. Other than telling me I couldnt have ice cream, had to wait until lunch and the new pax to board, no one said I had to hang around any particular place.

 

Perhaps they would ask you if you were B2B? The cruise director on Inspiration said that Deck 7 on Inspiration was in the control of customs officials during the embarkation procedure and that no one should be in that area. Maybe he was lying to us however I did have to go to Guest Services on Deck 7 for a lost and found item, and the main doors to that deck had been sealed and most of the lobby area roped off. And we were told to await debarkation on Deck 9 (Promenade) or 10 (Lido). It may have had something to do with our late arrival in port since they wanted to be able to turn over the cabins for the arriving guests.

[H82seaUgo]

They do say it's mandatory, at least requesting one from every party to show up.

 

But they also give you debarkation literature, as well as rebroadcast the talk on your stateroom TV.

 

But I do get a lump in my throat when they bring the whole crew out on stage to tell you goodbye.

[Max Circus]

They do say it's mandatory, at least requesting one from every party to show up.

 

Interesting choices of words they use to get you to come to something. The safefy briefing (muster) is mandatory as it is a Coast Guard requirement. What I learned on my recent Inspiration cruise is that this is not required before sailing. We left Tampa so late that the muster drill was on the morning of the first sea day. The CD said it had to be held within 24 hours of sailing. Interestingly, for something that is mandatory, they didn't check anyone's names. And they used to have you go to your actual muster station near the lifeboats. On Inspiration (and Valor) you were assigned to one of the public lounges and didn't have to bring your lifejacket.

 

I think the used the word "mandatory" for the debarkation to get more people to come.

[Sargent_Schultz]

I have read various posters comment that the debarkation briefing is a waste of time. I have also heard that it is a mandatory briefing. Could someone share their experiences with skipping this event? Obviously I want to get off the ship and have my luggage waiting for me outside, but I don't want to waste any time listening to a cruise director tell me how to give an inflated "exceeds expectations" rating for the trip unless I really feel that they exceeded my expectations.

 

What else will I miss by skipping this?

 

It is a mandatory waste of time that I skip.

 

First time cruisers and perhaps a few others might want to attend until they know how things work.

[Kurbanfan]

I have read various posters comment that the debarkation briefing is a waste of time. I have also heard that it is a mandatory briefing. Could someone share their experiences with skipping this event? Obviously I want to get off the ship and have my luggage waiting for me outside, but I don't want to waste any time listening to a cruise director tell me how to give an inflated "exceeds expectations" rating for the trip unless I really feel that they exceeded my expectations.

 

What else will I miss by skipping this?

 

What briefing:confused::p I believe on our first cruise we attended.........

[posh08]

When they say one person per cabin SHOULD attend, Iv never taken it as mandatory, nor has it ever been .... and Iv been on 6 Carnival cruises in 2009 and not once was it mandatory. Muster is mandatory, if you dont go they will find you and tell you to go. This is quite obviously NOT mandatory. Should go doesnt mean have to go. I think people must be taking things literally sometimes to think they ever said it was mandatory.

 

On the back page of the 12/13/09 Destiny caper it states "One member of each family MUST attend". This is in a highlighted box concerning Debarkation information. Neither one of us did attend, just letting you know where the "must" info came from. :)

[G'ma]

I don't go to it...and it's not mandatory.

 

However, I ALWAYS watch most of it on the TV in the room. No matter how many cruises you've been on, each ship is a little different.

[okwriter]

If there is even a remote chance I "might" win a cruise, I'm in. :D