NCL debarkation procedures

[Scrappygrrl]

Hi all -

I'm fairly new here and cruising for my first time. My question is how fast can I get off the ship? I have heard some folks mention self debarkation and that seems like you can get off very early?

I booked my airfare yesterday and today I got an email that United moved my flight departure time from MIA from 1:05 to 11:30! Will we make it?

I booked through Expedia so I am not sure that I have any recourse...

[groo]

We've never done the self debarkation. We have been off the ship as early as 9 but probably closer to 10.

[islandgirlejfan]

Wow, that's close.....even with a quick debarkation and speedy cab driver, I would be worried about the chaos at the airport when you get there. We had 1st class seats and waited.:eek:

[dragonswordkata]

I think that's cutting it close too.

We always self disembark and while it has always gone smoothly and we are off the boat in about 30 mins, even with fairly long lines, we may have been lucky.

We had tight schedules our first couple of cruises for disembarking and getting to our flights; so this time we just set our flights to leave the following day. I know this isn't alway practical but we felt we could take our time disembarking, getting a ride and going to a motel and figuring out the rest of our day.

We also didn't want to have a great cruise, and then step off the boat and instantly into the rat race.

Let me just finish by saying, Have A Great Cruise!!!!!!!!!!

[njhorseman]

MIA is only a 20 minute drive from the port, so if the ship arrives on time, and is cleared quickly for disembarkation by the authorities, you can make the earlier flight. Use self disembarkation to get off the ship as quickly as possible.

 

If the ship arrives late, or customs delays the disembarkation, all bets are off.

[Scrappygrrl]

I thought it would be tight. I am so upset with United right now. I know they change flight times all the time, but an hour and half early seems like a lot. And of course, they change it less than 24 hours after I pull the trigger and book the flight.

 

Can someone explain how self-debarkation (disembarkation? - which is the right word?) works?

[Ask4Jay]

@Scrappygrrl

Fastest way off the ship is Self debarkation. That means you keep all of your luggage in the cabin; do not set it out into the hallway the night before departure. Take your luggage and walk off the ship as soon as the ship has been cleared for debarkation.

If the ship arrives early and with a bit of luck, you should make it.

[Clay Clayton]

You can either choose self disembarcation or regular. With self, you have to be able to haul/roll all your luggage yourself. You typically are asked to leave first, you leave, go through customs and on to your taxi, shuttle, whatever. If you don't do self, then you will get randomly given - I think it may be by decks? a color coded luggage tag. Each color is assigned a time - 8am, 8:15, 8:30 etc. If you want an earlier time, go immediately to the desk and request an "earlier" color. You put the tags on your luggage and put it outside your door by midnight the last night on board. At the time assigned, you walk off the ship and into a big hall where the luggage has been delivered and sorted by the color codes, you then have to search for your luggage, go through customs and then find your transportation. The only issue with self is that if there are lots of folks doing it, the elevators, stairs and hallways can get very crowded...but given your airflight times, it seems like the best option.

 

You are right about this being a big change in flight times, I would call Expedia and see if they can't look into changing your flight.

 

 

Good Luck and have fun!

[newmexicoNita]

Hi all -

I'm fairly new here and cruising for my first time. My question is how fast can I get off the ship? I have heard some folks mention self debarkation and that seems like you can get off very early?

I booked my airfare yesterday and today I got an email that United moved my flight departure time from MIA from 1:05 to 11:30! Will we make it?

I booked through Expedia so I am not sure that I have any recourse...

 

you should be fine and yes, you can get self debarkation. It is faster and you will be about the first off the ship. The problems: 1-you have to handle all your own luggage and 2-it has become so popular that it is slowing everything down somewhat. One more thing, there is always the possiblitiy of customs holding debarkation up, but it doesn't happen too often. 11:30 should work.

 

Nita

[NMLady]

Hi all -

I'm fairly new here and cruising for my first time. My question is how fast can I get off the ship? I have heard some folks mention self debarkation and that seems like you can get off very early?

I booked my airfare yesterday and today I got an email that United moved my flight departure time from MIA from 1:05 to 11:30! Will we make it?

I booked through Expedia so I am not sure that I have any recourse...

 

Call Expedia and talk to them about it. For one of our cruises I'd booked air through Orbitz and when Delta made several changes time and then connecting city, Orbitz was able to get a refund for me. Expedia is your travel agent so they should be able to get United to move your flight to a later one rather than the earlier one when it's explained that you are getting off a cruise ship. Won't hurt to at least try.

[Scrappygrrl]

Thanks - I called Expedia (I guess you get so used to poor customer service, that you forget to try sometimes!). Anyway, they really tried to get United to change my flight and they wouldn't! Ugh, anyway, Expedia was great and they gave me a complete refund!!! BIG thumbs up to Expedia.

So now I have no flights, but at least I can start over!

Thanks everyone!

[roger001]

Not having to worry about missing an early flight is a great feeling at the end of your wonderful cruise. You can have a nice relaxed breakfast and just take your time...the way a vacation should end....if it must. It's unusual, but on the Spirit about 5 months ago, even though the ship arrived on time, a security issue prevented us from clearing customs until noon.

[swedish weave]

Thanks - I called Expedia (I guess you get so used to poor customer service, that you forget to try sometimes!). Anyway, they really tried to get United to change my flight and they wouldn't! Ugh, anyway, Expedia was great and they gave me a complete refund!!! BIG thumbs up to Expedia.

So now I have no flights, but at least I can start over!

Thanks everyone!

 

Hi, Scrappy -- Since you have to re-book, you may want to look at flights from Ft Lauderdale. Usually less costly, and you can get to FTL by using transfer service SAS at a pretty reasonable price.

[ParrothdJH]

Hi all -

I'm fairly new here and cruising for my first time. My question is how fast can I get off the ship? I have heard some folks mention self debarkation and that seems like you can get off very early?

I booked my airfare yesterday and today I got an email that United moved my flight departure time from MIA from 1:05 to 11:30! Will we make it?

I booked through Expedia so I am not sure that I have any recourse...

Yes you can make it using "easy walk off". We made at 11:05 flight out of Miami, Did the easy walk off , grabbed a cab and was at MIA at 8:15, before any long lines, it was almost deserted that early

[MissRabbit]

woohoo! glad you got a refund Scrappy!

 

Like someone said above, check out flying out of FLL as an alternative. We're flying from Seattle to MIA, then from FLL to Seattle. Cheapest all around.

 

Looking forward to meeting you onboard!

[2Cruise4Ever]

Hi, Scrappy -- Since you have to re-book, you may want to look at flights from Ft Lauderdale. Usually less costly, and you can get to FTL by using transfer service SAS at a pretty reasonable price.

 

That's what we did when we sailed the Sky in February. LOVED SAS!!! They were fantastic!

[dow cruiser]

I'm using NCL to take us to our hotel after the cruise. Will we be one of the last groups to disembark? Just would like a heads up for our first cruise.