Royal Caribbean Liberty of the Seas- embarkation and disembarkation

[gtmarcus1]

Any suggestions as to the best time to embark on our upcoming Christmas 5 day sailing of the Liberty of the Seas (Royal Caribbean)in order to avoid major line ups. From the reviews posted of this ship it sounds like the embarkation and disembarkation involves massive line-ups. (recent reviews have been very disappointing in general!)

Also wondering about the disembarkation. In my experience there are often different lines for US and non-US citizens. Wondering about people's experience of disembarkation for non-US citizens.

Thanks.

[cb at sea]

I always think the earlier, the better. After all, you've paid for day one of the cruise, and boarding day IS day 1! Generally, boarding will start around 11-11:30am.

 

Getting off the ship is really dependant on when you need to leave. If you have an early flight, tell them (about mid-way thru the cruise) and they'll assign you one of the early disembarking times. If you don't have to make an early flight, you'll still be off the ship by around 9:30-10am.

[Happy ks]

Personally, I prefer a later check in, around 1 pm. That's when the crowds have died down and you don't have to sit and wait in a crowded terminal until boarding begins. Typically we have gotten to port between 1-2 pm and it takes us about 15 minutes from check in to being inside our cabin...no waiting involved.

 

Disembarkation is another story alltogether. Take along a huge dose of patience, all bazillion people are trying to get off the ship at the same time. If you pack light you can self-disembark. This means you handle all your own luggage with no assistance and you have to be ready for disembarkation rather early. A lot of people like this, we tried it once and swore never again.

 

We pack the night prior, allowing the ship personnel to carry off our luggage. We have breakfast early (dining room, no buffet zoo for us), go back to our cabin and freshen up a bit and head off to our designated waiting area. We disembark when our color is called, there is always a line for immigration but really doesn't take all that much time. We then head to the terminal and pick up our luggage. Since so many people opt to carry off themselves, we've found it quite easy to find our bags any more.

 

No matter how well planned, there is always a line somewhere. It's best not to stress out either way on the trip. Don't fly in the day of and if you can, stay over a day after, or take a tour and reserve a later flight.

[TSC]

A couple more points.

 

We've recently started getting to the terminal earlier. Mostly because as Floridians we drive to the port and want to give ourselves some extra time "just in case." I agree that there are no lines before 11, but don't forget that you cannot get into your room until 1:00 p.m. So, if you carry on luggage, you'll have to drag it around for the first couple of hours. Almost nothing on the ship is "open" but you can wander around a get a feel for the place. The windjammer gets crammed with people because there is nothing else to do. If it's warm, put a bathingsuit in your carry on, change in the bathroom and start your vacation immediately with a colorful drink and a lounge chair by the pool! :D

 

Disembark - we've noticed that self -disembarkation is becoming much more popular. Be prepared to wait in line. However, once the lines start moving, they go pretty quickly.

 

We did notice on our last cruise that the non-USA passengers line was very slow. Not sure why, but it was much worse than usual. :(

[pjsatc86]

Getting off the liberty in port Everglades is a huge pain. It is much worse than allure. Terminal 25 which is what liberty uses is just not big enough for the size of the ship. We had an earlier departure time and it was a complete mess. We had to get off on deck 1 which led to a big back up in the ship. Once outside they had us walk to another terminal to go through customs. I hope they have the progress more organized for your cruise. We were only the second cruise back stateside for liberty. That was our only issue and we had a great cruise!

[silentbob007]

I've done that walk before ... it really stinks for self-debarkation as it exposes all of the people carrying off who shouldn't be. I almost think they need to let people know how far they'll have to cart their luggage on their own ... though I guess it probably wouldn't make much of a difference for people who are fixated on running off the ship as fast as possible.

[enyliram]

is it any easier to wait to get off after the crowds? walk still as long but faster if no backlog??

[SherriZ366]

Terminal 25 is the worst terminal in Port Everglades. Fine for ships from the 1990s but extremely inadequate from Freedom and Liberty class.

[silentbob007]

If you wait there will be fewer people with large bags I'd assume.

[enyliram]

bottom line...sounds like a miserable disembark whatever time. would wait for color to be called except i always choose an earlier color as waiting for wheelchair assistance is also daunting and whatever they say it seems the earlier you get to the assembly point the faster off. hopefully very few wheelchairs on this short cruise.

[molly361]

That's too bad about the diembarkation fiascos since the Liberty is now in Fort Lauderdale. It was a breeze the 3 times we did it while she was in Miami.

[KissKowgirl]

Just off Liberty today. Embarkation was easy - took around 45 from the time we left the taxi til we reached the Windjammer. We arrived around 11:30 - it was just starting to get really busy. Disembarkation was a mess. They were at least 45 minutes late allowing passengers to leave. Everyone was crowded into stairwells and in front of elevators. We had our luggage and getting an elevator was a nightmare. Finally rode one up and all the way down. Once we left the ship it was a breeze going through customs and grabbing a taxi. It really involves a lot of walking so if you have a lot of luggage - and choose to take the early disembarkation - make sure you can handle it. Otherwise, just hang out and wait for your number to be called.

[Morecruisesplz]

Personally, I prefer a later check in, around 1 pm.

 

Then you'll love the Liberty now that it's in FLL. No one boarded before Noon on our Thanksgiving cruise last week and the excuses from the port staff were comical: "Customers from this cruise are enjoying a late breakfast and taking their time getting off the ship. We know you are ready to get onboard but remember you'll be the ones enjoying a late breakfast when your cruise returns." Ahhh... Windjammer closes at what time the day you return to port? Yes, that's right long before Noon!

[enyliram]

someone must have the responsibilty overseeing embarkation and disembarkation of the LOS. who is it??

[babette95]

In Tampa, we had the option of using the luggage porter whose customs line was much much shorter and quicker than the regular customs line. Well worth the tip especially with 2 little kids in tow. Does Ft. Lauderdale offer this service as well?

[setter73]

We did the 4 night 11/17-11/21. Disembarkation was horrible. Although we had tag Green 6, when they called our number, we were stuck in the stairwell for 15-20 minutes. The lines were continuous and slow all the way to customs. It took over an hour for us to get out. This was my 15th cruise with Royal, and my worst disembarkation experience. Embarkation took 15 minutes to get on the ship, but because of our diamond status, we were able to bypass 2 rooms of people waiting to enter the ship.

[Happy ks]

Then you'll love the Liberty now that it's in FLL. No one boarded before Noon on our Thanksgiving cruise last week and the excuses from the port staff were comical: "Customers from this cruise are enjoying a late breakfast and taking their time getting off the ship. We know you are ready to get onboard but remember you'll be the ones enjoying a late breakfast when your cruise returns." Ahhh... Windjammer closes at what time the day you return to port? Yes, that's right long before Noon!

 

Have you ever watched the show recently on (I think it was about Oasis) where they had to search for the last 30-40 people onboard to tell them to get off the ship? The people were just sitting around, ignoring the announcements to disembark. So...perhaps not as comical as you would think ;) Add the fact that the ground personnel doesn't always know what the delay is and will make up a story. Disembarkation isn't always delayed due to pax, it can be other issues. The ship has to clear to zero and then has final preparation before they can begin boarding new pax.

 

I read posts from people on Cruise Critic asking how late they may stay onboard. They have later afternoon or evening flights and want to linger longer. Personally I think it's quite boring to stay onboard after disembarkation begins, but to each his own. I want to get off as soon as our color is called.

 

We still prefer to get to the ship later for embarkation, there is no cruise ship that I can't wait to see for an hour or two and I hate sitting around in terminals. One time we arrived at 1pm and it took us almost an hour to board, check in was a breeze but the boarding line was horrendous. Once onboard we talked with the Hotel Director, he told us there was a plumbing problem and boarding didn't even begin until 1 pm. The early arrivers had to wait in the terminal for 2 + hours, yuck. We've been once to board a ship where the computers were down, boarding didn't begin until after 3:30, we had stopped to eat on the way there, but can you imagine how hungry the people were who showed up at 10:30 and waited 5 hours?

[AlanFromFL]

Then you'll love the Liberty now that it's in FLL. No one boarded before Noon on our Thanksgiving cruise last week and the excuses from the port staff were comical: "Customers from this cruise are enjoying a late breakfast and taking their time getting off the ship. We know you are ready to get onboard but remember you'll be the ones enjoying a late breakfast when your cruise returns." Ahhh... Windjammer closes at what time the day you return to port? Yes, that's right long before Noon!

 

Wow, is that great service or what? Next week when we sail on Liberty OTS, on the last morning we'll just take our sweet time vacating the cabin (say, 10:00 or so), followed by a leisurely breakfast. I'm sure the 3500+ passengers waiting to embark won't mind a bit! ;)

[fish6]

Terminal 25 is the worst terminal in Port Everglades. Fine for ships from the 1990s but extremely inadequate from Freedom and Liberty class.

Is it worse tham Terminal 29? That is where the Navigator is. We are cruising in March on the Navigator and plan on carrying our luggage off. Do you have to walk as far at Terminal 29?

 

Thanks,

Donna

[bundle]

Could be the first few times since the TA that there have been "full" crew & coast guard inspections (delaying dis-embarcation) and on the 11/26 arrival - was it late getting in to port?

[TinaSG]

Just off the Thanksgiving LOS, we had no problem getting onboard without too much waiting. I think we got there around 11:30 or 12 and the lines were short to check in. We did stand around for a short while in a small roped off section, but nothing too painful.

 

Disembarkation was long and painful. We were in the last group to be called, which was called about 15 minutes later than scheduled. Many folks were waiting for elevators, but we had only carryon bags, so we took the stairs. Getting off the ship was a breeze -- and then we met the long line outside. This took about an hour to wind through the line (this is when you begin to realize your carryon bag is heavier than you'd like it to be!), grab our bags from the numbered station, and hop back into the slow moving line through immigration. The immigration desks were understaffed and the terminal was hot. Not a pleasant experience. We finally made it out to grab a cab a bit after 12 and hustled over to FLL for our 2pm flight. Luckily, the holiday crowds there had died down a bit and we got checked in and through security quickly.

 

For those of you wondering, a leisurely morning and late breakfast is not an option, unless you bring your own food. Breakfast service ended at 8:30am. So those with late disembarkation numbers have to get up early to eat, then sit around for a few hours before getting off the ship.

[critterchick]

Could be the first few times since the TA that there have been "full" crew & coast guard inspections (delaying dis-embarcation) and on the 11/26 arrival - was it late getting in to port?

 

I believe that the only inspections were on November 12, when she arrived from her TA. We got to the pier around 11:45, as I recall, and were checked in quickly. Then we waited to board until about 1:00 or 1:15. The port agents didn't even bother with making up reasons - they just said they didn't know the reason for the delay.

 

Disembarkation was the same chaos on 11/17 as reported on other cruises. Really shameful.

[enyliram]

tinaSG was the promenade cafe open at breakfast time? just thinking that sitting around is better than standing around.

[TinaSG]

tinaSG was the promenade cafe open at breakfast time? just thinking that sitting around is better than standing around.

 

Yes. The cafe was open throughout the disembarkation, making it the most crowded area on the ship. Aside from coffee and a few other drinks, they offer cookies and simlar snacks. Not really a breakfast, but enough to tide you over until off the ship. Some folks picked up drinks and snacks and wandered down the promenade to sit in the seats in front of the closed shops.

[Elysians]

.......

 

I read posts from people on Cruise Critic asking how late they may stay onboard. They have later afternoon or evening flights and want to linger longer. Personally I think it's quite boring to stay onboard after disembarkation begins, but to each his own. I want to get off as soon as our color is called.

 

........

 

We're on the RCI Liberty next week and we're one of those families with a late night flight home. The travel agents have arranged for our transfer off the boat to Barcelona airport at 11.30 am.

 

We would rather disembark as late as possible than spend 10 hours at the airport. Anyone know the latest disembarkation time please?