Debarkation tips

[elainesj]

I will be on the Liberty of the Seas in March. It will be my first cruise and I'm hoping to get some tips for when we get off the ship. We don't have anywhere to go when we get off (staying in Fort Lauderdale for an extra 2 nights) and would prefer to sleep in as much as possible and just take it slow and relaxed.

 

What should we do to ensure a leisurely debarkation? Should we put our luggage out the night before? Or should we take care of our own bags? I would probably prefer to ignore the time they assign me, particularly if it's an early time.

 

Thanks!

[CruisinCrow]

If we can manage the bags ourselves, we prefer to carry them off instead of having to pack the night before. Just remember that you may not have use of elevators and it's not easy to lug heavy bags up or down stairs.

 

We pack when we get up in the morning and then go to breakfast in the main dining room. The buffet is too crazy that day with everyone dragging their bags around with them. Service is usually slow in the dining room but it's a nice way to enjoy one last special meal.

 

They don't kick you out of your stateroom as early as they used to. But be considerate of the stewards and have your things out of the way when you go to breakfast. They may need to come in and do some pre-cleaning. Sometimes doors get propped open when they are cleaning, so keep valuables with you or in the safe until you're officially out of the cabin.

 

You don't have to leave at your assigned time.

[xxoocruiser]

Really no such thing as sleeping in and having a leisurely disembarkation.

 

You can ignore your assigned disembarkaion time up until the point that the ship starts paging you as your SeaPass hadn't been swiped showing as having disembarked.

 

However you can't ignore the fact that you will need to be out of your cabin early usually 8Am at the latest, as the stewarts have very little time to turn the cabins around for the next sailing. If you ignore the requested cabin exit time than depending on the cabin stewart their work load someone will begin knocking on your door . If the knocking doesn't get you moving than the phone often begin to ringing so there will definitely be no sleeping in that morning.

Best to just play by the rules, get out of the cabin and find someplace to sit and try to relax to let the crowds dye down. Or walk off early and push to get an early check in at the hotel.

[cruiseguy1016]

Generally, all passengers have to be out of their staterooms by 8:00 and all passengers are off the ship by 10:00.

[CruisinCrow]

Really no such thing as sleeping in and having a leisurely disembarkation.

 

Ha ha, that is true. But there are ways to make things slightly less crazy.

[isdoo]

We always take our own luggage off now - so much easier.

[elainesj]

so one thing we couold do would be to leave our luggage out the night before. The leave the cabin by 8am to go for breakfast in the MDR with our carry on luggage (we'll keep this to one bag) and then get off the ship about 9:30ish. Would this work? The whole getting off the ship at 7am doesn't sound appealing to me.

 

What time does MDR open and close on debarkation morning?

[LarryL]

As reluctant as I am getting off a ship, I would probably get off at my assigned time and relax on a beach in FLL. I am guessing the hotel will pick you up and store your bags until checkin time. That would free you to get to the beach area to relax, swim, shop, eat, or whatever.

 

As far as the MDR times, they will be posted. They, too, must prepare for the upcoming cruise.

[elainesj]

You're probably right...I'm just nervous about getting a debarkation time of say...7am and having to get up by 5:30am to get up, get ready, and have breakfast and herd everybody off. UGH! Leaving the cabin at 8am instead of 6am sounds more civilized. With little kids, it takes us a good hour to have breakfast.

 

By the way, what kind of breakfast is served in the morning? Is it a full breakfast?

[xxoocruiser]

You're probably right...I'm just nervous about getting a debarkation time of say...7am and having to get up by 5:30am to get up, get ready, and have breakfast and herd everybody off. UGH! Leaving the cabin at 8am instead of 6am sounds more civilized. With little kids, it takes us a good hour to have breakfast.

 

By the way, what kind of breakfast is served in the morning? Is it a full breakfast?

 

Full Breakfast is in the Windjammer. Breakfast in the MDR is held to a strict menu , no special requests. Also the time in the MDR is more limited .

 

I prefer not to mess with the crowds with all their luggage in the windjammer/MDR on disembarkation day as I am disabled and use a mobility aid which I fear somewell will accidently knock out from under me with their luggage they've chosen to drag of the ship themselves. Instead the morning before I go to the Windjamer and get juice in a to go coffee cup, take a bowl/spoon/napkin, a package of cereal, banana , carton of milk and wrap up 1 or 2 sweet rolls. Take this all back to my cabin and place in the fridge for the next morning. Than I can have a stress free breakfast while getting dressed.

 

Once dressed and sitting down to eat my breaskfast , I prop open the door so that the cabin stewart can come in and start collecting the dirty sheets and towels. This makes the cabin stewart very happy and they usually tell me to just take my time and don't attempt to rush me since they are able to come in and out of the cabin.

[TEXASMUNK]

You just finish a restful, enjoyable week on a ship and then you want to DRAG your own bags all over creation???

Self-disembark is a concept I do and will live without! I am not a hotel bellhop, or a longshoreman dragging luggage.

You will have to be out of your cabin by 8am. Pack, give them your luggage the night before....Plan on leaving your cabin at 8am, head to the MDR, there are plenty of Luby's style cafeterias at home....for taht last time, let someone take your order and bring your food. And no need to fight those folks that drag everything around, having their shoulder bag smack 37 people in the bag of the head as they trudge through the Windjammer.

 

Enjoy your breakfast. Take and extra cup of coffee up to the pool deck, kick back, when the crowds are down, you can simply walk off and then enjoy the rest of your stay at the beach.

 

And, whatever you do, avoid the crowds that no matter what the cruise line tells them, will jam up every stairwell will 4 thousand tons of luggage

[LBumb]

regardless of number or color you are given, you can exit in the last group.

[elainesj]

sounds like a plan. Thanks so much for all your help folks. We'll put out our bags the night before. At 8am, we'll leave our cabin with our carry ons and head to the MDR to have a leisurely breakfast. Then about 9, we'll stroll off the ship. Sounds completely civilized.

[seagoer55]

I agree..put your luggage out the night before...and head to the MDR around 8 for breakfast...it might be a more restricted menu but they still have omletts, hot & cold cereal, french toast..etc...one last chance to relax & get waited on!:D The breakfast in the main dining room doesn't run as late on the last day either...I think it closes around 9?

[Artemis908]

Last time I let them take my luggage, we had to wait in line for a really long time and then search for our luggage among what seemed like an ocean of baggage.

 

Since then we tend to pick up our own luggage and drag it down the stairs ourselves. Someone suggested though since we are on deck 10, to just go up one flight and hang out by the pool until the crowd dies down and we can find a spot on elevator. Think we might try that this time since we have a car picking us up and it's probably better I just give him a later time.

[elainesj]

one tip I read was to tie something bright to all our luggage so that it is easy to tell which is part of our group of luggage. I think I'm going to tie Cdn flags on to all our luggage - something bright and easy to spot! That said, I've never had trouble finding my unmarked bags amongst the sea of bags at airports. I'm just going to do that because it's fun :)

[Maya57]

one tip I read was to tie something bright to all our luggage so that it is easy to tell which is part of our group of luggage. I think I'm going to tie Cdn flags on to all our luggage - something bright and easy to spot! That said, I've never had trouble finding my unmarked bags amongst the sea of bags at airports. I'm just going to do that because it's fun :)

 

My tarvel agent gave us some bright colored luggage straps.

Because of bright colors I never have trouble finding them especially at airports.

In addition, which once happened my zipper got unzippped the strap held it together so nothing fell out,

[pltag]

My debarkation tip ....... GET OFF THE SHIP !!! :D :D And, do it when you are told and how you are told.

 

Sorry, but this first on, last off mentality drives me crazy! The best way to "help" your cabin steward, besides a nice tip is to get out of your cabin on their craziest day. And the "I'll just leave my bags in the cabin while I go to breakfast plan" ...... doesn't really work. As a former Hotel Guy, I can tell you ..... a room is either Vacant or Occupied, there is NOT a lot of in between.

 

Also love the "Ignore when your group is called" advice! :rolleyes: If you do this, you waive the right to mention in your Trip Report how crazy and disorganized debarkation was! :)

[bearchele2]

the earlies people to disembark are the ones with the early flights. those who don't have flights or late flights usually are in the last groups to disembark.