Freedom Disembarking Process

[crusinfamof4]

Hello! We just got off Fascination on Saturday and are planning to cruise the Freedom next August.

 

The debarking process on the Fascination was a nightmare! Absolute nightmare. In contrast, disembarking the Dream, was a dream!

 

Can anyone tell me how the process is on the Freedom? We would most likely disembark via zones. On Fascination, when our zone group was called, everyone and their mother bombarded the stairs and there was only one way off, on deck 3-where we disembarked for our ports. It took about 30 minutes for us to get down the stairs and there was a family with zone 17 tags and our group was zone 6-10. Thanks in advance. We hope to never encounter anything like that ever again.

[hbrote]

We just got off the Freedom in October and can say that the debarking process was a total "ZOO". We had zone 1 and I am willing to bet half of the ship used self debarkation. They started at 6:30 AM and we finally got into a backed up line at 8:30 AM. Funny thing we had a trip on the Freedom in January when they first started "Self Debarkation" and where also in zone 1.

We were off the ship and through customs by 8:30 AM. Self debarkation sounds great but it really is a mess now that it has caught on. Note that they are remodeling the terminal that the Freedom usually births at and I believe it is more friendly to passengers. Next time it will be a leisurely breakfast in the MDR and then debark.

[scgamecock]

Disembarking on Freedom was the worst I have ever experienced. Worse than on Fascination by far. No baggage carousel. They just had the bags lined up in rows on the floor. We had zone 1 tags and it took about an hour to find our bags and get out of there.

[serene56]

No baggage carousel. They just had the bags lined up in rows on the floor. We had zone 1 tags and it took about an hour to find our bags and get out of there.

 

 

I have never had a carousel for our luggage on any cruises. They have always been lined up on the floor according to zones.

 

a tip I learned long ago- grab you bags and grab a porter. For us it is so worth the 10 bucks for him to get us through a long line then puts us in a cab.

 

easy peasy.

 

On the Pride-- the person manning the ding machine was sending people back if there deck was not called for self embarkation.

[princess di44]

we just got off the freedom, was zone 7. No problems getting off the ship, but after the walk to to the building which held luggage, it was kinda a zoo. The bags were in clearly marked zone areas, had no issues finding our bags. There was a long line to get through customs, although it did keep moving. It was just a matter of holding on to all of your bags to get through it. We had never waited that long to get through customs, but, it wasn't horrible. I wouldnt let it keep you from getting on the freedom.

[Jenna1983]

Just off yesterday and it was the earliest I've EVER heard them announce for self-assist. It actually woke me up, which I was not happy about. lol 6:45 am. I was off the ship in zone 6 by 8:20 am. However, the line took FOREVER to go through customs. I think we finally got out of that by 9:30. It was insane. I of course got in the customs line with a guy asking 1,000,000 questions. You disembark on deck 0, which was a first. I personally feel Ft. Lauderdale draws an "older" crowd to the ship so I think at some points that slowed stuff down because they aren't moving as fast.

[KirkNC]

We always do self disembarkation so we miss out on the zoo.

[crusinfamof4]

Great thanks for the responses, I think we will pack all of our stuff in one suitcase and self-disembark. :)

[Anyislandwilldo]

We were zone 2 and we spotted our luggage right away, through customs in about 10 minutes and on our way to the airport. we found it very easy.

[MamaParrotHead]

TOTAL pain in the butt. We originally had Zone 2 tags, but opted for Luggage Express (as we'd used it several times in Miami- they had us meet in a lounge, escorted us off the ship and through a separate Customs line (away from the luggage finding fun). There it takes maybe 15 minutes from start to finish. Well worth the $20. HOWEVER, in Ft. Lauderdale, we still waited with everyone else, and there was absolutely NO advantage to paying for the service, other than maybe not having to roll our luggage the whole 20 yards from where it would have been in Zone 2. I complained yesterday and got our money refunded. It's ridiculous that I paid $80 for something I could have done in the Internet Cafe for $10.