Elite Disembarkation - When To Contact CC Rep, and Procedure?

[OptionAnon]

I have never quite gotten down how the "Priority Disembarkation" procedure works for Elite passengers. The website says:

 

"If you have independent onward travel you may contact the Circle Host towards the end of your voyage to state your request to disembark with your preferred disembarkation group. If you'd like to linger onboard longer, we'll be more than happy to give you a later disembarkation group. If you'd like to be one of the first groups to disembark, we'll gladly accommodate - the choice is yours! "

 

One time I waited until the night before departure and tags were delivered, I then contacted the CC Rep, who told me I was too late to change it. I explained that it says to contact her "towards the END of my journey," and she said, "well, not THIS late," or something like that.

 

So, how and when do Elite passengers contact the CC Rep about their chosen departure time?

 

And what are the procedural options?

 

Meaning...if I choose to be with one of the earliest groups (but NOT with the "walk-off with my own luggage" group) would I wait in the Platimun disembarkation lounge (usually in a dining room or Explorer's Lounge), or can I just go straight from my cabin to the gangway?

[gertz]

Think you may be making too much of this. Or I'm reading too much into your question.

 

This is what we do on getting off. Go down to the front desk prior to getting in like at least a day prior. Get into the Elite line tell them what you want. They will take care of it.

 

We generally don't bother with the Elite lounge we just eat breakfast in the main dining room go back to our cabin and take it easy until we want to leave then go down and get off. You can hear the colors called by leaving your cabin door open.

[Putterdude]

We usually go to the Elite lounge, it is a little less crowded than some areas and the coffee, juice and pastries are a nice touch. Our situation is a little more complicated as we have to wait for a wheelchair pusher and lately when we are getting close to the time time to disembarkation we just leave the Elite lounge and go to the wheelchair lounge, for us it is much less waiting.

[Happy2cruise]

Yes, I think the statement on the website is misleading.

 

When we first became elite, went down to the Captain's Circle desk and told the rep we wanted to make arrangements for "priority disembarkation". With a strange look on her face she replied she did not do this and we needed to go to the Purser's Desk and tell them.

 

When luggage tags are delivered and it is not the time you want, go to the Purser's Desk and they will usually change them.

 

 

As far as getting off, you are instructed to wait in the designated area or in your case the Platium/Elite lounge. You are let off the ship by your color tags.

 

Happy cruising.

[OptionAnon]

Think you may be making too much of this. Or I'm reading too much into your question.

 

This is what we do on getting off. Go down to the front desk prior to getting in like at least a day prior. Get into the Elite line tell them what you want. They will take care of it.

 

We generally don't bother with the Elite lounge we just eat breakfast in the main dining room go back to our cabin and take it easy until we want to leave then go down and get off. You can hear the colors called by leaving your cabin door open.

 

And by the time you make your way from your room to the gangway (if you've chosen the 1st color after luggage-toting walk-offs) there won't be some awful bottleneck?

 

Maybe I just had a bad most-recent experience (it may have been when they were testing out the "walk-off if you carry your own luggage" theory) and there were people backed up in the stairwell to the gangway.

 

My worst disembarkation ever on Princess.

 

I'm hoping that was just a "one off".

[CruisinChris]

They dont call colors any more - it's a silent disembarkation.

 

Don't wait until the day before. I know - the Purser is a kill-joy sending out disembarkation stuff way too early. Shortly after you get the info from them you can go to the Purser's desk (sorry Passenger Services desk) and make a request if your assigned disembark time isn't to your liking.

 

Disembarkation these days is by deck. Folks are a assigned a public space to wait in after a time posted in the disembarkation information. Elite and Platinum may wait in their assigned space - "Elite lounge" to disembark. Again, if you want a different time - later, earlier, whatever ask and they are supposed to accommodate your request. You can still have breakfast - main dr or Horizon Court as you wish.

 

The Elite lounge will have some light refreshments like coffee tea and pastries and they bring aboard the morning paper.

 

I hope this helps.

[pris993]

We are very independent travelers, it is very simple. We fill out the form all cruise lines pass out asking what your departure plans are, we indicate on the worksheet that we have independent travel plans, generally involves a private car service pick up and that we need to be off the ship to meet our car at what ever time we need. Being elite, we find the cruise usually gives us just what we asked for and if they don't we go down to the front desk and request the correct luggage tags. That simple. Never failed us so far.

[rkmw]

when the disembarkment papers come around in the last week wanting to know your details for getting off we always write down the bottom that being elite passengers we would like to be off by a certain time and we normally get the time requested

[Steelers36]

We are very independent travelers, it is very simple. We fill out the form all cruise lines pass out asking what your departure plans are, we indicate on the worksheet that we have independent travel plans, generally involves a private car service pick up and that we need to be off the ship to meet our car at what ever time we need. Being elite, we find the cruise usually gives us just what we asked for and if they don't we go down to the front desk and request the correct luggage tags. That simple. Never failed us so far.

 

We are "only Platinum" (LOL), but I basically ignore whatever we are assigned as we only have carry-on and never picking up bags in the arrivals hall. Last week they gave us Walk Off Group 1 (ridiculous). I didn't call anyone. We just did our thing and had breakfast and my wife had her coffee in the Atrium. We just got up and walked off at the tail end of a group when the line was not very long. NBD.

[rkmw]

We are "only Platinum" (LOL), but I basically ignore whatever we are assigned as we only have carry-on and never picking up bags in the arrivals hall. Last week they gave us Walk Off Group 1 (ridiculous). I didn't call anyone. We just did our thing and had breakfast and my wife had her coffee in the Atrium. We just got up and walked off at the tail end of a group when the line was not very long. NBD.

 

you was lucky to get the walk off group but if you was assigned a certain time you should follow those times

[Billy and Charlie's Mum]

you was lucky to get the walk off group but if you was assigned a certain time you should follow those times

 

Why? The only reason there is staggered times is for the luggage, if they don't have luggage to pick up and they only have carry on luggage they can wander off at any time. They are the rarity, not the norm and it wouldn't make any difference if they just fell in line and wandered off when they were ready. :)

[pris993]

We are "only Platinum" (LOL), but I basically ignore whatever we are assigned as we only have carry-on and never picking up bags in the arrivals hall. Last week they gave us Walk Off Group 1 (ridiculous). I didn't call anyone. We just did our thing and had breakfast and my wife had her coffee in the Atrium. We just got up and walked off at the tail end of a group when the line was not very long. NBD.

 

This will work if you don't have any luggage to pickup off the ship. IN many ports, luggage is organized in such a way or may not be off the ship yet, if you don't get off as directed by your luggage tag.

[rkmw]

Why? The only reason there is staggered times is for the luggage' date=' if they don't have luggage to pick up and they only have carry on luggage they can wander off at any time. They are the rarity, not the norm and it wouldn't make any difference if they just fell in line and wandered off when they were ready. :)[/quote']

 

i suppose you are right as they didnt have any luggage

[Roses2]

We always have made our debarking arrangements at the Purser's Desk in the Elite line. The folks there will accomodate you with the luggage tags for the time of your choice.

 

There is nothing else special. If in a suite you can have a full breakfast in your room and wait for the time. If not, you can wait in the elite/platinum lounge and the Captain Circle Rep alerts each group for departure.

 

P&J

[fishywood]

Why? The only reason there is staggered times is for the luggage :)

 

You are forgetting Immigration and Customs. Disembarkation is also staggered in order to keep the lines there managable. The main reason Immigration comes to a screeching halt midway through disembarkation is because of people who request early walk-off but decide to sleep in and/or linger over breakfast and think they have the right to join another group later at whatever random time they please.

[aikensbest]

You are forgetting Immigration and Customs. Disembarkation is also staggered in order to keep the lines there managable. The main reason Immigration comes to a screeching halt midway through disembarkation is because of people who request early walk-off but decide to sleep in and/or linger over breakfast and think they have the right to join another group later at whatever random time they please.

I respectfully disagree. We always request early walk off, and are held up many times by folks that did not request it, but push to the front of the disembarkation line long before there color is called. I think it would be better for all if Princess refused to let people off ahead of there group and also if walk offs don't show up on time make them go to the back of the line.

[Billy and Charlie's Mum]

I respectfully disagree. We always request early walk off, and are held up many times by folks that did not request it, but push to the front of the disembarkation line long before there color is called. I think it would be better for all if Princess refused to let people off ahead of there group and also if walk offs don't show up on time make them go to the back of the line.

 

If people have been given coloured tags and a time for disembarkation it is pointless to get off early. The reason for the coloured tags is that the bags taken out to the terminal are staggered in time.... if you go out early and your bags don't come out for another hour, what is the point? The OP was talking about walking off with carry on luggage. The amount of people that do that is minimal and would have minimal impact on the crowd waiting around in the terminal.

[fishywood]

I respectfully disagree. We always request early walk off, and are held up many times by folks that did not request it, but push to the front of the disembarkation line long before there color is called. I think it would be better for all if Princess refused to let people off ahead of there group and also if walk offs don't show up on time make them go to the back of the line.

 

Looks like we actually agree more than disagree...because that is exactly the conclusion I was hoping would be drawn.

 

You believe that line-cutters who did not actually sign up for walk-off is the bigger problem.

I believe that that those who sign up for walk-off but dawdle and clog up the lifts and halls with their full-size bags is the bigger problem.

And we're both right.

 

(Standy by for someone to chime in that we are grousing over nothing because those two types of miscreants cancel each other out. Erm, don't think so...)

[OptionAnon]

We always have made our debarking arrangements at the Purser's Desk in the Elite line. The folks there will accomodate you with the luggage tags for the time of your choice.

 

There is nothing else special. If in a suite you can have a full breakfast in your room and wait for the time. If not, you can wait in the elite/platinum lounge and the Captain Circle Rep alerts each group for departure.

 

P&J

 

That sounds like a nice idea. But we'll have two rooms, one being a mini-suite. I assume the full breakfast en-suite is available only for "FULL-Suites", right? I know I can always grab something in the Horizon Court. But, ugh...there's something so depressing about HC on debarkation morning. You can tell from the spread that they're just saying, "Okay, folks, time to go!"

 

;-)

 

Can you even get coffee delivered on debarkation morning in a mini-suite? I don't seem to recall that.

[fishywood]

Go to the pursers desk Elite/Suite line.

Inform them of what time you wish to disembark.

Ask for sufficient number of luggage tags for your entire party.

Inform your butler that you wish breakfast in your suite on debark day for four (or however many total in your group).

After you eat all of you can stay in your suite or the Elite/Suite debark lounge, your choice.

As said...nothing special.

[rkmw]

Go to the pursers desk Elite/Suite line.

Inform them of what time you wish to disembark.

Ask for sufficient number of luggage tags for your entire party.

Inform your butler that you wish breakfast in your suite on debark day for four people.

After you eat all of you can stay in your suite or the Elite/Suite debark lounge, your choice.

As said...nothing special.

 

if you fill in the disembarking paper when it comes around and you get your desired time why bother lining up seeing the purser....they might say all full and they will have to give you a different time slot

[fishywood]

if you fill in the disembarking paper when it comes around and you get your desired time why bother lining up seeing the purser....they might say all full and they will have to give you a different time slot

 

The whole point of the OPs inquiry is that choice of disembarkation time is guaranteed for full suite passengers, but information about how to secure that time is lacking/inaccurate.

[rkmw]

The whole point of the OPs inquiry is that choice of disembarkation time is guaranteed for full suite passengers, but information about how to secure that time is lacking/inaccurate.

 

if the OP fills in the disembarkment paper they will be given a time, we are elite and thats what we do and people in suites should do the same

 

the OP can wait in the elite/platinum lounge until they are required to disembark

[notentirelynormal]

The OP asked about ELITE disembarkation procedure. She did not once mention she was in a suite. That comment came from other posters.

[rkmw]

The OP asked about ELITE disembarkation procedure. She did not once mention she was in a suite. That comment came from other posters.

 

yes other posters mentioned suites but it doesnt matter....elites/suites get the same priority disembarking and wait in the platinum/elite lounge until its time to go