How has Disembarkation from the Reflection in Miami Been?

[ChuckL]

Having read several threads on disembarkation problems in Fort Lauderdale, we're wondering what people's experiences have been lately disembarking at the Port of Miami from the Reflection. How long has it been taking to get from the ship through Customs? Are there long lines to get a taxi? Our flight is at 12:30 p.m. and we are questioning whether we need to try and change to a later flight with a penalty charge. Also, have there been significant delays getting through security at Miami Airport?

 

Thanks for your feedback!

[cruisnuts]

A friend of mine just sailed last week on Reflection. They carried their own luggage off and made their 11:00am flight in plenty of time on the 23rd. She said it got backed up initially but then moved along. I am on the April 6th sailing ..... Can't wait!!

[cruiserone]

When we disemarked a few weeks ago it was horrible. We were some of the last off the ship and we waited another 45 minutes till we got to customs. Worse we have ever encountered. We were not in a hurry so it did not matter but frustrating.

 

One good thing, one of the best cruises we ever sailed on.

[Donnaluv2cruise]

It's been a few years sice we've cruised, but last time we did the thing where they took our luggage the night before and I thought we didn't see it again until we arrived home.Wouldn't that be faster then taking our luggage off ourselves? Do they still have this system?

[boston_scientist]

It was pretty bad a month ago. The groups were delayed leaving the ships due to CBP and baggage claim was horrible. Many people reported that their bags were on the wrong carousel (including me) which just led to frustrating delays.

[bahi]

Got off on 2-23-13 carried our luggage off the ship.

We walked off at 7:00am at airport by 7:20 for a 9:50 flight.

Great ship great trip.

 

Marybeth

[Cruising89143]

I think it will depend on how you debark. We left the ship on the 9th and carried our own luggage off the ship. Debarkation started around 7:15 and we were at the Miami airport by 8:00. It moved quickly. If you choose to wait on your luggage then it might take longer.

[2morecruises]

I think it entirely depends on if USCBP be will staffed properly that day. (Think Sequester), in other words - It's a Crap Shoot.

 

We came back on January 5th, scheduled & departed the ship @ 8:45, found the luggage, stood in immigration & customs for about 10 minutes. Out the door we went.

[travelberlin]

For us it was OK. There was a delay of about half an hour though. The chaos started at the terminal trying to get your luggage and waiting for migration procedures.

[ChuckL]

If we were to use the Luggage Valet service, what time would we be assigned to leave the ship? Could we get off with the passengers carrying their own luggage?

[kentuckycruiser]

My husband called today after we got the email about "please show up at noon because we are having problems getting people off the ship". The Captains Club girl first went on to say that the problems have been with it taking a long time for people to get on board. I'm standing over him saying that is not what the email said, and if its taking a long time for people to get on board, why shorten the time to get on?

 

At the end of the day, she was confident that if we tell the powers that be on day 2 of the trip that we need to be on the first group off, that we should be in good shape.

 

We shall see.

[mac66]

When we disemarked a few weeks ago it was horrible. We were some of the last off the ship and we waited another 45 minutes till we got to customs. Worse we have ever encountered. We were not in a hurry so it did not matter but frustrating.

 

One good thing, one of the best cruises we ever sailed on.

 

Same here. Embarkation and debarkation are what they are. Not a deal breaker.

[CruisingTheWaves]

we disembarked in miami on the 16th. we got held up a bit, and i assume that it was probably a lot worse for those waiting around in the lounges, but we opted to do the walk off and not have to search for our luggage. i think this definitely saved time because while everyone else was walking around looking for their stuff, we got right in line for customs. the only hold up was customs stopped the flow off the ship for about a half hour, so the gangway on deck 5 got a bit crowded as no one was being allowed off the ship. all in all the whole process took us about 45 minutes and i have DEFINITELY had worse experiences disembarking a ship.

[station93]

I also disembarked on the 16th Celebrity asked all people to be patient due to the amount of custom agents which held up the lines. I didn't have to go anywhere but the parking garage, hung out in Cafe al Bacio with some friends then we decided about 10am to leave line was backed up at the midship exit but forward exdit was clear and we were off and out within 15 mins, that was not carry luggage off the ship

[miched]

We got off on 3/16. We were scheduled to get off at 8:40. Never happened. They kept making announcements that there was trouble with customs. We had #42. We sat in the coffee cafe. The line to get off was from the exit near the coffee shop all the way down the hallway to the Blu restuarant. We sat there until 11:30. We walked off the ship, got our luggage and then hit the deadlock. It took another hour to get thru customs. When we got to the agent he took his time and asked a lot of casual questions about the cruise, what we bought, wanted to see it and etc. He was just trying to stall and cause delays.

 

 

.

[Lois R]

It's been a few years sice we've cruised, but last time we did the thing where they took our luggage the night before and I thought we didn't see it again until we arrived home.Wouldn't that be faster then taking our luggage off ourselves? Do they still have this system?

 

Yes, they still have that system. No, it is not necessarily faster.

Since you haven't cruised in a few years? Many, MANY people prefer

to do what is called "Self-disembarkation" where they take their own

luggage off the ship. Usually those folks are off the ship first.

 

Then they start calling the colors/numbers of the people who do not

do that....as you stated...the ones of us who do leave our luggage

outside of the cabin and pick it up inside the pier. You do see it before

you get home...you have to pick up your luggage in order to then go

through customs.

 

As for what is happening very recently? There are longer than

normal lines for everything......self-disembarking as well as those

of us who do not self-disembark.

[CruisingTheWaves]

We got off on 3/16. We were scheduled to get off at 8:40. Never happened. They kept making announcements that there was trouble with customs. We had #42. We sat in the coffee cafe. The line to get off was from the exit near the coffee shop all the way down the hallway to the Blu restuarant. We sat there until 11:30. We walked off the ship, got our luggage and then hit the deadlock. It took another hour to get thru customs. When we got to the agent he took his time and asked a lot of casual questions about the cruise, what we bought, wanted to see it and etc. He was just trying to stall and cause delays.

 

 

.

 

i have never had an officer ask me so many questions about what i bought as i did this time around?? the only thing i bought was a ring in one of the onboard boutiques. i told him it was a michael kors ring and he started asking me all kinds of questions like "michael kors makes rings?" uh, yes, do i have to show it to you? i was like wth?

[kentuckycruiser]

Here is the email that we received yesterday - we are on the March 30th cruise.

 

 

We are contacting you with important information regarding your upcoming sailing on the Celebrity Reflection March 30th. Due to recent government budget reductions, U.S. Customs and Border Protection staffing has been affected, creating a longer immigration processing time for departing guests, and the ship has experienced a later clearance time for arriving guests. Therefore, your check-in window is now between 12:00pm to 3:00pm, which is later than the times published in your cruise documents. Please do not arrive at the terminal prior to 12:00pm. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation, and look forward to welcoming you onboard.

 

[redjetz]

We used the Luggage Valet service when disembarking last Saturday. It wasn't particularly well organized, but we were among the first to depart the ship and since we didn't have any luggage to wrangle we were out of the terminal pretty quickly.

 

Then, of course, we had to stand on line for 20 minutes for a cab, but all in all, not bad.

[Donnaluv2cruise]

Thanks, Lois. Feeling a tad rusty. We haven't cruised since we saw you celebrating your big 50! We're bringing our son this time. His first cruise!:p

[guidance lady]

Got off on 2-23-13 carried our luggage off the ship.

We walked off at 7:00am at airport by 7:20 for a 9:50 flight.

Great ship great trip.

 

Marybeth

 

You are making me a little more hopeful that we will make the flight. My husband has us on a 10:30 flight out of MIA. Was it difficult getting a cab? Did you exit from the front of the ship or the middle? We have never carried our own luggage before, so I will be packing light. These stories are making me not want to buy anything while on trip. Thanks for any help.

N

[bouionice]

We were on the 3/9 - 3/16 Reflection cruise which was the first to really be affected by sequester. The customs folks held up the start of disembarkation for at least an hour and then randomly stopped it on multiple occasions. We were group 48 and sat in the Ensemble lounge for at least an hour at which point they had only called up to group 22. One of the ship's staff came in to apologize profusely (said it was the worst disembarkation that he had ever seen) and I asked him about flights (ours was 12:45). He told me to ignore our group # and just get on the end of the walk-off line and go. We did just that, got off the ship, got our luggage with no difficulties and got on the bus to MIA (we had transfers booked with Celebrity) which was already 3/4 full and departed soon afterward. We made it to the airport with plenty of time and security at MIA was a breeze.

[ChuckL]

We were on the 3/9 - 3/16 Reflection cruise which was the first to really be affected by sequester. The customs folks held up the start of disembarkation for at least an hour and then randomly stopped it on multiple occasions. We were group 48 and sat in the Ensemble lounge for at least an hour at which point they had only called up to group 22. One of the ship's staff came in to apologize profusely (said it was the worst disembarkation that he had ever seen) and I asked him about flights (ours was 12:45). He told me to ignore our group # and just get on the end of the walk-off line and go. We did just that, got off the ship, got our luggage with no difficulties and got on the bus to MIA (we had transfers booked with Celebrity) which was already 3/4 full and departed soon afterward. We made it to the airport with plenty of time and security at MIA was a breeze.

 

Thank you so much for all of that information! What time were you asked to assemble as group 48, and what time did you get on the bus?

[sabookkeeper]

We will be sailing on the Reflection in February and have never sailed out of Miami. Can someone explain how far we have to walk to pick up our luggage and go through customs. For anyone who has sailed out of Port Everglades, it is ridiculous how far we have to walk just to get to the terminal to get our luggage. Also, someone referred to a carousel for the luggage? Is everyone's luggage on the same carousel or how is this organized?

[Lois R]

We will be sailing on the Reflection in February and have never sailed out of Miami. Can someone explain how far we have to walk to pick up our luggage and go through customs. For anyone who has sailed out of Port Everglades, it is ridiculous how far we have to walk just to get to the terminal to get our luggage. Also, someone referred to a carousel for the luggage? Is everyone's luggage on the same carousel or how is this organized?

 

I sailed out of Miami in December. There are numerous carousels.....

I didn't need them because I only had a carry on (it was a 3 night

cruise) but you still see the carousels even if you don't need them.

Miami has a different set up than FLL......

 

Your carousel is dependent on what color/number tag of your luggage.

Personally, I think that can be a hassle too....I sailed out of Miami

2 years ago as well and did use them. If, for example your carousel

happens to be #8? You have to walk all the way down to it and then?

All the way back up to the beginning of the line for Customs:eek:

So, no not everyone has the same carousel and unless the procedure

has changed? It was not very efficient (in my opinion anyway).

Maybe some folks who have sailed recently will give you a better

reivew.