LATE-DEBARK PROGRAM and EARLY EMBARKATION POLICY SUMMARY

[Bill Leiber]

Hello Azamara Followers:

 

I've noticed that as our booked guests start planning for their forthcoming summer and fall vacation voyages, there have been a few questions asking about disembarking early or later from the ship's published disembarkation time.

I thought it worthwhile to post those policies again on a separate thread so that our Azamara Cruise Critic forum members could re-familiarize or see for the first-time those programs:

 

Early Embarkation

§ The 'unwritten rule' for guests who wish to disembark early when the vessel arrives either the day (or days) or night before into the disembarkation port is that they can disembark early the next morning, since the vessel will have been cleared by immigration on the first day of arrival.

§ It is important, however, that once on board, the guest notify the Guest Relations Manager of their intention to leave early. Usually guests do so, to make an early morning transportation connection.

 

Late Disembarkation

The "Late-Debark" program is strictly available for purchase through the Guest Relation's office only after embarking. The program cannot be booked prior to departure; the cost is $49.95 per person and participation is limited to a maximum of 30 guests.

 

Here are the program features:

§ U.S. ports are not included since the U.S. Customs and Border Protection does not allow anyone to stay onboard.

§ The “Late-Debark” option cannot be pre-booked and can be only booked onboard. Stop by the Guest's elations office when you board to verify when the "Late-Debark" option will be available for sale.

§ Usually, the program is offered for sale a few days following embarkation because of the numerous programs that must be introduced by the staff at the outset of the voyage.

§ Because of the size of our vessels and the fact that the late-staying guests overlap with arriving new guests, the maximum number of guests that can be accommodated onboard is "thirty (30);" therefore, bookings are first-come, first-served.

§ Guests must vacate their staterooms by 8:30 AM.

§ Guests may use the public lounges and/or pool deck.

§ A movie will be shown in the Cabaret Lounge.

§ Lunch will be served at 11:30 AM and will include free soft drinks, coffee, and wine.

§ Guests will be required to disembark from the vessel no later than 1:00 pm.

§ The cost is $ 49.95 per person.

 

More detailed information will be available onboard. Each cruise/each port may require a slight deviation from the time frames above directed by local officials. Also some inconveniences may occur as the vessel is made-ready for the new arriving guests.

 

Regards,

 

Bill Leiber

___________________

Chief Blogging Officer*

Azamara Club Cruises

(*CBO is an authorized and compensated representative of ACC)

[excitedofharpenden]

Thanks Bill

 

Phil

[BaltiGator]

Very much appreciated! Thanks Bill.

[BuckGood]

Thanks Bill..I was notified by Azamara yesterday that our cruise 21apr13 there were no Late disembarkment allowed and All guest would be asked to leave by 10am!

[DaveFr]

Bill -- please clarify: the title of your post says "Early Embarkation," while the text discusses early disembarkation. I assume the title is not correct.

 

If your post is discussing early disembarkation, are you saying, for example, that if the ship arrives the day before the official disembarkation date and is cleared by the immigration authorities, passengers must wait until early the next morning before they may leave the ship?

 

Dave

[Lobbylin]

Thanks for posting - very useful info!

[Bill Leiber]

Bill -- please clarify: the title of your post says "Early Embarkation," while the text discusses early disembarkation. I assume the title is not correct.

 

If your post is discussing early disembarkation, are you saying, for example, that if the ship arrives the day before the official disembarkation date and is cleared by the immigration authorities, passengers must wait until early the next morning before they may leave the ship?

 

Dave

 

Hello Dave -

 

Good catch! My dissertation was about early- and late-disembarkation and I'm sorry for any confusion.

 

I'm double-checking, but I believe that you must wait until the next morning to actually disembark.

 

Regards,

 

Bill Leiber

___________________

Chief Blogging Officer*

Azamara Club Cruises

(*CBO is an authorized and compensated representative of ACC)

[Bill Leiber]

If your post is discussing early disembarkation, are you saying, for example, that if the ship arrives the day before the official disembarkation date and is cleared by the immigration authorities, passengers must wait until early the next morning before they may leave the ship?

 

Dave

 

Hello Dave -

 

In a situation where the vessel arrives into a port a day or two prior to disembarkation, I've learned that in most situations a guest can disembark on the same day that the ship arrives and is cleared.

 

Guests just need to notify the guest relations desk no later them 24 hours before debarkation. The ship will then arrange permission from port agent and local authorities.

 

Best regards

 

Bill Leiber

___________________

Chief Blogging Officer*

Azamara Club Cruises

(*CBO is an authorized and compensated representative of ACC)

[English Tim]

We all await our cruises, with much excitement. Why on earth would anyone want to leave early?:confused:

[Nitemare]

We all await our cruises, with much excitement. Why on earth would anyone want to leave early?:confused:

 

We've left cruises early twice: Once because flights at 9PM the day before disembarkation were bookable with points and flights the next day (disembark was at 9AM) were a minimum of $800 each (Argentina to BOS) and we already had 2 full days in Sao Paulo, and the other was in Venice, where our 6AM flight was the only nonstop home until 24 hours later and it seemed like a good idea for us to get off the ship at 3AM instead of 9 hours later and then taking an indirect flight home.

[insidecabin]

Interesting thet Azamara sees the need to charge pax for the late disembarkation.

 

Thomson the UK "budget" cruise line plans the disembarkation of passengers to tie in with their flights time or onward travel arangements so late afternoon/evening flights the pax can stay on and transfer to the airport at an appropriate time for no charge.

 

There is a charge if you want the facilities of a cabin to wash and change.

 

You can even get off the ship go on a excursion shopping etc come back for lunch then leave for your onward travels.

 

 

I understand the other TUI lines also have this facility.

 

This helped by the fact the cruise line is much more organized/integrated with flights transfers and the cruises it provides so late flights are bringing new pax to replace those leaving on the return flight and they know which cabins are free during the day.