FLL disembarkation by staying on the ship until the afternoon

[downtowncanada]

One of my co-workers who regularly cruises with Celebrity out of FLL says he always stays in Fort Lauderdale for a few nights after their cruise (a little mini-vaca to look forward).

 

To avoid the crowds and the rush, their family indicate they are staying in Fort Lauderdale on the departure card, end up getting assigned a later time like 10 or 11 departure time.

 

They head to MDR and enjoy a leisurely breakfast until they are politely kicked out, then don't show up for their 10 or 11 departure time. Then they end up sitting on a deck relaxing until they start seeing new cruisers show up. Sometimes even grabbing a lunch bite in Oceanview. Basically enjoying another half day on the ship with limited amenities.

 

They'll get off after 2 pm and find that they zip through customs and easily find their luggage. Cabs are sometimes hard to find though as they are dropping off new passengers, so they end up looking closer to the drop off area and snag one letting new cruisers off. It sometimes takes a couple of tries to get a cab that will agree to take you, they are supposed to get back into the queue.

 

Has anyone ever got off well into the afternoon on Celebrity? They would know you're not off yet, your sea pass is done, so no more booze, but I'm really wondering how long the lines linger in the terminal. I've only ever cruised out of MIA.

[phoenix_dream]

I notice you have only posted a few times on these boards, so I'll try not to flame too much:). No one should really be advocating doing what you are suggesting. Can you imagine if a lot of people read this and then decided to try it? The crew really scrambles in-between sailings to get the ship back to being in excellent condition for the next passengers. How could they possibly do this if a lot of people were still lingering around past their departure time? It is really unfair to them, not to mention walking a fine line on the honesty scale. I am not sure if it is even possible (if they even clear the ship for new passengers until they confirm all have left) but it is certainly not something that should be done for so many different reasons.

[Lois R]

One of my co-workers who regularly cruises with Celebrity out of FLL says he always stays in Fort Lauderdale for a few nights after their cruise (a little mini-vaca to look forward).

 

To avoid the crowds and the rush, their family indicate they are staying in Fort Lauderdale on the departure card, end up getting assigned a later time like 10 or 11 departure time.

 

They head to MDR and enjoy a leisurely breakfast until they are politely kicked out, then don't show up for their 10 or 11 departure time. Then they end up sitting on a deck relaxing until they start seeing new cruisers show up. Sometimes even grabbing a lunch bite in Oceanview. Basically enjoying another half day on the ship with limited amenities.

 

They'll get off after 2 pm and find that they zip through customs and easily find their luggage. Cabs are sometimes hard to find though as they are dropping off new passengers, so they end up looking closer to the drop off area and snag one letting new cruisers off. It sometimes takes a couple of tries to get a cab that will agree to take you, they are supposed to get back into the queue.

 

Has anyone ever got off well into the afternoon on Celebrity? They would know you're not off yet, your sea pass is done, so no more booze, but I'm really wondering how long the lines linger in the terminal. I've only ever cruised out of MIA.

 

Hi, not sure I understand your entire post but here goes......the last

group off the ship is usually around 10am. There is no way folks are

allowed to stay on board till "well into the afternoon". The people

on the next cruise are normally boarding in the noon hour.

 

I usually ask to be in the last group off.......it is normally between

9:30-10:00 so not sure what your friends are referring to.....

As for breakfast in the main dining room on that final morning? Nothing

is "leisurely"....I mean you can go and have breakfast but the dining

room is only open from about 6am to 8am. Once those doors are closed?

They are preparing for the next group of passengers.

 

Again, not sure what your friends are talking about but in FLL? They

don't allow passengers to stay on board for another 1/2 day on

disembarkation day.

[New Hampshire]

Your ship card gets passed through the machine as you disembark. That's how they know ALL have left the ship. I would imagine the name of anyone who has not disembarked would be announced repeatedly over the PA system and there would be consequences once that person attempted to leave. Besides the fact that you would be caught, this is so clearly WRONG!!

[Adammara]

Different port, but when we were in Southampton, on a B2B, by 10am they were calling out passengers by name to disembark.

 

Richard

[Lois R]

OK..after reading the last 2 postings, you are saying your friends

are just sneaking around to stay on board all day?:eek::rolleyes::confused:......

 

Sounds a bit immature to me......they went on a cruise and literally

are trying to stay on board so they can disembark when it is convienent

for them?:rolleyes:......I am not saying I haven't done some silly things in

my life:o....I certainly have but when planning vacations and such?

Come on Man.....what they are doing?......nope, I can't agree with it.

[Clydesmom7865]

Just because your co-worker "says" it doesn't make it true. Assuming this isn't a trolling post. NONE of what you post appears to be based in fact since the MDR closes at 8 and your friend would be kicked out LONG before 10:00 am.

 

There is no where for them to "relax" while new passengers board. The ship won't start boarding new guests until your friends are rounded up and disembarked.

 

Nice try.

[jackdiamond]

I agree with the content of posts 2,3, and 6. Assuming, arguendo, the truth of the assertions of the person who originally posted, his "friends" would never become friends of mine.

Edited February 2, 2014 by jackdiamond

[YOW]

Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

 

Is your co-worker Rob Ford? ;)

[galavant3]

I'm not sure about Celebrity, but Royal sometimes offers a "late departure" option for $35 per person. If you elect this option, you can stay on the ship until mid afternoon. It doesn't appear to be offered on every sailing.

 

I wonder if Celebrity sometimes offers this?

[Happy2cruise]

IMO, sounds like very incondisderate and selfish people:o. If true, they are not taking in consideration all the hard work the staff must do to turn the ship for passengers waiting to begin their cruise. When it's time to go.....go:eek:

[Lois R]

I'm not sure about Celebrity, but Royal sometimes offers a "late departure" option for $35 per person. If you elect this option, you can stay on the ship until mid afternoon. It doesn't appear to be offered on every sailing.

 

I wonder if Celebrity sometimes offers this?

 

The only places it has been offered is Europe and I am not even sure

which ports. In the states? Never heard of it ever being offered, not

in Miami or Ft. Lauderdale.

[Cruising89143]

Going to agree with everyone else. The cruise lines usually make last call for 10:00. The ship has to be cleared down to zero passenger count before it is cleared and boarding can start for the next cruise. To try and stay on board is selfish.

[steveweese]

I really don't think it is possible.

[downtowncanada]

I'll ask him tomorrow or Tuesday when I see him, it did sound strange to me, but I am a new cruiser just last year and he's been cruising for years so I'll find out if this was arranged (like a late checkout at a hotel etc). He did say there are no amenities, can't use the pool, bars were closed, they just sat on deck chairs on their Kindles, then heading to Oceanview for lunch when it opened. He said he wasn't the only one, some were doing the same, others were doing back to back.

 

I know when we were boarding Reflection in Miami at 11:00am, we saw cruisers still disembarking on another gangway so I assume in Miami, the TSA allows them to start boarding.

 

I've never disembarked in Port Everglades, is it worse in terms of the time standing in lines than Miami? Miami was crazy busy, but got through in about an hour and a half, but we didn't get off Reflection until 10:00.

[galavant3]

The only places it has been offered is Europe and I am not even sure

which ports. In the states? Never heard of it ever being offered, not

in Miami or Ft. Lauderdale.

 

I think it was offered from a Florida port. I've never cruised from a non-USA port and I've seen it offered...just not on every cruise.

[Lois R]

I'll ask him tomorrow or Tuesday when I see him, it did sound strange to me, but I am a new cruiser just last year and he's been cruising for years so I'll find out if this was arranged (like a late checkout at a hotel etc). He did say there are no amenities, can't use the pool, bars were closed, they just sat on deck chairs on their Kindles, then heading to Oceanview for lunch when it opened. He said he wasn't the only one, some were doing the same, others were doing back to back.

 

I know when we were boarding Reflection in Miami at 11:00am, we saw cruisers still disembarking on another gangway so I assume in Miami, the TSA allows them to start boarding.

 

I've never disembarked in Port Everglades, is it worse in terms of the time standing in lines than Miami? Miami was crazy busy, but got through in about an hour and a half, but we didn't get off Reflection until 10:00.

 

People who are doing back to back cruises? Yes, they are allowed to

stay on the ship. That is a totally different thing. From what your

friend is saying? I don't agree with it and many of us have sailed

from FLL for years and years...just like your friend and so I still don't

agree with what they are telling you.

 

As for disembarking from FLL? They still want you off the ship but the

lines outside can be long....depends on which pier you are sailing from,

how many ships are in port and what day of the week it is.......

[Member123]

Anyone who has done a B2B knows that the scenario posted by the OP is, clearly, not possible.

 

As a B2B passenger, I witnessed the disembarkation from a "security" standpoint. First, all the B2B passengers were requested to come to a specific location, sea pass cards in hand, and a count was taken. We were all supposed to leave the ship, en masse, and be escorted back on or given instructions on how to return if we wanted to explore our port for the day. We all had to wait patiently as the countdown for disembarking passengers began. When the count reached approximately 50 people, checklists were started and security began to locate the passengers still on board. It became something of a game: where did you find the last few? In the bathroom. Where did you find yours? In their stateroom. Where did you find yours? Got them out of the bar, etc.

 

As soon as the B2B passengers were the last count on board, we were all taken to the disembarkation area and the count of onboard passengers was reduced to zero. Then, and only then, were any passengers released that were waiting to board the ship. So, the description of the OP's scenario where the co-workers leisurely remained onboard just waiting to see new passengers before they thought about leaving themselves is, imo, a work of fiction. Maybe an overworked imagination. Or wishful thinking.

[Lois R]

I think it was offered from a Florida port. I've never cruised from a non-USA port and I've seen it offered...just not on every cruise.

 

Never heard of it from Florida....not saying it doesn't happen but I would

think it would have been posted on here over the years.

I have a late flight out later this month......flight is at 4:30....if I could

stay on board the ship till late? I would do it but it has never been offered

on any of the cruises I have ever sailed on out of either FLL or Miami.

Edited February 2, 2014 by Lois R

[wv4891]

Just some information from the Celebrity website.

 

Extend Your Stay

This optional program allows you to extend your cruise vacation, remain onboard and enjoy some of the ship services until 90 minutes prior to the ship's next departure. Complimentary breakfast and lunch in Bistro on Five, non-alcoholic drinks from Café al Bacio, first-run movies, access to the pool, fitness center and select spa services plus lockers in the spa changing room. You'll even have an extra hour in your stateroom. Enroll at the Guest Relations Desk onboard. $59 per adult, $29.50 for children ages 3-12, free for children under 3. Credit cards accepted all day for bar and spa purchases. Available on all European sailings.

[cruisestitch]

Note that last line :

 

Available on all European sailings.

 

The OP's friend claims that this has been done in FLL.

 

I, too, am doubtful of the veracity of that claim.

[Happy2cruise]

Just some information from the Celebrity website.

 

Extend Your Stay

This optional program allows you to extend your cruise vacation, remain onboard and enjoy some of the ship services until 90 minutes prior to the ship's next departure. Complimentary breakfast and lunch in Bistro on Five, non-alcoholic drinks from Café al Bacio, first-run movies, access to the pool, fitness center and select spa services plus lockers in the spa changing room. You'll even have an extra hour in your stateroom. Enroll at the Guest Relations Desk onboard. $59 per adult, $29.50 for children ages 3-12, free for children under 3. Credit cards accepted all day for bar and spa purchases. Available on all European sailings.

Not worth $59 per person to me!

[Pecs ado rojo]

Just some information from the Celebrity website.

 

Extend Your Stay

This optional program allows you to extend your cruise vacation, remain onboard and enjoy some of the ship services until 90 minutes prior to the ship's next departure. Complimentary breakfast and lunch in Bistro on Five, non-alcoholic drinks from Café al Bacio, first-run movies, access to the pool, fitness center and select spa services plus lockers in the spa changing room. You'll even have an extra hour in your stateroom. Enroll at the Guest Relations Desk onboard. $59 per adult, $29.50 for children ages 3-12, free for children under 3. Credit cards accepted all day for bar and spa purchases. Available on all European sailings.

 

That is in Europe not the US. I looked into it at FLL, as our flight was 5pm, and was told Europe only. We were in the last 50 off though and it was a breeze. With being in a suite we got to lounge in Ocean Liners, with a full Continental spread available, until we had to go.

Edited February 2, 2014 by Pecs ado rojo

[Pecs ado rojo]

Not worth $59 per person to me!

 

 

They have to price high enough that it elicits that reaction from most or the ship would have hundreds of people doing it.

Edited February 2, 2014 by Pecs ado rojo

[C 2 C]

"Extend Your Stay" is also a Zenith perk without cost but not in Florida.. I asked.. It would have been nice to stay until boarding begins on our next ship on Saturday..

 

We have seen malingerers escorted off the ship so that the count could be set at zero prior to the next sailing and boarding for back to back guests..