Welcome onboard...here is your disembarkation questionairre

[helpthejuggler]

Just completed a 7 night cruise. Almost as soon as we had unpacked we had the request for disembarkation info.

 

I really wish this could be included in the online check in process.

[kyriecat]

A couple of days ago I helped my mom complete her online check in for her Celebrity Alaska cruise next month. It might just be a US resident question, but the online check in asked for her departure information, including flight and time. I filled in the information. I have no idea whether that information is passed to the crew on Solstice or whether my mom will have to provide it again once she is on board.

[B17]

It has always puzzled me why they do this questionaire, when they have already collected the info from the online check in. To be honest on our last cruise I forgot to fill in the form that turned up in the cabin and we still ended up with our preferred time.

[Lastdance]

It has always puzzled me why they do this questionaire, when they have already collected the info from the online check in. To be honest on our last cruise I forgot to fill in the form that turned up in the cabin and we still ended up with our preferred time.

 

We just do it our way; never an issue!

[SFCAcruiser]

Just completed a 7 night cruise. Almost as soon as we had unpacked we had the request for disembarkation info.

 

I really wish this could be included in the online check in process.

I agree. It is disheartening to me to be on a 14-day cruise and to be given disembarkation forms on day 4 or 5 and I have to start thinking about the end of my vacation. I also find it odd when checking into a hotel and the greeting is along the lines of "Welcome to the XYZ hotel. When are you leaving?"

 

It is puzzling that we are asked to provide departure information during our online check-in and are asked again once on board.

[cle-guy]

I think the questions during online check in may give them just some "guidance"as to when to expect a rush of people, sometimes I notice they email "staggering" boarding times, (deck by deck) others not. Maybe they realize there are a bunch arriving all at once that is bad. Maybe it also helps with scheduling celebrity booked charter buses for airport retransfers. And of course maybe they really do do nothing with it. I can't recall if the information is REQUIRED to be inputed in order to submit the form or not.

 

Also maybe based on the information they use the "guidance" to determine if offering Luggage valet may be needed a they need a minimum number of participants, and of not enough are leaving on late flights, they need not try to offer it.

 

Also I think many people have last minute changes to their travel plans, especially departure, that they then forget to update on the Online check in, that they find it simply best just to ask once on board to get the absolute final and correct info. Also this is really the only way to note you may be traveling with another cabin or group so you call get the same departure time and slot, such as if you organized a bus group, or met new friends on board and plan to travel to the arrival city together.

[Phxazzcruisers]

A couple of days ago I helped my mom complete her online check in for her Celebrity Alaska cruise next month. It might just be a US resident question, but the online check in asked for her departure information, including flight and time. I filled in the information. I have no idea whether that information is passed to the crew on Solstice or whether my mom will have to provide it again once she is on board.

 

She will be asked for the information again on a for given out about 4 days before disembarkation.

[WestLakeGirl]

Plans change. From the time you do your on line check in until you are actually on board, flight schedules may be altered, etc etc. Thr staff on board are the ones who actually coordinate disembarkation, so it makes sense that they are asking to once again to provide your plans

[EatonDoolittle]

Just completed a 7 night cruise. Almost as soon as we had unpacked we had the request for disembarkation info.

 

I really wish this could be included in the online check in process.

 

RCCL does include include it on your online check-in info. It works well.

 

I recently sailed them after a long absence, and kept waiting to get "the letter". I even went to the desk and asked when we would give the info for our departure luggage tags. The looked at me like I was nuts, then I found out how it works from some other guests who were regulars to Royal. They already know, and tags magically appear in your cabin on the last day.

 

HAL, on the other hand, does the same thing you experienced. We call it the "Here's your hat, what's your hurry??" letter.

[swixpat]

Wouldn't it be great if Celebrity could leave a form in the cabin 2 days before the end of the cruise where the information filled in at embarkation is on, saying if the info is still correct you don't need to do anything? Then we could bin the form and enjoy the last 2 days of the cruise.

[hcat]

No problem here helping the cruise line organize our smooth departure. The earlier the better...and it would be great to hear about luggage valet asap!

 

whatever system works for them is fine for us

[fleckle]

A couple of days ago I helped my mom complete her online check in for her Celebrity Alaska cruise next month. It might just be a US resident question, but the online check in asked for her departure information, including flight and time. I filled in the information. I have no idea whether that information is passed to the crew on Solstice or whether my mom will have to provide it again once she is on board.

As WestLakeGirl stated, plans change.

 

We don't bother to put in any travel information at all when doing online check in, but skip that section entirely.

 

 

They only need that information in advance if the cruise line is making transportation or lodging arrangements for you,

not from those of us who book our own transportation to and from the ship independently and sometimes change plans at the last minute.

 

Edited July 8, 2014 by fleckle

[smtcan]

One of the few things we appreciated about NCL: all you did for disembarkation was go to a desk and pick up luggage labels for your preferred time. No forms to fill in and no feeling of ending your cruise almost before it began.

[Lsimon]

Wouldn't it be great if Celebrity could leave a form in the cabin 2 days before the end of the cruise where the information filled in at embarkation is on, saying if the info is still correct you don't need to do anything? Then we could bin the form and enjoy the last 2 days of the cruise.

 

Give them a break!

They have to organize this info for close to 1,000 cabins on M class and over 1,400 cabins on S class. Once it is organized and put in order so departure time/groups can be assigned they have to put it on an equal number of envelopes, stuff them with the departure info and tags, and distribute them so people receive them two nights before the end of the cruise so they can pack their stuff and put their luggage out the next night. This is a lot of work and takes time. It's not like they can devote an army of people to do this all in a couple hours. They might as well start as soon as they can and everyone knows when they're getting off as soon as they're getting on.

 

Why this can't be done a check in (on line or at the pier) I don't know.

Edited July 9, 2014 by Lsimon

[cle-guy]

Give them a break!

They have to organize this info for close to 1,000 cabins on M class and over 1,400 cabins on S class. Once it is organized and put in order so departure time/groups can be assigned they have to put it on an equal number of envelopes, stuff them with the departure info and tags, and distribute them so people receive them two nights before the end of the cruise so they can pack their stuff and put their luggage out the next night. This is a lot of work and takes time. It's not like they can devote an army of people to do this all in a couple hours.

 

I have to say I wonder why they don't print out bag tags like airlines do on bag tag printers instead of the manual tags.

 

Format them with the departure number in large print like where airlines print he huge barcodes, the name and cabin number on a portion and print the group and ship meeting time and place in the part where airlines print the flight number and transfers details. Can also print he contact info automatically as well, or portions such as name reservation number and phone number at minimum.

 

Then no need to organize, assemble, stuff, enclose letter and seal the envelopes. No need to keep track of the inventory of various pre-printed tag numbers. It'd just be 1 document that prints out the printer, then have the delivery person deliver them - no need for envelope or letter (again a blurb in celebrity today about reading your tags once they arrive). They could even automate it to automatically sort by cabin number to make delivery simplified.

 

They have airport bag tag printers (used for luggage valet) Just a matter of coordinating with the IT department to in effect do a "mail merge" and format the document appropriately.

 

Default to the particulars given at check in, then if people fill out the departure forms(or put noting on) they can verify and change the ones that get turned in and changed before printing off the 2-3 thousand tags......maybe dedicate a portion of Celebrity Today with the form, or give it on arrival with the arrival packet info to stop and update if needed. Print on the keycard envelope the departure details given for the customer to verify and know if they want to change it to go to guest relations up until 2 days before departure.

 

I know it's ok to dream. Maybe someday too the website will be trustworthy or internet speedy and effective on board. :D

Edited July 9, 2014 by cle-guy