RCI needs to do something about self disembark.

[LuCruise]

Simple way too many people doing self assist

 

Simple let the cruise do all the work.

 

Why are so,many in a hurry for their cruise to be over:confused:

 

Early flight back home

[reallyitsmema]

Simple way too many people doing self assist

 

Simple let the cruise do all the work.

 

Why are so,many in a hurry for their cruise to be over:confused:

 

People book flights that depart prior to the cruise line's recommended time and then self disembark to try to make the flight.

[Shippy]

Although one poster said said no problem on Oasis...not necessarily so. We cruise several times a year & try for early flights home so always do self walk-off.

It was great in the beginning but now a big percentage of the ship does it. They do assign you a place to wait in the morning but more & more passengers do not go there. I have to admit we are included in that.

You can get 'trapped' in your waiting area. We find out the night before exactly where the exit will be & wait there....along with many others. We have got 'stuck' too many times in our assigned area. There is NO control.

Also the elevators are a nightmare. You have the crowds going up & down from the buffet for their last breakfast so trying to get on an elevator with your luggage is very hard. Sometimes we separately get in in the elevator & meet on the level of disembarkation.

Also the hallways can get pretty jammed up because all the cabin stewards have their carts out to make up the rooms.

Good luck doing this with kids. People can be incredibly rude.

[DonnaK]

Simple way too many people doing self assist

 

Simple let the cruise do all the work.

 

Why are so,many in a hurry for their cruise to be over:confused:

 

After being away for an entire week, there are many chores to attend to at home before returning to work the following day. (Some of us don't have the luxury of taking the next day off). From the cruiseport in NJ, I can be at home with a load of laundry in the washer before the ship is fully disembarked. That takes away some of the stress of having to return to work the next day.

 

For us, it is significantly more stressful to hang around in the morning or wait in the airport for a late flight, than it is to simply get on our way as early as possible. I hate waiting, especially when I have other things to do!

Edited April 24, 2016 by DonnaK

[molly361]

Although one poster said said no problem on Oasis...not necessarily so. We cruise several times a year & try for early flights home so always do self walk-off.

It was great in the beginning but now a big percentage of the ship does it. They do assign you a place to wait in the morning but more & more passengers do not go there. I have to admit we are included in that.

You can get 'trapped' in your waiting area. We find out the night before exactly where the exit will be & wait there....along with many others. We have got 'stuck' too many times in our assigned area. There is NO control.

Also the elevators are a nightmare. You have the crowds going up & down from the buffet for their last breakfast so trying to get on an elevator with your luggage is very hard. Sometimes we separately get in in the elevator & meet on the level of disembarkation.

Also the hallways can get pretty jammed up because all the cabin stewards have their carts out to make up the rooms.

Good luck doing this with kids. People can be incredibly rude.

 

That's too bad to hear about the OA- every time we used it we just walked straight off around 6:30 with no problems- we will be on board again in 2 weeks, hope it goes well.

[alfaeric]

We took our luggage off a couple years ago, but the staff got super annoyed with us. Every time a new staff member would come into the room we were waiting in, they would act freaked out as if they didn't know what to do with us and gave us a lecture about how we should have put our luggage out the night before if we weren't gonna get off with the self-disembark group. One guy even got on a Walkie talkie and tried to figure out if he needed to take our luggage or send us off the ship in between groups. It was actually kind of embarrassing because they made us feel like we had really screwed things up in their process. In the end, it wasn't a problem at all, We got off the ship just fine and didn't have to go find our luggage before we got in line for customs, but I didn't do it again :)

 

Simple solution to that- don't go to waiting lounges.

 

You have till 8am to leave the cabin (and realistically, they don't mind a few min after- we do talk to the attendants and they seem happy and not rushed that we get out immediately).

 

Our recent Freedom cruise illustrated the reality of self-disembark- you have the *option* of getting off right away. But without tags, you can leave whenever you want (within reason, of course).

 

We have actually been last off, even. Totally accidentally, too- on the Rhapsody in Italy- disembark is so fast and efficient that even with our 8:30 target to leave, we were the last ones off. Shocking.

 

Again, all of our stuff is small enough to carry onto an airplane. Why not carry it on and off the ship? Pretty easy.

[Lynn1179]

Simple way too many people doing self assist

 

 

 

Simple let the cruise do all the work.

 

 

 

Why are so,many in a hurry for their cruise to be over:confused:

 

 

I usually have a 12-15 hour drive home. Cat speak for everyone else

 

When I was on Indy (for work so no kids) in January I had a flight around dinner time so I found a seat on the promenade and have coffee and a pastry until the masses cleared.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

Edited April 25, 2016 by Lynn1179

[Davebhoy]

We disembark the easy way, whether it's with our luggage or not, by avoiding the herd mentality. We eat a leisurely but early breakfast. Then we return to our cabin, retrieve our bags, and find a comfortable spot to wait. Sometimes it's the concierge lounge, sometimes it's the pool deck, sometimes it's been the library. We keep an eye or ear out for the disembarkation announcements and when they are near the end or the last call, THEN we make our way to the gangway. There's nothing wrong with being the last ones off the ship.

 

The elevators are not crowded. The gangway is not crowded. The customs and immigration line is not crowded.

 

Let the unwashed masses, the groundlings, the herd, push and shove and fight to be the first ones off.

 

Slow down, relax, live longer.

 

Couldn't agree with this more ! On our last cruise, we sat at poolside with our hand luggage until we absolutely had to get off - no issues with queuing, lifts, etc and a far more pleasant end to a holiday. Can't think of anything worse than bursting a gut to push my way off in the initial wave - whole point of the holiday was to relax and enjoy it; why waste it all on the last day..

 

I can appreciate that some folk may need to get away and back to work, but I've always just included that extra day in the holidays I need to book.

[JMG]

I am still trying to figure out the best plan for us when we sail soon. We are flexible but will have three small kids with us. At least with all these reports of chaos our expectations are super low :/

 

If your airline is listed, do Luggage Valet! Best money we have spent. You do not see your luggage until you arrive at your destination airport. You can then self disembark and just take your carry ons which makes it easier to handle small children.

[bobbie0253]

We are staying two days post cruise in FLL or I would :)