Any Pros and Cons of self assist bags disembarkation

[6666oz]

On my next cruise I'm considering self assist bags at disembarkation at station pier , seems pretty straight forward just carry your own bag off the ship, not sure if they let self assist off the ship first or last, any thoughts or anything I'm missing ? :confused:

Edited January 10, 2017 by 6666oz

[NSWP]

On my next cruise I'm considering self assist bags at disembarkation at station pier , seems pretty straight forward just carry your own bag off the ship, not sure if they let self assist off the ship first or last, any thoughts or anything I'm missing ? :confused:

You will get off early, that's the idea. Done it a few times, but these days, my fitness levels are diminishing, so we wait our turn.

[GUT2407]

On my next cruise I'm considering self assist bags at disembarkation at station pier , seems pretty straight forward just carry your own bag off the ship, not sure if they let self assist off the ship first or last, any thoughts or anything I'm missing ? :confused:

 

You can get off earlier.

 

You have to cart your bags off the ship.

[The_Big_M]

Your next cruise appears to be on P&O?

 

If so, my last cruise with them, they didn't permit that. Even if you didn't have luggage at all, they said you had to join an assigned disembarkation group.

[sanger727]

Pros - you get off early, you don't have to put your bags out the night before so you have them for getting ready in the morning, you don't have to find your bags with the rest of the luggage when you depart.

 

Cons - you have to get off early, which may not be desirable if you are in a hurry, you have to tote your bags down the stairs and through customs/immigration w you

 

 

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[grapau27]

We have 4 wheels on our cases which makes it easy to take them off ourselves. It is the best way if you need to be off ship first for onward travel. We were on P&O Ventura for new year and because our flight was 13.40 we were almost last off ship and no one queried why we were taking our own cases off.The cruise lines make it clear that there is no assistance available so you need to be able to carry all your cases off yourselves.

 

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[Very Frequent Flyer]

Pros - you get off early, you don't have to put your bags out the night before so you have them for getting ready in the morning, you don't have to find your bags with the rest of the luggage when you depart.

 

Cons - you have to get off early, which may not be desirable if you are in a hurry, you have to tote your bags down the stairs and through customs/immigration w you

 

 

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Is it mandatory that you must get off early though? While I know they call the self assist disembarkation first, it was my understanding that you can get off the ship at anytime up to the final group being called. It's not as though the crew will scan the ship to make sure all self assist passengers have disembarked the ship before releasing the next groups of passengers.

 

One disadvantage of self assist disembarkation is that you may have to wait a while for the lifts. I doubt anyone will be able to carry their heavy suitcases down the stairs at the end of the cruise!!!!!

 

Thesedays I tend to disembark with my suitcases rather than leaving them out the night before. My mother in law had a bad experience in Vancouver a couple of years ago. All her suitcases were placed outside the door the night before, with the same luggage lag on all the suitcases.

 

However, when it was time to collect the suitcases inside the cruise terminal, she noticed one of the suitcases was missing. It was the one that had her medicine (yes, an error of judgement on her behalf). She was panicking as she had a flight to catch after the cruise. She was told to complete a missing baggage form and go to the airport, in the hope that the suitcase would be found and transferred to her next destination. Just as she was about to leave the terminal, her missing suitcase turned up....... in another cart belonging to suitcases with a different tag number.

[Tranquility Base]

Is it mandatory that you must get off early though?

Nope.

[6666oz]

Thanks all, yes I am on P&O, I'll study the disembarkation info document and see how the self assist times compare to waiting for your cabin class, if its first off for self assist thats very appealing , as its just a short walk to the tram and home , the missus will need a semi trailer to move her bag.

[MicCanberra]

Pros - you get off early, you don't have to put your bags out the night before so you have them for getting ready in the morning, you don't have to find your bags with the rest of the luggage when you depart.

 

Cons - you have to get off early, which may not be desirable if you are in a hurry, you have to tote your bags down the stairs and through customs/immigration w you

 

 

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Not true, you can leave anytime after you are first allowed although most lines want you out of the cabin by 8am.

 

You will always have to take your bags through customs and immigration whether you self assist or not as they are after the bag pick up areas.

[MicCanberra]

Thanks all, yes I am on P&O, I'll study the disembarkation info document and see how the self assist times compare to waiting for your cabin class, if its first off for self assist thats very appealing , as its just a short walk to the tram and home , the missus will need a semi trailer to move her bag.

 

Self assist is usually the same time as shore excursions, and airport transfers as the first off the ship.

[The_Big_M]

Not true, you can leave anytime after you are first allowed although most lines want you out of the cabin by 8am.

 

As said, with P&O when I sailed last year they did not permit it at all in the baggage groups, even without luggage. i.e. if you wanted to leave at 8, say, you had to be in the 8 o'clock luggage group whether with luggage or not.

[MicCanberra]

As said, with P&O when I sailed last year they did not permit it at all in the baggage groups, even without luggage. i.e. if you wanted to leave at 8, say, you had to be in the 8 o'clock luggage group whether with luggage or not.

 

Strange, we just walked off when we were ready and didn't have anyone stopping us. Maybe it varies from ship to ship or for differing cruises.

Edited January 12, 2017 by MicCanberra

[6666oz]

As said, with P&O when I sailed last year they did not permit it at all in the baggage groups, even without luggage. i.e. if you wanted to leave at 8, say, you had to be in the 8 o'clock luggage group whether with luggage or not.

 

 

Cannot find any of my old disembarkation docs but will have a closer look next time.

[MicCanberra]

I certainly do not remember that either.

[Mr&MrsCookie]

Self disembarkation time for Celebrity is 6.45am. Very early but great if you have an early flight (which we didn't). Not good when you remember you have to carry all the duty free grog on top of the bags while being able to hand over the sea pass card and customs form..lol

[Cruise a holic]

Unless you are very young and strong- I wouldn't recommend it. First, you must carry off all of your luggage- perhaps walk down many floors yourself- what is the rush? Unless you have a plane to catch, I wouldn't recommend doing it- Today, the cruise lines are very organized and it is easy to find and remove your luggage and get out of the terminal. My DH and I like to bring ample clothes and it would be impossible for us.

[The_Big_M]

Yes, I wound up having a mild dispute with Guest Services over it. They were adamant you had to join a specific group, even without luggage. And when going off, there was no obvious signage to exit. You had to go to X lounge, present your number, then be escorted off when that number was called.

 

It was all overly bureaucratic.

[MicCanberra]

Unless you are very young and strong- I wouldn't recommend it. First, you must carry off all of your luggage- perhaps walk down many floors yourself- what is the rush? Unless you have a plane to catch, I wouldn't recommend doing it- Today, the cruise lines are very organized and it is easy to find and remove your luggage and get out of the terminal. My DH and I like to bring ample clothes and it would be impossible for us.

 

I agree that for some there is no need to rush off. But sometimes it is due to having to work that day or travel (alternative to planes) elsewhere to get home as they do not live in the port city.

[The_Big_M]

I agree that for some there is no need to rush off. But sometimes it is due to having to work that day or travel (alternative to planes) elsewhere to get home as they do not live in the port city.

 

All good points. Also some travel light, and some may be travelling heavy, especially as part of other travel. So comes down to the situation.

[grapau27]

There are lifts in the terminal and if your case has 4 wheels it is easy to push.I am 60 and used to lifting weights but my wife is tiny and she has on occasions pushed the cases.

 

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[Very Frequent Flyer]

There are lifts in the terminal and if your case has 4 wheels it is easy to push.I am 60 and used to lifting weights but my wife is tiny and she has on occasions pushed the cases.

 

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It can take quite a while waiting for the lifts on departure morning, especially if you're on the lower decks.

[MicCanberra]

It can take quite a while waiting for the lifts on departure morning, especially if you're on the lower decks.

 

The ships lifts get very, very, busy all morning with people going to and from breakfast and then leaving the ship. So if you cannot carry your bags (down or up stairs), I suggest not doing self assist.:D

[grapau27]

You wait a little longer but for our last 40 cruises I have carried our own cases off and I have arthritis in my knees and hip.

 

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[cruisin-m]

Pros: You have no chance of losing your luggage :P

 

Cons: Everything else.

 

:)