Debarkation from Port Canaveral - Oasis 4/16/2017 - Easter Sunday

[happicruzer]

Debarkation from Port Canaveral - Oasis 4/16/2017 - EasterSunday

 

We looked out over the balcony around 7:00 and noticedthat walk-off was in process and there appeared to be no line.Grabbed our bags, caught an elevator andwalked into controlled chaos.

 

You were directed to exit - onto the jogging track - whereyou slowly wind your way around to the back of the ship (or the frontapparently if you used the front elevator as we also saw lines there) and backup the side of the jogging track.Thenyou turned around to retrace your steps.

 

That’s when we heard the first of many announcements -there was a customs delay and there was nothing the ship could do.Once the delay cleared up, the debarkationprocess would begin.

 

Finally, you got to enter the fifth floor restaurant andwade through the folks who were sitting there waiting for their numbers to becalled (tags 2-52).(At this point, onenoticed several folks merging into the outgoing line.)

 

From elevator to ding at 8:22, it was one hour.Then we got to wind down the building walkwayfrom the second floor to the first floor - hoping someone’s bag wouldn’t getloose and cause injury.There were someclose calls, partly due to the slope and too much luggage easy to manage.

 

Once in the baggage claim area, we walked through andacross the building to get into the winding line to customs.It appeared that four agents were in place –two handling the baggage handlers and their clients and two for the remainingguests.At 9:00AM a fifth agent showedup which seemed to help speed up things a bit.We were through customs at 9:07AM (7:15 elevator to 9:07 thru customs).

 

 

Observations –

 

·The ship had the debarkation chaos pretty wellunder control.I’m going to assume thelack of customs agents has to be an ongoing issue each and every Sunday morning– 18 numbers can be lit yet only four agents till 9AM - then one new agentarriving.

 

·Yes, there was a suite/zenith line - which fedinto the waiting line.

 

·It was noticeable how many folks were claimingtheir luggage as they were asking for directions.Someone asked when they’d opened numbers andthey checked and said they haven’t.Luggage for the early numbers (up to 25 or so) was in place.

 

·Expect crowding at the parking garage elevator

 

·We found the vans for the parking lots, hotelsand rental cars – looked very efficient

 

·Lots of names held in the air for those who hadprivate pickup arranged

 

·Never did find a taxi cab and calling for a cabgot us nowhere – we walked home (35 minutes)

 

Your departure letter states that the first numberscalled will be at 8:30.We were giventag 62 with a departure time of 11AM (tags 53-70).

 

 

 

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An FYI for those who like to carry on cases of water

 

The Port Canaveral porters will not accept casesof water at embarkation as the porters are not allowed to handle them.You can, apparently, put it in a duffle orbag of some type and it will be loaded aboard as luggage.I spoke with someone carrying on a case of taggedwater and we found it odd you can carry on a case of water; however, if youhave a visible bottle of water or soda and are drinking from it, you arerequired, by security, to pitch it into the well-filled trash cans before goingthrough security.

 

 

And, yes, you can havethat opened bottle inside your backpack/carryon but the gal in front of me wasn’tallowed to put her nearly emptied bottle into her backpack (mine was alreadythere thus my water bottle went through security).

[mac_tlc]

Yup, sounds like our chaos this morning. Looks like we were 15 minutes ahead of you. If this is the typical "express debarkation", I don't see the attraction. By the time we got to customs, the putts were helping folks with tags up to #3 that I saw.

 

Why do I want to lug my own stuff? I'll go to GS the last night and request tag number below 5.

 

mac_tlc

 

 

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[rkacruiser]

I am wondering: is Port Canaveral able to handle the size of Oasis Class ships or other ships of other Companies that are similar in size?

[Island wannabe]

And here I was contemplating whether I could make my 10:35 flight to Toronto when we leave the Oasis. After much good advice we changed our flight to 3:15 pm From MCO. After hearing this story I am really glad we did. Sitting around the airport for a few extra hours is much preferable to the stress we would have if we kept the 1035 flight!

[Clarea]

I am wondering: is Port Canaveral able to handle the size of Oasis Class ships or other ships of other Companies that are similar in size?

The new Terminal 1 at PC is quite capable of handling Oasis.

[rkacruiser]

The new Terminal 1 at PC is quite capable of handling Oasis.

 

Thanks for your assurance. I am wondering about the roadways and passenger handling facilities of the Port.

 

From some posts on CC, I have the impression, on a day when some of the large ships are in port at the same time, there are traffic congestion issues as well as handling very large numbers of people within the terminals.

[happicruzer]

Re traffic congestion - yes, there is some and depends on timing and arrivals/departures which is fluid so better some days than others. Last Sunday, arriving around noon at Terminal 1 was a breeze; however, the previous Sunday had a major backup into George King Drive (we were coming back from the beach and wished we'd chosen a different route home).

 

There can be up to four (or five) ships at the Disney, Carnival, NCL docking areas. When the weather is perfect for boating, the drawbridge can be up and down each and every (half?) hour causing some delays. We've noticed that 1PM or so on Saturday seems to back up onto the causeway; again, some days only - and clear others.

 

The major issue the past few weeks - and looks like continuing till we get rain - are the wild fires causing such thick smoke that roads - including the 528 toll/Beachline expressway - are closed for hours at a time, usually in the early morning till around noon. Anyone going to or from the Orlando airport will be affected by the Beachline closure as you have to travel around the closure and could add up to an extra hour travel time.

 

If arriving by taxi, I highly recommend, if Terminal 1 is busy, to direct the driver to Fishlips area (and the outside parking area opposite the boat storage) and walk your luggage over either to the porters or direct onboard with you. Now that I've finally learned to cut way back on what I take, we use carryon and off which is perfect as our clothes are with us and we don't have to worry about tags, lost luggage, or the naughty room.

 

Finally, the number of customs agents will affect boarding and leaving the ships. I don't know the total number of agents in the PC area; however, if only ten show up for work among 2-5 ships, you will end up waiting your turn throughout the day and the delay is out of any ship control.