What is disembarkation day like on Viking ?

[Heidi13]

3 hours ago, Eloise4Ever said:

As it was so condescendingly put, “some cruisers know nothing of what goes on behind the scenes”. Rather than “actually having no idea how far I am from the facts”, this experienced cruiser has a very good idea of what disembarkation/embarkation day entails for the crew. I have built up some great relationships with crew over the years and had many chats with them about life onboard. 

In your original post you stated, "Naturally I understand that the ship is preparing for the next guests, however, that preparation relates mainly to the cabins."

 

You may be an experienced cruiser (passenger), but in my experience, making the above statement indicates you have a minimal knowledge of what turn-around (TAR) day entails. Cleaning cabins is but 1 component  of the entire process.

 

It may be many years since I worked as Navigator, but it hasn't changed much. My day started at 04:00, at the start of my Bridge watch and normally finished at 20:00, or later, if we had not yet completed departure and reached open sea. Got a quick breakfast and lunch, but most days no other time off. I also recall a recent post from Cheng, as an Engineering Officer, who outlined his responsibilities during the entire day.

 

During these hours, I had nothing to do with cabins. So while you have seen it as a passenger and have chatted with crew, I have actually lived the process way too many times. Yes, turning over cabins is a huge task, but those of us who have actually experienced TAR days know that preparations are NOT related mainly to the cabins.

[Parsley Cruises]

I can imagine what does go on behind the scenes, but to answer as a passenger, and comparing our recent disembarkation to other cruise lines ..... calm, professional and thoughtful. That’s how we will remember VO disembarkation day.  Well ordered, calm and beautifully organised.  

 

The insuite breakfast service was a very pleasing surprise, and the complete absence of pushing and shoving when it was time to leave the ship was very noticeable.  We easily and quickly found our bags and headed for the transfer transport. 

 

A good experience, even though we didn’t want to leave the ship.

[Eloise4Ever]

To be fair, my focus in starting this thread was on passenger facing facilities/services. I sought information on the facilities that Viking, as a premium/near luxury cruise line, makes available to its guests on the final morning. It was not intended as a discussion of how busy turnaround day is for the crew. I have no doubt that crew such as Navigators and Engineers work extremely hard on turnaround day (and every other day, like all crew) but they are not involved in cabin cleaning and preparation or food preparation and service. I only mentioned that the extra burden of preparation on turnaround day relates to cabins because cabins need more intense cleaning and preparation that day compared to other days. So I understand why passengers need to vacate cabins quite early (while still being of the opinion that 8am is a little too early). However, food service requires more or less the same effort every day of a cruise so I could see no justification as to why restaurant service would not be provided on turnaround day, as was implied by several posters. Behind the scenes operations were not part of my scope of enquiry. I hope that makes my position clear. 

Edited November 9, 2018 by Eloise4Ever

[Eloise4Ever]

18 minutes ago, Parsley Cruises said:

I can imagine what does go on behind the scenes, but to answer as a passenger, and comparing our recent disembarkation to other cruise lines ..... calm, professional and thoughtful. That’s how we will remember VO disembarkation day.  Well ordered, calm and beautifully organised.  

Thank you for answering from a passengers perspective Parsley. This is exactly the kind of feedback I was looking for.

 

It’s probably true to say that nobody ever wants to leave the ship. I cried as we disembarked from our first ever cruise. I did, however, gallop off our only MSC cruise as quickly as possible! But that’s another story .

[jono mono]

Ditto Eloise4ever as per MSC !!!!

[Parsley Cruises]

With best foot forward and a positive mind, we left happily thinking of the next cruise (already booked).

Still pinching ourselves that it was such a perfect cruise.

Edited November 9, 2018 by Parsley Cruises
Correction

[Eloise4Ever]

21 minutes ago, jono mono said:

Ditto Eloise4ever as per MSC !!!!

I hope for your sake it’s not ditto to the point where you also considered disembarking permanently every day for the first half of your cruise and then spent the second half counting down the hours to the last day! We only booked a 7 day cruise just in case we didn’t like it, but it was 6 days too long .

[Eloise4Ever]

24 minutes ago, Parsley Cruises said:

With best foot forward and a positive mind, we left happily thinking of the next cruise (already booked).

Still pinching ourselves that it was such a perfect cruise.

You have a great attitude Parsley, I would love to meet you on a cruise one day.

[jono mono]

Eloise4Ever........ we felt much the same, not returning if they paid us, ours was 7 days to long. !!

[Eloise4Ever]

19 minutes ago, jono mono said:

Eloise4Ever........ we felt much the same, not returning if they paid us, ours was 7 days to long. !!

LOL I was being generous when I said it was only 6 days too long! You and I are definitely on the same page on this one .

[maddie2312]

Disembarked Orion last Sunday in Hong Kong with a 11.45pm flight home that night. We asked what time transfer to the airport was about 7 days in to our 14 as we were trying to plan what to do/see in Hong Kong on our last full day. We were told that it would be confirmed 3 days before departure but were pleasantly surprised to get a letter a couple of days later to give details. We envisaged being at the airport early and trying to check in bags and heading back into the city. As others have said luggage out the night before, on ours was out by 9pm so we put it out before going to dinner at 8pm in Manfredi's and kept one small case to roll off ourselves. our first VO I thought it would be ok to put it out about 20 mins after the 10pm time but it was still there the next morning so I had to take it off myself. No big deal and saved time finding it. This time we were all out of rooms by 8am and blue disembarked at 9.45am. World Cafe was busy as you'd imagine but seats available inside and out and no different to a day with lots of early trips, It closed at 9.00am as it opened early they said. We had breakfast with new found friends who were going to the airport just before us. their flight was 3pm. With ours being so late Viking supplied a day room available when we arrived at a hotel adjoining the terminal and a lunch for all that wanted it at 12.30. The menu was extensive but we made plans to visit Lantau Island which was only a 10 minute bus journey from outside the hotel and cable car away. It was great to have the room on our return to rest and freshen up from our trip out before our overnight flight. Day rooms appeared to have been given to people with flights after 6pm from what we could tell. We met one couple with a 5pm flight that were going to book a day room but were told they could stay on board and have lunch and leave at 1pm. After breakfast we sat in the world cafe until 9.30ish and then went down and waited in the lounge area on deck 2 near the gangway. Not crowded and as we were one of the last groups plenty of seats. We were called after about 5 mins and got luggage and went through customs before getting on the bus. A very easy, well organised experience as it was on our previous VO cruises and no sitting for hours in the theatre like I did on lines years ago. Enjoy your cruise.

[vnb2003]

On 11/9/2018 at 8:59 AM, Pyroforyou said:

No one mentioned that you can order room service. On my last VO cruise we ordered a sandwich before we went to bed (to eat while we had to wait in the airport for our late flight home) and had our breakfast delivered in room so we did not have to deal with the last day crowds at the world cafe. On our first 5am departure, we only had croissants and bagels at the bar in the atrium while we waited for our departure group. 

I was going through this thread before replying.

 

We always order room service breakfast and the good one :). Having it at 7 am we enjoy it in the room or if balcony has a good view, there. We out of room at 8 am and going directly to Explore lounge. It’s so peaceful there. Last June we disembark in Bergen where we arrange our own stay. We had Black color and we left the ship 10:15 am and rolled our cases to the hotel 7 walking min away. There were still quite a few suitcases on the dock. We left ship at 10 am twice with Viking transfers. We always marvel at Vikings detailed thoughtful organization.

[RustyR1]

On 11/9/2018 at 8:59 AM, Pyroforyou said:

On my last VO cruise we ordered a sandwich before we went to bed (to eat while we had to wait in the airport for our late flight home)

Did you order the sandwich to be delivered with breakfast, or the night before? I like this idea.

[Parsley Cruises]

Having breakfast ensuite  sounds like a definite plan for our next VO.

 

Looking back at our disembarkation day though, it was basically much better thought out, planned and implemented than we have experienced previously in our cruising experiences.  Instead of being corralled in a place quite some distance (and several decks) away from the disembarkation point we were told to sit in a specific place on the same deck as the disembarkation point.  Everyone was able to sit comfortably, the nearby bar was serving hot drinks and snacks right up to (and probably for the next group even after) we left the ship on the final day.

 

So;  adequate comfortable seating, good supply of hot drinks and snacks, pleasant location, very nearby bathroom facilities, no struggling down the stairways with carry-on luggage and camera bags etc., no queueing for a lift!  Compared with other cruise lines it was a doddle.

[Sunflower & The Scientist]

On ‎11‎/‎9‎/‎2018 at 4:23 AM, peasmith said:

They start preparations for the next cruise well before the current passengers disembark - things start arriving in the cabin for the next lot i.e. fresh dressing gowns and slippers appeared in the cabin wardrobe at least two days before we got off and a thorough clean on our last day i.e. a very good hoover all round so less time needed when we got out.

 

Seriously? They actually put items like robes and slippers in the cabin for the next cruisers when someone else is still using the cabin???  I really do not want the products I will be using to be in with some strangers personal items inside their cabin!  Yeah, I admit to being a germaphobe, but come on would you want to use a pair of slippers that someone else had their dirty used slippers next to?  Like I want my robe stuffed in a closet next to some strangers dirty clothes.  I think I'm starting to hyperventilate.😱

 

On one of our cruises we had not left yet as it wasn't our time, our stuff was still in our room...we ran to get a cup of coffee or something, and came back and found they had changed the bed and put all the clean stuff in the room.  We still had a while left before we were supposed to leave, so felt weird staying in "our" room that was prepped for someone else.  I wouldn't want to be the next cruiser in the room after someone decided to take a nap on my clean bedding.

 

I understand...they need every bit of time they can get, absolutely in favor of not making things difficult for doing change overs...but I want clean stuff in the room I come into.  

 

 

[imcpa]

They actually put items like robes and slippers in the cabin for the next cruisers when someone else is still using the cabin??? 

 

This happened on my one Regent cruise.  My wife and I considered it a going away present and packed them (the slippers, not the robes).

[Twitchly]

I mostly just remember wailing and gnashing of teeth. Mine in particular.

[zitsky]

If you only have small luggage and want to keep it with you, is there a place you can keep it while you eat in the MDR on the last day?

[Dauntless]

3 hours ago, zitsky said:

If you only have small luggage and want to keep it with you, is there a place you can keep it while you eat in the MDR on the last day?

 

We have left ours at the Explorer's desk after leaving the cabin, before we have breakfast and then swing by and pick it up before we depart.

[Little Monty]

..instructions for tonight / tomorrow 

[stretchcruz]

So you are getting in on both Sunday Jan 13 and Sunday Jan 12? LOL!

 

We had Captain Bamberg on the Viking Sky and he was so personable and available all over the ship. 

[Cienfuegos]

Thank you for the copy of the disembarkation procedures. Our November 22, 2018 process in Miami was similar.

 

Vacate your room by 8, bring your hand luggage with you to the World Cafe or Explorer Lounge for breakfast. The main restaurant was not open for breakfast on the last day. We were told that the ship's staff could not handle luggage once we were at the port. That work is performed by longshoremen.

 

The departure process was more or less civil, colors were announced in the lounges, etc. Some people with early flights etc exited first, with all their luggage. That was about 7.15.   I could see the trolleys of  luggage as they were rolled off the ship and toward the customs hall, with the "early" colors on the bags.

 

There was a lot of work on the dock as waste was removed,  hoses were hooked up,  fuel trucks positioned, etc

 

We left the ship about 9 am, our luggage was waiting, bags together. Ten minutes wait for a perfunctory customs check, and we were out front. Parking in the adjacent covered garage was about $150 for a week.

 

(The housekeeper also delivered fresh robes, slippers, and sheets the night before arrival.  They went on the shelf above the wardrobe hanger space.)

[Little Monty]

Yes I saw the error after I posted.

 

We definitely arrived today / Saturday and will disembark tomorrow / Sunday 🙂

[stretchcruz]

They need a proofreader for the dailies!

 

We never heard an announcement of times when we were getting off. They just expected us to be adults and look at the time I guess. It was refreshing.

[Peregrina651]

On 11/7/2018 at 12:09 PM, Peregrina651 said:

All is mellow. World Cafe us serving full breakfast. No announcements. You will be told at what time your bus departs and you are expected to walk off the ship in time to get your luggage and be on the bus before it departs. 

 

Out of cabin by 8 am. All off ship by 9:45am. 

 

UPDATE: Things were handled a bit differently for our disembarkation this go round. Maybe it was because it was the first time we were using Viking transfers at Barcelona--and maybe it is because they have been tweaking procedures. Our last time disembarking in Barcelona we were taking a cab and just left when we left.

 

We were on the first bus off the ship. We were told to meet in the Atrium Deck 1. From there they guided us off the ship and into the terminal to collect our luggage and take it to the bus to be loaded underneath.

 

When we got to the airport we were not permitted off the bus until the luggage was unloaded and taken into the airport. Then we got off the bus and walked, like sheep, into the airport. At this point, we grabbed our luggage and bolted. We knew the airport and what we had to do.