We self assist and our friends do not

[quickrate]

5 hours ago, TNcruising02 said:

This.

 

If everyone wants to get off of the ship as early as possible, but your friends need to check their luggage, then I recommend finding out the exact time that the luggage tags are available and having them be one of the first in line.  We have done that and gotten the earliest possible luggage zone for our checked luggage (after priority).  

In my experience, they will put something in the cabin that will let people know when and where the luggage tags are available.  It should also be possible to get the information from guest services.  This way you can carry off your own luggage, your friends can check theirs, and all of you can exit the ship at the same time and get off to an early start for your drive home.

Still need to realize luggage is not out yet when self assist starts. 

Pat

[TNcruising02]

5 minutes ago, quickrate said:

Still need to realize luggage is not out yet when self assist starts. 

Pat

Right, but the OP can still carry off their luggage if they wait to get off of the ship with their friends, who can hopefully get an early luggage zone tag.

[Squadleader]

There's nothing nicer than a leisurely breakfast in the main dining room and leaving the ship after the disembarkation madness has abated. If your schedule allows, this method adds a lot of value to your last day on the ship.

 

We've only gotten the luxury of this a few times, since we usually cruise out of southern Florida and have a 14 hour, 950 mile forced march back to Virginia on Main Street USA, also known as I-95.

 

We try to park at the cruise terminal (fastest possible access to the truck), be off the ship by 7am, which puts us home by 9pm. We've gotten it down to a science almost, with only one stop for fuel, which requires us to leave the interstate, and fast stops every two hours at Rest Stops (which keeps us from having to leave the interstate) to switch drivers (it helps we have at least three drivers), use the restroom, stretch the legs a few minutes, then back at it for another two hours. 

 

It's almost always a Sunday and the kids have to be back in high school and college the next day, and none of us are in the mood for a motel stay on the interstate.

 

It's really amazing that many miles can be covered so quickly, with religious use of cruise control to maintain the highest possible speed (no more than 8 over) and the discipline to stay on the interstate except for the single fuel stop.

 

It was surprising to me how effective this system of two hour stops and driver changes was able to keep fatigue completely out of the equation. Our earlier more slap dash methods, usually got us home at 2am, with everyone completely wiped out.

 

I was also surprised how technically efficient this system is because the simple math is, even with the stops included, the continuous average speed over the 950 mile journey is 67 miles per hour. 

[PhillyFan33579]

We got off Liberty this morning doing self-assist. When we got off the ship, there wasn’t any luggage in the terminal. The baggage handlers were just hanging around in the terminal and hadn’t begun moving luggage to the terminal. 

[ray98]

If your friends aren't getting off early then why bother?  You aren't going anywhere, might as well get a zone tag that matches and get off with them.

[pacruise804]

On 10/12/2019 at 8:30 PM, cb at sea said:

Have your friends tell the ship that they have an EARLY flight....they will be put in one of the 1st groups off.  You and them can depart about the same time.  You can go and fetch the car while they pick up their luggage and go thru customs.  

Unless they don't have an early flight 🙄

 

 

[TEXASMUNK]

No matter how you cut it, if you self-disembark, you cannot, in any way shape or form, be able to swiftly team up. Get the same tags, check you luggage (outside the door) and roll with the flow

[2wheelin]

5 hours ago, TEXASMUNK said:

No matter how you cut it, if you self-disembark, you cannot, in any way shape or form, be able to swiftly team up. Get the same tags, check you luggage (outside the door) and roll with the flow

Can they not carry their own luggage if they prefer and walk off with their friends when their tag is called?

[SadieN]

On 10/12/2019 at 6:07 PM, jb8162 said:

Not knowing which port you will be at, I can only answer how it is in Long Beach.

Starting with Zone one for luggage availability starts around 8:30. So it all depends what zone they are. They can get off the ship just about any time however they will stand and wait until their luggage is off the ship and staged based on their zone number. If you are able to help them with their luggage, then they can get off with you.

You have to ask at guest services for a low Zone number if you are going to have the ship take your luggage off.

...... and if you're early you are corraled and standing by the restrooms until your zone is ready.  Have seen variations of this in other ports also.

[Joseph2017China]

I never understood self-assist, where you are crammed with all your closest friends carrying oversized luggage, trying to squeeze through several choke points, just to get off the ship.  I know there are reasons, such as flights etc, but if you are driving, what is the rush?   Poster is with friends that will not self assist.  Simple answer is that whenever you have a person that will be in the back of the line, everyone goes to the back of the line.  There is no cutting.  Go have breakfast, and just get off when you can. 

[jlynchtx]

For those of you that check your luggage the night before and then eat breakfast and take your time, I have a question...Do you keep a small carry on in the room with you? If so, what do you do with the carry on when you are eating breakfast? Do they let you take luggage into the MDR? What other breakfast options are open on the last day? Thus is our first cruise. Thanks!

[ShakyBeef]

15 minutes ago, jlynchtx said:

For those of you that check your luggage the night before and then eat breakfast and take your time, I have a question...Do you keep a small carry on in the room with you? If so, what do you do with the carry on when you are eating breakfast? Do they let you take luggage into the MDR? What other breakfast options are open on the last day? Thus is our first cruise. Thanks!

 

Yes, we keep our carry-ons with us after checking our luggage the night before.  And yes, they allow you to bring your carry-ons into the MDR for Debarkation Day breakfast.  And that is what we do.  They usually direct you to line the luggage against a wall upon entering the MDR, keeping it in sight but out of the way.  Enjoy your first cruise!

[jlynchtx]

12 minutes ago, ShakyBeef said:

 

Yes, we keep our carry-ons with us after checking our luggage the night before.  And yes, they allow you to bring your carry-ons into the MDR for Debarkation Day breakfast.  And that is what we do.  They usually direct you to line the luggage against a wall upon entering the MDR, keeping it in sight but out of the way.  Enjoy your first cruise!

 

Thanks for the info!

[sanger727]

6 hours ago, Joseph2017China said:

I never understood self-assist, where you are crammed with all your closest friends carrying oversized luggage, trying to squeeze through several choke points, just to get off the ship.  I know there are reasons, such as flights etc, but if you are driving, what is the rush?   Poster is with friends that will not self assist.  Simple answer is that whenever you have a person that will be in the back of the line, everyone goes to the back of the line.  There is no cutting.  Go have breakfast, and just get off when you can. 

 

I've always done self-assist until our last cruise. We had a late flight so decided to try the luggage tags and MDR for breakfast idea. Never again. You still have to be out of your room early which necessitates you getting into breakfast early. I think we were finished with breakfast between 8:30 and 9. Went to the designated spot to wait to be called. And waited, and waited, and waited. The time range we were given came and went and we waited and waited and waited. There was some kind of a delay with customs or the luggage. I would have much rather grabbed a quick breakfast at the buffet and headed out first thing before all that nonsense started up. Then could have spent those extra hours exploring the city a bit instead of sitting around waiting waiting waiting. And it was slightly annoying to have to get ready for bed the night before and in the morning without our luggage.

[pacruise804]

On 10/18/2019 at 11:18 AM, Joseph2017China said:

I never understood self-assist, where you are crammed with all your closest friends carrying oversized luggage, trying to squeeze through several choke points, just to get off the ship.  I know there are reasons, such as flights etc, but if you are driving, what is the rush?   Poster is with friends that will not self assist.  Simple answer is that whenever you have a person that will be in the back of the line, everyone goes to the back of the line.  There is no cutting.  Go have breakfast, and just get off when you can. 

I live within 3.5 hours of either Baltimore or the NJ/NY ports.  There is no reason for us not to drive.  That doesn't mean there aren't reasons to get home early.  The "rush" might even be just no longer wanting to be around passengers on a day when most of us aren't that pleasant to be around (at least at embarkation pax are excited about the cruise, at debarkation there is usually just complaining.

@sanger727 gives a great example of why it can be good to self-assist when you are able in post #39.

We have done both, but I find just as many choke points crammed with people carrying lots of carry-on luggage during regular disembark. Not everyone who self disembarks takes oversized luggage.  Some people have equipment (medical, photography, etc) or souvenirs that they don't want/can't have set out overnight and buried under other luggage.  If they have to take it off, it might not be that much more to take one more case.

 

On 10/18/2019 at 1:02 PM, jlynchtx said:

For those of you that check your luggage the night before and then eat breakfast and take your time, I have a question...Do you keep a small carry on in the room with you? If so, what do you do with the carry on when you are eating breakfast? Do they let you take luggage into the MDR? What other breakfast options are open on the last day? Thus is our first cruise. Thanks!

We have done both self disembarking and assisted.   On our last cruise we were in a deck 2 cabin (and are early risers) so we had everything ready to go but left it in our stateroom while we went to breakfast.  Other times we have been on higher decks and went to lido while leaving items in our stateroom.

Generally the buffet (possibly Blue Iguana too) and MDR are your options, but you should receive a fun times the night before that lists your choices and times.  I think there is no room service (even continental) on debarkation morning.

If you check your luggage the night before, you will need something to hold any items you didn't check.  This would include any medications, toiletries, electronics, passport/id, and clothes you wore the night before.  If you have delicate souvenirs that you aren't checking for a flight you might want them with you too to minimize breakage risks.