Disembarkation in Southampton

[TOM CRUIZES]

Hi could anyone give us some information on what the Times are for Getting off in Southampton and whether P&O Stick to the stated time on your Cruise Documents,

Reason being cruise docs state Disembarkation 9-11 but we have a booking on a 0915 Train, can you get off earlier if you take your own Luggage thanks.

[wowzz]

You can get off earlier if you take your luggage off yourself,  and you should be ok with this timing, if absolutely everything goes to schedule.  Hope you have a Plan B though! 

[Tablelamp]

I have flight to catch.  I just wait in a public area of the ship (NOT IN A DEDICATED LOUNGE) and get off when I am ready.  I’ve never had a problem, they only scan you off using your cruise card.

[wowzz]

20 minutes ago, Tablelamp said:

I have flight to catch.  I just wait in a public area of the ship (NOT IN A DEDICATED LOUNGE) and get off when I am ready.  I’ve never had a problem, they only scan you off using your cruise card.

That does not really answer the OP's question. He wants to get off as soon as possible, and not wait around. 

Edited October 16, 2019 by wowzz

[majortom10]

26 minutes ago, Tablelamp said:

I have flight to catch.  I just wait in a public area of the ship (NOT IN A DEDICATED LOUNGE) and get off when I am ready.  I’ve never had a problem, they only scan you off using your cruise card.

If everyone just ignored their disembarkation times and just got off when they wanted there would be utter chaos.

[wowzz]

Just now, majortom10 said:

If everyone just ignored their disembarkation times and just got off when they wanted there would be utter chaos.

Agreed. I thought it was possible to go to reception and request a specific disembarkation time, and I imagine the OP would want one around 8am.

[TOM CRUIZES]

Thanks for the replies we will just take our own Luggage off around 8am after getting clearance from Guest relations.

[john watson]

1 hour ago, majortom10 said:

If everyone just ignored their disembarkation times and just got off when they wanted there would be utter chaos.

 

In the first instance the form to request your disembarkation slot comes round mid-cruise and it is prudent to fill it in and return it to reception. Failure to do so, you get an allocated random time, typically one which few others have snapped up so as to speak. So ask for the earliest available slot. Should you be allocated a completely unsuitable time, take your tags and go to reception to explain that your transport will require an earlier time.  They may well comply and give you new earlier slot tags. This can be your plan B, but you may still abort this plan even at the last minute and self-disembark so long as you do not put your luggage out overnight for collection.  This deciding action is where you commit to plan A or B, you either put luggage out overnight or you do not.  Should you put your luggage out overnight for a 10.00 am slot and disembark on the sly at 9.30 am you will find that your luggage is not in the hall and you will be stood  stuck down there like a spare part for half an hour looking at forklifts.  The final disembarkation go ahead almost always  speeds up ahead of schedule as it is entirely geared up to luggage arrival and sorting in the hall. In this respect the order of play sometimes goes well and the announcement to disembark speeds up ahead of the published time.

 

Regards John

Edited October 16, 2019 by john watson

[terrierjohn]

1 hour ago, majortom10 said:

If everyone just ignored their disembarkation times and just got off when they wanted there would be utter chaos.

Strangely enough that's the opposite of our experience, the only time there's  chaos is just after they open up each new group, outside of that it's fairly quiet at the gangway. Which suggests to me that allowing passengers to disembark as they wish might just even up the flow to a more leisurely pace.

[Eglesbrech]

8 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

Strangely enough that's the opposite of our experience, the only time there's  chaos is just after they open up each new group, outside of that it's fairly quiet at the gangway. Which suggests to me that allowing passengers to disembark as they wish might just even up the flow to a more leisurely pace.

I agree. There is a mad rush when any announcement is made. If people just dithered off when they felt like it there would probably be less congestion but.... there has to be a system for the baggage. The bags won’t all be off by 8am so someone has to be later I suppose.

 

If we want off early we keep the luggage and self disembark at 7.30 which the op could do.

[terrierjohn]

21 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

I agree. There is a mad rush when any announcement is made. If people just dithered off when they felt like it there would probably be less congestion but.... there has to be a system for the baggage. The bags won’t all be off by 8am so someone has to be later I suppose.

 

If we want off early we keep the luggage and self disembark at 7.30 which the op could do.

The capacity of the baggage hall, and the speed of unloading the luggage does need to be fit for purpose. But City terminal and RCI ships do manage to get all the luggage off and into the hall by at least 8:00 am, so it can be done, just maybe not by P&O.

[Eglesbrech]

3 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

The capacity of the baggage hall, and the speed of unloading the luggage does need to be fit for purpose. But City terminal and RCI ships do manage to get all the luggage off and into the hall by at least 8:00 am, so it can be done, just maybe not by P&O.

Again I agree entirely. We also travel with RCI and Celebrity and they seem to manage (and get everyone onboard quicker as well)

[Windsurfboy]

Self disembarkation is only way. As a self disembarker, he should be able to get off as soon as the ships paper work is completed. 

 

 

[TOM CRUIZES]

13 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

Again I agree entirely. We also travel with RCI and Celebrity and they seem to manage (and get everyone onboard quicker as well)

 

Have to agree with you, we sail mostly with RCl and fine that most of the Luggage is there by 0830, we nearly always carry our cases off so that will not be a problem this time, thanks for all the constructive comments and the Information about the Disembarkation form, did not know about that we will watch out for it.

[AndyMichelle]

I seem to be the opposite to most other passengers. 

I have a leisurely breakfast and find a quiet spot to read the paper and quietly stroll off when everyone else has gone to find my luggage easily as it is the only one left... 

If I stayed any longer, security would be looking for me to escort me of... 😊

We do have the advantage of living about 15 minutes from the port though. 

Andy 

[Eglesbrech]

15 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

I seem to be the opposite to most other passengers. 

I have a leisurely breakfast and find a quiet spot to read the paper and quietly stroll off when everyone else has gone to find my luggage easily as it is the only one left... 

If I stayed any longer, security would be looking for me to escort me of... 😊

We do have the advantage of living about 15 minutes from the port though. 

Andy 

Mmm, let me think, 15 minute drive home versus 8- 9 hours. If I had just 15 minutes to home I would be chilled out as well.

[Windsurfboy]

We live 4hrs away but also follow the AndyMichelle lazy disembarkation.  Miss the 9am school traffic 

[Palaceman]

2 hours ago, john watson said:

 

In the first instance the form to request your disembarkation slot comes round mid-cruise and it is prudent to fill it in and return it to reception. Failure to do so, you get an allocated random time, typically one which few others have snapped up so as to speak. So ask for the earliest available slot. Should you be allocated a completely unsuitable time, take your tags and go to reception to explain that your transport will require an earlier time.  They may well comply and give you new earlier slot tags. This can be your plan B, but you may still abort this plan even at the last minute and self-disembark so long as you do not put your luggage out overnight for collection.  This deciding action is where you commit to plan A or B, you either put luggage out overnight or you do not.  Should you put your luggage out overnight for a 10.00 am slot and disembark on the sly at 9.30 am you will find that your luggage is not in the hall and you will be stood  stuck down there like a spare part for half an hour looking at forklifts.  The final disembarkation go ahead almost always  speeds up ahead of schedule as it is entirely geared up to luggage arrival and sorting in the hall. In this respect the order of play sometimes goes well and the announcement to disembark speeds up ahead of the published time.

 

Regards John

We've never had disembarkation tags. We just request our required time  at the reception, which has been confirmed the day before arriving in Southampton. And we find our cases in the hall arranged in deck order.

[daiB]

6 hours ago, TOM CRUIZES said:

Thanks for the replies we will just take our own Luggage off around 8am after getting clearance from Guest relations.

Tom, on most cruises we have been on the people self disembarking usually can get off by 7.30 if not 7.00. All you have to do is register the fact that you will be self disembarking. Cos, you’re gannin yem to the Toon, like.

[Stokie33]

The last 2 cruises we were on self disembarcation was 7am to 8am with timed slots starting at 8.30 

[tartanexile81]

We were on our way to our disembarkation lounge on our last cruise but when we passed round the atrium, there was only a trickle of people (the last of the coach passengers)  leaving so we just asked if we could go there and then. Right place, right time

[Ranchi]

and hope there are no strong winds!  Our disembarkation from Britannia earlier this year was delayed until 10:00am as the sensors on the air bridge indicated an unacceptable degree of movement. We missed our booked train but fortunately we were only going as far as London that day and a replacement buss service was operating to Eastleigh so no one bothered with our tickets.

self disembarkers (thank goodness the are no longer ‘debarkers’ -less of the US English, thank you😂) got off OK however. 

[majortom10]

22 hours ago, terrierjohn said:

Strangely enough that's the opposite of our experience, the only time there's  chaos is just after they open up each new group, outside of that it's fairly quiet at the gangway. Which suggests to me that allowing passengers to disembark as they wish might just even up the flow to a more leisurely pace.

Sorry but I still think it is a very selfish attitude to take either you self disembark and carry your own luggage or if put out the night before then you should adhere to the disembarkation lounge and time given by P&O.

[Sarah1974]

On 10/16/2019 at 6:07 PM, Palaceman said:

We've never had disembarkation tags. We just request our required time  at the reception, which has been confirmed the day before arriving in Southampton. And we find our cases in the hall arranged in deck order.

We haven't either.  Sailing on Britannia in June we were given a time to disembark and told to leave our embarkation tags on our cases.

I didn't realise that I could have gone to reception and ask to change the time allocated (10.30am); but will know for next time

[jeanlyon]

We requested Self Disembarkation about 5 days ago and got off Aurora at 0830 this morning.  No queues, no trying to find your bag.  It does say you should get off between 0715 and 0745, but we didn't have a problem at all.