Disembark Queen Anne

[Winifred 22]

19 minutes ago, Pushpit said:

1. Depending on the sailing Cunard sometimes asks people to leave staterooms by 9, sometimes they don't. In the case of my QA I was asked to leave at 9 am, but the steward said not to rush, he was OK if I left at 10 am. As it happens I wanted to leave around 8:30 am. Other ships / sailings they sometimes do (and you are invited to go to a public area instead), sometimes don't. The PA will at some point start requesting everyone to leave, sometimes ahead of the timetable, if things go swiftly, this is particularly a factor at Brooklyn. The one thing that was unique to QA was that they did have a special desk for tag and Fast Track queries on the day before arrival, by the Drawing Room, otherwise this is done via the Purser's Desk or the Grills Concierge.

 

I've never seen any checking of the colour tags on disembarkation on any of the 4 ships in the last 2 years, other than that if you wave them around in your hand the security staff may say "purple hasn't been offloaded yet". Otherwise they don't check this, in my experience, and I would know since I don't have any tags, I always self disembark.

First time I have seen it too but officers definitely asking people in queue what their  colour was and turning away those who had a different colour.  I am commenting on my personal experience Sunday morning so may be different to others. I was waiting next to gangway as had a quick question to check with loyalty sales and there was a short queue around 9 to speak to them. We were sailing at capacity and returning after a 2 week cruise. 

Edited August 14 by Winifred 22

[john watson]

7 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

When we had a somewhat delayed and chaotic disembarkation from QA’s second voyage, the rather ineffective people apparently in charge were checking to an extent, ie when anyone approached them, they immediately asked what colour their tags were, before sending them away to wait somewhere else. Those who, perhaps in pursuit of advantage, claimed not to know, were sent to the Purser’s to find out.

 

You always get people who think they have thought out a clever way to get an advantage. The only advantage of waiting near the gangway is that you will be first of your colour group to disembark. Getting off earlier than your colour group will ne no advantage to you because your suitcases will not be in the baggage hall. In terms of waiting somewhere else many might just sit in the nearest lounge to the gangway and wait for a ship's speakers announcement.

 

Regards John

[exlondoner]

5 minutes ago, john watson said:

 

I suspect the system of disembarkation direct from cabins was instituted as a response to covid-19.  The big drawback is that cabin staff are significantly delayed in starting to clean cabins the next cruise group of passengers will not get as early an opportunity to access their cabins upon embarkation.

 

Regards John

Yes, about Covid, but the other bit is simply not true. For many years, we have come back from breakfast well before 8 to find our cabin, except the bathroom, has been cleaned and prepared for its next residents. So disembarking from there by 8.30 would make no difference. And, according to one of our butlers, the Grills cabins tend to be ready by 11.30, well before passengers appear. Other decks may be later, but passengers board later.

[Winifred 22]

1 minute ago, exlondoner said:

Yes, about Covid, but the other bit is simply not true. For many years, we have come back from breakfast well before 8 to find our cabin, except the bathroom, has been cleaned and prepared for its next residents. So disembarking from there by 8.30 would make no difference. And, according to one of our butlers, the Grills cabins tend to be ready by 11.30, well before passengers appear. Other decks may be later, but passengers board later.

Yes I have often come back from breakfast and my two single beds have been remade back as a double ready for next occupants. Think my cabin was supposed to be available from 1 30 but  I was on just after 12 30 and could leave my bag and pick up card. 

[Wagtail adventures]

My data point for Sunday's disembarkation: Group Blue 3 - advised to meet in Queen's Room at 810am.  Called to disembark around 823am.  Straight off the ship, bags waiting, and out of the Ocean Terminal by around 830am.  

[Victoria2]

2 hours ago, john watson said:

 

My comments were based on a number of cruise lines and how and why things are done in a particular manner.  A general announcement over the ship's speaker system will clearly allow an opportunity to wait near the gangway so you are first off in your group. Many people with this idea will block things up.

 

Regards John

I have no idea how other cruise lines work their disembarkation but for Cunard's QA, it worked very well in July and  as I haven't heard of any serious issues, I presume it continued to work after our own disembarkation.

Very orderly and no blocking.

[3rdGenCunarder]

3 hours ago, Pushpit said:

I've never seen any checking of the colour tags on disembarkation on any of the 4 ships in the last 2 years, other than that if you wave them around in your hand the security staff may say "purple hasn't been offloaded yet". Otherwise they don't check this, in my experience, and I would know since I don't have any tags, I always self disembark.

 

I have never seen them check. I've rarely seen them even ask, and if they do, they don't ask to see the little tab.

 

It's good to see that some people have good luck with disembarkation. Don't cruise with me, I get rain (seriously, my last three cruises had more rain than sun) and have delays disembarking.

 

During the re-start, when disembarkation was direct from cabins and they didn't make ship-wide announcements, we were supposed to go to the gangway at our appointed time. Disembarkation from QE in Vancouver was backed up, and the atrium and nearby lounges were full to overflowing when I arrived at my time. So much for Covid safety! They should have made an announcement. I asked a gangway officer how late things were running. He asked my color. I told him and then asked if I should just stand and wait or should I find somewhere to sit. He looked at his list and said, you may as well sit. So I sat for about 15 minutes, and then remembered that they don't check (my first time back after Covid and my first time in many years without the priority lounge, so I was out of practice), and just got up and joined the queue. No problem, as it turned out, my luggage was in its area.

 

Same thing in NYC (QM2) the following spring. Disembarkation ran late, people crowded the gangway, jumped the queue. I was about to head down when they made a ship-wide announcement that disembarkation was being held and please wait in your cabin. So I sat and waited until they announced things were moving again. The gangway area wasn't deserted, but it wasn't the usual mob scene, either.

 

On QA, I arrived at my time, got in the queue, and they stopped disembarkation for a medical emergency in the terminal. When they restarted, they called the color AFTER mine. I just kept walking and got off the ship because I was concerned about missing the coach. Sure enough, I was one of the last to get there. So perhaps they had been running early, which made me late for showing up on time! 

 

In Vancouver this summer, they did a priority disembarkation lounge because there were so few high-level past passengers. We were the first group off after self-help, and we were walked as a group from the dining room to the atrium. For part of the way, there was a rope line to keep people from jumping in. Someone asked if I was Orange 1, but didn't ask for proof when I said yes. The only luggage in sight was the line of Orange 1 bags, so any queue-jumpers would have had to stand around and wait. 

 

I don't know why they can't simply make ship-wide announcements. Sit somewhere and wait until you're called. And maybe they could splurge on extra tags. Give you one to put on your carry-on so they can check that you are in the appropriate group. 

[Winifred 22]

56 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

I have never seen them check. I've rarely seen them even ask, and if they do, they don't ask to see the little tab.

 

It's good to see that some people have good luck with disembarkation. Don't cruise with me, I get rain (seriously, my last three cruises had more rain than sun) and have delays disembarking.

 

During the re-start, when disembarkation was direct from cabins and they didn't make ship-wide announcements, we were supposed to go to the gangway at our appointed time. Disembarkation from QE in Vancouver was backed up, and the atrium and nearby lounges were full to overflowing when I arrived at my time. So much for Covid safety! They should have made an announcement. I asked a gangway officer how late things were running. He asked my color. I told him and then asked if I should just stand and wait or should I find somewhere to sit. He looked at his list and said, you may as well sit. So I sat for about 15 minutes, and then remembered that they don't check (my first time back after Covid and my first time in many years without the priority lounge, so I was out of practice), and just got up and joined the queue. No problem, as it turned out, my luggage was in its area.

 

Same thing in NYC (QM2) the following spring. Disembarkation ran late, people crowded the gangway, jumped the queue. I was about to head down when they made a ship-wide announcement that disembarkation was being held and please wait in your cabin. So I sat and waited until they announced things were moving again. The gangway area wasn't deserted, but it wasn't the usual mob scene, either.

 

On QA, I arrived at my time, got in the queue, and they stopped disembarkation for a medical emergency in the terminal. When they restarted, they called the color AFTER mine. I just kept walking and got off the ship because I was concerned about missing the coach. Sure enough, I was one of the last to get there. So perhaps they had been running early, which made me late for showing up on time! 

 

In Vancouver this summer, they did a priority disembarkation lounge because there were so few high-level past passengers. We were the first group off after self-help, and we were walked as a group from the dining room to the atrium. For part of the way, there was a rope line to keep people from jumping in. Someone asked if I was Orange 1, but didn't ask for proof when I said yes. The only luggage in sight was the line of Orange 1 bags, so any queue-jumpers would have had to stand around and wait. 

 

I don't know why they can't simply make ship-wide announcements. Sit somewhere and wait until you're called. And maybe they could splurge on extra tags. Give you one to put on your carry-on so they can check that you are in the appropriate group. 

I just tear off the little square .

[3rdGenCunarder]

1 hour ago, Winifred 22 said:

I just tear off the little square .

 

But how many people know where those are by the time they're leaving? Asking people to show those would back things up even more. They need staff walking the line asking what color/number tags passengers have--giving people an extra full tag would make this easier. HAL used to monitor disembarkation, especially early when priority passengers were leaving. 

 

At Southampton, they line people up outside the terminal to stick to assigned times. Perhaps Intercruise people could come on board to control the flow at disembarkation. The mob scenes in the atrium are a hazard. 

[exlondoner]

8 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

But how many people know where those are by the time they're leaving? Asking people to show those would back things up even more. They need staff walking the line asking what color/number tags passengers have--giving people an extra full tag would make this easier. HAL used to monitor disembarkation, especially early when priority passengers were leaving. 

 

At Southampton, they line people up outside the terminal to stick to assigned times. Perhaps Intercruise people could come on board to control the flow at disembarkation. The mob scenes in the atrium are a hazard. 

They wouldn’t have to do that too often. My other disembarkations post Covid have been hassle free. But for whatever reason they were badly delayed offloading the luggage from QA in May and didn’t really seem to have a plan to deal with it. That is when they need strong minded people to marshall the chaos.

[Winifred 22]

16 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

But how many people know where those are by the time they're leaving? Asking people to show those would back things up even more. They need staff walking the line asking what color/number tags passengers have--giving people an extra full tag would make this easier. HAL used to monitor disembarkation, especially early when priority passengers were leaving. 

 

At Southampton, they line people up outside the terminal to stick to assigned times. Perhaps Intercruise people could come on board to control the flow at disembarkation. The mob scenes in the atrium are a hazard. 

It seemed to be working fine on Sunday as I said the only people fussing were those who wanted to get off before their colour was called. They had plenty of Cunard staff marshalling everyone certainly don’t need to involve Intercruises. There were no crowd hazards just a long queue from what I could see. Plenty of people sat down waiting for their colour to be called. 

[57eric]

On 8/9/2024 at 10:33 AM, devolve said:

Hi

can anyone tell me how long after your colour is called to disembark it takes to collect luggage and exit the terminal. I am trying to plan forward travel.

I (and most other respondents) assume you mean disembarking in Southampton.  QA disembarks in a number of other ports over the next year, and the answers could be very different.

[majortom10]

On our recent disembarkation they never asked for any coloured tab or what colour you where so you could have just joined the queue whatever colour or time you were.

[zak477]

25 minutes ago, 57eric said:

I (and most other respondents) assume you mean disembarking in Southampton.  QA disembarks in a number of other ports over the next year, and the answers could be very different.

Many times we disembark in Brooklyn NY. Years ago we were told that the port side staff and stevedores don't  begin work until 7:00 a.m. (union rules). So the luggage can not being to be unloaded till after 7:00 a.m. We are always told Not to plan to get off the ship till at least 9:00 a.m. So booking airlines and car service should be planned way ahead. If you are carrying your own luggage, you are off at 7 or before. It's a long walk. 

[Host Hattie]

@devolve was posting from the July 28th sailing so I believe at this point they could probably answer their own question !

[Mayflower1]

I wonder if anyone is able to give some general guidance as to how Quuen Anne handles the disembarkation of Guests who have requested assistence.

We will be travelling in a Queens Grill Penthouse and disembarking at Southampton and it is the first time that I have requested a Wheelchair Assistence for my wife.

My interest lies in the fact that I will have to arrange a Pick Up time with a Private Car

 

Any observations will be greatly appreciated.

[Victoria2]

14 minutes ago, Mayflower1 said:

I wonder if anyone is able to give some general guidance as to how Quuen Anne handles the disembarkation of Guests who have requested assistence.

We will be travelling in a Queens Grill Penthouse and disembarking at Southampton and it is the first time that I have requested a Wheelchair Assistence for my wife.

My interest lies in the fact that I will have to arrange a Pick Up time with a Private Car

 

Any observations will be greatly appreciated.

First, make sure with the Grill's Concierge you are on the assistance list. If on a week's vacation, do that within the first couple of days. I always check.

 

You will receive a letter around three/four days prior to disembarkation asking you about your onward travel arrangements and from that, you'll get your luggage tags which will denote your disembarkation times. We always state pick up kerbside at 8.15am.

Being QG, you will  be amongst the first tranche and will probably be able to be outside around 8.30am.

Tip

We are usually at the stated waiting place a good half hour prior to time stated as assisted disembarkation can start earlier if the ship is 'released' earlier and as you will be amongst the first off, it's a good idea to b e proactive.

 

[Planning to cruise]

23 hours ago, Winifred 22 said:

Yes I have often come back from breakfast and my two single beds have been remade back as a double ready for next occupants. Think my cabin was supposed to be available from 1 30 but  I was on just after 12 30 and could leave my bag and pick up card. 

On Queen Anne our steward asked if we could have our bags ready and to one side before 8 30.  I did think, well the room is ours until then, but as it made little difference to us we obliged.  On return from breakfast we found the double bed had been made up as two singles with bedside tables moved.  

 

That made the room even tighter on space.  The corner of one bed was very close indeed to the corner of the tall desk unit.  You would need to try to pass between the two with care.  

[Mayflower1]

Good Morning Victoria2 - Many thanks for the excellent Information & advice - as Diamond Guests we are quite familiar with normal QG Disembarkation but this is a new experience for us !!! on a new Ship and your help has been invaluable.

[Victoria2]

2 hours ago, Mayflower1 said:

Good Morning Victoria2 - Many thanks for the excellent Information & advice - as Diamond Guests we are quite familiar with normal QG Disembarkation but this is a new experience for us !!! on a new Ship and your help has been invaluable.

Not knowing [ and don't need to know] the level of assistance required, just be prepared to use the assistance mantra 'hold the lift please' when hailing a lift as the door closures, whilst complying with all regs. are pretty darned quick especially if you are on the other side of the lift lobby.

 

 

 

Edited August 16 by Victoria2

[exlondoner]

40 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

Not knowing [ and don't need to know] the level of assistance required, just be prepared to use the assistance mantra 'hold the lift please' when hailing a lift as the door closures, whilst complying with all regs. are pretty darned quick especially if you are on the other side of the lift lobby.

 

 

 

And there are those benches in the way, which you probably can’t hurdle, but might trip over.

[Clewgarnet]

Not to mention the dithering crowds who were my biggest problem.

 

It's amazing how many people thought that 'right in front of the door of a lift they have no intention of getting on' was the perfect place for a lovely, long chat.

[Mayflower1]

Thank you so much for the further Information - fortunately once onboard Assistance of any kind should not be needed - it is just the longish Transfer from the terminal to ship and return that a Wheelchair will be most useful for my Wife - she can walk but it will be slower than preferred.

[exlondoner]

11 minutes ago, Clewgarnet said:

Not to mention the dithering crowds who were my biggest problem.

 

It's amazing how many people thought that 'right in front of the door of a lift they have no intention of getting on' was the perfect place for a lovely, long chat.

Yes, I encountered that a few times - most strange. Then there was the lady who told me, apparently seriously, that on QA alone were the lifts invariably at the opposite level of the ship to the one where she was waiting, as if it were a planned design fault in QA just to spite her. 

[Victoria2]

29 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

Yes, I encountered that a few times - most strange. Then there was the lady who told me, apparently seriously, that on QA alone were the lifts invariably at the opposite level of the ship to the one where she was waiting, as if it were a planned design fault in QA just to spite her. 

Good Grief, yet another nail in 'Cunard is going downhill' coffin. 😲

 

It's bad enough 'jeans' are allowed in certain areas of the ship after six pm [and quite frankly, allowed onboard during the day too but let's not go there ☹️]  but now planners and ships' architects just don't account for individual passenger needs do they! Dreadful. It's enough to make you want to find another cruise line on which to travel.

 

On a lighter note, we have found everyone is so helpful, to the extent of moving out of a lift in order to accommodate a wheelchair.

 

Can't fault QA's passengers for their courtesy and kindness, and as for the staff and crew...top marks too.👍