How Long to Disembark?

[arnoldbd]

I just learned that the Regatta is now scheduled to dock in Dover at4:30 AM at the conclusion of its Stockholm to Dover cruise (July 13-27). Because of an early flight from Gatwick, I'd like to get an early start in getting off the ship, getting my luggage and getting through customs and immigration. I made my own transportation arrangements.

 

Can someone tell me how early I can plan on leaving the ship and howlong it might take before I can be on my way. When do the customs

and immigration officials start their work day?

[ClaudiaF]

I don't think that you should plan on leaving before 8 or 8:30.. ( just from past cruise experience)..although I have been reading about some people getting really early flights with ship air ( not necessarily from Dover) so, maybe you need to pre arrange this with the ship ( or have your TA do for you)..

 

Next stop:

Buenos Aires to Rio Oceania - "Insignia"

 

[fongerini]

Claudia & Previous Cruisers,

 

Have you found on previous cruises that disembarkation begins soon after docking? Or at approximately 8 or 8:30 regardless of the time of docking? I'm also curious as to how late one can disembark.

[ClaudiaF]

If the ship has been in that port for an over nighter than it has been cleared at that port the day before, so getting off really early wouldn't be a problem.. when the ship gets into a port it has to be cleared by that local port authority- frankly after 30 something cruises I am not really sure what it is they do to "clear" the ship ( it might mean that they have breakfast onboard and when they are done the ship is cleared )..

although I have been on ships where if someone had not "presented" themselves to customs agents for whatever reason could hold up the whole disembarkation process..

so you just never know..

if you have a ship air ticket at an early hour than I would assume that getting off the ship early would not be a problem, if you are getting your own air with a very early departure ( to be off the ship) I would, like I wrote previously get my travel agent to clear that with the ship way in advance.. to make sure it is possible..

When we docked in Dover ( Oceania) the luggage , which had been collected the night before ( as usual)- was taken off the ship just befor the color of your tag ( the tag that they give you to reclaim your luggage off ship)

was called- it was not all taken off at once.. so even though the ship had been cleared at 8am- the luggage wasn't taken off 'til 9ish..or later..

perhaps one would want to hand carry their stuff off if had to leave early at a port where that is the routine ( another thing to think about and find out from TA about)

 

Next stop:

Buenos Aires to Rio Oceania - "Insignia"

 

 

 

[arnoldbd]

When I asked the Oceania rep the same question on the telephone, she said I could get off as early as 5 AM if I made prior arrangements wit the concierge. On previous cruises on other lines, my experience has been that, even with an early docking, the ship had to be "cleared" and disembarkation didn't begin until about 8 AM.

 

This is why I posted my message. I thought that, based on the Oceania phone rep's response, things might be different wit Oceania or with the Dover authorities.

[ClaudiaF]

Maybe they clear the ship at 4:30 when they dock? But that's a maybe.. so for your peace of mind I would be certain before buying air tickets with a really early am departure..

JMHO

 

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by arnoldbd:

When I asked the Oceania rep the same question on the telephone, she said I could get off as early as 5 AM if I made prior arrangements wit the concierge. On previous cruises on other lines, my experience has been that, even with an early docking, the ship had to be "cleared" and disembarkation didn't begin until about 8 AM.

 

This is why I posted my message. I thought that, based on the Oceania phone rep's response, things might be different wit Oceania or with the Dover authorities.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

 

Next stop:

Buenos Aires to Rio Oceania - "Insignia"

 

 

 

[roothy123]

I don't think 8 is the magic hour, or the "authorities" start work at a particular time. It's been my impression that it just depends upon when the ship is scheduled to dock, and/or actually docks. When we arrived in Lisbon at the end of our cruise, the ship got in around 6:30. Our group was called at 7:15, and by then one group had already departed, so the authorities were obviously up pretty early that day....

[douganswerphone]

"Clearing" the ship depends at least in part on customs clearance. The longest and most annoying waits we've had have been returning to the US, which always struck me as odd, since we'd arrive with exactly the same people aboard who'd left a week or two earlier.

 

So far as clearing customs in the U.K., if the previous port was in another EC country such as Holland, Belgium, Germany or Denmark, there shouldn't be any wait at all. One of the purpose of the EC is to eliminate passport and customs inspections at national borders between member countries, so that crossing would be just like traveling between states in the U.S.A.

 

We've always allowed ourselves plenty of time in Dover (the wait at the rental car desks can be up to an hour-they're small offices), so we've never been in a hurry. But I'd expect you'll be able to disembark as soon as the gangplank is down.

 

Doug n Sherry

[goeurope]

>>So far as clearing customs in the U.K., if the previous port was in another EC country such as Holland, Belgium, Germany or Denmark, there shouldn't be any wait at all. One of the purpose of the EC is to eliminate passport and customs inspections at national borders between member countries, so that crossing would be just like traveling between states in the U.S.A.<<

 

That's true of countries that have signed the Schengen Treaty, but the UK isn't part of the Schengen zone. Here's a list of the countries that are: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Greece, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden.

 

One reason why the UK hasn't joined the Schengen zone is that UK citizens aren't required to carry registration papers or other ID, as citizens and residents of Schengen countries are. Another reason, I suspect, is a national attitude that's encapsulated in the old phrase "wogs begin at Calais."

 

What all of this means when a ship arrives at 4 a.m. is something I don't pretend to know. :-)

 

--

Durant Imboden

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