self debarkation question

[craftkook]

Hi, I have to say I have been learning so much from this forum for my first cruise. My DH are doing our first crusie on GLory on March 1. Because we have a flight out of Orlando at 11:30 we were told to do a self debarkation. Can someone explain to me exactly what this is and what we need to do. Will we really be at the airport by 9:30?

Thanks

Deb

[lvtotrvl1]

It really depends on if the ship arrives on time and if customs clears the ship on time. You will have to carry your bags off the ship unassisted first thing when the ship is cleared. Many posters here will tell you that they have done it...but the cruiselines recommend flights after 12 for a reason. If there is any way to get a later flight I would recommend it. Why be so stressed the last few days of your vacation worrying whether you will make your flight?

[trish1c]

Self debarkation is a nightmare IMO. You have to carry your stuff down the stairs. Then you get on a 1st come 1st serve huge line & wait to get off. VIP's, suites & early flights go 1st. Then you get to lug your stuff. We were a half hour late a few weeks ago. You never know what is going to happen w/ a cruise. There's a reason they tell you don't book a flight home before noon; the airlines know this which is why your 11:30 flight is so much cheaper. If it's really your 1st cruise, don't DIY.

[kitty9]

Self debarkation can be a real pain. You don't get any assistance whatsoever, so that means you need to take all your stuff with you. You will have to negotiate stairs or escalators as they're pretty tough on allowing the non-disabled to use the elevators (I'm disabled and I've seen the security people turn away non-disabled from the elevators). You'll need to get in line to go through US Customs and Immigration and then find your transportation to the airport.

 

Since this is your first cruise, I know you have no idea how insane it is at the airport. There are VERY long lines to check your bags and another very long line for security screening. Remember that there could be as many as 7 other ships in port at the same time. And then there's the whole issue of clearing the ship when it arrives in port. The ship has to be cleared by US Customs and then the non-US citizens have to be cleared by Immigration. I cannot tell you how many times disembarkation has been delayed because those passengers ignore the time they're supposed to report. A couple of times, we didn't start leaving the ship until 9:45 because those passengers refused to report to Immigration. After all that, they have to off load all luggage and that takes a lot of time. Only then do they start disembarking. The suites and very frequent cruisers get to leave first, those with ship's tours leave next and then everyone else. I hope you make your flight, but know that every cruise line tells their passengers not to do flights before noon, preferably even later.

 

Whoa, I just reread your post and you're leaving out of Orlando, so I suspect your cruise is out of Port Canaveral. It's at least an hour drive, depending on traffic from that port to the Orlando airport, and from personal experience, the highway to Orlando airport can be a nightmare. We've been stuck in bumper to bumper traffic to the airport more times than I can count. If I were you, I'd call and see if I could change your flight time as 11:30 out of Orlando will be extremely difficult to make.