Walk off disembarkation

[quantum88]

Does Azamara allow early walk off disembarkation similar to other cruise lines, where you can walk off early if you carry your owm luggage off?

 

We are looking at the Journey Baltic cruise next summer and the return flight would leave Copenhagen at 10:00 am. I do not like scheduling a flight that early, but it is one of the few that will work.

 

Thanks for any help you can give.

[fPetrarca]

Obviously they can't stop you or place you under house arrest if the ship has been cleared by local authorities. As a courtesy it might be a good idea to advise the Customer Relations desk of your plans.

[mickey]

We just returned from a Journey cruise and had a 10 am departure from Barcelona. We noted this on the form they sent out concerning your departure plans and we were given express departure. Keep your luggage in your cabin the night before, show up at the gang plank after the ship has cleared and they will take your luggage to the cab stand. Worked like a charm.

[hollywoody]

We're getting off the Azamara in Cabo New Year's Eve...we did get permission to do this from the cruise line so hopefully it will go just as smooth. Still haven't found out how to deal with customs entering Mexico this way...but surely someone on the ship will help us out.

[Napi's Mom]

We're getting off the Azamara in Cabo New Year's Eve...we did get permission to do this from the cruise line so hopefully it will go just as smooth. Still haven't found out how to deal with customs entering Mexico this way...but surely someone on the ship will help us out.

ON our Dec cruise the Mexican Authorities were quite a problem on disembarking...you need a special card or something...several people were charged at the airport $25 pp to LEAVE Mexico...some of us must have paid with our air tickets as we were not challenged. Caused quite a furor on the Aza. board late Dec early Jan. Also be advised they really CHECK your bags, some were torn apart by uncaring inspectors at the airport...plus found things missing afterward (Acapulco)!!! Would check into requirements well before leaving ship...like now:rolleyes:

[IHX]

One needs a Tourist Visa(FMT) to enter Mexico - easily filled out and without cost. There is also a departure tax charged by the Mexican government, and $25 is approximately the charge. If one flies in and and out, it is included with the air ticket.

[cruiseyguy]

The OP is getting off the ship in Copenhagen, not Mexico.

[IHX]

I was responding to the post immediately above mine. Each country has its own requirements. It's always best to know those before making such plans.

[shoshona2]

I always have my TA check with the cruiseline before making our return reservations. We are booked on a 10:55 a.m. flight out of Copenhagen on June 18, 2009. The Journey supposedly docks at 7:00 a.m. Sometimes, the authorities who come aboard are late. I suggest you call your TA.

 

Sheila

[Kazowie]

Mickey, thanks for reporting your experience that you were able to disembark in Barcelona from the Journey and make a flight at 10 AM. Our flight was just canceled and as we look at our alternatives (not many) our best bet is to try to find one earlier in the day. I think we may have an option at 10:30 AM. We'll be arriving in Barcelona (from the Journey) on a Sunday and the Arrival time listed in our itinerary is 8 AM. What arrival time in Barcelona was listed for your itinerary? I just got off the phone with the Azamara reps and they said disembarkation wouldn't start until 9:30 if we are arriving at 8 (even if we carried our bags off on our own). 9:30 seems a little late to be disembarking to catch a flight at 10 AM ;) so I wanted to compare your experience. We are definitely going to be on the conservative side to make sure we can make it home, but thought your experience might inform us a little bit better! Thanks all for your help!

[critterchick]

Mickey, thanks for reporting your experience that you were able to disembark in Barcelona from the Journey and make a flight at 10 AM. Our flight was just canceled and as we look at our alternatives (not many) our best bet is to try to find one earlier in the day. I think we may have an option at 10:30 AM. We'll be arriving in Barcelona (from the Journey) on a Sunday and the Arrival time listed in our itinerary is 8 AM. What arrival time in Barcelona was listed for your itinerary? I just got off the phone with the Azamara reps and they said disembarkation wouldn't start until 9:30 if we are arriving at 8 (even if we carried our bags off on our own). 9:30 seems a little late to be disembarking to catch a flight at 10 AM ;) so I wanted to compare your experience. We are definitely going to be on the conservative side to make sure we can make it home, but thought your experience might inform us a little bit better! Thanks all for your help!

 

I can tell you that the Barcelona airport can be a complete zoo (although the last time we flew out from there was 2005 so there's some faint hope that things have improved:rolleyes: ). If you're travelling in business/first class or have FF access to the priority lines your checkin can be quick and painless, but otherwise you'll want to allow an hour just to check in and check your bags to be safe. Then there's security to clear, although I don't remember that being as bad as checking in. The drive is normally 30 minutes, although we once had a lead-footed cabbie who made it in under 20 as we were late disembarking and had a 10:40 flight to catch.:eek:

 

I would bet that the ship is actually going to get into port a lot earlier than 8am, but I wouldn't book a flight earlier than noon. When travelling abroad we always plan to fly out the next whenever possible because there always seems to be an issue (maybe the moral of the story is not to sail on a ship with us, LOL).

 

Hope that helps a bit.

[juju1963]

Thanks for that info. I have a 1025am departure flight from Barcelona on the Journey in November and I was real worried about it because the cruise line says 11am departure or later for flights. Thanks so much for putting my mind to ease. How much was the taxi ride to the airport and what time did you get off ship?

[hollywoody]

ON our Dec cruise the Mexican Authorities were quite a problem on disembarking...you need a special card or something...several people were charged at the airport $25 pp to LEAVE Mexico...some of us must have paid with our air tickets as we were not challenged. Caused quite a furor on the Aza. board late Dec early Jan. Also be advised they really CHECK your bags' date=' some were torn apart by uncaring inspectors at the airport...plus found things missing afterward (Acapulco)!!! Would check into requirements well before leaving ship...like now:rolleyes:[/quote']

We've gone to Cabo every year in January many ,many times. I know what documents they need and have never had a problem with customs at the airport or our luggage damaged (A hell of a lot more professional and level headed than what we get in the US). Yes, you pay an exit fee...you pay it leaving the US too if you ever bothered to look. My question was about Mexican customs on the dock...not the airport. If they give us a problem I'll just hire a panga boat and go over to the marina and come in. Plus the owner of our hotel owns most of Cabo so a phone call might help if needed.