Disembarkation Question?

[linco711]

My husband is picking us up at Port Canaveral after our cruise. Since he can not come into the terminal, what time should I tell him to arrive for our pick-up? Will he be able to reach us on our cel phones at the port to let us know he has arrived, or will we have to go outside and meet him? I just don't want to have him waiting outside to long in hot weather. Any suggestion?? At the moment we have late dining, but have asked to be moved to early. Thanks for your suggestions in advance.

 

[clten]

Once you are in port (the ship is usually docked pretty early, long before you can disembark), you should have a cell phone signal so it would not be a problem for you to catch up with your husband via phone. Once the ship clears customs you will be free to disembark (usually by about 9am) but from my experience, there is usually a line if you try to get off immediately. We usually have late seating dinner so we go to breakfast and start heading off around 9:30. Usually no lines and quick to get luggage and through customs.

 

[HooKooDooKu]

Once you're close enough to shore, your cell phone will work. From there, you should have no problem coordinating a pickup.

Unless you're in a hurry to get off the ship, the easiest thing is keep the 2nd seating, take your time at breakfast, and see what time they acctually start to disembark. That way you can wait for the lines to disappear and then call your husband and coordinate a time to meet. You'll be able to say something like "we'll plan on leaving breakfast at 8:45" and he'll know to meet you at the pickup spot in five minutes.

When you wait to get off the ship, there is no line to wait through, and finding your luggage is a quick piece of cake (they will be the only bags still siting in your section).

BTW, there is a covered pickup spot just outside the terminal (it's at the road between the terminal and the main parking lot).

 

[linco711]

Thanks so much for all the info. You have been a big help!

 

[kevlois]

We left the ship at 9:00 and through cutoms and to bus in 7 minutes. No problems.

 

[kcashner]

DCL wants to have everyone off the ship by 9 am--but they have no control over Customs. In 12 sailings on the Magic, we have been at the airport by 9:15 once. Another time, the big doors remained closed and no one could leave till after 9:30...and then there was the huge line. In fairness, I don't know what the problem was, but DCL brought out the "yellow people" (Oceaneer's Club and Lab staff) and the entertainers to keep us busy while we waited.

My suggestion would be to use the cell phone--don't know where he is coming from or how long it would take him to get there, but.....you could call as you are going to breakfast and suggest that you'll meet him in an hour. Or, you could call as you are leaving breakfast and can see that the doors are open. In that case, you can have claimed you luggage and cleared Customs in 10-15 minutes max.