Disembarkation times order

[matsterrocks]

What disembarkation order dose DCL use?
Early flights first?
DCL transfers first?

 

[PhotoLisa]

Early seating departs first - late seating last.

Usually everyone is gone before 9 AM.

 

[rjh8115]

What disembarkation order dose DCL use?
Early flights first?
DCL transfers first?

Unlike other cruise lines, DCL lets you go pretty much whenever. They do have assigned breakfast times (6:45 and 8:00), but you can also go to the buffet on Deck 9. When you're done, just walk off.

This is the best system afloat. Leave it to Disney . . . .

 

[lbgraves]

You could go to Topsiders or BBB if you have late seating so that you can eat & get off the ship early. You can skip breakfast completely & just get off the ship when it clears customs around 7:30 am.

 

[isavem98]

You can leave pretty much whenever you want. Buffets are open if you don't want to go to your assigned breakfast time. Everyyone is off the ship by 9:15. Then they turn it around and do it again.

 

[tvguy]

This is the best system afloat. Leave it to Disney . . . .

With all due respect, after 7 cruises, the last being on Disney, it is the worst system I have ever encountered. It was a nightmare.
Most other cruise lines have you go to a specific public room, where they have snacks and drinks and entertainment, and you get off the ship when you group is called. You get off based on when your transportation is leaving. No lines, just a comfortable place to wait. FAR better than the 45 minute line on Disney.
Now, I am ONLY talking about how they let people off the ship, how they have things organized on the pier with your luggage, customs, being able to check you bags at the port if you bought Disney tranfers, and the Disney buses were wonderful.

This was among only three things we didn't like on Disney. The other two were having the late seating shows before dinner instead of after. We selected late seating so we wouldn't have to rush back to the ship on port days, and having the late show early also meant there wasn't a whole lot for familes to do after late dinner.
And, a family cruise where nobody under 18 is allowed in the fitness center was the third issue we had. I can understand restricted hours, but NO hours for those under 18 on a FAMILY cruise?

 

[cadburysmom]

I'm another who loves DCL's disembarkation process. We've always had late seating so after a leisurely breakfast saying a last good-bye to our wonderful waiters(sniff, sniff), it's always been timed perfectly to basically let us walk off the ship with hardly any line at all.

I've also cruised on other lines and unlike the above poster, I don't like having to wait it out in some lounge surrounded by luggage while waiting for my number to be called. I'd much rather be in my own comfortable stateroom until breakfast and then casually disembark....and after 5 Disney cruises, it's worked like a charm everytime

 

[karylrocks]

I am considering trying to get an 11:30 flight back to Portland (takes about 8 hours with change of planes), otherwise have to wait until 2:30. We have late seating, so would just grab something quick from the buffet. Would we for sure be able to get off the ship by 8:00? Do the DCL transfers leave that early (to save time checking bags at airport) or should we arrange for a town car?

 

[marv]

Our flight back to Britain is not untill the Evening so the longer i can stay on the ship the better.


Marv

 

[2munchkins]

I just cruised the Magic last week. You can disembark at 7:30, from the Atrium lobby (same place you enter the ship). My family got there about 7:15 and the lobby was just strating to get crowded. We got a spot really close to the ropes. You can use both doors to exit, so it's like having two lines for exiting. It went extremely fast. We had a porter help us get our bags and thru customs. Within 20 minutes we were in our SUV and ready to go! We were at Animal Kingdom before it even opened!

 

[allears]

We've always found the debarkation process painless, well sort of, the pain of leaving the ship it tough. We always get late seating so our breakfast on those Saturdays is late. By the time we're done and say our goodbyes, we've walked off the ship. Never stood in a line.

 

[jel0511]

Just a note here, DCL's disembarkation from POrt Canaveral is one of the best I've encountered, though the disebarkation in LA was HORRIBLE!!!! You had to wait until the called your sticker number and the line to get through immigration was awful!! I was told it wasn't DCL's fault, it was a requirement by the port of LA.

 

[tecdavidt]

Disney disembarkation is easy and organized comnpared to other lines we have been on. Celebrity, Princess and Carnival use a color coded system and you wait in public areas of the ship. We have never been offered snacks or beverages while we wait. What does happen on other lines is that wait time is when the cruise line calls people who have not settled their on board accounts. We prefer how DCL disembarks. Kathy

 

[meandmad]

I LOVED their debarkation process. We had late seating so we strolled down for breakfast at 8:30 and when we were done, strolled right off the ship with no lines, no waiting. Ever so slight delay in customs.

Instead of rushing downstairs just to stand and wait in line for the debarkation process to start, why not hang out in your stateroom or take a few more minutes at breakfast? You're actually not getting off the ship that much earlier and it's stressful sometimes to just stand in line, especially with kids.

The same is true for dinner. Wait until 5 minutes after your seating time and you'll stroll right in without having delayed your table's dinner. If you show up anytime before your seating time, you're just going to be doing a lot of standing around for nothing. It's not like they don't have you table waiting for you.

 

[Mmketeer]

Hi,

I'd like to put my two cents as well. I have to agree with Cadburysmom. I always look forward to Disney's debarkation process. I think it's baggage claim warehouse area even beats RCCL's new airline style baggage claim area at Port Canveral. Course' hubby and I are dye-hard main seating fans, so we can get off first with Disney. With the other lines I'v been on you better be in a suite or flying out early to get off as as early as you can with Disney. Personally once back in port...let me off ASAP cuse' by then I am ready to go home to my four-legged babies. :0)
PS
I love the fact that there are four places on DCL that DH and I can go to be away from kids/teens. I hope the spa/gym stays 18 and older.

 

[marv]

What time is breakfast and the Latest you can leave the ship on debarkation?


Marv

 

[musicgirl]

karylrocks -I would definitely get a towncar if I were you. But DCL does state to allow 4 hours for travel either side of the cruise. There has been a time or 2 when they didn't clear on schedule.

I am also one who thinks the system is great. It was a piece of cake. We left breakfast, found our luggage within a few minutes (less than 3), got in line to go through customs.

I'd say the entire process took about 5-10 minutes. What's so bad about that?

Marv-You must be off at 9am, with maybe a few minutes extra if you hold on tight enough to the railings!!!

Although OT:
I also believe in leaving adult areas adult areas. That's what makes DCL appealing to all adults whether or not you have or bring your kids. GO DCL!!!

 

[lds0191]

loved the whole process. we ate breakfast at the buffet and just left whenever we were ready. took about 10 minutes and we were getting on the budget shuttle. i haved cruised b4 and hated having to sit around and wait for what seemed like forever. if i remember correctly their was some kind of announcement (either over speaker or in vavigator) about people w/early flights. didn't pay much attention though since our flight wasn't until 1:30pm.

 

[matsterrocks]

Do you have assigned breakfast and lunch times for the entire cruise?

 

[lbgraves]

The only dining times that are assigned are in the dining rooms, the character breakfast on the 7 day cruises, & breakfast the final morning. You are not required to go to any of them. A cold buffet breakfast is available on deck 9 the final day on the Magic. The Wonder has a hot buffet breakfast the last morning.