Disembarkation times order

[rtphokie]

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.

I've also cruised with other lines and disembarkation is horrible there. It's bad enough that on your last day of vacation being forced to get up early but to then be herded into a room and left to do nothing but sit and wait makes it so much worse.

Neither RCCL nor Carnival had any snacks much less anything to drink for the hour or so we had to wait each time. Forget having any entertainment. Even the piped in music is shut down during this time. All you can hear is the rattle of loading and unloading of the ship for the next cruise. That and the annoucements of various guests who are summoned to the pursers desk to settle their bill after their credit card is exceeded. Everyone hears it because it's the only thing to do.

It's as if other cruise lines have a timer on your fun and that timer runs out at 7am. Once time is up, they just want you off the ship. The crew stops smiling, the shops are closed and dark, the glittering lights are off, even the neon is turned off in some of the common areas on the Carnival cruises we've been on.

On our last RCCL cruise we sat for 90 minutes waiting to be let go. After we saw the bombsquad vans leaving, we figured out why. Certainly not the cruise line's fault but being in such a boring evironment, that made it that much more unpleasant of an experience.

We taking our first DCL cruise in April and it certainly sounds much better than anything we've experienced on other lines.

 

[matsterrocks]

Wonder has a hot buffet on the last morning GREAT!!!

 

[lbgraves]

I don't understand why they can't do the same on the Magic.

 

[WiscBill]

On the 1/07/2006 Eastern Magic we had a hot buffet in Topsiders. I was really surprised because they had said at the disembarkation briefing that it would be only continental breakfast. The only thing not operational was the omelet station.

Also, although I am a first time cruiser and can't really compare to other cruise lines, I have to say that leaving the Magic was the easiest clearing of immigration and customs I've ever done. Like most people, we ate a leisurely breakfast, left our stateroom at 8:30 Am as requested, and just walked off the ship. Absolutely no line. AFter that it was less than 10 minutes to collect our luggage, clear customs and immigration, and go the rental car pick up point.

 

[marv]

Yes but what if you dont want to leave what happens then

 

[cristit14]

On the 1/07/2006 Eastern Magic we had a hot buffet in Topsiders. I was really surprised because they had said at the disembarkation briefing that it would be only continental breakfast. The only thing not operational was the omelet station.

On our cruise too... It may not have had quite as much as the other days, but I remember there being eggs, bacon and sausage... And they YUMMY PINEAPPLE!

 

[ivanova]

I've done DCL, RCCL and Carnival.

Of the three times on DCL, two times debarkation was a breeze. We literally walked right off the ship, no line, after breakfast. The 3rd time was the eastbound repo cruise. We waited in line for over an hour just to get off the ship, then had to wait in line inside the terminal for a porter, then waited in line to clear customs, and then waited for over another hour in line for the bus to the Budget rental office.

RCCL and Carnival both -- had to wait in public areas or lounges (assigned on Carnival, unassigned on RCCL) until our luggage tag color was called. No entertainment, food or drinks were offered (I would guess this is for Diamond/Platinum level return cruisers, and suite/concierge guests). Every time I had to wait over 2 hours (one time was over 3 hours) before exiting the ship, and then had to wait in a separate line to clear customs, and finding my luggage was not nearly as easy as in Port Canaveral with DCL.

 

[delo4]

We have been on several cruises, 7 times with Disney. On RCCL, disembarkation was awful, forced to sit in publics areas for more than 2 hours. Only once did we have a problem with Disney. Found out later that the ship wasn't cleared until later than usual and it caused a back-up in the atrium. Maybe this was the problem when the one poster complained about how awful Disney was.

Most of the time, we have late breakfast and we just stroll off the ship with no problem at all.

 

[jdybnsn]

Just a few quick question from a Brit. on the subject.....

I believe NON U.S. nationals have clear customs first ..am I right?....does that mean we have to be off the ship first ?

Secondly, can you have breakfast (from room service) in your room on the morning you disembark ?

 

[cristit14]

Just a few quick question from a Brit. on the subject.....

I believe NON U.S. nationals have clear customs first ..am I right?....does that mean we have to be off the ship first ?

Secondly, can you have breakfast (from room service) in your room on the morning you disembark ?

Can't answer you about Non-US citizens, but there is now room service on the morning you disembark (not sure about conceirge level). You can go to the buffet and bring it back to your room though.