Early disembarcing ques

[jennat]

We would like to get off the ship pretty early on the day we disembarc. How early is realistic to have the transportation company pick us up. We can carry our bags off if we need to. We have late seating but can eat at the buffett of skip breakfast if we need to.

 

[Belle2002]

I can't remember how early we got off the boat, maybe around 8:30 or 9am. However, you may have to wait for your bags, as you don't carry your suitcases off with you.

 

[lindakmonty]

it does depend how quickly customs clears the ship but we did the same, skipped breakfast and waited in line to get off quickly. it went very quickly and smooth getting bags and to the car and on our way. I would run up to topsiders and grab some drinks or muffins while you wait in line so you're not hungry we had a 16 hr drive home so we were ready to hit the road early!

 

[Jsme]

We have been off as early as 8:00 before. That was on our first cruise. I do not know why we were in a hurry. Who wants to go home after a cruise? I was thinking about stowing away but I was afraid if I got caught I would have to walk the plank. I have been watching too many of the shark week programs this week. I do not want to do that.

Seriously IL's got off at 7:30 last year and had to wait for us for 2 1/2 more hours. I don't have a clue what they were thinking.

 

[kcashner]

Ideally, DCL wants everyone off the ship by 9....to do this, the big doors need to open by 8. That said, the doors cannot open till US Customs "clears" the ship. This involves all non-US citizens reporting to Immigration, dogs sniffing the luggage, and whatever else.

In 12 cruises, we have seen the door open as early as 7:30 ish and as late as 9:30+. I don't know what the problem was on that cruise....

Since you have late seating, you will want to get up and do Topsider's. Then hope Customs has done their thing and walk right off...hopefully by about 8:00.

 

[jennat]

Thanks. I was hoping to be off by 8 (even if we have to keep our bags). We are headed for Disney and we have limited days there so we want to make the most of the day. We are staying in Orlando for the week so the party keeps on giving. Should I just have the car company get there at 8? Will they just wait until we are off? Anyone know?

 

[Jsme]

Thanks. I was hoping to be off by 8 (even if we have to keep our bags). We are headed for Disney and we have limited days there so we want to make the most of the day. We are staying in Orlando for the week so the party keeps on giving. Should I just have the car company get there at 8? Will they just wait until we are off? Anyone know?

You should not have any problems whether you keep your bags or not. Since you are wanting to leave early you will want to skip the sit down breakfast and head up to TopSiders for breakfast. Do not skip breakfast. It has already been paid for. My IL's as stated before, were off at 7:30 am (no problems with customs on this cruise) and they had breakfast upstairs. They did put out there bags the night before.

 

[kcashner]

Your bags will take no time at all....you just pick them up and either raise your hand for a porter or grab them yourselves and go thru the line. Do put them out the night before--it is well worth the convenience. Do go to breakfast at Topsiders. It opens early (like 6 am or something), so won't delay you.

The only thing that might keep you from getting off early is US customs clearing the ship. There is nothing that you can do that will make any difference in that process. Ask the car company if /how long they will hold the car if Customs has not cleared the ship. I may have given you a wrong impression--11 of the 12 times we have sailed on the Magic, the doors opened in a timely fashion and the disembarkation was totally smooth. One time, there was some sort of a snag, but it didn't seem to involve any guest on board. We just had to wait till the doors opened.

 

[jel0511]

It really depends on whether you're traveling out of LA or PC. If out of LA, plan on a long wait. We had the 3rd sticker color and didn't get off and through customs until 10:30, and there were still MANY people lined up on the deck of the Magic at that time. The only way to get off earlier than your sticker color is to show an itinerary with a flight leaving earlier than 12PM. If docking in PC, you can probably be off when the ship is cleared, usually 7:30 - 8:00. No need to carry off your bags, DCL really has that down.

 

[tvguy]

The only thing that might keep you from getting off early is US customs clearing the ship. .

Well, not in our case. They started letting folks off at 7:30 on our cruise, and the line immediately ran all the way back into Parrot Cay and looped around. We had a 45 minute wait in line on the ship. This was our first Disney cruise, our 6th total. This is the first time I have ever been able to "get off the ship when I wanted". It was chaos. I MUCH prefer the other systems where people are sent to the public rooms to wait and let off based on when their flights leave. MUCH less stressful.

Having said that, I would have the car service you are using tell you what time they should pick you up. They do this 7 days a week, 365 days a year, they will know what a realistic time is.