How does Express Walk-Off Disembarkation Work

[ChicosWife]

We are going to AK the same day we disembark, so we want to, of course, get to the park as soon as possible. How does Express Disembarkation work?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

We are going to AK the same day we disembark, so we want to, of course, get to the park as soon as possible. How does Express Disembarkation work?

You carry your own bags off the ship, and you line up before the doors open for debarkation. Then you are in the first group off the ship.

 

[MomOTwins]

Anyone know what time it is compared to regular disembarkation? Trying to figure out if the time savings is worth it to us and when we should plan to have our transfer come to pick us up.

 

[lady9]

It depends on when the ship clears customs, usually around 6:45-7:30am. In March, we got in line about 7:10 and there were already many, many people ahead of us. We were back by the shops in line. But once the doors opened at 7:20 for disembarkation, everything went very quickly. We were out the door, through customs, and on the highway by 7:35. We also park in the deck right at the terminal. For us, it's worth the cost to get on the highway quickly because we drive home which is about 17 hours. We have also put our bags out the night before and waited for our color character to be called the next morning. If you are not going to the airport for an early flight, you likely will be one of the last groups called which could be as late as 8:30am, possibly later. Then you hunt in the terminal for your bags. Once you find them, you wait in the customs line which could be quite long by this point. We are big fans of express walk off.

 

[ChicosWife]

You carry your own bags off the ship, and you line up before the doors open for debarkation. Then you are in the first group off the ship.

Thanks. Where do you go to wait in line?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Thanks. Where do you go to wait in line?

Well, the line starts in the atrium. You will exit the ship the same way you came aboard. Where the end of the line is when you want to join it, that depends on how many got there before you and which direction the line headed as it got longer.
This was the atrium on the Fantasy at 7:29 am on debarkation morning:



And at 7:43 am (sorry, a bit blurry, but you get the idea)

 

[TikiThunderPirates]

Thanks. Where do you go to wait in line?

They will normally let you know where to line up in the debarkation letter on the last night of your cruise. Ideally it's the atrium of the ship and then it extends backwards down a hall (which they will choose) from there. But if you are docking at say Miami and they are using deck 4 to exit the ship, where you line up may change. Look at that debarkation letter, or ask at guest services, preferably not the last night of the cruise because the lines are always so long!

 

[MomOTwins]

It depends on when the ship clears customs, usually around 6:45-7:30am. In March, we got in line about 7:10 and there were already many, many people ahead of us. We were back by the shops in line. But once the doors opened at 7:20 for disembarkation, everything went very quickly. We were out the door, through customs, and on the highway by 7:35. We also park in the deck right at the terminal. For us, it's worth the cost to get on the highway quickly because we drive home which is about 17 hours. We have also put our bags out the night before and waited for our color character to be called the next morning. If you are not going to the airport for an early flight, you likely will be one of the last groups called which could be as late as 8:30am, possibly later. Then you hunt in the terminal for your bags. Once you find them, you wait in the customs line which could be quite long by this point. We are big fans of express walk off.

Hmmm, I wonder if it is possible to request at guest services an earlier group. 8:30 would be so late, but we have three kids in strollers and all the suitcases that go with having little kids and their stuff, so we like the idea of having our bags delivered to the terminal and getting a porter to help. I'm thinking maybe we make the request and if they say they can't give us an early group we try to navigate with the strollers and suitcases...

 

[Narnia_girl]

If you would like to do express walk off but aren't in a hurry, can you hang out in your room or elsewhere on the ship until the long line decreases and then walk off?

 

[Dug720]

Hmmm, I wonder if it is possible to request at guest services an earlier group. 8:30 would be so late, but we have three kids in strollers and all the suitcases that go with having little kids and their stuff, so we like the idea of having our bags delivered to the terminal and getting a porter to help. I'm thinking maybe we make the request and if they say they can't give us an early group we try to navigate with the strollers and suitcases...

If you are out of Port Canaveral, I have not heard them do calling by character. You get off once you have finished breakfast if you are not doing express walk-off. It is only in other ports I have heard of them calling by character.

BUT if you opt for Express Walk-Off, you must be able to handle all your luggage and stuff yourself as there are not people to help with that. And Express Walk-Off means you are not putting your luggage outside your cabin the night before but keeping it with you.

 

[Mommb]

If you would like to do express walk off but aren't in a hurry, can you hang out in your room or elsewhere on the ship until the long line decreases and then walk off?

Yes. You're not required to exit as soon as possible, but DCL wants all guests off the ship by the "final departure" time, after 2nd seating breakfast finishes. It will help your stateroom host if you exit your room early so they can start cleaning for the next guest, but you can hang out in a lounge for a little while if you don't want to walk slowly in a long exit line.

We usually leave after 1st seating breakfast, and in Port Canaveral, Copenhagen, Barcelona, and Civitavecchia have encountered a long line only once, in Barcelona after a repo cruise from Dover when there was a problem with the computers at the passport-checking station.

 

[lady9]

Yes. You're not required to exit as soon as possible, but DCL wants all guests off the ship by the "final departure" time, after 2nd seating breakfast finishes. It will help your stateroom host if you exit your room early so they can start cleaning for the next guest, but you can hang out in a lounge for a little while if you don't want to walk slowly in a long exit line.

We usually leave after 1st seating breakfast, and in Port Canaveral, Copenhagen, Barcelona, and Civitavecchia have encountered a long line only once, in Barcelona after a repo cruise from Dover when there was a problem with the computers at the passport-checking station.

Good to know! We've always done express walk off in Port Canaveral but not in other ports.

 

[kiford]

If you are out of Port Canaveral, I have not heard them do calling by character. You get off once you have finished breakfast if you are not doing express walk-off. It is only in other ports I have heard of them calling by character.

They've never called by character at Port Canaveral for all of the cruises we've done. Basically, once they've cleared all of the early people, you can get off any time.

 

[Dug720]

They've never called by character at Port Canaveral for all of the cruises we've done. Basically, once they've cleared all of the early people, you can get off any time.

Yes. That is what I was saying. I have not had it happen out of Port Canaveral. It did happen in Miami.

 

[ChicosWife]

How does Customs work for those that carry their luggage off?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Just like for those who claim their bags in the terminal. Customs is after the luggage claim area.

You line up and are called forward to the next available window.

 

[hnthomps]

Generally speaking, they are trying to get you off the ship quickly. We were at the airport before 8:30 on our first trip, even having left bags in the corridor. The second time we did express walk off bc we didn't want to deal with claiming our bags, and we had time to get off the ship, to the airport via dcl transfer, rent a car at the airport, and pull out of the airport at 9am. This is just moving along at the pace set by the CMs for those with early seating. So while I don't think you'd want to count on being at AK for rope drop...it won't be much after that, unless you really try to linger on the ship.

 

[Cheryl592000]

We will be cutting it close for our 11:25 flight out of Orlando (MCO).
What is the earliest the buses leave the port?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

We will be cutting it close for our 11:25 flight out of Orlando (MCO).
What is the earliest the buses leave the port?

They start loading the bus to MCO as soon as the doors open. First bus departs when full. No telling when that might be.

 

[ChicosWife]

Just like for those who claim their bags in the terminal. Customs is after the luggage claim area.

You line up and are called forward to the next available window.

So, they don't go through your bags?

Generally speaking, they are trying to get you off the ship quickly. We were at the airport before 8:30 on our first trip, even having left bags in the corridor. The second time we did express walk off bc we didn't want to deal with claiming our bags, and we had time to get off the ship, to the airport via dcl transfer, rent a car at the airport, and pull out of the airport at 9am. This is just moving along at the pace set by the CMs for those with early seating. So while I don't think you'd want to count on being at AK for rope drop...it won't be much after that, unless you really try to linger on the ship.

We just want to make the most of our day at AK AKA get our money's worth!