please explain getting off the ship on last morning....

[hanscarlet]

it really is the saddest day ever... the only way I can cope is a placeholder.... but yea everything people have outlined as logistics of the day is right on. We scheduled our car service for 9am and we found we got stuck waiting around for 30 min because we were off the ship by 815, the best the car service could do last minute was arrive at 8:40

 

[buddyjo143]

I did not know this.
I do not like this.
We are taking our first Disney cruise next year.
We will see if this is a deal breaker for sailing with DCL again.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I did not know this.
I do not like this.
We are taking our first Disney cruise next year.
We will see if this is a deal breaker for sailing with DCL again.

You did not know what?
You do not like what?
What would be the deal breaker?

 

[buddyjo143]

You did not know what?
You do not like what?
What would be the deal breaker?

I did not know that there is a seated time for breakfast and you must be out of the cabin by 8 a.m. We have sailed extensively on two other lines and can stay in our cabin till our debarkation group is called.

I stand corrected. DH says if we really like it, we can save $ and go again even if they kick you out on the last day (wink, wink).

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I did not know that there is a seated time for breakfast and you must be out of the cabin by 8 a.m. We have sailed extensively on two other lines and can stay in our cabin till our debarkation group is called.

I stand corrected. DH says if we really like it, we can save $ and go again even if they kick you out on the last day (wink, wink).

As noted, while you do have an assigned breakfast seating (based on your dinner seating), cabanas is open for buffet food service until 8:00. And you can "hang out" there until 8:30 or so.

Remember, when you are so anxious to "stay on the ship as long as possible" that, even with "everyone out at 8:00" that's only 3 hours to get the ship ready for the next group of people.

On Holland America we could stay in our room until our debarkation was called. On Carnival we had to be out of our rooms early. And I can't recall on Princess how it went. It does vary by cruise line.

 

[Disney_Princess83]

Can you get room service on the last morning?

You can ask for a continental breakfast to be delivered the night before if you want to eat in the room. You can also go to Cabanas and bring the food back to your room but you must be out of your stateroom by 8am.

 

[cyndiella]

What we did was order room service the night prior (except for coffee, which we ran up to Cabanas and got), ate breakfast and grabbed our luggage (we didn't leave it out the night prior) and headed down to the atrium about 7:30. By then they were letting those that used Express debarkation off and we were through Customs and ready for pick up by 7:45. I would think if you wanted to do something like this, even if you had to retrieve luggage, you could have your car service pick up at 8?

Was it a mad house getting your own luggage out and down to customs yourself? We won't have much and would rather do this ourselves. Thanks

 

[rhinodadz]

Was it a mad house getting your own luggage out and down to customs yourself? We won't have much and would rather do this ourselves. Thanks

We've used express debarkation the last few cruises and haven't found it to be at all difficult. Go to Cabanas around 7am, by the time we're done eating the ship has been cleared and we head back to the room, get the luggage and walk off and through customs. As others have noted the only issue is crowded elevators. Doing express debarkation eliminates the hassle of packing early on the last night to get the luggage put out in time.

 

[Jessirip]

This thread is really helpful. Can I ask a couple questions that go with all this great info?

1. Do the Disney buses back to the airport have a last call? (I don't foresee us getting on any later than 9:30am but am a worry wart).
2. If you choose not to go to your MDR reservation that morning... how do your servers get their tip envelopes?

Thank you!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

This thread is really helpful. Can I ask a couple questions that go with all this great info?

1. Do the Disney buses back to the airport have a last call? (I don't foresee us getting on any later than 9:30am but am a worry wart).
2. If you choose not to go to your MDR reservation that morning... how do your servers get their tip envelopes?

Thank you!

Typically you hand out the tip envelopes the last night. There's always a possibility that your servers may be unavailable the last morning, for various reasons.

 

[dragynally]

This thread is really helpful. Can I ask a couple questions that go with all this great info?

1. Do the Disney buses back to the airport have a last call? (I don't foresee us getting on any later than 9:30am but am a worry wart).
2. If you choose not to go to your MDR reservation that morning... how do your servers get their tip envelopes?

Thank you!

Not sure about 1 but 2 you tip them the last night of the cruise at dinner.

 

[Jessirip]

@PrincessShmoo @dragynally Thank you! That makes sense.

 

[MickeyD]

Was it a mad house getting your own luggage out and down to customs yourself? We won't have much and would rather do this ourselves. Thanks

We don't carry much luggage. One bag for the two of us, and each had a carry on (like a tote bag). It wasn't difficult at all. It was so much more simple this way.

 

[kiford]

You will also be given these instructions on the last day several times over. It's on the TV, they drop information and tags into your stateroom, they announce it, your servers will tell you at dinner. You won't be left wondering what to do. It's all very organized and non-stressful - well, except for the fact that you're having to leave.

 

[Jessirip]

Typically you hand out the tip envelopes the last night. There's always a possibility that your servers may be unavailable the last morning, for various reasons.

Ack I just realized we're eating in Palo the last night. I know the tip envelopes are just a gesture, but is that awful if we don't see them and hand them to them?

 

[MickeyD]

Ack I just realized we're eating in Palo the last night. I know the tip envelopes are just a gesture, but is that awful if we don't see them and hand them to them?

You can always do one of two things: hand them to the servers on the last night you are in the MDR, or give them to the head server. Either way, they are getting their tips,like you said, the tip envelopes are simply a visual representation of what was put on your account for them.

 

[Jessirip]

You can always do one of two things: hand them to the servers on the last night you are in the MDR, or give them to the head server. Either way, they are getting their tips,like you said, the tip envelopes are simply a visual representation of what was put on your account for them.

So we get the tip envelopes before the last day? (so sorry to hijack this thread... I've been Googling to no avail). Thank you.

 

[MickeyD]

No, your room steward gives them on the last night, however, I imagine you can ask Guest services for them ahead of time. Maybe? Maybe not?

 

[bcwife76]

Well I hope debarkation at Port Canaveral is a lot smoother than San Diego - that is the only port we have disembarked at so far and it was a complete nightmare!!

If we are getting DCL buses to MCO after we disembark do they leave at a certain time or is it basically first come first serve, fill a bus it takes off, there is another one right behind it ready to fill up?

 

[Dug720]

Well I hope debarkation at Port Canaveral is a lot smoother than San Diego - that is the only port we have disembarked at so far and it was a complete nightmare!!

If we are getting DCL buses to MCO after we disembark do they leave at a certain time or is it basically first come first serve, fill a bus it takes off, there is another one right behind it ready to fill up?

They know how many people have purchased the transfers, so they'll have enough busses. But yes, as one fills it will leave and another will fill. I wouldn't want to be the person/group that holds up the last bus though.