what time is the earliest you can debark?

[cepmom]

We are going on the 4 day cruise 8/28/05 and we are planning on going straight from the ship over to Universal for one night. This will be our first time ever on a cruise and I'm not sure how the whole debarkation process works.

What time is the earliest that you can leave the ship? What about your luggage? I know you are supposed to leave it outside your door the night before, but if we keep it with us until the next morning, can we just walk off the ship as soon as we are ready? I anticipate about an hour drive from PC to Universal and I want to be able to check in to their hotel and hit the parks as early as possible. Thanks!!!

 

[Lloyd Dobler]

Debarkation time mostly depends on Customs and Immigration. It's up to them as to when the ship is cleared. In my experience, it's usually between 7:30 and 8:00 am.

As far as luggage is concerned, you can keep it with you, but it would be kind of a pain, as you'd have to lug it with you to breakfast and keep it with you until you get off the ship. You won't be able to leave it in your room. I'd leave it outside the night before and pick it up in the terminal. The luggage is in color-coded areas based on your deck, and it's really pretty easy to find your bags. If you're among the first off the ship, you should be able to get to Orlando by 9:00-9:30.

 

[cepmom]

Thanks for the reply Lloyd...
So, once you're done with breakfast, you can just get up and leave? Do you have to pass through customs? And when you go to retrieve your luggage, you can just go to the appropriate color area and grab your bags? Just wondering if I should anticipate long lines at the baggage area and/or customs.

If we could get to Orlando by 9:00 - 9:30, that would be perfect!

 

[Tluvs2talk]

I have been on the Disney Cruise 5 times and have always been off the ship and in my car before 8:00.


Teri

 

[Lloyd Dobler]

Originally posted by cepmom
So, once you're done with breakfast, you can just get up and leave?

Well, maybe. Again, it depends on when the ship is cleared. We usually have early dinner, and so have early breakfast on the last morning (6:30am, if I remember correctly). We're usually waiting for a little bit after breakfast, maybe 15-20 minutes, until they allow you off the ship. If you have late breakfast, it's very likely that the ship will be cleared by the time you're finished.

[Do you have to pass through customs? And when you go to retrieve your luggage, you can just go to the appropriate color area and grab your bags? Just wondering if I should anticipate long lines at the baggage area and/or customs.

You do have to pass through Customs. You do this in one of two ways. If you've exceeded your allowance (they explain how to determine this on board), you have to report to the Customs agent on board at 6:00 that morning to pay duty on your purchases. I think on the 4-day, you have an $800 exemption, so you'll only have to pay duty if you spend more than this (and in a few other cases). Assuming you haven't exceeded your allowance, you just have to fill out your Customs Declaration form and the agent in the terminal will take it from you on your way out.

When you get off the ship, you head down to the lower level of the terminal. The bags are set out here, grouped by color (they'll give you colored tags to place on your luggage on the last day of the cruise). You just grab your bags and get in line to go through Customs/Immigration. It's really pretty quick and painless. I don't think I've ever waited more than 5 minutes once I've gotten my bags. There are also porters in the terminal who will help with your bags (remember to tip them).

In my experience, people tend to trickle off the ship once the initial rush ends when the ship first clears. We usually hang out in the Promenade Lounge and wait until about 5-10 minutes after debarkation begins, then just hop off and are on our way.

Hope this helps.

 

[princesspumpkin]

On the Wonder last June, we did not put out our luggage the night before. The morning of debarkation, we has breakfast at BBB from 7:15-7:50 and left our luggage in our room. Once we were done, we came back to the room, used the potty, retrieved our luggage and walked right off the ship by 8am. We took the Disney bus to Orlando Airport and arrived there before 9am. Hope this helps.