I have always wondered why everyone wants to be the first one off the ship. I would much rather enjoy a leisurely breakfast and wait for lines to go down.
One thing that I do, is make a sandwich or gather items for a small lunch during breakfast time so when you are waiting at the airport or touring around your don't need to waste time or money on eating in a restaurant.
LOL, hurry, hurry ,hurry! I hate stress and pushy crowds. I'm one of the last people to get on the ship and one of the last to get off. I always stop for a burger on the way to the cruise terminal so I won't be hungry and fighting the infamous Lido buffet crowd who act like they have not eaten in weeks! If I'm to fly home I book a hotel and head for the airport early this next morning before flights are cancelled. Getting off the ship last also allows me to find my checked luggage quicker because most people have already stampeded out of the terminal. After a nice relaxing cruise I just don't see the need to run, run, run simply because everyone else is. My house will always be there when I finally arrive home. You don't need strategy using my way, just patience. (IMHO)😊
I found everything starting at 5pm the night before to be stress inducing. Packing, what do I wear to dinner, will my bag still be there after dinner, the first paper said bags out by 10 - the next one said 9, what time do I have to be off the ship - what if I stay too long. The last 15 hours just isn't as fun as the rest of the cruise.
@@chrisfoxwell4128 Luggage to be checked for disembarkation must be labeled and set out in the hall by midnight. I simply eat in the buffet the night before. You CAN'T stay too long, they'll run you off!!
EXACTLY! On my next cruise, I do plan on getting on the ship early but I'm going to have a nice, relaxing lunch in the main dining room, take a tour of the ship's layout and try to grab some spa package deals. Once I get to my room, I will do room service just this first night. On the last day, I'm going to do the reverse and self-disembark wth my luggage(only a small carry-on and backpack) by having breakfast in the MDR and enjoying my cruise until the very last minute. I plan on getting a hotel for a night then fly home the next day.
On a recent Viking River Cruise, we did a very good job of clearing all shelves and drawers. We got home with an extra shirt and underwear. They are being donated.
I always have several plastic bags in my luggage. Both small ones and large ones. I always use one for the hotel or ship safe. That way I’m absolutely sure nothing is left behind because everything is in the bag. Love your videos stay safe
I don't get the 12 noon flight concept. If you have a flight at 12 noon you should be at the airport by 10- 10.30 am That would typically mean you should be in a position to leave for the airport by 9.30 am So if cruise ship reaches by 8 am , and you opting for traditional disembarkation , would you be able to make this time line without headache ? And what if the ship is delayed by an hour or two ? 🤔 Think it's cutting it too close especially if you have a international flight to catch 🤔 Maybe it's just me , but I rather wait at the airport for couple of hours than risk cutting my flight time too close to give me mini heart attacks on the the way to the airport 😂
@@gregwhates5948 ok in that context, but may not work out for international flights , especially if you are passing through an airport which has seasonal or normal high queues for security checks ( let alone immigration)
I always carry a large white napkin in the outer pocket of my suitcase. When I arrive somewhere and put my passport and wallet in the safe, I tie it to the handle of the bag. It is not removed until the safe is cleaned out. Thanks for your tips!
I advise removing items from the safe before going to bed the night before disembarkation. I have had safes malfunction, requiring me to call maintenance to have them open it. It would be stressful for this to happen on the morning of disembarkation. Also, you don’t have to get off the ship when your number is called. You can wait until final disembarkation and your luggage will be waiting there for you. I much prefer having a leisurely breakfast on the ship, waiting for the early rush to pass.
Something I would also say is if you are in a wheelchair and have a party member to push you I would recommend asking the people at the accessible disembarking desk if you can convoy with the next person, the people who are trained to handle the disabled pasengers are so short staffed they will appreciate one less person to push and they also know the best tips and routes. Also having that high vis person normally helps people out your way
We always choose the self-disembarkation - it just works better for us b/c we're on the road and back home before some cruisers have left the ship! (We live in Central FL, very convenient!!) We did the regular disembarkation on our last cruise in 2019 and while you can have coffee & small pastries while waiting, it was too much waiting. Great tips, Gary. We just love your channel!!
@@TheHouseboat1 I hope you check out videos by The Weekend Cruiser. He goes on a weekend cruise nearly every week. I don't remember when but he posted videos about a new service for getting cruisers who are relatively local to the ports. I said if we lived closer (and not 4 hrs away!) I'd absolutely use the service so I could leave my car in my garage! Check it out & good luck!!
@@TheHouseboat1 do you live in Miami or West Palm or Fort Lauderdale? If you do maybe you can take the Brightline shuttle to get there if you’re taking the train there. And the train from Orlando starts early next year or next quarter.
Dave, thanks so much for your videos. We recently followed your advice about settling in the first day. We found we didn’t like our cabin, went to guest services and were upgraded the next day. There was a very reasonable charge for this, but we had a much nicer cruise. Your advice is always helpful and clear.
Gary, I know you posted this at least a year ago, but you deserve my thanks for this. I'm at the stage of my cruise journey where I'm writing down tips and tricks and what to expect. Your posts about embarkation day and disembarkation day are extremely helpful. Thank you so much!
We normally get early afternoon flights and pay for airport lounge access (when we can't use our BA status). For not much money you can relax, have a few drinks and a nice lunch before boarding. We always find our makes the end of the holiday nice and relaxing
Great tutorial for experienced and cruising newbies. We're firm believers in self disembarkation which also helps us not to overpack. Came in handy last QE2 crossing where we were one of the first off the ship to find that NYC was having a bike race that day and were closing streets around the port early that morning. Had we waited, we'd most likely would have missed our flight out of LGA.
Good tips Gary, thanks. One thing I do which you touched on, is to sign on to your on board account via tv or other device soon after boarding. First, it confirms that you can access your account and check it daily!! On one cruise we took I was charged for six martinis at the sail away that were ordered by another party. It took me until the end of the cruise to get it resolved by the purser’s office.
I found your channel last week and have been binge watching because I find them so helpful especially for seniors. I haven't been on a cruise since 2002 and I can see now from watching how things have changed. Thanks to you and your informative videos I think my cruise on October 1st, will go smoothly. I just like how you cover everything. Now I have more of your videos to get back to.
RE: Princess Medallion for disembarkation. I forgot mine in my stateroom on my last cruise and didn't realize until I was at the gangway being scanned out. They were able to look me up by my name and verify with my security photo to process my disembarkation without using the medallion. I actually would have preferred to go back and retrieve it because it was still in the wrist strap I had purchased for it, but our airport shuttle had arrived early and the driver was waiting so we left it behind. Obviously it's not recommended to disembark without the Medallion because it would certainly cause delays if lots of people did that, but it does seem like it's possible.
I’m not sure why, but I’ve never actually thought about self-disembarkation. You’ve definitely got me thinking for my next cruise, as I’m more than capable of heaving my own suitcase down the gangway - watch this space to see if it (or me) ends up falling off the gangway and into the water… ha!
On one of our cruises we went to the airport and checked our luggage in for our return flight early. Then we took a taxi to a nearby restaurant we wanted to try. Taxi driver was upset it wasn't a long trip but we reminded him he would be able to get back to the taxi stand quickly. Restaurant waiter was snooty when we wanted to share main dishes. Then we asked for the wine list and all was well. We weren't trying to save money. We had no way to handle uneaten food and didn't want to waste it. We had a leisurely lunch, explored the restaurant, and then got a taxi back to the airport. I wouldn't do this now; too much danger of luggage going astray.
We always tried to find a cheap hotel room the day of disembarkation day and always booked the last flight out of the day or the earliest the next day. Also the night before we'll pick some food items that don't need to be reheated so we could save it and snack on it while getting off.
So true. We did this in Orlando. The room was so cheap for the day and they gave us a driver, free of charge, to take us to wherever we wanted to go. It made our last day so fantastic.
We did self-disembarkation on our last cruise by accident, because otherwise we'd have missed our train home. I think we'll do it from now on because it was so painless.
If you are not able to self disembark, when you get to the luggage area, try to get a porter. They generally have a dedicated line and can get you out faster. I tip them well as that is what they live on.
Actually terminal porters are paid above the local non tipped minimum wage. Porters are not dependent on tips in the manner of restaurant and bar service workers in the United States.
Doing Debark as crew is stressful. I'm Youth Staff with RC and I had no idea it would be part of my duties but, along with Cruise and Sports staff, it was. My biggest plea is just be patient and understand that we are trying our best. I had guests shout at me because they didn't know what to do, which could've been avoided if they'd arrived to the location at their specific time, and not half an hour early. Also, I don't care whether you're Pinnacle, Suite, Key or just a regular guest, if we're not given clearance NO ONE is getting off the ship, you complaining and saying how youve paid extra for priority debark makes absolutely no difference.
Do check for your passport before leaving your cabin. Do it yourself, don't rely on any cabin mate. Years ago there were 4 of us in a cabin. One person checked the safe but she left my passport in it. I didn't check for it until we were in the waiting lounge. It was a mad scramble to track it down. Luckily we had a late afternoon flight so we didn't have that stress.
That’s not an oversight; she was actually trying to screw you. Some people can just be spiteful like that. I hope you are not traveling with her again.
@@S.Clause You are wrong in this case. We were all close friends. Two of our number have since passed away. Yes, some people are spiteful. But most are not.
We always do self disembarkation, it goes so much faster. Our cruise to Alaska in June we disembarked at 7:10am, we were on the train in Vancouver by 7:30am, at the airport by 8:00am. It is much faster then waiting for your time to get off the ship ( with everyone else I might add ) your not among the crowd heading towards the train, taxi's or bus to take you to the airport.
Definitely check that safe before disembarking. Last cruise my wife and I took someone left a nice bag of smelly green plant matter in the safe. It took most of embarkation day to get security and sign paper work saying it hadn’t poisoned me and whatnot. So thanks to that person for leaving that behind and making my embarkation day a drag!!!
On most of our cruises to Europe, the cruise lines have arranged early flights back to the US. Getting to Los Angeles before Sunset requires leaving Europe before noon. e.g. After a Viking River Cruise to Ammsterdam. We left Amsterdam at 11 a.m., cleared customs in Minneapolis St. Paul, and arrived at LAX at 4:30 p.m.
Even when staying at a hotel on land, I open every drawer and closet before I leave to make sure I haven't left anything behind, and leave the drawer/door open to show that I've already "cleared" it.
I’m most cases if I’m flying home same day I prefer to linger onboard ship as long as I can before disembarking. That way I can enjoy my breakfast and a few cups of coffee without feeling rushed and hurried. Often I’ll ask cabin steward if I can store my bags in closet until ready to leave. Never gotten a no on that. This helps avoid luggage hunt and the late disembark lines are usually shorter to non existent
My tip would be to find out which disembarkation zone a potential cabin is in before booking said cabin, ex A1 would get called first, if you want to self disembark. We waited for F6, and before us they started calling regular disembarkation. If you are self disembarking, you should always get priority over those regular checked luggage folks.
Fantastic post!!! The shoe thing is a great idea. We have never forgotten anything in a safe, but as we get older!!! We are on Seabourn at the moment. They are doing an amazing job and it is the best group of singers we have ever heard. Really appreciate your posts.
One tip I heard recently is to put items that are being stored in the safe into zip top bags before placing them in the safe. This is particularly helpful for small items or items that are dark colored that might be difficult to see in the safe.
Very interesting and helpful, I have only done 2 cruises and you're right I only concentrated on the trip itself and not leaving. Thank you I will add that to my to do list.
Awesome list here Gary. This is what I would do to prepare for disembarkation (it’s a pretty detailed list which for the most part agrees with the video): - Settle the onboard account statement with guest services the day before disembarkation and check for errors or to pay off any owed money to the cruise line. I would also use up any remaining non-refundable credit. On my only cruise so far, I went to settle the onboard account the day before and I had $9 non-refundable credit. I used that to buy a shot glass and a keyring from the onboard souvenir shop. I then double-checked the account with guest services and it was settled there. - If connecting to onward travel on the same day, factor in the connection time as to not be rushed but also not be somewhere way too early. If I was connecting onto a flight, I would recommend getting to the airport no later than 90 minutes prior for domestic travel and 180 minutes prior for international travel. - Ensure that all legal documents are organised and ready to be checked by the officials at the port (passports, visas, proof of onward travel, hotel reservations, declaration forms etc.). I would get a folder and carry the documents in that and in a backpack so that it can be easily reached. - Always try to get self-disembarkation where the option is available. Better yet to get it as early timed as possible in the disembarkation process as to minimise wait times with the transfers, taxis etc. - Take luggage bags which can easily be self-manoeuvred around the ship during the disembarkation process to minimise times at the baggage claim after getting documents checked. Take note of the coloured tag to identify the baggage group with your bag in it. - Check the entire cabin and all the little spaces at least three to four to ensure that personal items are not left behind and also to ensure not to accidentally take anything that belongs to the cruise line. A good idea is to have a checklist of all the personal items taken onboard and work through the checklist while packing the bag. - I would wake up early enough on disembarkation day to have all my items packed and ready to go before going to have a light breakfast at the earliest possible time which the food venue starts breakfast service. That is the time also where I would leave outside the cabin any bags which I cannot take off the ship myself.
I was in my cabin until about 30 minutes before the latest time we were allowed to be in the cabin. By then the majority of people had left. We also had a leisurely sit down breakfast first and plenty of time to go back to the cabin and relax.
Norwegian arranged flights for us but they had us at the airport a full eight hours before the flight coming home. We had to sit _outside_ the airport for four hours before we could go _inside_ for another four. To make matters worse, the flight was delayed an additional two hours. Meaning we waited ten hours, missed or connection and had to overnight in Atlanta. As a result, we are not seriously considering Norwegian going forward and even if we do, absolutely not letting them choose our flights. Our experience with a third party agent has been much better. We not only choose our flights, but still book them with the cruise line for added assurance. We are also working hard going forward to only fly with carry on. Not only does this eliminate the risk of the airline losing our luggage, but it also makes embarkation and disembarkation much simpler. Right now we are looking for a way to spend a comfortable four hours in Miami before going to the airport.
What a great video! I do all the things you mention so I guess I’m now experienced! I place the luggage color tag in the holder on my lanyard. And I always have my packing list with disembarkation check list with me. Then when I get home I update it, if necessary, and have it ready to print out for the next cruise. I’m also trying not to use every nook and cranny to put things in.
Very valuable tips Gary. I've got a friend who loves cruising but disembarkation is her least favourite part of the whole experience. Perhaps this can be of value to her. Thank you.
Shoe in the safe! Always learn something from Mr. Bembridge even though I've been to fifty countries and haven't left anything (that I remember) in the safe. Will keep a fresh pair of socks instead lest I be considered anti-hygienic.
I heard about you guys on another vlog and I LOVE your vlog. You are sooooo great! Made my day!!! I'm a teacher and I loved the safety checks on the bus. The kids are so engaged. And Dad, you are a scream!
Several years ago we did self-embarkation at Tampa, Fl and we left as early as we could. There was no customs or immigration personnel at all. We just walked out onto the street. We had come from Cuba!
We have found bagsbnb, looks like now radical storage, which we wish that we had found sooner. We used it to storage baggage in Barcelona after a cruise to explore more and take a bike tour. Ours was a bike shop as their main business; it worked great!
I've always booked the flight for the next day. I overnight at a hotel with a shuttle. Means I don't have to sweat the flight the same way. Though I have tended to be one of the rushers to get off. I book the corporate pier-airport shuttle, and I don't want to miss that.
Yes, I'm doing a Seattle City tour, after my cruise finishes. Yes, the tour drops me off at the airport. I'm going to have to ask NCL if they will automatically move my suitcases to the excursion bus, or if I will have to find them, in the huge mess, and walk them over.
Thank you for all the great info. One more thing for cruisers who gamble on board. Always cash in your chips on the last night. The casino will be closed when in port and those chips are useless on land.
We like having a leisurely breakfast on board, before disembarking the ship. My friends left at 8 am, I don’t see the rush. None of us were taking a flight home and it’s rush hour.
We have done several of the tour/transfers through the cruise line. One of the best was a tour of an indigenous Village outside of Auckland. On HAL, the luggage was stored in the bus, it was handed to us at the airport. Another one with Celebrity took the luggage in Advance and the luggage was in a very specific area at the airport that our bus driver lead us to. I picked a flight home that coordinated well with these transfers/tours. We find this is a very easy option unless you plan on staying longer in the final port, then we do a self exit. If you can afford it, staying longer in the last port is a wonderful relaxing option.
I have this old necklace that I use at home and carry with me. When there's something I have to remember to take with me, I hang it on the doorknob and I have a 100% success rate in remembering (a) what I need to grab (b) to grab it.
Great video Gary. However, PLEASE don’t advise people to go up in a lift so that you can “jump the queue” for the lifts going down. It adds to the problem of all the lifts being busy when they arrive at lower floors. I am a wheelchair user and have no choice about using the lifts, even for moving only one floor. Of course, some people will give preference to wheelchair users but a lot don’t. If it’s infuriating to you that you can’t get in a lift, imagine how much worse it is to someone in my position. Thank you.
It must be a constant challenge to travel with a disability. Kudos to you for pursuing the adventure! Gentle question - can't you also go up in order to go down? I confess to using that trick at busy times of day, not necessarily embarkation day, during the one cruise I took.
So, The cabin Safe . There’s a mat or a small rug to protect the floor or bottom of the safe.. on different occasions,I’ve found jewelry & cash under these mats . Check the entire safe when departing.
If you dock early and flight is later then self disembarking can give you a extra days holiday. Plan in advance and you line up a taxi / minibus tour, a few hours on the beach or another excursion. You have to plan how to deal with luggage (many hotels are happy to help for a fee - and often have facilities to change clothes), if your doing a minivan tour then you cam keep your luggage with you etc...You miss the advantage of not having to deal with your luggage from leaving your cabin, but it can give you time to explore rather than spending the day waiting for elevator / check out / bus / queue to check in / etc.....
You cover this topic very well, I been following those quidelines myself for last dozen of cruise I been on. If I may add one perferance choice, for those sailing Round Trip form a home port what the hurry to disembark, should I have taken public transportation, my own vehicle, or expect friends to pick me up, I personally plan to be the last few to leave the ship, this give me a relaxing morning at the food court or platinum waiting area where their abundance snacks available (only way to sneak ordourves off ship is to consume them, one area that never get searched.) But best part is luggage claim is nearly empty, so easy to find your luggage, and bulk of traffic also had left the area so less traffic jam to contend with.
We were informed on day two of our last cruise that our departure excursion which included airport transfer had been cancelled by the tour operator. And of course the straight airport transfers were booked solid. Had to get a cab to downtown Seattle and use a website to secure our luggage at a cigar shop. Then light rail to the airport after sightseeing downtown.
We discovered cafe charges on the morning of disembarkation made the same morning. Luckily we were waiting for our time slot to be called and had enough time to run down to guest services to get it taken care of.
If you aren't in a hurry to get off because you have a later flight wait till last call to leave the ship, the line will mostly be thinned out by the time you get there and you won't be standing forever and a day
Gary, I love your videos. I wanted to suggest a video on eating strategies if you want to stay fit and healthy on the cruise. I really enjoy cruising, but keeping on my normal healthy diet is very difficult. How do you stay fit and trim while cruising a lot? Thanks!
I'm no longer looking at cruises out of San Juan. We used to have good connections to get in the morning of the cruise and out right after the cruise. Now the flights don't work out. Need hotel the night before and wait all day for flight home. We've been there several times so for now will just go places with better schedules.
Good news. We are choosing self disembarkation, I want to find out if we can take our own suitcase with us instead of leaving it outside the room. We can go for breakfast and then get to the Lauderdale airport for 9:00 am to catch our 12:00 pm flight back to Canada. Thanks again Gary!
Just returned from a 24 day cruise. What a nightmare both embarkation and disembarkation was! The cruise went smoothly. I can't totally site our cruise line, BUT, I will try my hardest to avoid Boston. Getting on and off took hours and marred what was a great experience. So, if possible try to get as much information about your Port city's handling of such events.
Oh goodness yes always triple check *all* of the room's storage! It's so easy to stow a small stack of T-shirts or a random keepsake you "put somewhere safe" and forget it! Once you're off the boat, there's no going back! Make sure your stuff is going home with you!
My number one tip is to avoid airports completely if you can. On about half of our cruises we take an Uber or Lyft to the ship. Because this limits the destinations available, we do fly on our other trips. If we do fly, we usually fly Business Class, insisting on both a lounge and lie flat seats. The lounge really helps for lang waits. Some lounge allow the purchase of a day pass if your fare does not include the lounge. On a long wait it is worth it. $60 for a lounge with drinks, refreshments, WiFi, comfortable seats, and fewer crowds beats a $25 hamburger, $10 beer and standing up in a noisy crowd with all seats taken. A great way to avoid the crush at disembarkation is to cruise on a small ship. The Wind Star and Wind Spirit each have a capacity of 128 guests. Even a full ship doesn’t have a hassle at disembarkation.
We were planning to fly home the day after our cruise, so we rented a car. The trick was, there was no car rental close to the port! My husband left the ship as early as possible to get a taxi to the airport, pick up the car, and come back to get the rest of us. It was a bit hectic, mostly because the traffic was terrible, but we weren't left waiting any longer than the folks waiting for the airport shuttles and ride shares. I am hoping next time we cruise we'll use a port that has good public transit options we can use. Miami does not! Or if they have them, the cleverly hide them from Google searches so no one can use them.
Well, we just leaned a lesson on leaving the ship at the last moment, a perk of being a suite passenger: someone may take your luggage! We had a suitcase go missing and an identical one was sitting there in the luggage area. The people that took it didn't look to see that it wasn't their suitcase, even though the luggage tag clearly showed that it was not their piece of luggage. Fortunately, I had an AirTag in the bag so I could track its location as we were calling and texting the people that took ours. A hot mess that could have been avoided if a) we left the ship earlier, or b) people had been more careful.
Please be aware of and allow persons in wheelchairs or other mobility devices to enter the elevator first. At least don't block the doorway. We can't use those stairs.
Wish they weren’t so early but understand why with the crazy turnaround day if they have a hop on and off tour take it they will take your luggage for the day didn’t have to deal with it until we were at the airport
Sadly you didn't cover breakfast which is chaotic in the best of cases - especially on the multi thousand ships. Depending how I feel about things the day before, I have, on a few occasions already, hamstered away a simple disembarkation day breakfast in order to avoid the crazy rush at the restaurants (plus lack of seating as people will just camp there). An apple/pear and a banana will hold perfectly from one day to the next in the cabin. As will cookies. A late room service order might just offer something that'll hold for a few hours and serve as a breakfast too (say a cold ham & cheese sandwich). 24hr coffee stations are perfect for this last breakfast in the room; a good way to also use the balcony one last time should you choose to. I've even had cold pizza for breakfast (hey, we did it in college and didn't die).
Not knowing what an ESTA was I had to look it up, ESTA is an automated system that determines the eligibility of visitors to travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), one less thing for me to worry about for my cruise. 😀
I agree with all of your tips (and do most of those) except the 12pm flight. That is just asking for trouble. Any issues, late arrival (medical emergencies, weather, police incidents, etc.), traffic, customs delays, airport problems, airport problems, airport problems. For domestic flights, many airports recommend 3+ hours for domestic flights, 4+ hours for international flights. In fact, I prefer to spend an extra day in the port city before and after the cruise. Why waste a city to visit?
I always self disembark simply because I don’t want to leave my suitcases out at night I need too many things that have Togo into my checked bags Plus I always shower in the morning so it just doesn’t work with a carry on bag
Well i had the opposite issue for disembarkation..i was wondering where my disembarkation tags were. It was early enough that i went to the guest services and low and behold they had me staying on the ship (Sky Princess) for the next cruise…instead of me going on the Regal Princess next.🚢😊. Oh Ps check the laundry room too if you are on a Cruise ship that has a self serve
Last cruise hubby accidentally got the laundry bag when getting clothes out of closet. Was $10. I had seen it before off ship as a charge. I asked if I could get it from our luggage and they said no since it was already outside.
I have always wondered why everyone wants to be the first one off the ship. I would much rather enjoy a leisurely breakfast and wait for lines to go down.
One thing that I do, is make a sandwich or gather items for a small lunch during breakfast time so when you are waiting at the airport or touring around your don't need to waste time or money on eating in a restaurant.
LOL, hurry, hurry ,hurry! I hate stress and pushy crowds. I'm one of the last people to get on the ship and one of the last to get off. I always stop for a burger on the way to the cruise terminal so I won't be hungry and fighting the infamous Lido buffet crowd who act like they have not eaten in weeks! If I'm to fly home I book a hotel and head for the airport early this next morning before flights are cancelled. Getting off the ship last also allows me to find my checked luggage quicker because most people have already stampeded out of the terminal. After a nice relaxing cruise I just don't see the need to run, run, run simply because everyone else is. My house will always be there when I finally arrive home. You don't need strategy using my way, just patience. (IMHO)😊
Yes indeed
I found everything starting at 5pm the night before to be stress inducing. Packing, what do I wear to dinner, will my bag still be there after dinner, the first paper said bags out by 10 - the next one said 9, what time do I have to be off the ship - what if I stay too long. The last 15 hours just isn't as fun as the rest of the cruise.
@@chrisfoxwell4128 Luggage to be checked for disembarkation must be labeled and set out in the hall by midnight. I simply eat in the buffet the night before. You CAN'T stay too long, they'll run you off!!
EXACTLY! On my next cruise, I do plan on getting on the ship early but I'm going to have a nice, relaxing lunch in the main dining room, take a tour of the ship's layout and try to grab some spa package deals. Once I get to my room, I will do room service just this first night. On the last day, I'm going to do the reverse and self-disembark wth my luggage(only a small carry-on and backpack) by having breakfast in the MDR and enjoying my cruise until the very last minute. I plan on getting a hotel for a night then fly home the next day.
On a recent Viking River Cruise, we did a very good job of clearing all shelves and drawers. We got home with an extra shirt and underwear. They are being donated.
Someone once suggested wearing your disembarkion day clothing and shoes while packing so that you know you have what you need.
Check out Hotels by Day. You can book a hotel room for the day if your flight is in the evening.
I always have several plastic bags in my luggage. Both small ones and large ones. I always use one for the hotel or ship safe. That way I’m absolutely sure nothing is left behind because everything is in the bag. Love your videos stay safe
Good idea
thank you
I do this too! Our room attendant is probably wondering why I have so many bags of various sizes.
I don't get the 12 noon flight concept.
If you have a flight at 12 noon you should be at the airport by 10- 10.30 am
That would typically mean you should be in a position to leave for the airport by 9.30 am
So if cruise ship reaches by 8 am , and you opting for traditional disembarkation , would you be able to make this time line without headache ? And what if the ship is delayed by an hour or two ? 🤔
Think it's cutting it too close especially if you have a international flight to catch 🤔
Maybe it's just me , but I rather wait at the airport for couple of hours than risk cutting my flight time too close to give me mini heart attacks on the the way to the airport 😂
If you do online check in, you only need to be at the airport 30-45 minutes before flight time
@@gregwhates5948 ok in that context, but may not work out for international flights , especially if you are passing through an airport which has seasonal or normal high queues for security checks ( let alone immigration)
@@dimitrz2000 I agree with you but also you have to allow for times of high traffic
@@gregwhates594830-45 minutes is just cutting it wayyyy to close for comfort for me.
I always carry a large white napkin in the outer pocket of my suitcase. When I arrive somewhere and put my passport and wallet in the safe, I tie it to the handle of the bag. It is not removed until the safe is cleaned out. Thanks for your tips!
That is a great one!👍
I advise removing items from the safe before going to bed the night before disembarkation. I have had safes malfunction, requiring me to call maintenance to have them open it. It would be stressful for this to happen on the morning of disembarkation.
Also, you don’t have to get off the ship when your number is called.
You can wait until final disembarkation and your luggage will be waiting there for you. I much prefer having a leisurely breakfast on the ship, waiting for the early rush to pass.
I agree with both suggestions 100%.
Something I would also say is if you are in a wheelchair and have a party member to push you I would recommend asking the people at the accessible disembarking desk if you can convoy with the next person, the people who are trained to handle the disabled pasengers are so short staffed they will appreciate one less person to push and they also know the best tips and routes. Also having that high vis person normally helps people out your way
We always choose the self-disembarkation - it just works better for us b/c we're on the road and back home before some cruisers have left the ship! (We live in Central FL, very convenient!!) We did the regular disembarkation on our last cruise in 2019 and while you can have coffee & small pastries while waiting, it was too much waiting. Great tips, Gary. We just love your channel!!
WE have a condo near by but did not want to park at the Port $$, any recommendations?
@@TheHouseboat1 I hope you check out videos by The Weekend Cruiser. He goes on a weekend cruise nearly every week. I don't remember when but he posted videos about a new service for getting cruisers who are relatively local to the ports. I said if we lived closer (and not 4 hrs away!) I'd absolutely use the service so I could leave my car in my garage! Check it out & good luck!!
@@dionline88 will do, thanks😎
@@TheHouseboat1 do you live in Miami or West Palm or Fort Lauderdale? If you do maybe you can take the Brightline shuttle to get there if you’re taking the train there. And the train from Orlando starts early next year or next quarter.
Dave, thanks so much for your videos. We recently followed your advice about settling in the first day. We found we didn’t like our cabin, went to guest services and were upgraded the next day. There was a very reasonable charge for this, but we had a much nicer cruise. Your advice is always helpful and clear.
Dave??
Gary, I know you posted this at least a year ago, but you deserve my thanks for this. I'm at the stage of my cruise journey where I'm writing down tips and tricks and what to expect. Your posts about embarkation day and disembarkation day are extremely helpful. Thank you so much!
We normally get early afternoon flights and pay for airport lounge access (when we can't use our BA status). For not much money you can relax, have a few drinks and a nice lunch before boarding. We always find our makes the end of the holiday nice and relaxing
Great tutorial for experienced and cruising newbies. We're firm believers in self disembarkation which also helps us not to overpack. Came in handy last QE2 crossing where we were one of the first off the ship to find that NYC was having a bike race that day and were closing streets around the port early that morning. Had we waited, we'd most likely would have missed our flight out of LGA.
No, this should all be COMMON SENSE!!!!
@@johnp139 Jeez, calm down
Good tips Gary, thanks. One thing I do which you touched on, is to sign on to your on board account via tv or other device soon after boarding. First, it confirms that you can access your account and check it daily!! On one cruise we took I was charged for six martinis at the sail away that were ordered by another party. It took me until the end of the cruise to get it resolved by the purser’s office.
I found your channel last week and have been binge watching because I find them so helpful especially for seniors. I haven't been on a cruise since 2002 and I can see now from watching how things have changed. Thanks to you and your informative videos I think my cruise on October 1st, will go smoothly. I just like how you cover everything. Now I have more of your videos to get back to.
RE: Princess Medallion for disembarkation. I forgot mine in my stateroom on my last cruise and didn't realize until I was at the gangway being scanned out. They were able to look me up by my name and verify with my security photo to process my disembarkation without using the medallion. I actually would have preferred to go back and retrieve it because it was still in the wrist strap I had purchased for it, but our airport shuttle had arrived early and the driver was waiting so we left it behind. Obviously it's not recommended to disembark without the Medallion because it would certainly cause delays if lots of people did that, but it does seem like it's possible.
I’m not sure why, but I’ve never actually thought about self-disembarkation. You’ve definitely got me thinking for my next cruise, as I’m more than capable of heaving my own suitcase down the gangway - watch this space to see if it (or me) ends up falling off the gangway and into the water… ha!
On one of our cruises we went to the airport and checked our luggage in for our return flight early. Then we took a taxi to a nearby restaurant we wanted to try.
Taxi driver was upset it wasn't a long trip but we reminded him he would be able to get back to the taxi stand quickly.
Restaurant waiter was snooty when we wanted to share main dishes. Then we asked for the wine list and all was well. We weren't trying to save money. We had no way to handle uneaten food and didn't want to waste it. We had a leisurely lunch, explored the restaurant, and then got a taxi back to the airport.
I wouldn't do this now; too much danger of luggage going astray.
We always tried to find a cheap hotel room the day of disembarkation day and always booked the last flight out of the day or the earliest the next day. Also the night before we'll pick some food items that don't need to be reheated so we could save it and snack on it while getting off.
So true. We did this in Orlando. The room was so cheap for the day and they gave us a driver, free of charge, to take us to wherever we wanted to go. It made our last day so fantastic.
We did self-disembarkation on our last cruise by accident, because otherwise we'd have missed our train home. I think we'll do it from now on because it was so painless.
If you are not able to self disembark, when you get to the luggage area, try to get a porter. They generally have a dedicated line and can get you out faster. I tip them well as that is what they live on.
Actually terminal porters are paid above the local non tipped minimum wage. Porters are not dependent on tips in the manner of restaurant and bar service workers in the United States.
Excellent overview. Many of these tips are just as good for land stays.
Doing Debark as crew is stressful. I'm Youth Staff with RC and I had no idea it would be part of my duties but, along with Cruise and Sports staff, it was. My biggest plea is just be patient and understand that we are trying our best. I had guests shout at me because they didn't know what to do, which could've been avoided if they'd arrived to the location at their specific time, and not half an hour early. Also, I don't care whether you're Pinnacle, Suite, Key or just a regular guest, if we're not given clearance NO ONE is getting off the ship, you complaining and saying how youve paid extra for priority debark makes absolutely no difference.
Do check for your passport before leaving your cabin. Do it yourself, don't rely on any cabin mate.
Years ago there were 4 of us in a cabin. One person checked the safe but she left my passport in it. I didn't check for it until we were in the waiting lounge. It was a mad scramble to track it down. Luckily we had a late afternoon flight so we didn't have that stress.
That’s not an oversight; she was actually trying to screw you. Some people can just be spiteful like that. I hope you are not traveling with her again.
@@S.Clause You are wrong in this case. We were all close friends. Two of our number have since passed away.
Yes, some people are spiteful. But most are not.
Self disembarkation ~ did not know this was an option ~ excellent tip!✔️ Thanks Gary @tips for travellers 👍🏻
Glad it was helpful! I use it now a lot
We always do self disembarkation, it goes so much faster. Our cruise to Alaska in June we disembarked at 7:10am, we were on the train in Vancouver by 7:30am, at the airport by 8:00am. It is much faster then waiting for your time to get off the ship ( with everyone else I might add ) your not among the crowd heading towards the train, taxi's or bus to take you to the airport.
Ahhh, I will take your tip. I anticipate feeling much more relaxed! Thank you.
Definitely check that safe before disembarking. Last cruise my wife and I took someone left a nice bag of smelly green plant matter in the safe. It took most of embarkation day to get security and sign paper work saying it hadn’t poisoned me and whatnot. So thanks to that person for leaving that behind and making my embarkation day a drag!!!
On most of our cruises to Europe, the cruise lines have arranged early flights back to the US. Getting to Los Angeles before Sunset requires leaving Europe before noon. e.g. After a Viking River Cruise to Ammsterdam. We left Amsterdam at 11 a.m., cleared customs in Minneapolis St. Paul, and arrived at LAX at 4:30 p.m.
Even when staying at a hotel on land, I open every drawer and closet before I leave to make sure I haven't left anything behind, and leave the drawer/door open to show that I've already "cleared" it.
I’m most cases if I’m flying home same day I prefer to linger onboard ship as long as I can before disembarking. That way I can enjoy my breakfast and a few cups of coffee without feeling rushed and hurried. Often I’ll ask cabin steward if I can store my bags in closet until ready to leave. Never gotten a no on that. This helps avoid luggage hunt and the late disembark lines are usually shorter to non existent
My tip would be to find out which disembarkation zone a potential cabin is in before booking said cabin, ex A1 would get called first, if you want to self disembark. We waited for F6, and before us they started calling regular disembarkation. If you are self disembarking, you should always get priority over those regular checked luggage folks.
Fantastic post!!!
The shoe thing is a great idea. We have never forgotten anything in a safe, but as we get older!!!
We are on Seabourn at the moment. They are doing an amazing job and it is the best group of singers we have ever heard.
Really appreciate your posts.
One tip I heard recently is to put items that are being stored in the safe into zip top bags before placing them in the safe. This is particularly helpful for small items or items that are dark colored that might be difficult to see in the safe.
Very interesting and helpful, I have only done 2 cruises and you're right I only concentrated on the trip itself and not leaving. Thank you I will add that to my to do list.
Oh my gosh, so much to know and remember before my first cruise, it's overwhelming; but big thanks Gary- sage advice!
Awesome list here Gary. This is what I would do to prepare for disembarkation (it’s a pretty detailed list which for the most part agrees with the video):
- Settle the onboard account statement with guest services the day before disembarkation and check for errors or to pay off any owed money to the cruise line. I would also use up any remaining non-refundable credit. On my only cruise so far, I went to settle the onboard account the day before and I had $9 non-refundable credit. I used that to buy a shot glass and a keyring from the onboard souvenir shop. I then double-checked the account with guest services and it was settled there.
- If connecting to onward travel on the same day, factor in the connection time as to not be rushed but also not be somewhere way too early. If I was connecting onto a flight, I would recommend getting to the airport no later than 90 minutes prior for domestic travel and 180 minutes prior for international travel.
- Ensure that all legal documents are organised and ready to be checked by the officials at the port (passports, visas, proof of onward travel, hotel reservations, declaration forms etc.). I would get a folder and carry the documents in that and in a backpack so that it can be easily reached.
- Always try to get self-disembarkation where the option is available. Better yet to get it as early timed as possible in the disembarkation process as to minimise wait times with the transfers, taxis etc.
- Take luggage bags which can easily be self-manoeuvred around the ship during the disembarkation process to minimise times at the baggage claim after getting documents checked. Take note of the coloured tag to identify the baggage group with your bag in it.
- Check the entire cabin and all the little spaces at least three to four to ensure that personal items are not left behind and also to ensure not to accidentally take anything that belongs to the cruise line. A good idea is to have a checklist of all the personal items taken onboard and work through the checklist while packing the bag.
- I would wake up early enough on disembarkation day to have all my items packed and ready to go before going to have a light breakfast at the earliest possible time which the food venue starts breakfast service. That is the time also where I would leave outside the cabin any bags which I cannot take off the ship myself.
This was really helpful- thank you 👍🇦🇺
@@adamlawrence4690 All good mate. I will consider my comment a success because it benefited someone. 🇦🇺
Excellent video! My best tip is to book another cruise so that you don't have to pack and leave.
LOL providing you had booked early and were able to get the same cabin.
I was in my cabin until about 30 minutes before the latest time we were allowed to be in the cabin. By then the majority of people had left. We also had a leisurely sit down breakfast first and plenty of time to go back to the cabin and relax.
“Smart cruisers taught me…”
It’s okay, Gary. You can say these initiatives are all yours and we won’t think any less of you for dropping the modesty!
Norwegian arranged flights for us but they had us at the airport a full eight hours before the flight coming home. We had to sit _outside_ the airport for four hours before we could go _inside_ for another four. To make matters worse, the flight was delayed an additional two hours. Meaning we waited ten hours, missed or connection and had to overnight in Atlanta. As a result, we are not seriously considering Norwegian going forward and even if we do, absolutely not letting them choose our flights. Our experience with a third party agent has been much better. We not only choose our flights, but still book them with the cruise line for added assurance. We are also working hard going forward to only fly with carry on. Not only does this eliminate the risk of the airline losing our luggage, but it also makes embarkation and disembarkation much simpler. Right now we are looking for a way to spend a comfortable four hours in Miami before going to the airport.
What a great video! I do all the things you mention so I guess I’m now experienced! I place the luggage color tag in the holder on my lanyard. And I always have my packing list with disembarkation check list with me. Then when I get home I update it, if necessary, and have it ready to print out for the next cruise. I’m also trying not to use every nook and cranny to put things in.
I would expect nothing else from you Hetty! With all your travels and watching videos I am sure you are way past expert cruise stage : -)
I have a back to back coming up with turnaround in Boston. Seriously, should I stay on the ship and visit Boston another day?
Very valuable tips Gary. I've got a friend who loves cruising but disembarkation is her least favourite part of the whole experience. Perhaps this can be of value to her. Thank you.
Shoe in the safe! Always learn something from Mr. Bembridge even though I've been to fifty countries and haven't left anything (that I remember) in the safe. Will keep a fresh pair of socks instead lest I be considered anti-hygienic.
I heard about you guys on another vlog and I LOVE your vlog. You are sooooo great! Made my day!!! I'm a teacher and I loved the safety checks on the bus. The kids are so engaged. And Dad, you are a scream!
Several years ago we did self-embarkation at Tampa, Fl and we left as early as we could. There was no customs or immigration personnel at all. We just walked out onto the street. We had come from Cuba!
We have found bagsbnb, looks like now radical storage, which we wish that we had found sooner. We used it to storage baggage in Barcelona after a cruise to explore more and take a bike tour. Ours was a bike shop as their main business; it worked great!
Who would have thought getting off a cruise requires as much planning as getting onto a cruise. Thanks!
You , Sir are making me want to cruise!
I've always booked the flight for the next day. I overnight at a hotel with a shuttle. Means I don't have to sweat the flight the same way. Though I have tended to be one of the rushers to get off. I book the corporate pier-airport shuttle, and I don't want to miss that.
Yes, I'm doing a Seattle City tour, after my cruise finishes. Yes, the tour drops me off at the airport. I'm going to have to ask NCL if they will automatically move my suitcases to the excursion bus, or if I will have to find them, in the huge mess, and walk them over.
Thank you for all the great info. One more thing for cruisers who gamble on board. Always cash in your chips on the last night. The casino will be closed when in port and those chips are useless on land.
We like having a leisurely breakfast on board, before disembarking the ship. My friends left at 8 am, I don’t see the rush. None of us were taking a flight home and it’s rush hour.
We have done several of the tour/transfers through the cruise line. One of the best was a tour of an indigenous Village outside of Auckland. On HAL, the luggage was stored in the bus, it was handed to us at the airport. Another one with Celebrity took the luggage in Advance and the luggage was in a very specific area at the airport that our bus driver lead us to. I picked a flight home that coordinated well with these transfers/tours. We find this is a very easy option unless you plan on staying longer in the final port, then we do a self exit. If you can afford it, staying longer in the last port is a wonderful relaxing option.
I have this old necklace that I use at home and carry with me. When there's something I have to remember to take with me, I hang it on the doorknob and I have a 100% success rate in remembering (a) what I need to grab (b) to grab it.
I usually stay on the cruise as long as I can on disembarking day. Stay long at the Buffet and chill at the other lounges haha
Great video Gary. However, PLEASE don’t advise people to go up in a lift so that you can “jump the queue” for the lifts going down. It adds to the problem of all the lifts being busy when they arrive at lower floors. I am a wheelchair user and have no choice about using the lifts, even for moving only one floor. Of course, some people will give preference to wheelchair users but a lot don’t. If it’s infuriating to you that you can’t get in a lift, imagine how much worse it is to someone in my position. Thank you.
That advice does seem selfish. Your in the lift for longer and making the situation worse.
It must be a constant challenge to travel with a disability. Kudos to you for pursuing the adventure! Gentle question - can't you also go up in order to go down? I confess to using that trick at busy times of day, not necessarily embarkation day, during the one cruise I took.
I agree ..I dont like all the luggage on the elevator ..makes everything go slower. and real tripping hazard.
So, The cabin Safe . There’s a mat or a small rug to protect the floor or bottom of the safe.. on different occasions,I’ve found jewelry & cash under these mats . Check the entire safe when departing.
I take a cab to the airport and rent a car. For around $50 you have luggage storage and a vehicle for self guided tours.
If you dock early and flight is later then self disembarking can give you a extra days holiday. Plan in advance and you line up a taxi / minibus tour, a few hours on the beach or another excursion. You have to plan how to deal with luggage (many hotels are happy to help for a fee - and often have facilities to change clothes), if your doing a minivan tour then you cam keep your luggage with you etc...You miss the advantage of not having to deal with your luggage from leaving your cabin, but it can give you time to explore rather than spending the day waiting for elevator / check out / bus / queue to check in / etc.....
Thanks for the great suggestions and tips. I have learned new things - day hotels and luggage storage!
You cover this topic very well, I been following those quidelines myself for last dozen of cruise I been on. If I may add one perferance choice, for those sailing Round Trip form a home port what the hurry to disembark, should I have taken public transportation, my own vehicle, or expect friends to pick me up, I personally plan to be the last few to leave the ship, this give me a relaxing morning at the food court or platinum waiting area where their abundance snacks available (only way to sneak ordourves off ship is to consume them, one area that never get searched.)
But best part is luggage claim is nearly empty, so easy to find your luggage, and bulk of traffic also had left the area so less traffic jam to contend with.
For my next cruise the soonest flight after 12 noon is a 3p.m. I will continue to check flight availability as I get closer to the cruise.
We were informed on day two of our last cruise that our departure excursion which included airport transfer had been cancelled by the tour operator. And of course the straight airport transfers were booked solid. Had to get a cab to downtown Seattle and use a website to secure our luggage at a cigar shop. Then light rail to the airport after sightseeing downtown.
Very good tips, Gary!
We discovered cafe charges on the morning of disembarkation made the same morning. Luckily we were waiting for our time slot to be called and had enough time to run down to guest services to get it taken care of.
If you aren't in a hurry to get off because you have a later flight wait till last call to leave the ship, the line will mostly be thinned out by the time you get there and you won't be standing forever and a day
God bless you! You’ve taught me so much! 🙂
You are so welcome
Gary, I love your videos. I wanted to suggest a video on eating strategies if you want to stay fit and healthy on the cruise. I really enjoy cruising, but keeping on my normal healthy diet is very difficult. How do you stay fit and trim while cruising a lot? Thanks!
I'm no longer looking at cruises out of San Juan. We used to have good connections to get in the morning of the cruise and out right after the cruise. Now the flights don't work out. Need hotel the night before and wait all day for flight home. We've been there several times so for now will just go places with better schedules.
Good news. We are choosing self disembarkation, I want to find out if we can take our own suitcase with us instead of leaving it outside the room. We can go for breakfast and then get to the Lauderdale airport for 9:00 am to catch our 12:00 pm flight back to Canada. Thanks again Gary!
Self disembarking requires you to carry off all of your belongings. Do not place suitcases outside the cabin if you choose to self disembark!
@@bethdavis6863
That’s what we want. We pack smart so we only have one suitcase each.
I love the idea of putting a shoe in the room safe the night before disembarkation !! 😂
Just returned from a 24 day cruise. What a nightmare both embarkation and disembarkation was! The cruise went smoothly. I can't totally site our cruise line, BUT, I will try my hardest to avoid Boston. Getting on and off took hours and marred what was a great experience. So, if possible try to get as much information about your Port city's handling of such events.
Check this out if you are a cruiser! Solid advice
Oh goodness yes always triple check *all* of the room's storage! It's so easy to stow a small stack of T-shirts or a random keepsake you "put somewhere safe" and forget it! Once you're off the boat, there's no going back! Make sure your stuff is going home with you!
My number one tip is to avoid airports completely if you can. On about half of our cruises we take an Uber or Lyft to the ship. Because this limits the destinations available, we do fly on our other trips.
If we do fly, we usually fly Business Class, insisting on both a lounge and lie flat seats. The lounge really helps for lang waits. Some lounge allow the purchase of a day pass if your fare does not include the lounge. On a long wait it is worth it. $60 for a lounge with drinks, refreshments, WiFi, comfortable seats, and fewer crowds beats a $25 hamburger, $10 beer and standing up in a noisy crowd with all seats taken.
A great way to avoid the crush at disembarkation is to cruise on a small ship. The Wind Star and Wind Spirit each have a capacity of 128 guests. Even a full ship doesn’t have a hassle at disembarkation.
We were planning to fly home the day after our cruise, so we rented a car. The trick was, there was no car rental close to the port! My husband left the ship as early as possible to get a taxi to the airport, pick up the car, and come back to get the rest of us. It was a bit hectic, mostly because the traffic was terrible, but we weren't left waiting any longer than the folks waiting for the airport shuttles and ride shares.
I am hoping next time we cruise we'll use a port that has good public transit options we can use. Miami does not! Or if they have them, the cleverly hide them from Google searches so no one can use them.
Well, we just leaned a lesson on leaving the ship at the last moment, a perk of being a suite passenger: someone may take your luggage! We had a suitcase go missing and an identical one was sitting there in the luggage area. The people that took it didn't look to see that it wasn't their suitcase, even though the luggage tag clearly showed that it was not their piece of luggage. Fortunately, I had an AirTag in the bag so I could track its location as we were calling and texting the people that took ours. A hot mess that could have been avoided if a) we left the ship earlier, or b) people had been more careful.
Thanks for the tips and tricks.
Thx Gary, good points to remember.
Please be aware of and allow persons in wheelchairs or other mobility devices to enter the elevator first. At least don't block the doorway. We can't use those stairs.
Excellent information! Thank you so much!
Wish they weren’t so early but understand why with the crazy turnaround day if they have a hop on and off tour take it they will take your luggage for the day didn’t have to deal with it until we were at the airport
Sadly you didn't cover breakfast which is chaotic in the best of cases - especially on the multi thousand ships. Depending how I feel about things the day before, I have, on a few occasions already, hamstered away a simple disembarkation day breakfast in order to avoid the crazy rush at the restaurants (plus lack of seating as people will just camp there).
An apple/pear and a banana will hold perfectly from one day to the next in the cabin. As will cookies. A late room service order might just offer something that'll hold for a few hours and serve as a breakfast too (say a cold ham & cheese sandwich).
24hr coffee stations are perfect for this last breakfast in the room; a good way to also use the balcony one last time should you choose to. I've even had cold pizza for breakfast (hey, we did it in college and didn't die).
Love those tips
As tour director with groups onboard many cruises...The MOST left behind items are in the SAFE..I never suggest using them
Great info! Thanks Gary.
Not knowing what an ESTA was I had to look it up, ESTA is an automated system that determines the eligibility of visitors to travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), one less thing for me to worry about for my cruise. 😀
I agree with all of your tips (and do most of those) except the 12pm flight. That is just asking for trouble. Any issues, late arrival (medical emergencies, weather, police incidents, etc.), traffic, customs delays, airport problems, airport problems, airport problems. For domestic flights, many airports recommend 3+ hours for domestic flights, 4+ hours for international flights. In fact, I prefer to spend an extra day in the port city before and after the cruise. Why waste a city to visit?
I agree 100%!!! Also helps deal with the jetlag. 🤣
Yeah I always allow a day extra before and after the cruise now.
I always self disembark simply because I don’t want to leave my suitcases out at night I need too many things that have Togo into my checked bags
Plus I always shower in the morning so it just doesn’t work with a carry on bag
We carry our own luggage on. We get free laundry so we only use small carry on luggage .
I keep my phone and camera in a lock n seal container(s) in my luggage, The are very resistant to damage and water ingress
Excellent info
Well i had the opposite issue for disembarkation..i was wondering where my disembarkation tags were. It was early enough that i went to the guest services and low and behold they had me staying on the ship (Sky Princess) for the next cruise…instead of me going on the Regal Princess next.🚢😊. Oh Ps check the laundry room too if you are on a Cruise ship that has a self serve
Last cruise hubby accidentally got the laundry bag when getting clothes out of closet. Was $10. I had seen it before off ship as a charge. I asked if I could get it from our luggage and they said no since it was already outside.
Thank you for the video!
Glad it was helpful!