Talking to many fellow cruisers I spotted 7 mistakes that I was, and most of you are
likely to be making on cruise disembarkation day making the end of a cruise worse than
it should be.
I’m Gary Bembridge and I think I have figured out what smart cruisers all do to make cruise
disembarkation easier and more fun.
It’s working for me, so let’s see if they can work for you too.
When planning a cruise, like most cruisers I used to focus on the cruise itself and pay
little attention to the detail of disembarkation day – like the time of my flight home.
Smart cruisers taught me to factor this into my planning with as much care as the cruise
itself.
So now, if I want to get is get home as quickly as possible on disembarkation day, I book
a flight as close to noon as possible.
No earlier, no later.
That gives me the greatest chance of making it without stress, and it reduces hanging
about at airports.
Ships usually dock between 7am and 8am and I need to factor in the ship getting cleared,
getting off the ship and to the airport.
Cruise lines often recommend or offer flights after 2pm, however smart travellers know that
many airlines only open their check-in desks two hours before a flight, so a late afternoon
or early evening flight means sitting at the airport for many hours, hanging around until
check-in opens.
I experienced that after sitting for four and a half hours in Athens’ airport for
a 3pm flight after a Seabourn Greek Islands cruise.
There was one small café, a MacDonalds and not great Wi-Fi to keep me occupied.
Of course, that mistake also taught me something else smart cruisers do when flights are only
available later - use disembarkation day to explore rather than sit at the airport.
To solve the problem of what to do with my luggage while I explore, I first see if the
cruise line offers an airport transfer with city tour first, as the luggage travels with
me on the bus.
For example, I got off a Holland America cruise in Barcelona last year and did this.
But these transfers tend to end by early afternoon.
So, I also now look for luggage storage options.
For example, I could store luggage in Vancouver Cruise Port.
In Miami I found places in South Beach although I usually get an Uber or taxi way to the airport
and leave my luggage in the inexpensive storage there and use fast trains in and out of Miami
that cost a few dollars.
Whatever plans for disembarkation day they settle on, I found that smart cruisers also
have a luggage strategy.
They taught me to plan for self-disembarkation, even if I am not planning to.
Self-disembarkation is where cruise lines let passengers leave the ship as soon as it
is cleared, or at any time I choose, if I carry all my own bags unaided.
I invested in an Away suitcase as they are easiest to maneuver and wheel about.
I know I can take it myself along corridors, and even carry down the stairs if needed.
I always now take luggage I can manage myself.
Getting off the ship can be a crush or can mean a lot of waiting around.
I almost always do self-disembarkation now.
It has transformed getting off the ship.
Surprisingly few people choose this, and so I am always able to fly through any checks
like immigration without lines, such as I did recently disembarking Queen Mary II in
New York, and there were no lines for taxis either.
It also means I am more in control of what time I get off the ship, as that can be anytime
from when the ship is cleared to the final disembarkation time.
So that’s what I have seen smart cruisers do even before they join the cruise.
What about once on the cruise?
Like most of you I am sure, I used to get irritated that lines started sending stuff
about disembarkation early in the cruise.
But smart cruisers taught me that they do that for a good reason.
It’s to flush out issues.
I learnt that taking time to read and digest these as soon as they arrive is important.
It’s helped highlight errors many times.
The worst was when I noticed on a P&O Britannia Caribbean cruise, they had me as an independent
traveller and were asking if I wanted to book a transfer and for my flight times.
I thought it odd as I had a package with their charter flight back to the UK from Barbados
paid for.
I raised it and found the line had no return flight booked for me at all.
This early check meant they had time to resolve it.
By the way that flight was full, and they booked me in an upgraded flight on a scheduled
airline.
Also, some cruise lines require at this stage to register for self-disembarkation and some
cap numbers.
I always check the planned arrival time and disembarkation start time in here too.
It can be different to what the original itinerary is.
If it has any implications on my plans, I have time to get that sorted.
That’s where having the self-disembarkation capability has helped as I found on an MSC
Cruise we would be docking now almost an hour and half later than the original itinerary,
so I could change to that to get off quicker and catch my flight on time.
A day or so before the end of the cruise the final disembarkation details arrives.
There are a few things I check carefully.
First the disembarkation time finally allocated me if not doing self-disembarkation.
I've found that if the time doesn't really work for me, asking Guest Services to change
it usually works.
I've never been refused a change of time.
If not doing self-disembarking, check what time your packed cases must be out, and work
out how to fit that around your evening plans.
Next, I look at the dining options listed for disembarkation day.
Most cruise lines don't allow room service on disembarkation day.
I can then plan disembarkation morning plans knowing dining and time to leave the ship.
Then, I check what time I must be out the cabin.
On most it is by 8am.
So, I can factor that into my plans.
One key thing to review is anything required by the ports.
It got much more complicated post-covid shutdown with more documentation, proof of vaccines
to be submitted or questionnaires on Apps like Canada’s ArriveCan to be done.
Although this has eased things change, so it’s smart to double check.
As I discovered.
One disembarkation letter a few years back reminded me that I had to have an ESTA as
a UK passenger to enter in the US.
And I was, "Yeah, yeah, I've got that."
But my ESTA had expired.
And so, when I got to immigration, I hit an issue as I had no ESTA.
It got resolved after much delay and being hauled into a side room, almost making me
late for my flight.
There are several packing mistakes that the cruise lines see repeatedly on every cruise.
Here’s some smart cruiser tricks I have picked up.
If you're putting your suitcase out the night before, make sure that you have left clothes
suitable for leaving the ship.
I have seen several times passengers scurrying off the ship in a cruise line dressing gown
as they forgot to leave some or all their clothes out.
Also, the smart thing to do is triple check every single space when packing.
Cabins have many storage places.
And if you're anything like me, you've popped things in different drawers over the cruise.
I must admit, in the past I've left Camera SD cards, my St Christopher which I value
very highly, chargers and so on.
On my last cruise, when I arrived, I found items in some drawers the previous guests
had forgotten, and the cabin steward had not picked up.
Pack all your valuables and medication in your hand baggage, not in the bags that you
put out to be collected and taken off the ship for you.
The other thing to make sure you do is clear the safe before leaving.
You could leave yourself a note, but what many smart cruisers suggest (although some
people think it's not appropriate) is put one of your shoes in the safe to remind you
to empty it when you are getting dressed in the morning.
Also, if you are putting your luggage out keep the tear off tag from the luggage label,
that will both remind you what allocated slot you have and as some cruise lines require
us to show our luggage tag colour to let you off the ship at the allocated time.
Finally when packing, don’t pack cruise line umbrella, dressing gown, binoculars or
other bits and pieces around the cabin.
You will be charged for those and often a higher amount than if you had requested one
to buy.
A very smart thing before disembarking is to check your statement carefully.
Although fewer lines are doing it, a statement may be left overnight for you to check.
Although on my recent Holland America and Princess cruises I had to check it the app
or television.
It is essential to check that everything is right, as once you're off the ship, you will
find it impossible to change.
I did find on my last Princess drinks charges on the last night that weren't mine and I
got those removed before leaving.
If I hadn’t I would not be able to get that sorted.
Especially check final night charges is a tip from smart cruisers who have been burnt
on that.
A smart thing is to not throw money away.
So, during the cruise I check what is refundable and non-refundable onboard credit.
If I have refundable onboard credit, there's no need to spend it all because it will be
refunded to my card.
But if I have non-refundable onboard credit, I make sure I’ve used that up before the
last night.
There are a few smart things I learnt about getting off the ship that people make mistakes
around.
If the elevators are busy and full of other guests leaving, I go to a different elevator
area.
Disembarkation is often midships, so if I go to the elevators that are forwards or aft,
I normally find they're not as busy.
And if it is busy and taking too much time, I get in and go up with the elevator to come
down.
Make sure you've got your cruise card or if you're on Princess, your medallion, because
you will need that to get off.
It’s not like on a hotel where you can just leave your keys in the room.
Check you've got your passport, and your luggage tag colour that you need.
If you found this helpful, why not find out the smart things to do on embarkation day
in this video here, where I start by talking about the single biggest mistake and blunder
that people make on embarkation day.
See you over there.