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My tip has been to make sure you take photos of your bags just in case they get misplaced. It's easier to show shore staff a photo than having to recall details like color and decoration. Also, if you have more than one bag, number your bags so you know you have them all (ie. 1 of 4, 2 of 4, etc.). I've personally worked at the cruise terminal, so I can attest to how this can help.
We put samsung smart tag+ on all of our suitcases. We use the wire screw on loops that come with our luggage tag holders off Amazon. We can track or make our luggage ring.
@@lilkygirl0284 Hi, I just bought the Samsung tags and wondering if I should put them on with luggage tags or keep them inside luggage? I’m somewhat concerned about the wire getting caught on anything that might pull it off. Have you tried both ways and outside luggage works better? Thanks.
We always do traditional disembarkation. On our last few, we packed up, dressed for dinner, went back to the cabin, changed and put our bags out. We always make up cards with notes for crew. Two things here. On our first cruise back, in Sept., which is the first time I did this, the hostess was overwhelmed just that her name was on the envelope. Then, on our next cruises, I gave our server a note with a tip. Now we had this server for many cruises, and I now chat with her online about once a week still, so we are close, but she told me this at one point: "I have your card hung on my wall, and I reread it often. Thank you for thoughtfulness and for thinking of me." So. I think that notes to crew, and recognizing them is more meaningful, most of the time.
I'm lousy with remembering faces or names. Or both. A quick phone-photo of a person with their nametag showing helps a lot. Especially if you tag a note on the photo to remind you why you found that person worth providing an 'above and beyond' thank-you card. And pack a bunch of thank-you cards. Before you go to bed, make up that day's cards.
@@juliatarrel1674 I've heard of people doing this! We usually do longer or multiple cruises, so remembering names is mostly not an issue, but I did use this idea and take pictures for spelling on our last cruises.
There was a sweatshirt that Iwas eyeballing our entire cruise, but it was expensive. On the last day, it was on sale for 50% off, and I bought it right away. I still wear it all the time 5 years later.
On our HAL cruise a few weeks ago, we were able to take advantage of a service they were trying out for disembarkation. We filled out paperwork a couple of days before the end of the cruise, and on the last night we received a disembarkation packet that included our boarding passes and airline luggage tags. We tagged our bags and set them in the hall, and they were taken to the AIRPORT and checked all the way through to our final destination. We literally strolled off the ship after breakfast with nothing but our shoulder bags. It was fabulous!! We figured that since we were heading home if anything happened to delay the bags there wouldn't be any dire consequences, and went for it. The bad news is....now I'm spoiled and I want this always. 🤣
@@nancyjordan4275 Thats a great option if its available. we are going on our first cruise ever with Celebrity in Jan 23, I will check and see if they offer this.
Emmy C We always do the traditional disembarkation way and always pay for the ship’s transfers. This way they always get you to the airport in time for your scheduled flight. But most important, before we leave our cabin, we each look at every outlet, in every drawer, on every shelf, under the bed, in the bathroom, and in the safe to make sure nothing is left behind!
Just got back from my first time cruising on a 7 day trip to Greece, and because of watching your videos for weeks before leaving it was a breeze!! I was cruising with my 2 adult daughters and I wasn't looking forward to us being in the same room for a week, but with all the organizational items I learned about from you, it was fantastic!!! My older daughter even commented on how nice our room was maintained (as someone who has been on tons of cruises with her girlfriends). Thank you for your informational videos!
I always leave a handwritten note. Also, during the cruise, write down how your stateroom attendant made your stay special, that way you can remember for the note and for the post-cruise survey.
My boss always took us cruising on company trips. He encouraged us to have breakfast in the main dining room the day of disembarkation. We would enjoy a delicious breakfast before heading home. I highly suggest it.
We like to be in the last group to leave the ship to squeeze every second out of the experience. We always ask the cabin steward if it’s okay if we leave our Cary on bags in the cabin while we go for a nice breakfast in the main dining room. The steward is always so nice about it. Of course we’ve already given them an extra tip the night before and always write a nice note about them on the feedback cards. I like your idea of also writing them a complimentary card as well. You do a fantastic job with your videos! We really have gotten a lot of good information from you. Thank you.
I go to the last show after dinner and also shop the heavily discounted items in the shops. Look through the photos and walk around the ship, trying to take it all in one last night
We used a lot of your tips on our first cruise 3 weeks ago. We chose the latest time off the ship because we had a late flight, so we just hung out by the pool. By the time we retrieved our luggage there were only a handful of bags left. Everything was super easy! Thanks for your help!
I like to pack mid afternoon on the last day. I usually put on some fun music or an audio book/podcast. That way I can get almost everything done before dinner. The morning of departure I like to get out of the room early for breakfast and then head to the Retreat lounge (on Celebrity) to relax and enjoy a few final refreshments before getting off the ship at 10AM. I also prefer to schedule an early afternoon flight home. Why have to rush on the last day of vacation? 🚢 😎
Before you leave your cabin for disembarkation double and triple check to make sure you haven't forgotten anything. Check under the bed, any overhead storage, drawers, and the bathroom. Years ago I knew someone who found a pair of diamond earrings in her cabin. This was before every cabin had an in room safe.
Here's something that we've done - if you're arriving at or close to somewhere you enjoy, consider checking in too a nice hotel. That way you can decompress for another day. That's especially nice if you have an early flight the next day or just don't want to face the dirty laundry or start cooking quite yet. Love your show, keep up the good work!
We do traditional disembarkation. Day before in the late morning. I pack up as much as I can . Husband goes down and check if we owe anything. We want to have a relaxing lunch and dinner. After dinner we do some shopping. Make sure to give the Steward and dinning room their thankyou note. Morning before disembarkation. We pack up the carry on luggage. Go down and have breakfast. Come back to the room and grab the luggage. Then head down to the buffet area and wait for our number to come up. We take our time getting off. We always have a hotel booked for that night. Head home Sunday or Monday. We are retired and take our time. Thankyou for all you do to share with everyone. I learn something new each time. Thankyou.
Since I teavel on Royal Caribbean, I purchased the key which is a VIP pass. this allows me to sleep in and get a five star breakfast before I disembark😊
Interesting!🎖 (I cruised with Carnival in July 2023 - they asked that only elderly or people with special / medical needs use the luggage disembarkation assistance with suitcases out on the night before - & that everybody else take responsibility to self- disembark. It still ran smoothly. We set the alarm - packed our bags early - & still made it to the dining room before 7am to have breakfast = so we could use our last ship day to its full - & we were still off the ship by 8:30am.😎)
We learnt the hard way to put your luggage out all at the same time as if you don't it will be all over the terminal. We had an early time to get off but we waited till almost the end and getting off and find our bags was a breeze.
We do self disembarkation. We like to be one of the first off the ship so we can get to the shuttle to take us to our car so we can be on the road before most people are off the ship. We prefer not to have to deal with lots of traffic. As for packing, I pack up everything after we get back to cabin from dinner and a show. We also go through the room several times between that night and the next morning to be sure we have everything
I do laundry on the last day of the cruise so that when i pack, all the clothes that go in are clean and i don’t have to unpack right away. I am from ny and usually cruise during the winter so it works out well for me ❤️ also, no one os doing laundry that day lol i usually go after lunch and then pack, nap and get ready for dinner
We always use traditional disembarkation unless there is a post cruise excursion which fits our schedule. Post cruise excursions are generally the first or second group off and have a special location for luggage in the luggage claim area. The coach for the excursion is usually close to the exit door for quick and easy boarding. Your luggage is taken on to the airport and held in a location close to your carrier. Just one more idea to end a cruise. Bill
My tip is on the last evening of the cruise, talk and if you’re organized even plan your next vacation with all family members having a voice. It is fun and has you looking forward to something. We even vote and decide.
I agree with you about the traditional disembarking, we had done the self for a couple of cruises and than went back to the traditional on our last cruise, was the same one you were on. OASIS OF THE SEAS. It was so easy. Traditional always from now on.
Out of 18 cruises, we have only utilized the tradition disembarkment on the 1st one. I love that I am physically able to self-disembark. One day maybe not, but until then I like to leave asap since we are usually driving or flying home.
Wow- lots of snarky comments here. You have helped me a lot transitioning from 1990's to 2020's cruising. Thank you so much!!! I worked on RCCL in the 90's....hated it!!!! But I've cruised Carnival, and Princess more recently. Took both of my kids on a B2B2B on Caribbean Princess last year. They're first....they are now hooked for life! 🙌🏼 I, like you, travel with some genuine Gucci luggage. I was one of the last people off (people start boarding at ~11:00am. I had a nice dining room breakfast, a drink at the bar with time to spare). My Gucci bags were safely sitting in the terminal waiting for me ❤
I have only been on one cruise, amd we took our bags with us. I liked just knowing we had all our stuff. But might use traditional next time. And not be in a hurry to get off the ship. We didn't need to get off early, but followed the rules and went when they called our muster station. And it took a while to actually get off. Next time, we might have them take the bags, enjoy a little bit of the day and get one last "free" meal before we go.
We have done both self disembarkation and traditional. If we have an afternoon flight we just do the traditional. One thing to keep in mind is if you sail on Norwegian they do not place disembarkation tags in your room. They are located by guest services normally on the second last day and you simply pick the color coded tag that matches the time you want.
My tip is I never unpack I do utilize the packing cubes for dirty clothes or plastic bags that I take from home and they stay in the drawers in the cabin until it’s time to pack up and leave then it’s just throw them in the suitcase and go I don’t like unpacking and putting clean clothes in drawers that have been used by other people plus I don’t like to waste time when I get on the ship unpacking it’s cutting into drinking and party time
Hi Ilana, traditional disembarkation for us. As you mentioned, we just have our "carry-off" with us and go to our assigned number, and find our luggage. Easy peasy. Hi from Bob and Jill in Connecticut enjoying our 4th of July 3 day weekend starting in 15 minutes when I get out of work.
Excellent suggestions and I do the same thing! As it gets closer to end of cruise I start putting things I know I won’t be wearing in my suitcase and start taking things out drawers and place in closet so I can see or in suitcase. Also I’m double checking under the bed to make sure I don’t have shoes there. So far I haven’t left anything behind on my cruises and hopefully it stays this way 🤞🏾
Last night of our cruise....we love to book specialty dining. On the Celebrity Silhouette, we booked a dinner at Murano. On our last night on HAL in December 2022, we booked dinner at Tamarind (loved it!), and on Oceania Riviera in June 2022 we booked Red Ginger. Having specialty dining in a wonderful small venue is a great way to end the cruise. Go out with a bang!
Traditional disembarkation, plus just recently we purchased a carry off bag with wheels. ;) On our last day and day to exit the ship. We do as little as possible. Kickback, relax have a nice meal and not stress about anything. Well, other than what we'll find when we get home. Long story, but came home once to find the garage full of stuff, house sort of rearraigned and hallway full. Daughter thought we were coming home a few days later.
My favorite thing to do on my very last day before disembark is breakfast in the main dining. The day before I think we’ll be at Nassau so I’ll be doing Atlantis attractions walk the aquariums. Can’t wait
I prefer traditional disembarkation. I do think it’s easier and I’ve done it both ways but I have love your idea about a special little breakfast the morning of sometimes we’re just running and skip it. Great idea !!
And once you book onboard, alwayss remember to keep checking for a cheaper rate. We booked on board in May, then this past week saw a great deal, and we saved $800 CDN per cabin.
I always do self disembarkation, but on the last day I always said good bye to my room steward and tip he/she. I packed early and enjoy the last day smoothly. Not rush or stress. I go around the ship 🛳 for the last time.
We do that to, one last walk around the ship. We get some last pics too. It helps us remember the ship better for any possible rebooks on the same one in the future.
Oh my….due to my health and my husband’s….I’m ALREADY welcoming the last day of our cruise. When our bodies fail us we old folks can’t wait to step back into our own front door. Thanks for your cheerful and practical helps.
Hi Ilana. Really appreciate your videos. We do traditional disembarkation and have found that it’s much easier to find our bags since we tied colorful bandannas on the handles with our last name written in sharpie on the bandannas. It’s less likely for someone to take our bags by mistake. Hope this helps someone.
I do traditional disembark. I can’t think of anything worse than lugging a suitcase around. I like to leave as late as I can. I am usually picked up from the port by one of my children or have my car booked into the cruise parking so don’t have a time pressure. I like to have a last walk round and perhaps take a few photographs.
I haven't cruised since we locked down for Covid but I'm going on one in November this year. In the past I've always done traditional disembarkation. It was always pretty slow but worth it. I usually go get one last mimosa and a coffee, maybe a pastry and that's my ritual for ending the vacation. This time we're driving home from Miami so I'm unsure how we'll spend it.
On the last day lol I fight depression going home after a week of wonder is a drag, we carry our luggage off the problem w that is waiting on an elevator with enough space, Always great tips, advice and information
To make your luggage easier to locate and identify, put a colorful strap round it or a colored ribbon or two on the handle. It will also ensure that your luggage isn't picked up by someone else by mistake - easy to do if your case is black like many others.
With us, we normally have the next 2 or 3 cruises booked already so we get home and go immediately into planning the next one. For example, I have a cruise on Oasis Of The Seas in October. I already have a cruise on Anthem Of The Seas booked for February 2023 and then on Celebrity Summit for October 2023.
It's always a compromise with me and my partner, he wants as casual as possible, so he likes buffet, I like to be pampered sometimes, so we split it up, he still grumbles at having to wear dress pants and a jacket though.
We like last debark time typically. Breakfast in MDR and relax a little more. Our very 1st cruise they did not make it clear what to do, but we figured it out.
I would not pack up early! It’s not over till it’s over. I don’t need any reminders that it’s all coming to an end. Buy a bottle of bubbly for day before pack up 🥂
We pack after lunch but before dinner. I also use packing cubes so most things stay in them unless they must be hung up. We like to be last disembarking. Last April we were evicted lololololol!!! We were last!
On Holland they give me a choice to have my luggage sent directly to the airlines that I am flying home on. I think it was $20 and I don't have to carry any luggage if I am going sightseeing when I leave the ship. They also print out my boarding pass which normally I would have to pay for wifi to print it out.
We finally got our Alaska cruise. After my first day of sea sickness, I got a really bad cold & cough. So it wasn’t what I had dreamed of. Scopolamine helped a lot. Enjoyed our excursions but didn’t do much on ship. We now know we love our RV camping it cruising. Do appreciate what we learned from you
On our last cruise we did Dinning different. The 1st 2 nights we went to specialty dining, the other 3 went to the MDR and the last night went to the Buffett to watch the last sunset while having dinner.
Thank you Llana!! I just downloaded the planner!! Headed on my first cruise RC Harmony of the Seas April 2023!! Love your content and excited to start the cruise life!!
@@SandyToes75 hey, I’m back from my Alaskan cruise! It was definitely a trip of a lifetime! We went on the Crown Princess ship to Alaska, and everything was basically perfect! The weather was amazing; didn’t rain once and it was pretty warm! The entertainment, crew, food, and much more was so welcoming and great! I would definitely recommend going on this cruise, especially before the glaciers melt even more because Glacier Bay National Park was absolutely stunning! The other ports were all wonderful and we did a bus tour to the Mendenhall Glacier and Nugget Falls in Juneau, a bicycle tour through the rainforest in Scagway, the longest, tallest, and farthest zip line in the world at Icy Strait, and the Butchart Gardens in Victoria, Canada!! All I would strongly recommend doing! Overall, such a fun trip🌎
Your channel has been so helpful as I prepare for my first cruise with friends and my excitement has led my husband and I to book our first together for next year. Summit in Oct and Reflection in April 2023
We a special program that took our luggage directly to the airport from the ship. We didn't have to handle our luggage until we got home plus they printed our boarding passes for us too. It was very reasonable although I don't remember what the cost was.
Hi Ilana, another great video. I really enjoy your channel and thanks for the great tips. Along with the prepaid gratuities, Suzy and I still add additional gratuities in an envelope with a note of thanks to each of the staffed crew members on the last night of our cruises. We always receive great service and the amount that we used to give was always in excess of the suggested amount.
We check our cabin charges every morning! We spotted a charge for drinks that shoukd not have been there on day 2. We didn't have to wait in a long line the last day. Check them daily! This charge was reversed with no issues of course!
We pack before dinner on the last night. This way, we can leave out only sleepwear and final outfit. We pack the majority of toiletries and leave out only the essentials for the morning. Our evening outfits, pjs and morning toiletries go in our carryon, which doesn’t go in the hallway. When flying, we carry our luggage off to have the most time to arrive at the airport. Since the restart, we have been doing traditional, letting staff take the luggage, since we drive home. We’re about a little over an hour from Cape Liberty, so we get everything ready, leave the cabin, and enjoy a leisurely breakfast in the MDR. We check our onboard account most days when we’re relaxing in our stateroom. One time we checked our account late at night, got home, and the email we received said we owed $50 for towels not returned! It was a nightmare getting that charge off our account. Now, when we return towels, we always ask if the system thinks we have any checked out. We certainly do not need to steal the pool towels, besides, who has space for those in their luggage anyway! It was obviously some error. On an Oasis cruise, the final day was cold and windy, not pool weather, so I went to see “Cats” a second time by myself. My husband did something else, perhaps poker in the casino. If it had been a hot day, I would’ve tried to stay at the pool.
New sub here and I love your channel! I’ve been binge watching you past few days and learned so much. We’re going on harmony of the seas Sunday to celebrate our sons HS graduation. First time cruisers! Thx so much for your hard work
Have a fabulous cruise! Celebrity is my favorite line and as a family you will have many wonderful options and times to make memories. ENJOY! LOL we just did our 2020grad cruise this May! A bit late but had so much more to celebrate.
last cruise I took, made the mistake of packing my sleeping earplugs in the luggage they took away. Next cruise in September, will puts several more in backpack and carry on luggage!
For the disembarkation type, we switch it up. If we are sailing just the two of us, we do self disembarkation, but when we travel with the kids (we have three) we do traditional and prefer to stay on the ship as long as we can. Also, we travel with carry on size luggage and we each have a backpack so each person is able to carry their own things since our youngest is 9 years old now.
Disembarkation day breakfast should be in the main dining room. IMHO. Even though we’ve left our suitcases out the night before we still have carry-ons to deal with and it’s so much better to have a sit down breakfast and be served our food.
We like to grab a sandwich in the international cafe the night before disembarking, put it in a baggie (packed extras), refrigerate and eat the next day. Avoiding the crazy busy buffet area.
At the end of this month, I'm taking the first cruise that I've ever driven to the port. Our cabin is on Deck 5 of MSC Seascape, so we're planning on self disembarkation for the first time. This is a great idea for that morning before we start our long drive home (10.5 hours plus stops). I've just added the zip lock bags to Ilana's packing list.
Back from a cruise and trying to catch up on all your great videos. We are most certainly going back to leaving our luggage out the night before. We normally have been taking our bags to go but this time what a horror we expereinced. The elevators were always full and it took use more than an hour to obtain one to get to the deck to disembark. One amazing tip you gave I never knew about, is being able to change the time assigned with the luggage tags. We were the first ones at 7AM and we were heading to a hotel in Athens. I would much prefer to be one of the last to leave, as rooms are normally not available so early in the AM. Besides, I would have enjoyed an extra hours of sleep. We have another cruise in 2 weeks and the time for disembarkment will be much later and the bags will be outside the door before 10PM the night before.
Planning a cruise? Get The Ultimate Cruise Planner. It's a 47 page printable cruise travel planner with packing checklists, shore excursion planning forms and much more! ($10 off for a limited time). Here are the details: lifewellcruised.com/ultimate-cruise-planner
My tip has been to make sure you take photos of your bags just in case they get misplaced. It's easier to show shore staff a photo than having to recall details like color and decoration. Also, if you have more than one bag, number your bags so you know you have them all (ie. 1 of 4, 2 of 4, etc.). I've personally worked at the cruise terminal, so I can attest to how this can help.
Great ideas!!
A great idea. I'll definitely take photos of my luggage.
We always do this!
We put samsung smart tag+ on all of our suitcases. We use the wire screw on loops that come with our luggage tag holders off Amazon. We can track or make our luggage ring.
@@lilkygirl0284 Hi, I just bought the Samsung tags and wondering if I should put them on with luggage tags or keep them inside luggage? I’m somewhat concerned about the wire getting caught on anything that might pull it off. Have you tried both ways and outside luggage works better? Thanks.
We always do traditional disembarkation. On our last few, we packed up, dressed for dinner, went back to the cabin, changed and put our bags out. We always make up cards with notes for crew. Two things here. On our first cruise back, in Sept., which is the first time I did this, the hostess was overwhelmed just that her name was on the envelope. Then, on our next cruises, I gave our server a note with a tip. Now we had this server for many cruises, and I now chat with her online about once a week still, so we are close, but she told me this at one point: "I have your card hung on my wall, and I reread it often. Thank you for thoughtfulness and for thinking of me." So. I think that notes to crew, and recognizing them is more meaningful, most of the time.
That is so sweet!!
I'm lousy with remembering faces or names. Or both. A quick phone-photo of a person with their nametag showing helps a lot. Especially if you tag a note on the photo to remind you why you found that person worth providing an 'above and beyond' thank-you card.
And pack a bunch of thank-you cards. Before you go to bed, make up that day's cards.
@@juliatarrel1674 I've heard of people doing this! We usually do longer or multiple cruises, so remembering names is mostly not an issue, but I did use this idea and take pictures for spelling on our last cruises.
@@juliatarrel1674 l
Kind & grateful words are like precious jewels for the soul❤
There was a sweatshirt that Iwas eyeballing our entire cruise, but it was expensive. On the last day, it was on sale for 50% off, and I bought it right away. I still wear it all the time 5 years later.
On our HAL cruise a few weeks ago, we were able to take advantage of a service they were trying out for disembarkation. We filled out paperwork a couple of days before the end of the cruise, and on the last night we received a disembarkation packet that included our boarding passes and airline luggage tags. We tagged our bags and set them in the hall, and they were taken to the AIRPORT and checked all the way through to our final destination. We literally strolled off the ship after breakfast with nothing but our shoulder bags. It was fabulous!!
We figured that since we were heading home if anything happened to delay the bags there wouldn't be any dire consequences, and went for it. The bad news is....now I'm spoiled and I want this always. 🤣
Have done this several times on Princess. Usually they charge $25 for the service but worth it in my opinion.
Wow! I really like this!!
@@nancyjordan4275 I can see how convenient it would be
@@nancyjordan4275 Thats a great option if its available. we are going on our first cruise ever with Celebrity in Jan 23, I will check and see if they offer this.
Emmy C
We always do the traditional disembarkation way and always pay for the ship’s transfers. This way they always get you to the airport in time for your scheduled flight. But most important, before we leave our cabin, we each look at every outlet, in every drawer, on every shelf, under the bed, in the bathroom, and in the safe to make sure nothing is left behind!
Great points!
Just got back from my first time cruising on a 7 day trip to Greece, and because of watching your videos for weeks before leaving it was a breeze!! I was cruising with my 2 adult daughters and I wasn't looking forward to us being in the same room for a week, but with all the organizational items I learned about from you, it was fantastic!!! My older daughter even commented on how nice our room was maintained (as someone who has been on tons of cruises with her girlfriends).
Thank you for your informational videos!
That’s amazing!! Wow I’m so glad the videos could help make your cruise experience a positive one
My wife and I like to disembark last so that we can be a little more relaxed and not be in such a hurry 😎
Good for you 👏👏
I always leave a handwritten note. Also, during the cruise, write down how your stateroom attendant made your stay special, that way you can remember for the note and for the post-cruise survey.
This is a great idea!
Very important, make sure to check the room safe for any documents or papers, or anything left in there.Great videoed and informative.
My boss always took us cruising on company trips. He encouraged us to have breakfast in the main dining room the day of disembarkation. We would enjoy a delicious breakfast before heading home. I highly suggest it.
It is posible to select a departure time on the celebrity app 3 or 4 days before disembarking.
We like to be in the last group to leave the ship to squeeze every second out of the experience. We always ask the cabin steward if it’s okay if we leave our Cary on bags in the cabin while we go for a nice breakfast in the main dining room. The steward is always so nice about it. Of course we’ve already given them an extra tip the night before and always write a nice note about them on the feedback cards. I like your idea of also writing them a complimentary card as well. You do a fantastic job with your videos! We really have gotten a lot of good information from you. Thank you.
I go to the last show after dinner and also shop the heavily discounted items in the shops. Look through the photos and walk around the ship, trying to take it all in one last night
We used a lot of your tips on our first cruise 3 weeks ago. We chose the latest time off the ship because we had a late flight, so we just hung out by the pool. By the time we retrieved our luggage there were only a handful of bags left. Everything was super easy! Thanks for your help!
This sounds great especially since you had a late flight. Thanks for sharing your experience 👏
I like to pack mid afternoon on the last day. I usually put on some fun music or an audio book/podcast. That way I can get almost everything done before dinner. The morning of departure I like to get out of the room early for breakfast and then head to the Retreat lounge (on Celebrity) to relax and enjoy a few final refreshments before getting off the ship at 10AM. I also prefer to schedule an early afternoon flight home. Why have to rush on the last day of vacation? 🚢 😎
What a great idea!! A good playlist would make it much better
@@LifeWellCruised My cruise friends have accused me of being grumpy on the last day 😂
Before you leave your cabin for disembarkation double and triple check to make sure you haven't forgotten anything. Check under the bed, any overhead storage, drawers, and the bathroom. Years ago I knew someone who found a pair of diamond earrings in her cabin. This was before every cabin had an in room safe.
Wow!! Not a good loss for her. Good tip
We always want to get off immediately 🎉
Here's something that we've done - if you're arriving at or close to somewhere you enjoy, consider checking in too a nice hotel. That way you can decompress for another day. That's especially nice if you have an early flight the next day or just don't want to face the dirty laundry or start cooking quite yet. Love your show, keep up the good work!
Traveling solo and light, will self disembark
We do traditional disembarkation. Day before in the late morning. I pack up as much as I can . Husband goes down and check if we owe anything. We want to have a relaxing lunch and dinner. After dinner we do some shopping. Make sure to give the Steward and dinning room their thankyou note. Morning before disembarkation. We pack up the carry on luggage. Go down and have breakfast. Come back to the room and grab the luggage. Then head down to the buffet area and wait for our number to come up. We take our time getting off. We always have a hotel booked for that night. Head home Sunday or Monday. We are retired and take our time. Thankyou for all you do to share with everyone. I learn something new each time. Thankyou.
Since I teavel on Royal Caribbean, I purchased the key which is a VIP pass. this allows me to sleep in and get a five star breakfast before I disembark😊
Interesting!🎖 (I cruised with Carnival in July 2023 - they asked that only elderly or people with special / medical needs use the luggage disembarkation assistance with suitcases out on the night before - & that everybody else take responsibility to self- disembark. It still ran smoothly. We set the alarm - packed our bags early - & still made it to the dining room before 7am to have breakfast = so we could use our last ship day to its full - & we were still off the ship by 8:30am.😎)
We learnt the hard way to put your luggage out all at the same time as if you don't it will be all over the terminal. We had an early time to get off but we waited till almost the end and getting off and find our bags was a breeze.
Oh great point!!
We do self disembarkation. We like to be one of the first off the ship so we can get to the shuttle to take us to our car so we can be on the road before most people are off the ship. We prefer not to have to deal with lots of traffic.
As for packing, I pack up everything after we get back to cabin from dinner and a show. We also go through the room several times between that night and the next morning to be sure we have everything
Debarkcation so much depends on your travel plans. if you have an early flight,self debarkation ithe way to go.😄
I do laundry on the last day of the cruise so that when i pack, all the clothes that go in are clean and i don’t have to unpack right away. I am from ny and usually cruise during the winter so it works out well for me ❤️ also, no one os doing laundry that day lol i usually go after lunch and then pack, nap and get ready for dinner
That’s great!! Smart thinking
We always use traditional disembarkation unless there is a post cruise excursion which fits our schedule. Post cruise excursions are generally the first or second group off and have a special location for luggage in the luggage claim area. The coach for the excursion is usually close to the exit door for quick and easy boarding. Your luggage is taken on to the airport and held in a location close to your carrier. Just one more idea to end a cruise.
Bill
Love this idea for when you have a later flight
My tip is on the last evening of the cruise, talk and if you’re organized even plan your next vacation with all family members having a voice. It is fun and has you looking forward to something. We even vote and decide.
I agree with you about the traditional disembarking, we had done the self for a couple of cruises and than went back to the traditional on our last cruise, was the same one you were on. OASIS OF THE SEAS. It was so easy. Traditional always from now on.
Out of 18 cruises, we have only utilized the tradition disembarkment on the 1st one. I love that I am physically able to self-disembark. One day maybe not, but until then I like to leave asap since we are usually driving or flying home.
Perfect! I can definitely see why you’d choose it :)
Wow- lots of snarky comments here. You have helped me a lot transitioning from 1990's to 2020's cruising. Thank you so much!!! I worked on RCCL in the 90's....hated it!!!! But I've cruised Carnival, and Princess more recently. Took both of my kids on a B2B2B on Caribbean Princess last year. They're first....they are now hooked for life! 🙌🏼 I, like you, travel with some genuine Gucci luggage. I was one of the last people off (people start boarding at ~11:00am. I had a nice dining room breakfast, a drink at the bar with time to spare). My Gucci bags were safely sitting in the terminal waiting for me ❤
I have only been on one cruise, amd we took our bags with us. I liked just knowing we had all our stuff. But might use traditional next time. And not be in a hurry to get off the ship. We didn't need to get off early, but followed the rules and went when they called our muster station. And it took a while to actually get off. Next time, we might have them take the bags, enjoy a little bit of the day and get one last "free" meal before we go.
We have done both self disembarkation and traditional. If we have an afternoon flight we just do the traditional. One thing to keep in mind is if you sail on Norwegian they do not place disembarkation tags in your room. They are located by guest services normally on the second last day and you simply pick the color coded tag that matches the time you want.
We just sailed NCL in October and the tags were delivered to our rooms. Maybe each ship is different.
Bring different size zip loc bags . 2 gallon for shoes and laundry. keeps all separate from other stuff.
In the morning, when I am fresh!! We also like to be the first off the ship so we can get home early.
My tip is I never unpack I do utilize the packing cubes for dirty clothes or plastic bags that I take from home and they stay in the drawers in the cabin until it’s time to pack up and leave then it’s just throw them in the suitcase and go I don’t like unpacking and putting clean clothes in drawers that have been used by other people plus I don’t like to waste time when I get on the ship unpacking it’s cutting into drinking and party time
Hi Ilana, traditional disembarkation for us. As you mentioned, we just have our "carry-off" with us and go to our assigned number, and find our luggage. Easy peasy. Hi from Bob and Jill in Connecticut enjoying our 4th of July 3 day weekend starting in 15 minutes when I get out of work.
Have a great July 4 weekend!!
Excellent suggestions and I do the same thing! As it gets closer to end of cruise I start putting things I know I won’t be wearing in my suitcase and start taking things out drawers and place in closet so I can see or in suitcase. Also I’m double checking under the bed to make sure I don’t have shoes there. So far I haven’t left anything behind on my cruises and hopefully it stays this way 🤞🏾
Last night of our cruise....we love to book specialty dining. On the Celebrity Silhouette, we booked a dinner at Murano. On our last night on HAL in December 2022, we booked dinner at Tamarind (loved it!), and on Oceania Riviera in June 2022 we booked Red Ginger. Having specialty dining in a wonderful small venue is a great way to end the cruise. Go out with a bang!
Traditional disembarkation, plus just recently we purchased a carry off bag with wheels. ;) On our last day and day to exit the ship. We do as little as possible. Kickback, relax have a nice meal and not stress about anything. Well, other than what we'll find when we get home. Long story, but came home once to find the garage full of stuff, house sort of rearraigned and hallway full. Daughter thought we were coming home a few days later.
My favorite thing to do on my very last day before disembark is breakfast in the main dining. The day before I think we’ll be at Nassau so I’ll be doing Atlantis attractions walk the aquariums. Can’t wait
I prefer traditional disembarkation. I do think it’s easier and I’ve done it both ways but I have love your idea about a special little breakfast the morning of sometimes we’re just running and skip it. Great idea !!
And once you book onboard, alwayss remember to keep checking for a cheaper rate. We booked on board in May, then this past week saw a great deal, and we saved $800 CDN per cabin.
Cruising for the first time this August as a family of four (two kids 9 & 6). Loving all these tips and tricks!
Nice!! You’ll have a great family cruise I’m sure 🎉
Yes! We switched our to one of the latest because we had a later flight, and they were more than happy to do that for us. I sure love the crew. ❤
I always do self disembarkation, but on the last day I always said good bye to my room steward and tip he/she. I packed early and enjoy the last day smoothly. Not rush or stress. I go around the ship 🛳 for the last time.
We do that to, one last walk around the ship. We get some last pics too. It helps us remember the ship better for any possible rebooks on the same one in the future.
Nice!!
Especially on that last day the elevators are very busy and I am not carting my suitcase down the steps for sure! Easy pickup off in the morning.
Since they alway set our suitcases on end I put hot pink duct tape on the top buy the handle. Our luggage is so easy to find.
Oh my….due to my health and my husband’s….I’m ALREADY welcoming the last day of our cruise. When our bodies fail us we old folks can’t wait to step back into our own front door. Thanks for your cheerful and practical helps.
Hi Ilana. Really appreciate your videos. We do traditional disembarkation and have found that it’s much easier to find our bags since we tied colorful bandannas on the handles with our last name written in sharpie on the bandannas. It’s less likely for someone to take our bags by mistake. Hope this helps someone.
I do traditional disembark. I can’t think of anything worse than lugging a suitcase around. I like to leave as late as I can. I am usually picked up from the port by one of my children or have my car booked into the cruise parking so don’t have a time pressure. I like to have a last walk round and perhaps take a few photographs.
Sounds perfect
Here in Australia we have to be off the ship by 9am.
I haven't cruised since we locked down for Covid but I'm going on one in November this year. In the past I've always done traditional disembarkation. It was always pretty slow but worth it.
I usually go get one last mimosa and a coffee, maybe a pastry and that's my ritual for ending the vacation. This time we're driving home from Miami so I'm unsure how we'll spend it.
I never thought of one last mimosa. Not a bad idea at all 👌
You are the second creator that gave the advice of doing traditional disembarkation. Makes sense to me!
On the last day lol I fight depression going home after a week of wonder is a drag, we carry our luggage off the problem w that is waiting on an elevator with enough space,
Always great tips, advice and information
To make your luggage easier to locate and identify, put a colorful strap round it or a colored ribbon or two on the handle. It will also ensure that your luggage isn't picked up by someone else by mistake - easy to do if your case is black like many others.
We put colorful stripes of duct tape on all sides of our luggage, so we always know which bags are ours.
We put something recognisable onto our cases. Ie highly coloured bathroom exfoliators. Look like coloured pom-poms. Or Ribbons .
With us, we normally have the next 2 or 3 cruises booked already so we get home and go immediately into planning the next one. For example, I have a cruise on Oasis Of The Seas in October. I already have a cruise on Anthem Of The Seas booked for February 2023 and then on Celebrity Summit for October 2023.
There should be a country song called, "Cruise blues til my next cruise" for disembarkation day.😥
Traditional disembarkation for me!!!
Haha ya we need one!! Seems we think alike on disembarking
I prefer to the main dinning everyday for dinner do to I like to be pampered. But we still go to the Lidio buffet other place later on.
It's always a compromise with me and my partner, he wants as casual as possible, so he likes buffet, I like to be pampered sometimes, so we split it up, he still grumbles at having to wear dress pants and a jacket though.
I understand we struggle with that as well
Ooooh you can ask for a different disembarkation time? Wow! Didn’t know that! I wanna stay onboard as long as possible! Lol
Always bring address labels for your end of cruise luggage tags to save time instead of writing your name and address on each one.
We like last debark time typically. Breakfast in MDR and relax a little more. Our very 1st cruise they did not make it clear what to do, but we figured it out.
Nice!! You’re right it can be confusing to know how it works
I would not pack up early! It’s not over till it’s over. I don’t need any reminders that it’s all coming to an end. Buy a bottle of bubbly for day before pack up 🥂
We pack after lunch but before dinner. I also use packing cubes so most things stay in them unless they must be hung up. We like to be last disembarking. Last April we were evicted lololololol!!! We were last!
On Holland they give me a choice to have my luggage sent directly to the airlines that I am flying home on. I think it was $20 and I don't have to carry any luggage if I am going sightseeing when I leave the ship. They also print out my boarding pass which normally I would have to pay for wifi to print it out.
This is fantastic!!
We finally got our Alaska cruise. After my first day of sea sickness, I got a really bad cold & cough. So it wasn’t what I had dreamed of. Scopolamine helped a lot. Enjoyed our excursions but didn’t do much on ship. We now know we love our RV camping it cruising. Do appreciate what we learned from you
Poor you! I’m so sorry to hear you got sick. It’s never as fun to travel when you don’t feel your best
We plan on giving our steward and waiting staff cash tips on the first day of our cruise.
On our last cruise we did Dinning different. The 1st 2 nights we went to specialty dining, the other 3 went to the MDR and the last night went to the Buffett to watch the last sunset while having dinner.
Love that sunset dinner idea 👌
Thank you Llana!! I just downloaded the planner!! Headed on my first cruise RC Harmony of the Seas April 2023!! Love your content and excited to start the cruise life!!
Amazing video! I’m in the car to the airport to go on an Alaskan cruise now!! Cruise embarkation is tomorrow! Thanks so much for your video :)
Woohoo!! Have an amazing cruise!! 🛳🎉
So exciting 🎉
Enjoy and come back and let us know how it was!
@@LifeWellCruised thank you!!
@@SandyToes75 thanks! I certainly will :)
@@SandyToes75 hey, I’m back from my Alaskan cruise! It was definitely a trip of a lifetime! We went on the Crown Princess ship to Alaska, and everything was basically perfect! The weather was amazing; didn’t rain once and it was pretty warm! The entertainment, crew, food, and much more was so welcoming and great! I would definitely recommend going on this cruise, especially before the glaciers melt even more because Glacier Bay National Park was absolutely stunning! The other ports were all wonderful and we did a bus tour to the Mendenhall Glacier and Nugget Falls in Juneau, a bicycle tour through the rainforest in Scagway, the longest, tallest, and farthest zip line in the world at Icy Strait, and the Butchart Gardens in Victoria, Canada!! All I would strongly recommend doing! Overall, such a fun trip🌎
We always hate "Cruise Blues Day".... the only really cure is booking the next cruise and looking forward to it!
I loved having towels on the loungers in Princess cruise!! No stress.
Your channel has been so helpful as I prepare for my first cruise with friends and my excitement has led my husband and I to book our first together for next year. Summit in Oct and Reflection in April 2023
That’s great to hear!!
We a special program that took our luggage directly to the airport from the ship. We didn't have to handle our luggage until we got home plus they printed our boarding passes for us too. It was very reasonable although I don't remember what the cost was.
Hi Ilana, another great video. I really enjoy your channel and thanks for the great tips. Along with the prepaid gratuities, Suzy and I still add additional gratuities in an envelope with a note of thanks to each of the staffed crew members on the last night of our cruises. We always receive great service and the amount that we used to give was always in excess of the suggested amount.
Thanks for sharing your experience! I appreciate you watching and your feedback:)
Love your videos, we do traditional disembarkation.
LOVE IT Thanks
Disembarkation (traditional v Self) is HIGHLY dependent on outbound flights and/or post cruise itinerary.
I like to pack two days before. Two reasons: make sure i have space and keep it under 50lbs. Still don't understand how worn clothes weigh more.
Interesting… smart thinking
I ignored the time they told me to disembark. I had a 1:00 flight and was in no rush. Had breakfast and casually left the ship at 9:30.
I have no idea what time we get off the ship - I guess I will ask my cousin who booked the cruise.
Good advise ....Words to Cruise buy ....
Cruise ON''''
Love it!
We like to do self disembarkation. We like to get up get ready and get off asap because we usually have a long drive home.
Makes sense
We check our cabin charges every morning! We spotted a charge for drinks that shoukd not have been there on day 2. We didn't have to wait in a long line the last day. Check them daily! This charge was reversed with no issues of course!
We pack before dinner on the last night. This way, we can leave out only sleepwear and final outfit. We pack the majority of toiletries and leave out only the essentials for the morning. Our evening outfits, pjs and morning toiletries go in our carryon, which doesn’t go in the hallway.
When flying, we carry our luggage off to have the most time to arrive at the airport. Since the restart, we have been doing traditional, letting staff take the luggage, since we drive home. We’re about a little over an hour from Cape Liberty, so we get everything ready, leave the cabin, and enjoy a leisurely breakfast in the MDR.
We check our onboard account most days when we’re relaxing in our stateroom. One time we checked our account late at night, got home, and the email we received said we owed $50 for towels not returned! It was a nightmare getting that charge off our account. Now, when we return towels, we always ask if the system thinks we have any checked out. We certainly do not need to steal the pool towels, besides, who has space for those in their luggage anyway! It was obviously some error.
On an Oasis cruise, the final day was cold and windy, not pool weather, so I went to see “Cats” a second time by myself. My husband did something else, perhaps poker in the casino. If it had been a hot day, I would’ve tried to stay at the pool.
illana so nice good job
New sub here and I love your channel! I’ve been binge watching you past few days and learned so much. We’re going on harmony of the seas Sunday to celebrate our sons HS graduation. First time cruisers! Thx so much for your hard work
Wow!! Amazing grad trip!! Have an awesome cruise and please let us know how you all enjoy it
@@LifeWellCruised
Super excited! Thx will do
Have a fabulous cruise! Celebrity is my favorite line and as a family you will have many wonderful options and times to make memories. ENJOY!
LOL we just did our 2020grad cruise this May! A bit late but had so much more to celebrate.
@@SandyToes75
Never to late to celebrate and enjoy life right?! Thx so much you guys! 🥂
Have a great cruise. Went on the Harmony at the end of May. Such a wonderful ship. And the crew was exceptional. Happy cruising !
last cruise I took, made the mistake of packing my sleeping earplugs in the luggage they took away. Next cruise in September, will puts several more in backpack and carry on luggage!
Oh no!!
On our last cruise - we used a porter to disembark and we were able to cut through the line for a quick exit!
Smart!
Always traditional Disembarkation
Thanks for the great tips! You’re the best!! Happy 4th
Thanks Kathleen!! Happy 4th of July to you too 🎉
What is “ $ just a little extra tip$.”. I’m not well to do, but I also don’t want to insult. Is there a range?
For the disembarkation type, we switch it up. If we are sailing just the two of us, we do self disembarkation, but when we travel with the kids (we have three) we do traditional and prefer to stay on the ship as long as we can. Also, we travel with carry on size luggage and we each have a backpack so each person is able to carry their own things since our youngest is 9 years old now.
Great idea!!
Disembarkation day breakfast should be in the main dining room. IMHO. Even though we’ve left our suitcases out the night before we still have carry-ons to deal with and it’s so much better to have a sit down breakfast and be served our food.
Very nice!!
Thank you for all your tips videos! Just took my first cruise last week and your videos were so helpful for us to be prepared!
I’m so glad to hear that your first cruise went so well & the videos helped you to be prepared 😊
We like to grab a sandwich in the international cafe the night before disembarking, put it in a baggie (packed extras), refrigerate and eat the next day. Avoiding the crazy busy buffet area.
How smart!!
At the end of this month, I'm taking the first cruise that I've ever driven to the port. Our cabin is on Deck 5 of MSC Seascape, so we're planning on self disembarkation for the first time. This is a great idea for that morning before we start our long drive home (10.5 hours plus stops). I've just added the zip lock bags to Ilana's packing list.
On the last day of our cruise…I CRY 😭 😂😂😂
Lol I totally get it
Back from a cruise and trying to catch up on all your great videos. We are most certainly going back to leaving our luggage out the night before. We normally have been taking our bags to go but this time what a horror we expereinced. The elevators were always full and it took use more than an hour to obtain one to get to the deck to disembark.
One amazing tip you gave I never knew about, is being able to change the time assigned with the luggage tags. We were the first ones at 7AM and we were heading to a hotel in Athens. I would much prefer to be one of the last to leave, as rooms are normally not available so early in the AM. Besides, I would have enjoyed an extra hours of sleep.
We have another cruise in 2 weeks and the time for disembarkment will be much later and the bags will be outside the door before 10PM the night before.