The Last Night and Debarkation Day on a Disney Cruise

The Last Night and Debarkation Day on a Disney Cruise

The saddest days of a cruise, debarkation day. You’ve had a fun time on the ship and now it is back to reality. What do you need to know?

 

Debarkation preparation actually starts the night before your cruise ends. You have to make choices the day before you get off on how you will get off. You have 2 choices, Express Walk Off or Let the Porters carry your bags:

1.       You can carry all your luggage off the ship. If you are traveling lite this is a great thing! This is called “Express Walk Off”

a.       You will not have to put your bags out the night before.

b.       You will have to keep all your bags with you until you disembark.

c.       You will not have to wait for your group to be called.

d.       Once Customs has cleared the ship you can leave.

e.       Show your Keep to the World Card to the Crew Member at the door

f.         Go through customs in the port

2.       You can set your luggage out by 10 pm the last night on the ship

a.       You will be given tags with a character on them to attach to your bags

b.       You will go to breakfast, either in the restaurant you ate at the night before or at the buffet

c.       You will wait for your character to be called to join the line to disembark

d.       You will show your Key to the World or Magic/DisneyBand+ to the Crew Member

e.       You will then go through customs in the terminal

f.         After going through customs you will find your luggage in the terminal. It will be placed in a section with the character on your tags.

g.        If you use a porter to assist you it is appropriate to tip them several dollars per bag.

What NOT to pack in the bags the porters take off the ship:

·       ID and Citizenship Paperwork for each guest

·       Key to the World Card and/or Magic/DisneyBand+ for each guest (you will need this to disembark)

·       Car/Home Keys

·       Medication

·       Electronics

·       Valuables

·       Fragile items

·       Tickets for your travel home

·       Anything you will want easy access to before you can get to your bags or home

A quick recap:

·       Choose “Express Walk Off” debarkation or let the porters take your bags off the night before

·       Leave your bags out by 10 pm if you do not choose Express Walk Off

·       Be out of your cabin by 8 am, 7:30 am is better

·       Have breakfast either in the restaurant you ate at the night before or the buffet

·       Be ready by 8:30 or 9 am to walk off the ship

·       Show your Key to the World Card or Magic/DisneyBand+ to the Crew Member as you leave the ship

·       Have ID/Citizenship Paperwork ready to show at the port

·       Pick up your bags in the Terminal

·       Enjoy your trip home

 

Embarkation and debarkation days on the Disney Cruise

Embarkation and debarkation days on the Disney Cruise

 

Embarkation day is the most exciting day of a Disney Cruise! But what do you do!

 

30 days prior you should have done your online check-in and gotten your Port Arrival Time (PAT) and your boarding group number. You arrive at your assigned time and do your check in. This is a simple process of showing your Citizenship Paperwork and going through a security check much the same as airports. You will drop your checked bags off with the porters and take your checked bags with you into the terminal. Once through security you will wait for your boarding group to be called. Once your boarding group is called you will board the ship.

 

You have a choice to choose available times when you do your online check-in. Should you choose a early or later boarding time? Personally I figure I’m paying to be on the ship and want to start my vacation/cruise early so I’ll go as early as possible.

 

Once you board the ship you can grab something to eat, explore the ship, or swim. You will need to keep your carryon items with you until your cabin is available.  Your cabin will not be ready until about 2pm.

 

Debarkation day is the saddest day of a Disney Cruise.

 

The process of debarkation begins the night before. You have the choice of putting all the bags you do not need in the morning by 10pm the night before. The crew will make sure your bags are taken off the ship in the morning and you will find them in the port in the morning after you disembark. You will be given a character tag and your bags will be near the sign with that character.

 

If you choose to send your bags off the night before remember to keep the clothes, ID and other paperwork your need for travel, Medication, and valuables with you. Do NOT pack them in your checked bags! Understand you will not be allowed to disembark until the character on your tag is called. Nobody is allowed to disembark until the ship has been cleared by customs.

 

The morning of debarkation you can have breakfast in the same restaurant you ate at the night before. Your servers will inform you during your last dinner what time you should be at the restaurant. You can also choose to eat at Cabanas one last time. There is no assigned time for Cabanas so it is easier if you are running a little late for breakfast.

 

There is a way to disembark quicker. If you keep all you bags with you there is express walk off. As soon as the ship is cleared by customs you can disembark and head off to your next destination.

 

you have a choice of many ways to leave the ship. You can rent a car, get a ride share or taxi, or take the DCL bus to the airport or to Walt Disney World.