Jayestravellingadventures

If you are new to cruising Disembarkation day can be overwhelming and feel like a mass rush however, once you know the sequence of day it will come with ease. I have written a short list of some things you can do leading up to your disembarkation day to allow the day to run smoothly.

1. Travel

Its always important to know you have a plan to get home when docked. Always make sure that the ship is on time or estimate a rough time, this can save you money in the long run especially when it comes to train tickets. If you are worried about the time then its always best to book a train that’s later, giving you enough time to disembark and travel to the station. Giving the public transport, its never guaranteed so be careful and have a back up plan just incase.

2. Onboard account.

Throughout your cruise your onboard account will be available for you to track, allowing you to raise any discrepancies with reception straightaway. You can access your onboard account on any P&O ship via the My Holiday app or via the TV’s. On the day of departure you will have your final billing statement outside your door, this doesn’t give you much chance to head to reception and iron anything out. You wont be the only one that does this so be prepared to queue up.

Throughout all of my cruises I haven’t had a problem with my onboard credit however, there might be an odd occasion that something goes wrong. For example, if you have a drinks package they might charge you for a drink that’s included in the package, or charging again for pre-paid items and more. So don’t finish your cruise on a bad note for being charged for something you shouldn’t have.

3. Visit the casino.

When in the casino on the slot machines or if you fancied a game of bingo and you are lucky enough to win, you can cash in your winnings or wait until the last sea day to collect them. If they aren’t collected then its likely you wont be able to cash in your winnings and they will be lost. As the casino and all betting games are separate from the onboard credit due to gambling, the money you play or use to purchase bingo cards goes straight out of your bank which you registered with on your booking page.

4. Pack.

When cruising with P&O you have two options, leave your bags outside you cabin the night before to be taken away or self disembark with all your luggage. I tend to pack as I go with my clothes and dresses that I wont wear again on the holiday. I also do the last bits of packing in the last afternoon and keep out the essentials until the evening. Don’t pack away any of the following as you may need them on the last evening/morning/disembarkation. Passports and important Paperwork, Phone, Clothes and Shoes for the next morning, Toiletries and Makeup, Medications, Bank cards and Cash, and your Cruise card.

As I mentioned before, if you want to Self Disembark then you are solely responsible for taking off all your luggage, allowing you to leave in the morning once docked. Embarkation and Disembarkation can cause the lifts to be extremely busy so, you’ll need to be prepared to take your luggage down the stairs. (The back of the ship “AFT” Can be free as most people try to go to the front and mid of the ship where the gangways are).

5. Collect any photos.

On embarkation or formal nights there are staff members walking around asking to take photos to capture the moment. You can head to the photo gallery throughout your time onboard and view the photos which are linked to your cabin. If you have ordered these photos to be printed, then the last full day is the last time you can collect them. You can choose a USB stick purchase too depending on the cruise line. Just be careful you don’t leave them behind as, they aren’t exactly cheap. P&O do offer deals on specific days in the phot gallery, so try and wait before purchasing to save a bit of money.

6. Tip staff.

On most cruise lines they charge tip for every day on board, I spoke more about this on my previous post. P&O don’t do this as it isn’t expected for you to tip however, if you would like to tip your cabin steward on any employee onboard you can absolutely do this. There is also a service called Shine Awards where you can nominate members of staff with a reason why, this allows them to get congratulated as well as after so many get badges and rewards.

If you can try to find them and thank them, they work so hard and a simple thank you can go along way. I always buy a treat and leave a personalised message to my cabin steward and my waiters, just to show a bit of appreciation. This isn’t expected and not something you mustn’t feel is necessary. I have made lots of friends who work onboard which i keep in contact with and meet up with when we can.