"" Writer's Wanderings: Celebrity Solstice--Disembarkation

Monday, February 09, 2009

Celebrity Solstice--Disembarkation

Surprisingly enough, there was no formal disembarkation talk in the theater on Saturday. Instead, there was a video playing on Channel 20 all day featuring the cruise director, Dru, giving all the pertinent instruction. Disembarkation boils down to a few important steps:

  • Fill out your comment form (Every service person we came in contact with had a spiel about how important it was to mark excellent. And the head-honcho in the Murano Restaurant probably had the longest one.)

  • Pack your bags, attach colored tags, and set them out before midnight. (Now here is where each cruise director tells the same joke about someone out in the hall in their BVDs looking for their clothes because they didn't leave anything out to wear the next day.)

  • Be sure you have tipped everyone. (This is usually done automatically now.)

  • Pay your bill. (If you don't, your name will be called over the loudspeaker and you will be asked to see the Purser. We all know what that means.)

  • Exit at your prescribed time. (If you're taking prearranged transportation to the airport, you will be on a schedule that gets you there in an appropriate time for your flight--unless you booked something late in the day in which case, they will have you off the ship by 11 a.m. so that they can start embarkation for those happy people who will be in your room soon.)

We left at 8:45 because we were traveling independently. Thankfully it was early enough that there were still plenty of cabs available. The luggage was easy to find. They had it off early and very nicely organized in the terminal according to tag numbers. We were three hours early for our flight but spent it in the Continental lounge catching up on our internet stuff--it's free there.

One quick smile before I leave this cruise journal. As we were landing in Cleveland, Bob kept telling me how nice it was the sun was shining and, "look, the snow is almost gone." As I scowled in reply, we heard a youngster a few rows back ask, "Grandma, are you crying?"

Here are a few more pictures from of the ship for you who are eager to see this new beauty.

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