Hi there!
The specifics of disembarkation from the cruise ship for your cruise ship may be different based on your specific cruise and what you are doing once you get off the ship.
But below will give you an idea of what you can expect on a disembarkation day aka the day you get off the cruise ship at the end of your cruise!
I have also included disembarkation related letters from Princess that were sent to my cabin during the cruise.
In short, you can request to get off the cruise ship earlier or later, depending on what your plans are when you get off the cruise ship.
The latest time you can get off the cruise ship is usually around 9:30am.
Even if you are getting off the cruise ship at the later time, you need to be out of your cabin by 8:30am.
I have had 3 disembarkation days on Princess cruises in 2023, and they were all pretty easy.
👆 You can walk off the cruise ship on your own on the last day of the cruise! (Disembarking from the cruise ship at Whittier cruise port in Alaska)
👆 Disembarking from a Princess cruise ship.
👆 You can walk off the cruise ship on your own. (Disembarking from the cruise ship at Vancouver cruise port in Canada)
👆 Depending on the layout of the cruise ship terminal, there may be a free shuttle to get you away from the cruise port to city streets. (Disembarking from the cruise ship at Yokohama cruise port in Japan)
👆 You can book a transfer through Princess to get to the airport from the cruise port. You can book this before you get on the cruise ship by logging into your account at princess.com.
👆 Luggage pick-up at a cruise ship terminal. If you don’t want to carry off luggage on your own (which you can do if you want), then you will leave your luggage outside of your cabin the evening before. Then, right after you get off the ship on disembarkation day, you will pick-up your luggage.
👆 You’ll get luggage tags during your cruise to use for getting off the cruise ship, if you don’t want to carry off your luggage on your own at the end of the cruise. At the beginning of the cruise, if you don’t want to carry your luggage onto the cruise ship on your own, then you will want to print Princess luggage tags before you arrive at the cruise port for embarkation day.
👆 Someone will be by later to pick up the luggage outside your cabin. Usually it’s best to have your luggage outside of the cabin before dinner the day before you get off the cruise ship.
👆 Depending on your cruise port, there may be public transportation options near the cruise port.
👆 You’ll get letters sent to your stateroom about getting off the cruise ship. You will receive disembarkation letters in the same way you will receive the daily cruise activity schedule. Your stateroom attendant will deliver it to your cabin!
👆 You’ll be given a meeting time and a meeting spot on disembarkation day. Then, from here you will be called to actually get off the ship.
How much is a Princess transfer to the airport from the cruise port?
If you are flying out on the same day as your cruise ends, you can arrange transportation through Princess to get from the cruise port to the airport.
You can book a shuttle from the cruise port to the airport through Princess.
You can also arrange transportation on your own.
The cost of a Princess transfer will depend on your cruise port and how far away the airport is.
But just to give you an idea, this was the cost of a Princess transfer for a recent cruise I had.
A transfer from the cruise port to the airport was $29 per person on my cruise for a ride that takes around 25 minutes by car.
A transfer from the cruise port to the airport was $79 per person on my cruise for a ride that takes 2 hours 45 minutes by car.
This is something that you can pre-book before your cruise by logging into your account at princess.com.
But if you don’t book it ahead of time, you can book it in the first days of your cruise.
From the check that I did, there appears to be no difference in price whether you book before you get on the cruise or if you book on the cruise ship.
Of course, things can change! Also, I don’t know if these cruise ship transfers ever sell out, or if they will be sure to take anyone who wants one, provided that you book by the deadline.
How to book a Princess transfer before you get on the cruise ship
- Log into your account at princess.com
- Go to “my account”
- Go to “manage this booking”
- Go to “travel”
- Look for the “transfers” section, and book your transportation from the cruise port to the airport!
What is the earliest flight you can book after your cruise?
To see how early you will be safe to book your flight after your cruise, see the official Princess flight guidelines.
The Princess flight guidelines are based on what time your cruise ship arrives in port.
To see when your cruise ship will be arriving, you can log into your account at princess.com, and look for “itinerary.”
It’s actually a good idea to check this itinerary even if you aren’t curious about what time you will arrive, because port times can change and you won’t necessarily be notified about it.
This itinerary is also a new way to see your check-in time for your Princess cruise.
More below about getting off a Princess cruise ship below, including the disembarkation letters!
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A few days before the end of the cruise
Early on in the cruise, a first letter was sent to my cabin related to disembarking from the cruise ship.
This letter was asking me to submit what my onward plans were once disembarking from the cruise ship.
It was also a form to book transportation through Princess.
And it was also a chance to be able to give a preference for what time I want to get off the cruise ship at the end of the cruise.
2 days before disembarkation day
2 days before the end of the cruise, there were more things related to disembarkation placed in my cabin.
There were luggage tags, which is how you can figure out what time your disembarkation time is.
If you need more luggage tags than what was given to you, you can ask your room steward.
If you don’t want to take your luggage off the cruise ship by yourself, then you will put a luggage tag on your suitcase and then put it outside your cabin the evening before disembarkation day.
Then when you get off the cruise ship (or your next destination if you have a transfer), you’ll collect your luggage at a designated location.
You’ll put the luggage tags you received from Princess during the cruise on your luggage, and then place your luggage outside your cabin the evening before.
You may be given a specific time to put your luggage out by.
Otherwise, it’s generally recommended to place your luggage before you go to dinner.
Someone will be by later to pick up the luggage outside your cabin.
You also have the option of taking all your luggage off the cruise ship by yourself.
There was also general information and procedures about disembarking from the cruise ship.
👆 You’ll put the luggage tags you received from Princess during the cruise on your luggage, and then place your luggage outside your cabin the evening before. You may be given a specific time to put your luggage out by. Otherwise, it’s generally recommended to place your luggage before you go to dinner.
If you are continuing a cruisetour through Princess on land after your cruise, then you’ll also receive luggage tags that will be specific to your final destination on land.
👆 If you are continuing onwards with a Princess cruisetour, then you will also receive luggage tags for the final destination of your cruisetour.
What time do you get off the cruise ship?
The time that you can get off the cruise ship will be listed on the disembarkation letter that you’ll receive 2 days before you get off the cruise ship.
The cruise disembarkation schedule and time that you will get off the cruise ship will vary based on your specific cruise, but here is how it was for my cruise to give you an idea.
👆 I was walking off with my own luggage but I got off with the last group in the “independent guests” group since that was the latest independent group to get off.
👇 Cruise disembarkation schedule on a cruise for Princess cruisetours.
Princess cruise disembarkation information
And that’s a bit about disembarking a Princess cruise ship!
I had 3 disembarkation days on Princess cruise ships in 2023. Your experience may vary!
- Vancouver cruise port disembarkation
- Anchorage cruise port disembarkation
- Tokyo cruise port disembarkation
See more for your Princess cruise:
- Princess cruise embarkation day
- How to print Princess cruise luggage tags
- Princess cruise daily activity schedule
HAPPY GETTING OFF THE CRUISE SHIP ON THE LAST DAY OF THE CRUISE!
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