DISEMBARKATION on Disney Cruise Line My Best Tips!

[@lexroc45]

@jenlefforge Just went on the Wish and every tip you gave on debarkation is spot on helpful. The process was easy but would’ve been helpful if I saw this video prior to embarking on the cruise. Lol Talking about the tip process, luggage, porters at customs, and remembering to keep your Room key until the end are great tips 👍🏼. Keep up the great work. One of the most comprehensive and helpful disney cruise videos out there. This is the type of info cruisers want to know 👌🏼

[@JenLefforge]

Wow thank you so much!

[@rantybaby1327]

Your towel animal looks like Mr Peabody from Sherman and Mr Peabody!! 👍👍

[@janewood9276]

Jen, I really like this format! I love watching daily cruise vlogs, but I really appreciate how you broke up all this cruise videos.

[@kristensmith80]

I have LOVED this series, Jen! Thank you for all of the valuable info. Now I have to research how to cruise with a family and dream of the day I get to solo cruise. It sounds like such a safe and enjoyable way to travel alone. The limited options appeals to me as opposed to going into a strange city alone. As an introvert who is deep in the journey of raising lots of (mostly extroverted) kids, I dream of a quiet day with beautiful scenery where I don’t have to fight with anyone over what they’re going to wear or eat that day. I promise I love them, but ya know… 😂

[@JenLefforge]

I know ALL TOO WELL, Kristen!

[@LindsBru]

Disney owes you commission because I just booked a cruise based on your AMAZING videos and I’m sure I’m not the only one! Thank you for your details and honesty!

[@JenLefforge]

Hurray!! I hope you have a lovely time, Lindsay!

[@carriemartellWDW]

“That was a lot of words” 😂 You are the best! Thanks for sharing your Disney cruise experience and tips with us. 😊 Also can I just say… your eyes are so gorgeous! 😱☺️

[@JenLefforge]

Oh thanks, Carrie!! I got my eyes from my dad so I always love that compliment!

[@carriemartellWDW]

@@JenLefforge aww I love this response! So sweet! ☺️

[@kaylaandmarkalan]

We loved this entire series, Jen! So many great tips that people don’t think about! Hope you all have a great Thanksgiving! 😊

[@JenLefforge]

You too, Friends!

[@bailarage]

Adored this series! So much easier to follow categories than day #s! I’d love to see an art and entertainment video too! (Fav art on ship - carpets, paintings, mosaics, design details, etc. Reviews of - shows, characters, events, classes, etc) ❤️❤️

[@charliehuffman326]

A lot of useful info that I probably wouldn't have known I needed to know! I have earmarked (hehe..."ear") some January cruises and keeping an eye on the prices to see if they go down a little (luckily have the option to decide at the relative last minute). Question that I feel like I probably know the intuitive answer to, but can you do room service breakfast on disembarkation day?

[@JenLefforge]

No, no room service on the last morning, sadly.

[@CyndiAKADisneyqueen]

I think I am finally caught up with all of the videos. I have to say I agree that getting those bags together the night before truly stressed me out lol. I won't say how many bags we had lol. The good thing was we were on a church bus so we had help once we got off the ship and I didn't have to worry about getting everything to an airport after.

[@JenLefforge]

Yeah, a stressful travel day right after getting off a cruise kind of wrecks it!

[@sarahcooley104]

Great series! I haven't done a Disney Cruise yet, but I think I need to have the experince at some point. Thanks for all the tips for when that time comes.

[@TheGoofy1932]

We always keep our bags with us and disembark early, but most times we plan for a Disney park day or so after the cruise. Because I'm all fresh and relaxed, and now I can run around the parks again. 😂🏰🎆 We also live near the parks too, so it's not like we have a big ✈ journey to deal with.

[@JenLefforge]

Heather, it definitely changes things when you have a short commute! 😂❤️LOVE IT!

[@Parkhopper1985]

So super helpful Jen - there are 11 of us taking our first Disney cruise in 3 weeks. Thanks and I love your channel

[@JenLefforge]

That sounds so fun, John! Have a fabulous trip and happy to help!

[@disneyjulesjewels]

Thanks for the tips! Your Cruise looked so lovely! Want to go on a Disney Cruise possibly next year. Went to WDW in August for 9 days and in October for 5. Going again in February. Favorite place! Disney forever! You are one of my favorites to watch. Hoping to meet you someday at the parks. 💕

[@JenLefforge]

Thanks for the kind words, Jules!!❤️

[@PedroBrandaodrums]

Great video very informative. I’m going to my first Disney cruise May 5th. Thank You

[@Staren01]

This has been a great series. My family has always done a walk off at the end of cruises. Even with younger kids we've always done 1 bag per person and everyone is responsible for their bag so no need to mess with the baggage handling.

[@JenLefforge]

I honestly have to say we made it SO MUCH more complicated than it needed to be our first cruise! Rookie mistake!

[@denizalgazi]

I know that before The Blip, if you were short on cash and wanted to be generous to the servers and housekeeping, you could go to guest services and add more to their tip through your onboard account (bank card)! I really wish Disney would add solo staterooms like on P&O or the QM2. The solo studios on NCL are a mattress in a loo with the basin next to the bed and a toilet in one corner and a shower in another corner! Not kidding! Thank you for sharing your solo journey!

[@JenLefforge]

Deniz you totally can do that! Paying cash just saved me a trip down there. Great point! And yeah, I'll pass on that NCL solo cabin. Yikes!

[@PrismaticPixie]

Great video thank you!

[@dawnturpin]

I thoroughly enjoyed your trip

[@JenLefforge]

thanks for coming along, Dawn!

[@leilaarcena7134]

Thanks a lot Jen

[@princesspaulabelle]

Love this series. Great information.

[@trishsp3160]

Thus was such a fun series. Thank you!

[@JenLefforge]

My pleasure, Trish!

[@12369ja]

Going on a Disney cruise would be a dream come true for me, but sadly I can’t afford to go on one. :(

[@jacksbo6823]

This is awesome, loved the entire series! Our last cruise was on the Fantasy in 2016 and we are booked to go in 2022 so this has been a GREAT refresher for me! Thanks Jen!❤️

[@JenLefforge]

Oh I’m so glad to hear that!

[@nmernst]

Lovely video as usual thanks for sharing ☺️

[@JenLefforge]

thanks for watching, Nicole!

[@bethifoody]

Thank you for this, Jen! We're leaving on the Fantasy in 2 weeks and when we disembark, are taking private transportation to the airport. When I booked it, their website made it sound like 8am was the latest we could get off the ship. I'm now going to change the pickup time to a little later. Our flight home isn't till 230. :) Thank you for sharing all the good info!

[@JenLefforge]

Glad to help, Beth, and I hope you have a fabulous time!

[@bethifoody]

@@JenLefforge Thanks! This cruise will be bittersweet but I'm going to do my level best to have the best time ever! Making memories, baby!

[@joannewilliams41]

Have loved these - thank you 🥰🥰🥰🥰xxx

[@majorhollingshead5906]

A great video for such a sad time on a cruise. 😘❤️

[@JenLefforge]

Honestly it really is a bummer but I made the most of it! I briefly considered stowing away but that is evidently frowned upon.

[@deancoffman8150]

Thanks for answering all these questions. It was like you were working off my checklist. If it were just me I could easily deal with the bags and do self checkout. But Neill is unable to carry his luggage due to a back problem.

[@JenLefforge]

Yes anybody with mobility issues there's truly no option and you could still (between you an me) get off the ship when you want. I mean, they're not gonna throw your luggage out because you didn't get off with your group.

[@deancoffman8150]

@@JenLefforge when it comes to his mobility issues I have learned to just never be in a hurry and everything will work out. Even under the best circumstances where I could do it, I am no longer inclined to load myself up like a pack mule just to save some time or money.

[@deannafranklin5993]

Very helpful! Thank you!

[@jcarey1357]

What an amazing journey thanks for taking us with you :)

[@JenLefforge]

You were super quiet! 😂😂

[@ceciliabeard2928]

Really enjoyed the series! Thank you for all of the details. A cruise has never really been something that appealed to me BUT after watching this, might just look into a solo cruise! Not sure if I can do the carry on packing though. LOL.

[@JenLefforge]

I think you would love cruising!

[@kayliiika]

At customs do you have to have the stuff you purchased available to show them? If you bought items on board and at cast away cay do you tell them that stuff too? do you have to show them alcohol you had purchased? Never been out of the country before haha thanks Jen! :)

[@margaretd3710]

Jen, have you been on other cruise lines? If so, how would you compare them? I'd be interested in a video (or two or a dozen!) having you talk about that - For instance, you've stated that Disney food is good but not great -- how does that compare with other ships? Room size? Amenities? Entertainment? etc. I've love to have your insights! And, this was a lovely series!

[@JenLefforge]

Margaret I have only sailed in Disney and Viking and I did a comparison video! You should be able to find it but let me know if you have trouble!

[@jwmob91]

Just in time for planning our cruise in March 2022 (rescheduled from April 2020). This is my first time cruising and am very excited! One small question, when disclosing purchased items to customs, does that include Disney merch from the ship and Castaway? Or items purchased in foreign ports only? Thank you for a great series of videos!

[@JenLefforge]

That is such a great question and I honestly don't know the answer! I would have your receipts in hand just in case? I honestly don't think there's ever an issue unless what you purchased is over a certain dollar amount.

[@donnabaardsen5372]

Jen, I think as we get older and wiser, we learn "less is more." As opposed to when younger, it was more about vanity: gotta take everything to look our best. Timely tips and hacks. Thanks!👍

[@JenLefforge]

So true, Donna! I'm packing for WDW right now and I have extra room in my carry on!

[@donnabaardsen5372]

@@JenLefforge Yay! You go, girl!

[@carriemartellWDW]

@@JenLefforge yay! Have a magical trip! ☺️

[@alicevillasenor8338]

I liked the series very much. The bit about having to leave the bags outside of your room the night before embarkation is good information to have. I remember @karenbee's comments about bags in her recent cruise vlogs. It seems odd that they just leave your bags outside of your door, unattended, when you arrive on the ship. That would be another motivation to carry everything on and off of the ship myself. Can you bring a full-size bag? Or does it have to be 'carry-on' size (similar to what would be acceptable in an aircraft)?

[@JenLefforge]

You know I'm honestly not sure but I've only ever seen people with small carry on sized bags. The ship is incredibly secure, though, so honestly giving them my roller bag I wasn't worried at all.

[@HeatherTravels]

For those of us who are introverts, face to face conversations with people we don't know well can be torturous! That's one thing I don't like about the implication that you have to personally hand the tip envelope to all of those people. If we want to avoid that and just let them receive what was already automatically charged for tips, what do we do with the envelopes? Are they going to look at us strangely if we don't hand them an envelope? I've cruised on Disney multiple times, but they are the only cruise line that does it this way, and I've always wondered! I also figure other people might want to know.

[@JenLefforge]

You absolutely don't have to hand it to them. The tips happen either way and if you'd prefer to use your credit card to add extra you can do so at guest services. Although these are the folks who have been waiting on you all week in the dining room so you would have already interacted with them quite a bit?

[@HeatherTravels]

Yes, but handing people money just feels especially awkward to me. Also, if my very shy kids had their way, I would never have a conversation with anyone!

[@d.a.ballou9740]

I DID NOT like this series. I LOVED it! It's kind of fun living vicariously through your videos. Someday I hope to do another cruise with Disney. They have me so hooked, that I watch the ship leave Port Canaveral on the webcam, (when I think of it)! :) P.S. I hope Scott wasn't too insulted by you saying your solo cruise was the best ever! lol :)

[@JenLefforge]

D.A. you had me worried there for a minute! And nope he doesn't love cruising and I think was secretly hoping I would feel that way so he doesn't have to go LOL

[@morganc1038]

Our bag retrieval situation was totally different in NOLA. We got off the ship and found our bags in a massive pile with hundreds of other bags in like a share house room. Took us more than an hour to wait for them to throw all the last bags in the pile and sift through to find ours. Our girls were 3 and 5 and people were yelling and shoving and it was so jarring. No one helped us or stood in line with us. Then we waited with thousands of people all crammed in a small turn around drive screaming and pushing to get ubers and taxis. People yelling that they couldn’t find their car services. We had called an Uber and the people at the port kept telling us it didn’t matter because we were all waiting for a car and to just get in a car if we could. I saw middle aged Disney loving dads pushing other families out of cars so their family could get one. The whole experience was slightly traumatizing for my kids. We are about to leave on a merry time cruise and I pray Miami has this figured out better because that was the most un magical experience. We also won’t put our bags out the night before again!

[@JenLefforge]

Morgan that sounds horrible! We have only sailed out of Canaveral and NYC and obviously not all ports are alike!

[@morganc1038]

@@JenLefforge we were on the very first Disney ship to arrive in NOLA ever and you could feel the tension of Covid because it was Feb. 6th 2020. The customs people we had to go through were wearing masks and that was the first memory I have of feeling like “oh this is a thing”. I’m hoping that now that DCL wants to keep a ship there for a while they will get their ship together.

[@JenLefforge]

“Get their ship together.” 😂😂😂

[@tulinfirenze1990]

As an Australian who will be going on his first Disney (and American) cruise, coming from a country where we do not tip, it sounds like I have to have a wad of five dollar notes to just hand them out to EVERYBODY! It sounds a bit excessive and it's stressing me out just thinking about it!

[@JenLefforge]

Well, if it helps, the wages on these ships are incredibly low so for these crew members they rely on those tips to pay their salaries? And honestly the only people you would tip during the journey would be the room service person. The other tips for drinks are done on the app and you won't do the rest of it until the very end. No reason to stress!

[@tulinfirenze1990]

@@JenLefforge Oh I completely understand Jen about the low wages. I've done two cruises here up the Western Australian coast and I know the workers were all basically plucked from Indonesian villages with the promise of a glamorous life, but then treated like slaves having to do seven days shifts for twelve hours per day. I guess I was more worried about having actually enough and the right denomination of bills. Here in Australia we basically don't use cash anymore. It's all tap and go. I actually WANT to have enough to give - it's just I might need to break notes down and I'm not sure how and where I'd do that.

[@ruthg7524]

I'm so sad "our" cruise is over.

[@JenLefforge]

Same, Ruth!

[@claudiatighe514]

Good advice! I don’t know if I’ll ever go on a cruise , but if I do I have great advice and I can always re- watch it too! Thanks ♥️

[@JenLefforge]

My pleasure, Claudia! Thanks for watching!

[@saffi5810]

Hi! I was just wondering, in your experience if the schedule says disembarkation is from 8am, would that be the express checkout where you carry your own bags off or would that be the first time that the first regular disembarkion group leaves the ship?

[@JenLefforge]

Express checkout time varies depending on when the ship gets into port but is generally around 7:30 or 8

[@Karideplov]

Is the only option to add extra tips/gratuities by cash in the envelopes? Or can you add extra gratuities to your bill (along with the mandatory gratuities) to pay with credit card? I didn’t understand the little slip thing you showed.

[@JenLefforge]

You absolutely can add on your credit card but it requires a trip to cues services. And the strips thing is kind of weird because it basically just says the amount you’ve already paid.

[@The559mom]

Question: the gratuity is $$ per person, per day. When traveling alone, were the tips calculated for 1 or 2?

[@JenLefforge]

For one! Great question!

[@Liezjeuh]

Hi, my name is Annelies and I'm an over packer.