While docked in Ketchikan, an envelope containing disembarkation instructions was placed in our cabin.
Our family took a 7-Day Alaskan Explorer Cruise aboard Holland America's Eurodam. A "Disembarkation Package" was placed in our cabin two days before the end of our cruise.
Inside this envelope, we found color-coded luggage tags and a schedule of disembarkation times by color and group number.
| Color | Time |
| Lime 3 | 8:00 a.m. |
| Green 1, 2 & 3 | 8:20 a.m. |
| Blue 1, 2 & 3 | 8:30 a.m. |
| Brown 2 & 3 | 8:50 a.m. |
| Pink 1, 2 & 3 | 9:00 a.m. |
| Black 1, 2 & 3 | 9:10 a.m. |
| Gray 1, 2 & 3 | 9:20 a.m. |
Luggage Tags
The paper luggage tags are two-sided.
Passengers who are collecting their own baggage from the cruise terminal should leave the back of the tag blank (i.e. do not fill-out the flight information section).
Passengers who have arranged for "Port Valet" service must fill-out port valet tags. These special tags are used to instruct Port of Seattle workers to transport luggage directly to the airport. Port Valet service requires a separate registration and enrollment form.
Baggage Drop
Passengers are asked to place their tagged luggage outside their cabin door the evening before the Eurodam returns to Seattle. Bags are collected until midnight.
Can You Carry Your Own Luggage Off the Eurodam?
Yes, Holland America offers an early disembarkation option for passengers who have arranged their own transportation from the port. Luggage may be carried off the ship by hand between 7:30 a.m. and 7:45 a.m.
Disembarkation Morning
Don’t expect privacy in your cabin if you disembark after 9:00 a.m. We were surprised that the crew began readying the ship for new passengers before the old ones had fully exited.
The Lido Market serves breakfast between 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. on disembarkation morning; the Dining Room is open from 6:30 a.m. to 8:00 a.m.
We had breakfast in our room to avoid the crowds. Indeed, the Lido Market was packed.
Our group was scheduled to disembark the ship at 9:20 a.m. As we waited, a worker appeared on our balcony and a steward arrived to clean our room. We understand that cruise ships have a fast turnaround (the next boarding was in two hours), but this made us feel “pushed out.”
Guests are able to request a preferred disembarkation time. To do so, speak with Guest Services during the first three days of the cruise.
Smith Cove Cruise Terminal
Uber and Lyft customers get short-shrift at the Smith Cove Cruise Terminal.
Passengers descend the gangway into the Smith Cove Cruise Terminal (the same terminal used for embarking the Eurodam).
We immediately found our luggage in a color-coded section. A U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent checked our passports and we exited the cruise terminal in the same spot that we arrived. It was a quick and efficient process.
Passengers who depart the terminal via an app-based taxi service like Uber or Lyft are required to walk to a special area that is much further away than other pick-up zones.
We were stuck wheeling our luggage in the rain for around four minutes until we found refuge under a tent to wait beneath.
If we were bold, we could have asked our driver to pretend that he was a friend of ours.
