Has anyone here docked in Harwich, England?
 

Hi all - I tried asking this on Cruise Critic and got no help. Literally. Here goes:
I have some friends coming over to the UK in May on a RCL one-way repositioning cruise. They are docking at 0500 in Harwich. I am picking them up, but I won't be able to get there until about 1100. So, any idea how long they can hang out on board before they'll need to disembark, and is there anywhere around the cruise port where they can hang out and wait for me? A safe place to get a coffee and maybe some WiFI would be plenty. Thanks! (and just in case you want to suggest they get the train, we're making a few stops on the way back to my house, otherwise I would totally tell them to get the train!!)

If the ship is docking at 5:00 a.m., most passengers will be debarking anywhere between 6:00 a.m. and 9 a.m.

When our ship arrived in Harwich, we didn't have to rush off the ship because we weren't flying out until the next morning. I believe we got off sometime around 9:30 or 10 and we were in one of the last groups off.

The area immediately off the ship (outside of where you pick up your luggage but still in the "terminal" area) has a coffee shop of some sort - our driver was waiting there for us. Not sure if it has WIFI.

Here's a link to the port site: http://www.harwich.co.uk/cruise_amenities.asp

Yes, I agree. The ship docks at 5 a.m., but the ship has to pass customs and passengers usually start disembarkation around 8 a.m. They will be asked by the ship staff on the last 1-2 days about their post-cruise travel plans. The people who need to get off to catch flights will disembark first and proceed in order of schedule. Your friends will likely be some of the last to disembark; they can stay on the ship, eat breakfast, stay in public areas onboard. There will be a waiting area on the pier for them to wait for you, but they may not have to wait long in that area.

Best Regards,
Julia

Thank you so much - I passed this on to them! I appreciate your help.

On a Holland Am we had to be out of the room by 9 or 10. Don't remember exactly but we were able to hang out in the lounge areas and actually had lunch before departing. I would guess that they wait till the very end.