Are there advantages/disadvantages to getting to the port early?

[want2travelbad]

I am debating about our port arrival time for our Oosterdam Mexican Riviera sailing in March. We are not Mariner pax, as this will be our first cruise with HAL, so we obviously can't take advantage of any special line for repeat customers. I don't like the idea of arriving before our stateroom is ready and then having to haul our carryon luggage around the Lido Deck. So, I was thinking about arriving some time after 1:00, so after embarking we can go straight to our stateroom.

On our last cruise, with DCL, we did decide to embark early, as the adults-only restaurant, Palo, was in such demand that we wanted to secure our reservations before they disappeared, which they often do on the day of embarkation.

So, are there any advantages or disadvantages to embark later? We want to try the Pinnacle Grill...is there a rush to get reservations here? If arriving earlier is better, is it a big faux pax to go straight to our stateroom before 1:15 (or whatever time they say you can access your stateroom) just to drop off our luggage before heading up to the Lido Deck?

[DrivesLikeMario]

Good questions and I'm anxious for the answers too, as we're on the "O" in March too!

[grannynurse]

IMO it gives you the opportunity to register your credit card, make your reservations, and EXPLORE the ship. The stewards will care for your hand luggage, and there's always lunch available.
We really like the early embarkation, it takes away the uneasy feeling of rushing to unpack, get ready for boat drill, change dinning tables if you have to.

There may be a long line after 1pm, of course you take your chances on that whenever you show up. We just like early, it's more relaxing.
GN

[taszmom]

I try to get to the port as early as possible (11am-Noon). The lines are smaller and we always get right on and to our rooms no problem...but that has been my experience. I'm sure you will hear different experiences.

[Orcrone]

If you want to make sure that you can make reservations for the Pinnacle, I know you can do that through ship services ahead of time for the first night at least, and I believe every night. The first night Pinnacle is half price.

[Ziggy7]

The Pinnacle Grill is 2 for the price of one on the first night, those book real fast so get there early :)

[RuthC]

There's no additional worries when you embark early; there are fewer!
Why waste part of your first cruising day?

If the check-in line is long at least you're at the beginning of it.
Please don't try to go to your cabin early---if enough people try that it could jeopardize early-boarding for everyone. There's no need to schlepp your luggage about---there will be a secure place to store it until you are ready to bring it to your cabin.
Then go and enjoy a relaxing lunch. If your cabin still isn't ready you can start to explore the ship; if it is, go and unpack your carry-on; then explore.
Your luggage will arrive and you can at least start to unpack before life-boat drill.

All in all, the earlier you board the sooner you can start to relax.
Listen to what grannynurse said.

[sdcruiser]

We've taken 11 cruises now and always arrive as early as possible for embarkation, even if it requires standing in line to check in with everyone else who's there early.

We've always dropped our carryon in the room as soon as we board, and we leave the carryon in the stateroom closet unpacked. We're in and out of the cabin in less than 10 seconds. We've never had a problem with this from any of the cruise lines we've taken, even though they say you can't check into the room until 1pm. We then tour the ship a bit and eat lunch. It's a very stress free way to start your vacation...

Good Luck!
SDCruiser

[Krazy Kruizers]

There aren't any lines in the cruise terminals for Mariner's. The lines are set up by decks.

We like to get there early, go to the Npetune Lounge, take care of credit card, etc., have a snack, and then walk around around the ship until our suite is ready. We can leave our carry-ons in the Neptune Lounge.

[estj]

agree, agree, agree...the earlier the better. It's so nice to just get on board, explore the ship, have a drink and a nice lunch...then head for your cabin around 1-1:30. Gives you time to unpack and get settled in before the "drill". We had a ball this past April by going early...met a couple in line and spent several hours with them before we checked into our cabin...discovered they live about 1 mile from us!
Another "hint" on making the boarding faster...make certain you fill out your immigration papers ON LINE...makes check-in a breeze. and have your credit card form completed as well.
Also...it's fun to "meet" fellow passengers on the boards (go to "roll-call") and arrange to meet at the Lido deck for a drink or lunch. It makes the cruise more enjoyable being able to wave and say "hi" to folks you've met. And if they are frequent cruisers...they can give you valuable tips.
Enjoy!
Cass

[anniecat]

we arrived early (about1045am)(we were REALLY excited about the cruise-our first and not the last). At 11am they opend the lines to check-in (we were first) and after 10 minutes...they opened the doors to the gangplank...so off we go! Photo's taken, walk up the ramp, greeted by the staff...with the everpresent alcohol hand wash machine, security check point ..and we're in. Dropped off our luggage at the lugagge check room and by 1130 we were relaxing in the lido with our lunch. By 1245 they announced the rooms were ready, so by 115..unpacked and ready to VACATION. Spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the ship, snacking, drinking ;), watching the PAX slowly file up the ramps.
so in answer to your question.....don't wait to board if you're just going to sit around your hotel room watching tv or something.......have fun
anniecat
next cruise..Ryndam Feb 14, 2005 Sea of Cortez :D

[sail7seas]

We always have a pre-cruise stay in Embarkation city so we get to the ships early.


On Zudm (and other HAL ships) they can and sometimes do close (and lock) the hallway doors which block access to the cabins when people refuse to follow the request to not go to their cabins. There are always the few who think the rules do not apply to them just for all the other people. Afterall, they only want to drop off their bags......welll, gee.......so does everyone else!! Shame they would have to lock doors to keep some people away to allow the stewards to do their work. Those same pax who refuse to honor a simple request like that are the first ones to scream their cabin was not cleaned to their satisfaction or their steward didn't greet them fast enough because he was trying to finish cleaning the other cabins.......he got held up when pax got in his way!

[sdcruiser]

Most all of the time, when we drop our carryon off, there are no cabin attendants around. Maybe we're just lucky, but have never had a problem. We are in and out of our cabin in less than 10seconds. And we've never complained about the cleanliness or attentive service of the cabin steward.

It's the far and few between folks that drop off bags, stay in their cabins, then complain afterwards. Just use common sense and put yourself in the cabin stewards shoes, leave the cabin quickly, and you won't run into any problems further on down the line.

We've been on 2 HAL cruises, 5 RCCL, 2 Carnival, and 2 Celebrity, and have never seen hallways locked.

SDCruiser

[EbayCruiser]

When we cruised on the Oosterdam just this last Aug.-Alaska, we boarded the ship around noon and the doors to the hallways to access rooms were locked. The stewards were there saying you could not get into your room until around 1:00 p.m. Some people had already been to the Lido had lunch and were waiting for the doors to open. We stood around for a few minutes, then decided to go on up to the Lido with our carry on bags and eat but just as we left they made the announcement that rooms were ready and we went back to our room and dropped off our bags. Didn't see anywhere to leave bags??

[the2ofus]

On Maasdam last Nov., the Half Moon room was the designated drop-off place for carry-on luggage. If you ask as you board the ship they will direct you to the secure carry-on storage. We took our carry-ons to the Lido, found a table and had lunch. But then, our carry-ons were small and did not impede traffic. Others might prefer to be unencumbered while having lunch.

[want2travelbad]

Okay, you have all convinced me to embark early. We are staying at the Hilton next to the port, the night before our cruise and we have to check out late morning anyway. I'll look for where to store our carry-on luggage, and will avoid attempting to drop it in our stateroom. Thanks for your advice!