Disastrous Rio Embarkation

Construction at the port in Rio has the place in complete disarray. Embarked a Princess ship on January 4th and it was over 4 hours. Total chaos. When we were dropped off at the port we were shocked to see a long line wrapped around the port entrance with people standing there with their heavy bags in tow. No assistance with bags. After waiting in the hot sun and dropping your bags you get into the terminal where there is absolutely no organization at all, just mobs of people crushing toward the counters to check in for the cruise.

I was in London and Sochi for the Olympics. With this organization, I'm happy to be skipping the Rio summer games this year.

My advice is to either arrive very very early and be the first in line, or just save yourself the aggravation and arrive shortly before departure and hopefully minimize your wait.

Construction at the port in Rio has the place in complete disarray. Embarked a Princess ship on January 4th and it was over 4 hours. Total chaos. When we were dropped off at the port we were shocked to see a long line wrapped around the port entrance with people standing there with their heavy bags in tow. No assistance with bags. After waiting in the hot sun and dropping your bags you get into the terminal where there is absolutely no organization at all, just mobs of people crushing toward the counters to check in for the cruise.

 

I was in London and Sochi for the Olympics. With this organization, I'm happy to be skipping the Rio summer games this year.

 

My advice is to either arrive very very early and be the first in line, or just save yourself the aggravation and arrive shortly before departure and hopefully minimize your wait.

Definitely a total chaos. Along with other disgruntled cruisers, we were on the same cruise. I kept on asking where is the Preferred Check in line. It was funny they replied all lines are preferred. But anyway haven't you noticed that Rio is not included in future cruises? It's now Valparaiso Chile to Buenos Aires and back. Then in March, Star Princess repositions from Chile to Los Angeles, makes the CA coastal and Hawaii.

Our embarkation in Rio back in 2012 wasn't a great deal better and that was without construction work as an excuse!!

Unfortunately the construction you experienced has been going on since it began in 2013. We returned last year and I couldn't believe the new terminal area was not compete.

Sorry it happened.

Keith

We were on a Cruise from Rio to Valpariso in Dec, 2009, and had pretty much the same experience. One advantage we had is that we had to be out of the hotel by 11am, so we were at the pier before noon, and recieved a number for checkin, something in the low 30's, and told to take a seat. Plenty available at that time.

As time went on, more people arrived, the seats all filled, and people were lining up outside, still no movement to start checking in. Finally, at about 3pm, they started checking in. While walking down to the gangway, we passed the desk where they were giving out numbers, and they were almost up to 300

It was almost dark when the last people got on, then they started wheeling hand trucks containing luggage to be loaded. The ship finally left just before 9pm

They just were not setup to handle people like you would find in Ft Lauderdale or Port Canaveral. Even Copenhagen was much better at boarding. And, it is too bad, since I found Rio to be a fascinating place, well worth the visit

I am in Rio now (non cruise) and it is Carnival weekend. I heard there were going to be 11 ships in Rio port today. I am not sure how many are here for start or finish of a cruise, or as a stop,but it must be insane.