boarding time in Tampa

[smj]

Can anyone tell me what time you can board in Tampa? Also is the dinning room open for lunch that day?

[Randyk47]

Some have experienced all sorts of boarding times but last we went out of Tampa we got on around 11:30 AM. I believe they actually started boarding around 11 AM that day which I think is typical. However, we were late returning to Tampa on that cruise and then the ship didn't clear with Immigration/Customs and I don't think the new passengers got on until well after 1:30 to 2 PM. I know we didn't get off the ship...and we were trying....until nearly 1 PM. The MDR ought to be open for lunch but we really enjoy the Lido on beauty days like we had for our embarkation.

[jtl513]

Originally Posted by Randyk47

The MDR ought to be open for lunch ...

But only for Mariners, right? OTOH, they probably don't check.

[Randyk47]

Originally Posted by jtl513

But only for Mariners, right? OTOH, they probably don't check.

Good point. Since we probably wouldn't go to the MDR I really didn't give it much thought. I guess your room key card shows your status???? But of course they have to check it too.

[clwgal65]

I just got back today from the Tampa cruise. Some people did get on at 11:30am but they were prior HAL cruisers. I'm a prior HALcruiser too, but I went at 2pm to avoid the crowd and had absolutely no lines.

The Lido is open for lunch, I didn't even try the restaurant.

[pseudochicken]

Originally Posted by Randyk47

Some have experienced all sorts of boarding times but last we went out of Tampa we got on around 11:30 AM. I believe they actually started boarding around 11 AM that day which I think is typical. However, we were late returning to Tampa on that cruise and then the ship didn't clear with Immigration/Customs and I don't think the new passengers got on until well after 1:30 to 2 PM. I know we didn't get off the ship...and we were trying....until nearly 1 PM. The MDR ought to be open for lunch but we really enjoy the Lido on beauty days like we had for our embarkation.

You didn't get off until 1 PM!?

I am taking the Ryndam Caribbean cruise this January. The only flight that we can take is a 12:45 PM flight...

I hope we can make it in time. I take it that the 1 PM disembarkation was unusual? The ship is supposed to dock in Tampa at 7 AM. I've always been told to book a flight the very earliest at noon if not later.

Oh no! I am getting stresses already.

[jtl513]

Originally Posted by pseudochicken

I take it that the 1 PM disembarkation was unusual?

Yes, that would be very unusual. The norm is that everybody is off the ship by 10:00.

In Tampa the pier is about 35 miles from the ocean, and a lot of things can happen along that distance to delay a ship's arrival.

[alcpa1]

Hopefully we will be sailing on the Ryndam later this month. It will be our first HAL cruise. Can we not board around 11:30 too? Every other line we have cruised with has had priority lines but open boarding. Please clarify this for us. Thank you.

[jtl513]

Originally Posted by alcpa1

Hopefully we will be sailing on the Ryndam later this month. It will be our first HAL cruise. Can we not board around 11:30 too?

Under ordinary circumstances, yes.

[Randyk47]

Originally Posted by pseudochicken

You didn't get off until 1 PM!?

I am taking the Ryndam Caribbean cruise this January. The only flight that we can take is a 12:45 PM flight...

I hope we can make it in time. I take it that the 1 PM disembarkation was unusual? The ship is supposed to dock in Tampa at 7 AM. I've always been told to book a flight the very earliest at noon if not later.

Oh no! I am getting stresses already.

That was highly unusual and all sorts of us missed our flights. One of the CC'ers here lives in Switzerland and was on the cruise with us. As I remember they missed their flights and it took a couple of days for them to get home. I don't recall we ever got an explanation for the delay but it was not a good way to end a cruise. It started with not docking until 9 AM and went downhill from there.

[jtl513]

Originally Posted by Randyk47

I don't recall we ever got an explanation for the delay but it was not a good way to end a cruise. It started with not docking until 9 AM and went downhill from there.

Was this on the Veendam on 12/9/06? We were on the cruise leaving that day and when we arrived at the terminal around 11:00a everyone was still on board from the prior cruise. We went away for a few hours, and finally boarded around 2:00p. The explanation given on our cruise was that another ship had lost power and blocked the channel for a couple of hours.

[Dontom]

We sailed on Nov 1 . Arrived at the terminal at 11:15 am with our express Doc's and were checked in and given a boarding number( 21 ). About noon they started calling numbers starting at 15. We boarded around 12:30 and went to lunch in the Lido. The lido was not crowded and then we went to our cabin aroud 1:30. Ship sailed at 5:00 but did not go under the Skyway bridge until 7. We had a great cruise as we out ran Ida. Friday night and all day Saturday were rough seas. First time I have seen barf bags in the Elevator Lobbies. Sunday morning was smooth coming into Tampa. We were off the ship by 9:00am and our ride arrived shortly. Enjoy your cruise.

Don

[jtl513]

Originally Posted by Dontom

Ship sailed at 5:00 but did not go under the Skyway bridge until 7.

That's normal. The bridge is about 25 nautical miles from the pier, and you average about 13 knots while in the channel.

[Randyk47]

Originally Posted by jtl513

Was this on the Veendam on 12/9/06? We were on the cruise leaving that day and when we arrived at the terminal around 11:00a everyone was still on board from the prior cruise. We went away for a few hours, and finally boarded around 2:00p. The explanation given on our cruise was that another ship had lost power and blocked the channel for a couple of hours.

Our cruise was in March 2007 so it was a different cruise. We heard several "rumors" from fog to wind to engine problems to a crowded sealane into the port to Customs/Immigration clearance. Nothing was ever officially announced, at least not that we heard.