Latest time to board Majesty

When I book Majesty I always take the Friday off. This Friday I can't and have to stay at the office as long as I possibly can. I am only 15 minutes from the port.

What's the latest you think I can check in? The documents call for check-in until 3pm, but muster is not until later and the ship leaves at 4:30. There is a second muster for those who miss the first.

That would be a cruise line policy (plus meeting the requirements for a muster drill), so I ask on the RCI board. It doesn't have anything to do, really, with the port.

Most cruise lines have all aboard times of 90 or 120 minutes prior to sailing.

I could be wrong, but I thought the final time to board was dictated by the port, not the cruise line, and they are very strict. I'm guessing that if they say passengers must be aboard by 3, it's 3.

I could be wrong, but I thought the final time to board was dictated by the port, not the cruise line, and they are very strict. I'm guessing that if they say passengers must be aboard by 3, it's 3.

Each cruise line has its own rules. The port doesn't make the rules... DHS has a rule that the final passenger manifest has to be in their hands one hour prior to sailing. Some cruise lines are OK with your arriving 90 minutes ahead in order to make that deadline, some want you checked in 2 hours ahead.

Each cruise line has its own rules. The port doesn't make the rules... DHS has a rule that the final passenger manifest has to be in their hands one hour prior to sailing. Some cruise lines are OK with your arriving 90 minutes ahead in order to make that deadline, some want you checked in 2 hours ahead.

Agreed. The port doesn't really care. The only issue with the port is scheduling longshoreman for departure- to release the ropes and related details. That costs money, so the schedule is adhered to as closely as possible. But the ship/cruiseline sets that schedule. Other issues like tidal flows can affect this schedule, in some ports.

I really thought I had seen something regarding federal regulations, and the manifest, on a cruise ship documentary I had watched. I found this

Timing

Naturally no one wants to "miss the boat" and, due to relatively recent U.S. federal security regulations, cruise lines are required to submit certain passenger information to law enforcement authorities at least one hour prior to every ship's departure. That means you must be at the pier and complete the check-in process well in advance of the scheduled sailing time. Holland America Line advises, "To meet this requirement, we must have the necessary information in our records at least 90 minutes before departure. If we do not have your information by this deadline, you will be unable to sail."

I thought that if you arrived too late, even if the ship was still there, you couldn't board after a certain time.

I really thought I had seen something regarding federal regulations, and the manifest, on a cruise ship documentary I had watched. I found this

 

Timing

Naturally no one wants to "miss the boat" and, due to relatively recent U.S. federal security regulations, cruise lines are required to submit certain passenger information to law enforcement authorities at least one hour prior to every ship's departure. That means you must be at the pier and complete the check-in process well in advance of the scheduled sailing time. Holland America Line advises, "To meet this requirement, we must have the necessary information in our records at least 90 minutes before departure. If we do not have your information by this deadline, you will be unable to sail."

 

I thought that if you arrived too late, even if the ship was still there, you couldn't board after a certain time.

This has been discussed many times. The cruise lines must submit to TSA/Homeland Security a pax roster a certain fixed time prior to sailing. So the cruise line

will have an "all aboard" time. If you are late, the cruise line will deny you boarding. None of this involves the port, as the person who tells you that you at denied boarding is a cruise line employee. Not a port employee.