Check-in time

We go on QE in 10 days time and have been given a check-in time of 13.30. We are flying to Southampton and expect to arrive at the port about 12.30. Will they ignore the time given or will we have to wait until 13.30?

In 2014 I arrived an hour before my scheduled time (1:00) but the terminal was empty and I was on the ship in about ten minutes.

When you arrive after filling in health declaration they will give you a coloured card with a letter and you wait for that to be called, i was early and got into an earlier group.

Is that the normal time for embarking? I am going on a cruise from Venice on the 22nd Aug but would love to have an idea of time so i can plan an itinerary for Venice in the morning if we have time. We are flying in day before :)

It's normally between about 12 and 4, if you are not in a big hurry to get on the ship you should definitely have time to spend in the city.

If sail away is later you may have time to get back off again.

I've only disembarked in Venice but we stayed in the city and sail away was quite late.

Thanks for your reply. Yes according to Cruise TT, QV doesn't leave until 8pm that evening. I'm sure I will be very excited to get on the ship by then but good to know we will have a few hours in the morning anyway!

Enjoy the sail away, it must be one of the most beautiful.

We go on QE in 10 days time and have been given a check-in time of 13.30. We are flying to Southampton and expect to arrive at the port about 12.30. Will they ignore the time given or will we have to wait until 13.30?

We are on the same cruise but not as brave as you as we are flying down the day before to avoid any possible delays. We are flying Flybe who are also known as Flymaybe. On one previous occasion we arrived in Southampton while our cases were still in Edinburgh as they had to unload some baggage as the plane was over weight! They got them down to us latter that same evening which had that been sail away day we would have had no luggage!!We will also be at the terminal before our check-in time of 13.30 as we have to vacate our hotel room before mid-day. Having been early in the past we were accepted without any problems so you should be OK.

If this is the Guernsey trip you're talking about, we're having an informal meet and greet in the Commodore Club at 2pm on the sea day. Come and say Hi if you're free.

If this is the Guernsey trip you're talking about, we're having an informal meet and greet in the Commodore Club at 2pm on the sea day. Come and say Hi if you're free.

Oops no we are on the June 16th west Med cruise. Enjoy your cruise.

We just sailed the the QM2 May 27th westbound Transatlantic and our check in time was supposed to be 2:30. We had to be out of our hotel by 11 so we headed to the port and weren't sure if we'd be allowed on.

As previously mentioned, they will give you a coloured card and your health declaration form to fill in. We were told to sit and wait till our letter and colour was called. We were on the ship about 12:30 or so. :) Nobody at the port really cares what time you were assigned. Happy cruising.

The last time we sailed from Southampton, they were trying (unsuccessfully) to have some order in boarding the ship as per times given. I suppose that is because on round trips from S'ton there are so many people arriving before allocated boarding time, that those due to board early for paying higher rates, just end up waiting!

Arrive early by all means, but do not be too disappointed if you have to wait.

One of the terminals- Ocean, if I remember correctly, has plenty of seating, it's just as comfortable to wait there as anywhere else. The other, Mayflower I think, has hardly any- don't arrive early there.

Note that neither terminal has pay phones, you must have a UK cell if you need to make any calls.

I have printed our edocs today for our cruise on the Queen Elizabeth next week. There is a mention of boarding according to your allocated time. However, I can't find a time printed anywhere on the paperwork. Anyone give me some idea where to find this information. Thanks

I have printed our edocs today for our cruise on the Queen Elizabeth next week. There is a mention of boarding according to your allocated time. However, I can't find a time printed anywhere on the paperwork. Anyone give me some idea where to find this information. Thanks

We have a couple of edocs for this summer and they have the time on the left side of the page under EMBARKATION. Under that is: Arrival time: 1200 ~ ~ That is your boarding time.

Just checked again. Under Embarkation it gives the date and the port. No time. I'll call them today. Thanks

One of my biggest issues with Cunard is their embarkation process. Apparently they try to stage embarkation and avoid lines by issues embarkation times. But unfortunately our experience has been that those times have no relation to their ability to process passengers. We have had a number of experiences of extremely long waits to board with little good explanation for the delay. So you can arrive early and may be happily surprised by a quick boarding process. But you might also have to wait. Also you can be a good soldier and arrive at your appointed time, but then have to wait, wait, wait, as we have. Happily it all improves once you get on board, but, IMHO, this is something that Cunard needs to work on, and is very different than other cruise lines.

We've been given a check in time of 2.30 (we're on a travel industry special rate) but we have to checkout of our hotel near Central Park at noon. My estimate is a car will take us a maximum of 40 minutes so we'll be there before 1pm.

Last year we flew home so checked out of same hotel and left our bags and then changed in hotel before leaving for airport at 6.30 but it doesn't seem worth it for an extra hour and a half.

I'll try to negotiate a later checkout from hotel but if not are we likely to just have to wait if we arrive early.

Except 8pm (actually nearer 9pm as needs towing by tugs to get out of port) it is dark. Venice by night is OK but by daylight would have been better, the other 4 ships in port left in the light. Also Cunard has rigid dining times if you are on the 8.30 sitting you won't see the departure. But maitre d' very kindly put us on early sitting for one night.