What is the hurry to board?

The ship does not sail until 8pm. Why do guests board early instead of taking advantage of sightseeing - especially on a one way cruise?

Thanks,

GertiginSC

Get started on cruise.

Lunch is included.

Check out the ship.

We always go in a couple of days early, so sightseeing is done.

Get started on cruise.

Lunch is included.

Check out the ship.

We always go in a couple of days early, so sightseeing is done.

Agree. We frequently fly in a day or two in advance for sightseeing. Many people are really excited to get on the ship, start enjoying the cruise. Including us, after 17 cruises.

Some may miss a meal they have paid for :D

We board after 1pm usually if the ships sails at 5pm

later if the ship sails later

I am usually exhausted from traveling with the kids. I love to board, unpack and, the greatest moment...stash my pocketbook and turn off my cell phone :D The quicker I board, the quicker I can begin my winddown.

(a nap never hurts, either :D )

• Yes, I love the bonus lunch trough!
  
• Some hotels have check out at 11am or earlier.... it's nice to have your luggage safely put away in your room. Having your luggage in hotel or cruise terminal storage costs extra.
  
• Some ship activities might already begin. Some ship tours begin before it leaves port.
  
• Pool and various ship facilities are more private as the people have not arrived.
  
• How many of us are excited for the evac drills? What time does that begin? Gotta figure out how to put on those life jackets.
  
• Early check-in means more time for security searches (weapons, luggage, carry-on, body, hand, and cavity)
  
• need more sightseeing time? Just arrive and stay a few days earlier or later (highly recommended).
  
• some ports have you travelling great distances from your hotel/airport. Some are arriving from airport straight to terminal... trying to save on hotel costs and traffic delays.
  

A huge reason I go on cruises is to be on the ships, enjoying the ambiance, features, and uniqueness of them. I love the feeling of excitement when first boarding. Ahead of me is a week or more of good food, good entertainment, beautiful decor, interesting ports of call, and a service staff that does virtually everything for me. Why wouldn't I want to board as soon as I could. I am spending my money on a cruise, not a land vacation.

We always arrive a few days before the cruise. We do our sightseeing then at our leisure, not rushed on departure day.

all good points - thank you

My cruise can't start until I relax, and that can't happen until I unpack, and I take care of all those little "housekeeping" tasks.

Those may include confirming specialty restaurant reservations, changing my dinner table/time if it wasn't what was confirmed (mistakes do happen), make manicure & spa appointments, confirm suitability of my shore excursion reservations as compared to my ability to do them. I want all of this done before muster drill so I can enjoy what comes after.

We like to board the ship as early as possible. Gives us time to unwind, unpack, eat lunch, check out the activities and layout of the ship (if it's unfamiliar to us) to see where the Muster Drill will take place.

Since the price of my cruise includes embarkation day, I like to enjoy it as much as possible.

Happy cruising. It's a great way to travel!

My vacation starts when I board the ship:).

We like to get a workout in the fitness room in before the drill.

We have done both. In nola, our tour ran long (it was great) to we didn't get there as early as expected. When you board early, it's like a party, people are welcoming you, saying hello, it's a great vibe. When we boarded late it was not at all as festive. I like starting out my cruise on that happy note. And regardless if it is a new ship or a repeat, it's so fun to explore the ship.

The ship does not sail until 8pm. Why do guests board early instead of taking advantage of sightseeing - especially on a one way cruise?

 

Thanks,

 

GertiginSC

if I feel the unbearable need to sightsee in an embarkation port, I do that the day before when I fly in. 2 days if it's a really awesome city

but generally speaking sightseeing is not high on my list of priorities.

whereas I can board early, enjoy a nice lunch, leisurely explore the ship to better find my way later on, take care of any reservations, check out the cabin once it opens and generally start my relaxation ASAP with a tasty umbrella drink

We like to board in time to enjoy a leisurely lunch in the dining room. (We sail primarily on Holland America and Princess.) If you want reservations for a specialty restaurant or the spa, it can be good to be on board before others have reserved the best times.

Maybe some people want to be the first to hog the best chairs by the pool :)

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It depends on the embarkation port. When I boarded in Ft. Lauderdale (and had flown in the night before) I was ready to be on the ship. I have had past projects/clients in the FLL area so have really already "been there done that" in the area, so we were some of the first to board. While I had a completely different experience on a Black Sea cruise out of Istanbul. I had flown in the night before and had a very late dinner the night before, combine that with jet lag and I just wasn't going to wake up early just to head to the ship. It worked out perfectly as we didn't make it to the ship till probably later in the afternoon since we had leisurely breakfast at the hotel and then re-packed and then headed to the ship.

As others have said, your embarkation day is counted as one of your cruise days so many people want to squeeze every last meal/show/cruise things in as possible. I tend to be more of a ship person on your typical mainstream stops in the Caribbean but if it is a more exotic cruise to unlikely ports I tend to be much more a shore person and will be worried less about the ship activities and meals. While on my last cruise around several small Indonesian islands I even spent one night off the ship at a small remote hotel in order to be at a UNESCO World Heritage site for sunrise. Many typical cruisers would say it was crazy to pay for a night on the cruise and a hotel, but I wouldn't have done it any other way.

Thank goodness for all the early boarders. Makes it so nice when I show up toward the end of the process -- no lines. :D

I cruise for the travel opportunities. As an example -- although I've been to Rome many times, and although I try to arrive with 2-3 days of sightseeing time, I'm in no hurry to rush to the ship. Is the food onboard the ship going to be as good as the lunch I can enjoy in Rome?

I can say the same for Istanbul, Athens, Barcelona, Copenhagen -- basically any great embarkation port.

We usually board between 12:30pm to 2:30/3:00pm.

The time we boards depends on ship's departure time, if there is anything we still want to do in the port city, if the hotel has a luggage storage area...and if we've even arrived in town of departure. We try very hard to get in the day before a cruise, but have had to get in day of ship's departure a time or two.

AHOY SHIPMATES

The only thing in life I want to be late for is MY FUNERAL.

While on my last cruise around several small Indonesian islands I even spent one night off the ship at a small remote hotel in order to be at a UNESCO World Heritage site for sunrise. Many typical cruisers would say it was crazy to pay for a night on the cruise and a hotel, but I wouldn't have done it any other way.

We often cruise with a couple who balk at paying for lunch on shore when they can go back to the ship and get the lunch they "already paid for". Fortunately, I was finally able to talk them into spending the night in Bangkok on our Asia cruise next month. Since the travel time between the ship and the city center is hours, we decided to stay at a hotel to enjoy the city for those hours instead of spending them on a bus going back and forth for the two day stop. Not everyone would have the same priorities, I am sure. Some care more about the cost than the experience.

I like to board early to get pictures taken around the ship. I like to get the pics without a bunch of people in the background.

Well, considering what you pay for a cruise, and boarding day being the 1st day, you should start using the ship! You paid for it! I would assume if the "home port" was worthy of sightseeing, you'll arrive a day or two early to do your "exploring"!

It all depends on the port. For a Mediterranean port, or even San Juan, there is enough to do/see before boarding. For South Florida, it is a different story.

I am such a worry wart about missing the ship that I'm not really relaxed until I'm sitting on the balcony.

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