Port Everglades - arrival time to embark

We are arriving in Ft Lauderdale the day before our cruise. What is the ideal time to arrive at the port to avoid extremely long lines. Our hotel is 1 block from the port and we'll be taking a taxi not a shuttle.

Jules

We are arriving in Ft Lauderdale the day before our cruise. What is the ideal time to arrive at the port to avoid extremely long lines. Our hotel is 1 block from the port and we'll be taking a taxi not a shuttle.

 

Jules

Between 11 and 12 is the usual time.

If you arrive around 2pm, there will likely be few lines. However, most folks prefer to brave the lines in order to get aboard a little earlier and enjoy lunch. Our usual strategy is to arrive by 11:15, put up with the lines, and often be aboard by noon.

Hank

We are arriving in Ft Lauderdale the day before our cruise. What is the ideal time to arrive at the port to avoid extremely long lines. Our hotel is 1 block from the port and we'll be taking a taxi not a shuttle.

 

Jules

To avoid long lines do not arrive before 1:30.

We went at 2pm no line at check in

just be sure you are there 2 hrs prior to sailaway ;)

Thanks for your input.

I'd rather stick pins in my eyes than wait in the lines for embarkation in the morning/noontime. I did it once and vowed "never again".

Now our practice is to drive by and drop off our luggage (if we have a car) and then go out to lunch. If we don't have a car we leave our bags at the hotel and go to lunch, then embark about 2 PM or so.

I cannot abide the crowds storming the buffet for the same food they're going to get pretty much every day of the cruise anyway. I have to put up with the behaviors and the buffet food at lunch once the ship sails but until then I'd prefer to be in a nice restaurant.

Additionally, later embarkation allows us to go directly to our stateroom rather than drag our carryons/valuables around with us for hours.

Thanks.

Thanks for your advice.

I'm another one that arrives at the terminal about 11-ish; I'm "generally" in my cabin by noon. I'm the type that my cruise begins once I'm onboard. I don't care that the ship will still be moored at the dock for another 4 or so hours - I'm on a cruise!

We usually arrive around 11:00 and are on-board before noon. We sail Princess, so we may drop off bags in our cabin and hit the dining room for lunch.

If you want very little in the way of line arrive at 2:00 PM.

We prefer to board early though.

Keith

Since we always drive to the Florida ports I prefer to arrive as early as possible in case of traffic or car problems but since you're be close to the port you can schedule your arrival for after 2 and avoid the main rush.

Did you know there is an early bird line?

On the March Cruise on the Indy, we arrived at 10am and were directed to an early bird line. When the Ship started boarding, we walked past a a long line of people who were still waiting to check in. We were on the Ship having lunch in an empty Windjammer by 12pm.

Maybe the reason is because our terminal was Terminal 29, rather small.

If they ever sent you your suggested boarding time, don't bother with the timings, come early and you will be on board the ship in no time. As the previous poster had said, you are on a cruise, a holiday. You did rather be spending more time on the ship than on land.