Midnight cruise: What time should we board?

My wife and I are booked on Celebrity Infinity Alaska cruise departing Seattle May 22, 2009. Scheduled departure is 11:59. What time should I plan on showing up at the dock for boarding? I'm asking way ahead of time so that I can start planning our day. If you have been on one of these midnight-departure cruises, I would appreciate any insight you have. Thank you!

My wife and I are booked on Celebrity Infinity Alaska cruise departing Seattle May 22, 2009. Scheduled departure is 11:59. What time should I plan on showing up at the dock for boarding? I'm asking way ahead of time so that I can start planning our day. If you have been on one of these midnight-departure cruises, I would appreciate any insight you have. Thank you!

Midnight:D:D:D

We sailed out of Vancouver on the Mercury on a West Coast Cruise last year to San Diego. She departed at midnight (sailed up from Seattle that day). We got on board at 6:00pm. There was a large group already onboard. I usually want to get onboard as early as possible - love being on the ship - but first time in Vancouver so we explored that day also. fantastic city. Got there two days early.

Someone else may be able to tell you if they got on very early if that is want you want to do. Don't cut it close - need to be there about 1.5hrs before sail.

Denny

Thank you, Denny!

We have reservations in the SS United States restaurant for 6:30, that Friday night. Celebrity says we will not have a problem making it.

Just to follow-up after our cruise:

Scheduled time for cruise was 11:59pm. Scheduled boarding time per email announcement was 7:30 pm. We got to the pier at about 4:15pm and checked in our luggage. We went through check-in and were given a numbered card so we could return later for boarding. Meanwhile, we walked over to Pike Place Market for a while, returning to the pier at about 6:30. We went through security at that time and into the waiting room. Actual boarding was at around 8:15 pm. Getting to the pier early paid off--our cards had #1 on them, meaning we were in the first group to board (other than the VIP's).

Here are my first-time cruiser observations about checkin:

I think of check-in as a four-part process.

1. Online checkin: helpful because all your information is already entered, saving time and trouble at the pier. All they have to do is a quick glance at your passports and give you the numbered cards.

2. Check-in at the pier: Do this as early as possible, so that you get priority for boarding later. You also get rid of your luggage, so you can go off and do something fun for a while.

3. Check-in through security: We did this earlier than we needed to. You could do this pretty close to the scheduled boarding time, since it's your numbered cards that determine when you board.

4. Actual boarding: The quick, easy, fun part after all the waiting and jumping through the hoops.