Boarding Royal after TA

I will be boarding the Royal at Port Everglades tomorrow. Due to it being the first cruise after the TA, our travel summary has check in times between 3:00 PM and 5:00 PM for the different decks, with a 5:00 PM sailing.

 

Read some older posts, where cruisers had different experiences with checking in. (early to delayed).

 

I will be driving to port. What do you think would be a realistic time to arrive at port? Tomorrow will be a beautiful sunny day in Ft. Lauderdale. A perfect day to start a cruise.

 

Thanks,

Sandi

Edited October 21, 2016 by sandybeaches44

Normally I wouldn't pay to much attention to staggered boarding but due to the Coast Guard inspection I suspect it'll be really crowded. I'd arrive around the 3 PM time & hope for the best.

Have been involved in one of these delayed boardings in San Pedro. While we were told 3pm. Actual boarding started about 2:15/2:30 if I remember correctly. I would arrive around 2pm with a pleasant attitude, and be prepared to wait around. If you arrive at the pier around 3pm you most likely will not wait around too long.

on this cruise starting tomorrow. i will be extra early around noon and prepared to wait as that is the time my son in law is taking me to the port. wonder if he really likes me???

I will be boarding the Royal at Port Everglades tomorrow. Due to it being the first cruise after the TA, our travel summary has check in times between 3:00 PM and 5:00 PM for the different decks, with a 5:00 PM sailing.

 

Read some older posts, where cruisers had different experiences with checking in. (early to delayed).

 

I will be driving to port. What do you think would be a realistic time to arrive at port? Tomorrow will be a beautiful sunny day in Ft. Lauderdale. A perfect day to start a cruise.

 

Thanks,

Sandi

I remember reading that when ships come back to the US after TA, there is an extensive health and sanitary inspection, so maybe that's the reason for the delayed departure. I always get to the terminal prior to the recommended time and have always had an easy embarkation.

There will likely be at least three different inspections by three different agencies:

 

Coast Guard Safety Inspection

Sanitation Inspection

Crew Immigration Inspection

 

It is the latter of the three that causes a delay in disembarkation which has the knock-on effect of delaying the start of embarkation. Often significantly.

 

The Sanitation Inspection will be ongoing after the passengers start to board; certainly an area of close inspection is that the buffet is being stocked and used plates & cutlery cleared and loaded into the dishwashers in the proper method.

 

The Coast Guard inspection is actually the most visible but the least disruptive of the three. It mainly occupies the time of the bridge officers but should be concluded by the time the ship is "zeroed out" thus not delaying embarkation beyond the knock-on delays from a (possibly very) slow disembarkation.

There will likely be at least three different inspections by three different agencies:

 

Coast Guard Safety Inspection

Sanitation Inspection

Crew Immigration Inspection

 

It is the latter of the three that causes a delay in disembarkation which has the knock-on effect of delaying the start of embarkation. Often significantly.

 

The Sanitation Inspection will be ongoing after the passengers start to board; certainly an area of close inspection is that the buffet is being stocked and used plates & cutlery cleared and loaded into the dishwashers in the proper method.

 

The Coast Guard inspection is actually the most visible but the least disruptive of the three. It mainly occupies the time of the bridge officers but should be concluded by the time the ship is "zeroed out" thus not delaying embarkation beyond the knock-on delays from a (possibly very) slow disembarkation.

 

I've hit a sanitation inspection one time & it caused major delays in all the dining areas. We were allowed to board the ship but getting lunch was a major task. When the buffet did open up the crowd was horrendous.

on this cruise starting tomorrow. i will be extra early around noon and prepared to wait as that is the time my son in law is taking me to the port. wonder if he really likes me???

 

You will be able to see if your son in law really likes you if he picks you up when the cruise returns to the port...

 

see you at the M & G.

We have been on the first cruise after the TA quite a few times. It is never the same.

 

The worst one was when a ship went code red mid-cruise. This happened before the cruise line could text you to keep you informed of delays like this and give up to the minute instruction on boarding. It was code orange when it arrived, and immigration pulled almost half the crew in. I guess it is normal for a lot of crew members to have to do this, but half is almost unheard of. And the had an extra sanitation crew come in to irradicate the noro. After the long wait at the terminal, none of the cabins were ready, so we weren't allowed into them. Everyone was dragging carry ons with them, not enough staff for any of the normal comforts. Long lines and crabby passengers. Long story short, there was a long wait for everything and everything was delayed.

 

My thoughts would be to be prepared. Bring something to do, don't arrive hungry, and bring water with you. You still have to be happy just for the fact that you are getting on a cruise ship, right?:D

 

Those who will still be on the ship b2b, see you on 11/6

Edited October 22, 2016 by CaliforniaAC

It never dawned on me that the first cruise after a crossing would have inspections & delays on boarding. We almost booked the one leaving today but for some reason decided against it. Not that it's all that bad but why bother with the aggravation if there's no need to?

If I hadn't read about it here on CC I would have never known. :)