Question about time for embarkation

On our last SB cruise, we boarded around noon time (Rome) and many had already boarded ahead of us and were enjoying lunch. On June 9th, we will be joining the Ovation in Amsterdam. I spoke with our TA this morning and she says embarkation time is listed at 2pm. I told her about our prior experience with SB last September and asked for our transfer to get us to the ship by noon. Am I correct in requesting noon for our arrival?

Yes, you are.

My TA called me today to say that she called back to SB and got a different answer to her question about embarkation time. I knew the answer, but since she was planning our transfer to the ship, there was a problem. Suffice to say that she was hacked that SB gave her the 2pm answer the first time and an earlier time the second time she called. She told me that she thinks that SB is trying to discourage early embarkation. Not good news.

My TA called me today to say that she called back to SB and got a different answer to her question about embarkation time. I knew the answer, but since she was planning our transfer to the ship, there was a problem. Suffice to say that she was hacked that SB gave her the 2pm answer the first time and an earlier time the second time she called. She told me that she thinks that SB is trying to discourage early embarkation. Not good news.

In my experience, 2pm is the regular time stated by SB. This has applied to every cruise I've taken with them. They say 2pm because that's the time they aim to have all suites ready and available for guest use. However, I've always been able to embark before 1pm. I tend to arrive at the port between 12-12.30pm and at that time boarding has already started. There was one exception, that was at Fort Lauderdale a few years ago and was out of Seabourn's control. It was either a CDC or Customs check that was ongoing. We boarded on that occasion at a few minutes before1pm.

In 99% of ports, 99% of the time, you will be able to board just after 12noon but your documents will state boarding is from 2pm.

 

In 99% of ports, 99% of the time, you will be able to board just after 12noon but your documents will state boarding is from 2pm.

This.

I also suspect they don't want too many people wandering around the ship "early" while the staff are very busy preparing the suites and public areas. Nevertheless, we usually show up around midday because the hotel we stayed at the night before usually needs us to check out at midday anyway so we head straight for the ship.