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embarkation


britichick
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As a rule, lower decks get a later embarkation time, Suites and Platinum/Diamond go first, around noon.

 

If you're boarding QM2 in New York following a transatlantic crossing, embarkation may begin later than published due to immigration delays for disembarking passengers.

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I strongly recommend that no one arrive early, before the assigned time, regardless of the ship, regardless of the port. Otherwise, you might have to wait, and your wait might not be pleasant.

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We have boarded QE in Southampton in 2016 and 2017, and our experience was the same both times.

 

We were in a suite, and given boarding times of 12.30 on both occasions. We stayed locally, and after some last minute retail therapy arrive at check in at 11.30 and were on board within 15 minutes.

 

Last November we took particular note, at no time where we asked if we were in a suite, we just waited a couple of minutes for a check in agent to become free, signed up and straight on board, and the suite was ready. A bit different to the days when check in opened at 12, then you sat in to the departure lunge until 2pm, and then waited for your boarding card number to be called!

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I'm taking my first ever "cruise" this August, with a TA from NY to Hamburg.

 

Is there an advantage to boarding early? I'm one of those people who don't mind waiting to be last to board a plane; I'd rather sit in comfort than stand in a line, so I'm thinking I'd rather not arrive at the terminal to board until absolutely necessary. If I'm given a specific boarding time, and show up at that exact time, will I still need to stand in line for an hour?

 

I'm just not sure what to expect...

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The sooner you board the ship, the sooner you're onboard the ship.

 

The Golden Lion (pub) stops serving lunch at 2:00 or 2:30 (the buffet runs longer) but otherwise waiting until after the initial rush can be a good idea if sitting in a lounge waiting to board isn't your idea of fun.

 

For a Brooklyn embarkation, waiting until 2:00 or so should get you minimal waiting in the terminal, but if you fly in the night before your hotel might want to to check out by 11:00.

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The buffet is usually very busy on embarkation day as people push shove and fight to fill up their plates with as much food as possible, because obviously the ship will run out of food the next day. :eek::eek::eek:

 

 

 

D’you mean that Cunard are just like every other cruise line !!! and I thought the buffet would be serene, calm and oh so refined [emoji23]🤣[emoji23]

Sorry, British sense of humour!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

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What time does it start and end? We're in a balcony, first time with Cunard - any estimate of what sort of time we'd be boarding? Thanks

Your e-ticket might have a boarding time around 2:00 PM and if you arrive then, the lines will be short and you'll be aboard within 10 or 15 minutes of your arrival. If you sooner, say 11:30 or 12:00 you won't be turned away but you'll find a longer line and may have into sit and wait until general boarding begins.

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We flew in that morning and got to the terminal around 12, after running some last minute errands. I really wanted to have lunch on board for free rather than paying for a meal at a restaurant, otherwise we might have boarded later. One plus to boarding early is that you’ll be assured of a good deck chair facing starboard to you can watch the harbor traffic and your departure.

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D’you mean that Cunard are just like every other cruise line !!! and I thought the buffet would be serene, calm and oh so refined [emoji23]🤣[emoji23]

Sorry, British sense of humour!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

They don't call it the "smash and grab" for nothing

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The buffet is usually very busy on embarkation day as people push shove and fight to fill up their plates with as much food as possible, because obviously the ship will run out of food the next day. :eek::eek::eek:

 

 

I saw somewhere on this forum that the MDR was open for lunch on embarkation like on some other lines. Why not go there to miss the crowds?

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I'm taking my first ever "cruise" this August, with a TA from NY to Hamburg.

 

Is there an advantage to boarding early? I'm one of those people who don't mind waiting to be last to board a plane; I'd rather sit in comfort than stand in a line, so I'm thinking I'd rather not arrive at the terminal to board until absolutely necessary. If I'm given a specific boarding time, and show up at that exact time, will I still need to stand in line for an hour?

 

I'm just not sure what to expect...

 

 

FYI, traffic in NYC can be extremely unpredictable. I don't mind boarding planes last however I don't like running through airports to catch a flight either. You might want to allow extra time to get to the port and then unfortunately sit for a while just in case.

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  • 3 months later...

Thanks for posting. This was a helpful thread! I received our boarding time of 3:30 today, out of New York. Our plan will be to stay at the hotel as long as possible, and grab a light lunch. Then head to the dock. With a group of 7 including 4 kids and my mom, preventing hypoglycemia in case there is a wait is the most important. I figure we will still probably arrive by 2 or so. My excitement is palpable now that I have embarkation details! Our balcony is starboard, so hoping we have some fun views right from the room, although we plan to go up to for embarkation!

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We were transferred to Brooklyn from our hotel last year and arrived at 12.30 to find that everyone else had the same idea. Boarding took over two hours. The staff blamed it on people ignoring their assigned time.

 

 

Thanks. I think we're going to plan to stay at hotel till one (with late check-out) and then transfer over. Then I can feed the kids (and myself!) before we head over. And hopefully the "early rush" will be complete!

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