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How is Check-in in Miami?

Sprucetree

By Sprucetree,
in Florida Departures

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Sprucetree

Sprucetree

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This will be my first cruise out of Miami. My other cruise home ports were Seattle and Vancouver and boarding was horrendous. There were long, long lines and in the case of Vancouver, once you got to the check in area, while you were able to finally sit in a chair, the wait to board was very long.

 

I'm looking forward to the cruise, but dreading the check in process.

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Warm Breezes

Warm Breezes

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We had our easiest boarding ever in Miami on our Destiny Cruise. SAS picked us up at 11:00 at our Embassy Suites hotel in FLL. We arrived at the port at 11:30. There was absolutely no lines. I couldn't believe my eyes. We checked our luggage with the porter. Walked up to the counter for S&S cards and we were on the ship within 15 minutes. I would have no qualms about sailing out of Miami again...

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girlscruise2011

girlscruise2011

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I was in Miami on November 2010 and got through the process very fast. Was there about 11am and on the Lido deck before 12. I'm going out of Miami again in October and looking forward to it since this time I am VIP, I'm planning on arriving early and be on the boat by 11.

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Langley Cruisers

Langley Cruisers

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Have sailed out of Miami several times and the only time there was an issue of lines is when boarding was delayed due to a Noro virum outbreak the prior sailing. The ship was being cleaned and disinfected, thus boarding was delayed. But no big deal.

 

Miami is fine. Please try to relax and enjoy every moment - you can't do anything about it anyway as it's out of your control. My advice is to stop worrying, and to "pick your battles". :) Stressing about check in is not something I would advise you to worry about.

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Keith1010 "Live from...." Rare

Keith1010

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This will be my first cruise out of Miami. My other cruise home ports were Seattle and Vancouver and boarding was horrendous. There were long, long lines and in the case of Vancouver, once you got to the check in area, while you were able to finally sit in a chair, the wait to board was very long.

 

I'm looking forward to the cruise, but dreading the check in process.

 

Two factors. One is how many ships are in port that day but more importantly which cruise line.

 

What date are you embarking?

 

Keith

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dmwnc1959

dmwnc1959

Posted
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THANKS for starting this thread! I will be boarding in Miami for the first time in a decade aboard the Celebrity Millennium for a 10-nt B2B. There will be 5 ships in that day so it should be fun! I plan on getting over there around 10:30 to avoid the initial crush of guests checking in. I can sit there afterwards and text everyone I made it ok and send some last minute emails before embarkation begins.

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Sprucetree

Sprucetree

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Miami moves along pretty quickly. The kiosks are nice and tend to move things along quicker than manned desks, IMO.

 

Huh? Kiosks? OK, never having experienced anything other than manned desks, I'd like more info about the kiosks. Is this like the grocery story where if you get in the wrong line, you have a longer wait - or is it where you stand in one line and you get the next available kiosks? Or??

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C Cruise Dude

C Cruise Dude

Posted
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This will be my first cruise out of Miami. My other cruise home ports were Seattle and Vancouver and boarding was horrendous. There were long, long lines and in the case of Vancouver, once you got to the check in area, while you were able to finally sit in a chair, the wait to board was very long.

 

I'm looking forward to the cruise, but dreading the check in process.

 

I have departed Miami 3 times and Canaveral twice. I found them to be the same except for the buildings. The check in areas were nicer on one or two than the others. The lines were long but the process never took more than one hour if that. :cool:

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elcuchio24

elcuchio24

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Huh? Kiosks? OK, never having experienced anything other than manned desks, I'd like more info about the kiosks. Is this like the grocery story where if you get in the wrong line, you have a longer wait - or is it where you stand in one line and you get the next available kiosks? Or??

 

How they have it set up now at POM, you wait in line to go through security, once you do that you go and wait in another line to get to the kiosks. There are maybe....8 or them. You walk up to the kiosk and it will prompt you what to do, you'll need to swipe your passport and creditcard and it will pull up all your info and set up your S&S card. Keep in mind, there are carnival reps all around so that if you get stuck or can't figure out how to do something they will be right there to help. Once you're done with the kiosk, it'll give you a little reciept and you give to a ccl rep at the next desk, they give you your S&S card. Then you're off, up the stairs for the stupid embarkation picture, onto the ship.

 

I've found the whole process much quicker now with the kiosks.

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oceanseagle12

oceanseagle12

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How they have it set up now at POM, you wait in line to go through security, once you do that you go and wait in another line to get to the kiosks. There are maybe....8 or them. You walk up to the kiosk and it will prompt you what to do, you'll need to swipe your passport and creditcard and it will pull up all your info and set up your S&S card. Keep in mind, there are carnival reps all around so that if you get stuck or can't figure out how to do something they will be right there to help. Once you're done with the kiosk, it'll give you a little reciept and you give to a ccl rep at the next desk, they give you your S&S card. Then you're off, up the stairs for the stupid embarkation picture, onto the ship.

 

I've found the whole process much quicker now with the kiosks.

 

Are the kiosks just for Carnival, or do the other lines have them as well?

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elcuchio24

elcuchio24

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I also was about to ask. I will be on NCL.

 

They did have them for NCL, can't speak on the rest. Never been on celebrity out of MIA and the last time I was on RCL out of POM was several years ago before anyone was using the kiosks.

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