Epic - How Early Can You Board?

[dkny330]

Less than two weeks from our first trip on the Epic. Arriving the night before and wondering how early we can board the ship. The Epic will be returning from its transatlantic voyage, so not sure if that impacts boarding time. Thanks!

[anthem]

Usually just before noon. Sometimes as early as 11am. Do a search on here, its been asked and answered many many times.

[Cruisin&Relaxin]

Less than two weeks from our first trip on the Epic. Arriving the night before and wondering how early we can board the ship. The Epic will be returning from its transatlantic voyage, so not sure if that impacts boarding time. Thanks!

 

Can you please tell us what port you are talking about and the scheduled arrival time of the Epic?

 

These would be critical pieces of info for us to know to assist you.

[dkny330]

The ship is leaving from the Port of Miami returning from its transatlantic voyage. Not sure how to find out what time its arriving. Thanks for your help!

[Cruisin&Relaxin]

The ship is leaving from the Port of Miami returning from its transatlantic voyage. Not sure how to find out what time its arriving. Thanks for your help!

 

I believe it will arrive from the trans-atlantic at 8 am. The departure out of Miami is at 4 pm. You will likely be starting embarkation sometime between 11 am to Noon.

[anthem]

The ship is leaving from the Port of Miami returning from its transatlantic voyage. Not sure how to find out what time its arriving. Thanks for your help!

 

It doesn't really matter. The departure time is the same, which means its arrival time is going to be nominally very close. It will be in miami early am, passengers will disembark on generally the same schedule and the ship will be available for VIP boarding a bit earlier than everybody else. But generally first boarders will be on board around 11:30, sometimes as early as 11 and sometimes as late as 12.

 

the transatlantic part is irrelevant in this equation as its getting in at the same time as usual and its leaving the same time as usual.

[TravelDiva88]

To piggyback on this question- how early does the building at the Port of Miami open for clearing security and filling out embarkation paperwork? I'm one of those "I pay for every second of this vacation, by golly I'm gonna enjoy it" people and I prefer to get to the port as early as possible to secure the earliest non VIP boarding.

[Seanote]

It doesn't really matter. The departure time is the same, which means its arrival time is going to be nominally very close. It will be in miami early am, passengers will disembark on generally the same schedule and the ship will be available for VIP boarding a bit earlier than everybody else. But generally first boarders will be on board around 11:30, sometimes as early as 11 and sometimes as late as 12.

 

the transatlantic part is irrelevant in this equation as its getting in at the same time as usual and its leaving the same time as usual.

 

This is not always the case.

When a ship first arrives at a new home port for the season, the ship’s crew and shoreside staff are not usually at peak efficiency. Transatlantic voyages also tend to have larger amounts of non-US citizens which can back things up in Immigration and Customs. As a result, it can take a longer period of time to clear and disembark the ship which then leads to delays in initial boarding.

[anthem]

This is not always the case.

When a ship first arrives at a new home port for the season, the ship’s crew and shoreside staff are not usually at peak efficiency. Transatlantic voyages also tend to have larger amounts of non-US citizens which can back things up in Immigration and Customs. As a result, it can take a longer period of time to clear and disembark the ship which then leads to delays in initial boarding.

 

I thought this to be true as well - but usually when i've been off a TA or on right after - i've noticed most cruise lines arrive EARLY to handle most of these situations. If their normal arrival is 8am, it appears that they will actually get there at 5 or 6am. That probably also gives them a lot more time for logistics etc. . But with a ship as large as the Epic, they will give themselves the largest window of opportunity for boarding as possible. They have to get 4K+ people on in approx 4 hours. I doubt they pinch that 4 hour window any if at all.

[Seanote]

I thought this to be true as well - but usually when i've been off a TA or on right after - i've noticed most cruise lines arrive EARLY to handle most of these situations. If their normal arrival is 8am, it appears that they will actually get there at 5 or 6am. That probably also gives them a lot more time for logistics etc. . But with a ship as large as the Epic, they will give themselves the largest window of opportunity for boarding as possible. They have to get 4K+ people on in approx 4 hours. I doubt they pinch that 4 hour window any if at all.

 

I wasn’t necessarily indicating that delays were the rule. But on new season itineraries (Seattle, Boston, New York and especially Vancouver come to mind), delays do happen. Hopefully, as Miami is NCL’s home, the efficiencies are probably better. However, it should be prudent to say that both embarking and disembarking passengers should anticipate the possibility of delays.