Earliest Boarding Time on Ruby Princess

[DUC950]

Sailing on the Ruby Princess Feb 3 and would like to know what the earliest time we can board. I know Princess says 12:30 but have sailed RCCL and Celebrity and was able to board earlier than 12:30.

[HJH]

Usually the earliest time is about 11:30, but never a guarantee on a given cruise.

[Rottweiler Puppy]

Sailing on the Ruby Princess Feb 3 and would like to know what the earliest time we can board. I know Princess says 12:30 but have sailed RCCL and Celebrity and was able to board earlier than 12:30.

 

I went in November. We got there at 10:45 with not too many people there, (maybe 150 there) and we all STOOD in line until 12:30 sharp. No where to sit. Everyone standing for about 2 hours. It was kind of dumb. It was a great cruise but embarkation at the port was pretty stupid. Might be the ports fault, might be Princess, I dont know.

[paul929207]

Usually starts between 11:30 and noon

[Pia1913]

Sailing on the Ruby Princess Feb 3 and would like to know what the earliest time we can board. I know Princess says 12:30 but have sailed RCCL and Celebrity and was able to board earlier than 12:30.

 

Priority boarding usually starts at 11:45. Were you able to go directly to your cabin on RCI and Celeb? On Princess your cabins are accessible immediately. I understand the other lines do not allow you in until 1:00 or later.

[toberman]

I went in November. We got there at 10:45 with not too many people there, (maybe 150 there) and we all STOOD in line until 12:30 sharp. No where to sit. Everyone standing for about 2 hours. It was kind of dumb.

 

Usually starts between 11:30 and noon

 

I've had the same experience as Paul... sometimes a little earlier, but not much, so don't plan to be there too early.

 

As for it being dumb!! Not really, If?? people understand what's happening.. they have to get people out of the terminal before allowing others in. Plus, unlike some of the other 'lines' - on Princess, your room will be ready for you when they let you board... not carrying luggage around trying to get lunch etc.

[GrinTo]

Do you think 1pm-1:30 is too late to arrive at the terminal? or is this better to avoid line-ups.

[Rottweiler Puppy]

I've had the same experience as Paul... sometimes a little earlier, but not much, so don't plan to be there too early.

 

As for it being dumb!! Not really, If?? people understand what's happening.. they have to get people out of the terminal before allowing others in. Plus, unlike some of the other 'lines' - on Princess, your room will be ready for you when they let you board... not carrying luggage around trying to get lunch etc.

 

Eh it was still dumb lol. Lots of folks were starting to complain but like I said it might have been the port not having anywhere for folks to sit unlike Miami where a few hundred can sit at least.

[caribill]

Do you think 1pm-1:30 is too late to arrive at the terminal? or is this better to avoid line-ups.

 

Definitely not too late.

[josiemartinez]

Before I went on a Carnival (ahem) cruise Nov 2012, I received an e-mail stating not to come to the port (Miami) until after 12:30 PM. Finally arrived around 1:00 PM and was on board ship before 1:30 PM if not earlier. There were no major crowds (boy, you should have seen the crowd checking into Norwegian - out of the terminal and around the corner) so I'm glad I waited and check in was IMO speedy. I was in no hurry and the later boarding time allowed me to go to Winn Dixie in the morning to buy water and soda. After 11 cruises I'm finally catching on! LOL!! This is my first Princess cruise (I sailed on Carnival, Celebrity and RC) so I'm looking forward to the experience. Will be sailing on March 10th.

 

Happy Cruiser!

[dmwnc1959]

I went in November. We got there at 10:45 with not too many people there, (maybe 150 there) and we all STOOD in line until 12:30 sharp. No where to sit. Everyone standing for about 2 hours. It was kind of dumb. It was a great cruise but embarkation at the port was pretty stupid. Might be the ports fault, might be Princess, I dont know.

 

Same experience on the Dec. 9th sailing. I was coming off the Allure of the Seas and doing a B2B with Ruby Princess, so after disembarking the first ship headed to the second ship arriving around 9:45am. After standing outside until about 10:30am they let us in. There was a rush of people (about 100+ were in line by then) only to be stopped by some little guy handing out the 'have you been sick lately' forms that MUST be filled out before proceeding. There was a scramble for ink pens and then the check-in counters. Once that was done everyone was seated in long rows of continuous seats (like you see at the airport). When they filled up, the ailses filled up, then those in the aisles where told to go stand along the walls in the back. Then that filled up, then the ailses filled up again. There were several unofficial 'lines' (standing in the aisles) of Elite and Platinum passengers that begin boarding just after 12pm, the rest of us around 12:15pm. I was in my room by 12:25pm. It was chaos in the embarkation hall, and not the 'controlled chaos' that is often associated with Embarkation Day. It was just a mess by any standard. Had I not been doing a B2B, instead coming from a hotel, I probably would have arranged with for later check-out and arrived at the pier after 12:30pm.

[tanzer22pilot]

Same experience on the Dec. 9th sailing. I was coming off the Allure of the Seas and doing a B2B with Ruby Princess, so after disembarking the first ship headed to the second ship arriving around 9:45am. After standing outside until about 10:30am they let us in. There was a rush of people (about 100+ were in line by then) only to be stopped by some little guy handing out the 'have you been sick lately' forms that MUST be filled out before proceeding. There was a scramble for ink pens and then the check-in counters. Once that was done everyone was seated in long rows of continuous seats (like you see at the airport). When they filled up, the ailses filled up, then those in the aisles where told to go stand along the walls in the back. Then that filled up, then the ailses filled up again. There were several unofficial 'lines' (standing in the aisles) of Elite and Platinum passengers that begin boarding just after 12pm, the rest of us around 12:15pm. I was in my room by 12:25pm. It was chaos in the embarkation hall, and not the 'controlled chaos' that is often associated with Embarkation Day. It was just a mess by any standard. Had I not been doing a B2B, instead coming from a hotel, I probably would have arranged with for later check-out and arrived at the pier after 12:30pm.

 

 

What port was this at?

[dmwnc1959]

What port was this at?

 

Port Everglades (Fort Lauderdale) Terminal 2 about three weeks after it re-opened post renovations.

[puttersriley]

So they don't pass out numbered cards anymore when embarking? Last cruise in 2010 we arrived at port everglades around 10:30 and were given a card w/ a number 1 on it. We were in the first group obviously. They then handed out cards w/ 2 and 3 etc. This went very smooth for us. We arrive early so we can get up to the sanctuary and make reservations

for the week. Now I need to think about my plan of action :rolleyes: if it weren't for wanting the sanctuary I would just wait until later.

[dmwnc1959]

So they don't pass out numbered cards anymore when embarking?

 

Not last month they didn't. After the Elites and Platinums boarded it basically went by those who arrived first. Somehow the embarkation staff in the terminal had a decent memory because ALL the rows were full and the rows were not filled in any particular order: instead of filling Row 1 first, Row 2 next, then Row 3 etc., the rows were filled some here and some there and some back along that wall. It was a mess.