Priority Boarding in Fort Lauderdale

[POA1]

Do 4 star Mariners check in at this same location?

 

Yes.

[imae39]

Thanks for info. We just became 4 star after our 14 day cruise last week on the Maasdam. Looking for the Nov. 28 roll call for Zuiderdam I see you have started one. We will be on it, too. You are in S. FL - where? We will be coming from Homosassa FL.

[POA1]

Thanks for info. We just became 4 star after our 14 day cruise last week on the Maasdam. Looking for the Nov. 28 roll call for Zuiderdam I see you have started one. We will be on it, too. You are in S. FL - where? We will be coming from Homosassa FL.

 

Fort Lauderdale. We're pretty close to the port. (See photo below of the Westerdam taken from where we're at.) To say that cruising from here is convenient is a bit of an understatement.

 

[imae39]

POA1 what is your preferred route to the port with all the construction going on? When we went March 28 we drove from Sleep Inn in Dania Beach where we stayed one night taking highway 1 to SR 84 and turned right. What a traffic jam - complete grid lock backing onto 1 because of many tanker truck entering the port. Finally made it!

[Randyk47]

Last time we boarded at Ft Lauderdale it was a bit of a zoo. No issues getting through check in and getting our "S" boarding card but once they actually announced boarding it was like a human "fire hosing" as folks pressed and rushed to get on. Mrs. K got pushed in the back by somebody and bounced up against me or she would have gone down. It was a bit like "God for us all and every man for himself". :rolleyes::)

[PathfinderEss]

Fort Lauderdale. We're pretty close to the port. (See photo below of the Westerdam taken from where we're at.) To say that cruising from here is convenient is a bit of an understatement.

 

POA you are a very lucky cruiser............:D:D:D

[RJ2002]

We were in a Neptune Suite on the Noordam at the very end of February, sailing out of Port Everglades. Here's the basic procedure:

 

1) Drop your bags with the porters.

 

2) Enter the terminal, fill out the CDC form, have your carry on bags scanned, and check in your carry on wine bottles (if applicable.)

 

3) Get in the Neptune Suites line. (It's well marked, but there is a person to direct traffic.)

 

4) Check in, get your room keys, and have your ID photo taken. You will receive a boarding card to indicate that you are in a suite.

 

5) The Penthouse / Pinnacle Suite and disabled guests will board first. Neptune Suite guests will be next.

 

6) Take the escalator or elevator up to the boarding level.

 

7) Board ship. Drop carry on bags in your suite.

 

8) Vacation.

 

We usually try to time our arrival for around 11:15 am. You don't want to be there too much earlier - unless you enjoy sitting in terminals. ;)

 

Thank you. I especially like step #8. :D

[POA1]

POA1 what is your preferred route to the port with all the construction going on? When we went March 28 we drove from Sleep Inn in Dania Beach where we stayed one night taking highway 1 to SR 84 and turned right. What a traffic jam - complete grid lock backing onto 1 because of many tanker truck entering the port. Finally made it!

 

We're on the other side of the harbor, so we come in on Eisenhower Blvd. That's the road at the west end of the 17th Street Causeway. It's not the commercial end of the port, so you don't have the truck traffic.

 

I'm not sure that makes sense from Dania Beach or anywhere south of the airport. I think that the I-595 entrance is better than FL 84, but I can't vouch for that, not having gone that way into Port Everglades since before the airport project started.

 

To get to Eisenhower Blvd, you would take US 1 North to SE 17th Street (A1A) and turn right. You would then take SE 17th Street to the foot or the causeway bridge and make a right at the Walgreens. You're on Eisenhower Blvd at that point, but I don't know if the extra driving is worth it if you're coming from south of Lauderdale. From where we live, it's a pretty direct shot to the Eisenhower Blvd entrance to the port. When we boarded the Noordam, it was less than 15 minutes, door.

 

Until the airport construction is completed in late 2015, it will be much easier to get into the port from the SE 17th Street / Fort Lauderdale beach side of the port.

[POA1]

POA you are a very lucky cruiser............:D:D:D

 

Yes, but ironically, we only cruise every other year. This will be the first time we had two cruises in a single year, ever. You'd think we'd take advantage of all the last minute deals, but noooooo. We're just not that bright. :rolleyes:

[Krazy Kruizers]

We were in a Neptune Suite on the Noordam at the very end of February, sailing out of Port Everglades. Here's the basic procedure:

 

1) Drop your bags with the porters.

 

2) Enter the terminal, fill out the CDC form, have your carry on bags scanned, and check in your carry on wine bottles (if applicable.)

 

3) Get in the Neptune Suites line. (It's well marked, but there is a person to direct traffic.)

 

4) Check in, get your room keys, and have your ID photo taken. You will receive a boarding card to indicate that you are in a suite.

 

5) The Penthouse / Pinnacle Suite and disabled guests will board first. Neptune Suite guests will be next.

 

6) Take the escalator or elevator up to the boarding level.

 

7) Board ship. Drop carry on bags in your suite.

 

8) Vacation.

 

We usually try to time our arrival for around 11:15 am. You don't want to be there too much earlier - unless you enjoy sitting in terminals. ;)

 

 

For those in the Neptune Suites -- if your cabin is not ready, you can leave your carry-ons in the Neptune Lounge. Just be certain to lock all bags.

[kazu]

BrightyB, I boarded the Westerdam on 2 December 2012 and it was amazing just how fast we were checked in and up the elevator to the Suite/Handicap waiting area!!! Super fast:)

 

Only teeny complaint with the newly renovated terminal was that the poor guys and ladies did not know where to set up the refreshments before we boarded the ship, but hey, I am not really not complaining as I knew this was a learning curve:)

 

I talked with many of you ladies prior to embarking on the Nieuw Amsterdam just one week before (25 November 2012) and do not know if you were one of them that I told, but you ladies and Mark are famous around the world!! We listen to you on the Port Everglades Web Cam's Harbor Traffic (I think it is the VF channel but not positive.) Anyway we listen to you really enjoy learning and listening.

 

My hats off to all of you and will be looking forward to actually meeting you on 29 November as we prepare to board the Zuiderdam:)

 

Joanie

 

Off topic IRL, but I noticed your signature had changed:confused:

 

should I be taking you off the future cruise listing for the Westerdam cruise on April 11, 2015??????