Latest reasonable time to board Ruby Princess to Alaska

[kdowneymd]

We are on the July 8 sailing rt Seattle to Alaska. We will arrive in Seattle on July 7 from NYC. I was thinking of doing some touring the morning of the 8th, eating an early lunch at the Market and heading to the pier at 1:30-2:00 PM. This is our first Princess cruise so we cannot be at the beginning of any boarding groups. Will the crowds have thinned at that point? I would prefer to view Chihuly than wait in line if at all possible. Thank-you for any information.

[Colo Cruiser]

We are on the July 8 sailing rt Seattle to Alaska. We will arrive in Seattle on July 7 from NYC. I was thinking of doing some touring the morning of the 8th, eating an early lunch at the Market and heading to the pier at 1:30-2:00 PM. This is our first Princess cruise so we cannot be at the beginning of any boarding groups. Will the crowds have thinned at that point? I would prefer to view Chihuly than wait in line if at all possible. Thank-you for any information.

 

 

Should be a tad quieter......

I would say go for it anyway. IMO....I would not want to arrive any later than that.

[kdowneymd]

What would be your concern about later say 2:30? Is muster at 3:00?

[fishywood]

Princess does not enforce staggered boarding, the times communicated to you are just a guide/suggestion to thin out the crowds a bit.

Arriving at the pier around 1:30 you should be able to check in fairly quickly and then walk right up the gangway, no waiting for a boarding group to be called.

The "latest" time to arrive is usually given as 90 minutes before sailaway. But don't even think about cutting it that close; if sailaway is at 5:00 your plans are fine; if at 4:00 you need to account for any possible delays when deciding what time to head to the pier.

[Thrak]

Don't try to cut it too close. It would be a real shame to arrive shortly before sail away and be told you are too late to board. Don't trust traffic.

[Colo Cruiser]

What would be your concern about later say 2:30? Is muster at 3:00?

 

2:30 would be good.

Muster is usually 30-45 minutes prior to sailaway.

90 minutes prior to departure would be the latest to board IMO.

[kdowneymd]

Check-in on my cruise planner shows 1:00-3:00 PM, so I believe my 2:00 PM plan looks good. I agree nothing worse than sitting in traffic and hoping that very thing works out. At the same time, having cruised a number of times, lunch on board the first day is no longer a draw. Thank-you for your quick responses

[skynight]

This is what Princess states in the Passage Contract

"(iv) Arrive at least two hours before the scheduled or amended sailing time and have with You all required documentation. Attach a completed Princess Cruises luggage tag to each piece of baggage."

I believe that at U.S. ports Princess is required to provide the authorities with the passenger manifest one hour prior to sailing. Since it does take some to put together the manifest one would think that check ins any later then 90 mins. before sailing would be difficult.

The muster drill is always before sailing, and usually around 30 to 45 mins, before.

[Working 2 Cruise]

Departures from Seattle are 4:00 p.m. I would NOT be comfortable with a 2:30 planned arrival at the port. Too many things can go wrong. I would plan on being at the port no later than 1:30. Missing the ship wouldn't be fun.

[ggprincess2004]

Based on a 4 pm sailing time, I would recommend being at the pier no later than 2, so if you wrap things up in time to arrive by then you should be fine.

[kdowneymd]

We wil, plan to be there by 2:00 PM. But given that the Princess site specifically states boarding from 1-3 PM , I find it highly unlikely that anyone arriving prior to 3:00 PM could be denied boarding.

It is not helpful for anyone to share their personal fears without facts

[Colo Cruiser]

We wil, plan to be there by 2:00 PM. But given that the Princess site specifically states boarding from 1-3 PM , I find it highly unlikely that anyone arriving prior to 3:00 PM could be denied boarding.

It is not helpful for anyone to share their personal fears without facts

 

 

 

Seriously?

How do you know how many times any of the posters giving you answers sailed out of Seattle? :(

We have.....many times.

[denatravels]

 

It is not helpful for anyone to share their personal fears without facts

 

 

Ok-- here are some facts-- there might be traffic. If you plan for the last minute arrival and run into a glitch, you could be denied boarding.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[notentirelynormal]

Don't try to cut it too close. It would be a real shame to arrive shortly before sail away and be told you are too late to board. Don't trust traffic.

 

NEVER trust traffic in Seattle.

[kdowneymd]

I understand traffic is never a known commodity. I deal with it daily in New York City and getting to our airports is always an unknown commodity, and NYC is quite a bit larger than Seattle. However, I was looking for factual information not personal concerns.

[kdowneymd]

Colo cruiser, are you personally knowledgeable of passengers being denied boarding who arrived at the pier prior to 3:00 PM

[kdowneymd]

Denatravels "there might be traffic " is not a fact

[neverbeenhere]

Under normal conditions, you would not be denied boarding if you were "at the gate" at 3pm for a 4pm departure. But, if you "show-up" at the terminal area at 3pm and think that you can take your time sidling into the terminal, you might be denied entry.

 

Above is under normal conditions. If a large group is late for the cruise, the time will likely be extended. BUT if there is some security "crap" going down... don't bet on getting on after 3pm.

 

 

Yes, I know a couple who were denied boarding for being late.

Edited May 19, 2017 by neverbeenhere

[Colo Cruiser]

Colo cruiser, are you personally knowledgeable of passengers being denied boarding who arrived at the pier prior to 3:00 PM

 

 

Where did I say you would be denied boarding?

 

Obviously you are looking for validation.

 

You are not getting the answer you want so show up when you want.

[VibeGuy]

I'm local. I've sailed from Seattle roughly a dozen times on Princess and I used to live on the hillside to the northwest of the pier. You'll be sailing on a Saturday, not the middle of the workweek. Of course you should do some touring and have lunch at the Market. Personally, I would suggest Steelhead Diner.

 

If you've completed the Personalizer, Princess allows you to check in up to 3:00pm. There is absolutely no reason to think you couldn't request an UberX from any downtown point by 2:00 and be at the pier by 2:45, even with the worst possible weekend traffic meltdown known to mankind. It's two miles from downtown. There are plenty of alternate routes. You aren't crossing the train tracks or a drawbridge.

[denatravels]

 

 

 

You are not getting the answer you want so show up when you want.

 

 

Seriously-- a question was asked and answered. We were just trying to be helpful and none of the answers were acceptable-- it's not my cruise, so if the ships sails without them, so be it.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Working 2 Cruise]

Seriously-- a question was asked and answered. We were just trying to be helpful and none of the answers were acceptable-- it's not my cruise, so if the ships sails without them, so be it.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

That would or will be an expensive lesson! I hope they have insurance!

[pablo222]

Thank-you for any information.

 

 

It is not helpful for anyone to share their personal fears without facts

 

But ... you said you wanted 'any information'?

 

As no one can provide a factual answer to a future event, just go whenever you want.

[alolewis]

We did exactly that on our Princess cruise from Seattle. Took an early flight from San Francisco to Seattle, did some tourist stuff in Pioneer Square, had lunch on the waterfront and then took the city bus to the pier. This was in August 2014. At that time we gave our luggage to a Princess rep at Seattle airport who transferred it to the ship for a small fee, I think it was about $5 a bag, not sure if they still do that. Took Lightrail from airport to Downtown. We got to the terminal about 1:30 or so, if my memory is correct, and no lines or wait. The Chihuly exhibit is great but does take some time.

[kdowneymd]

Vibe Guy, thank-you so much for your answer! Very helpful. Thinking 1:30 Uber. I really have no desire to cut it close but will definitely appreciate some time in the city. Thank-you for the lunch recommendation:)