Online Check in time?

[Tiffany18]

I've searched (many word combinations) to find the answer to my question and no luck. What is the earliest time I can check in online with Carnival? Do the time slots fill up quickly? Also a side question. Does Carnival typically start boarding at 11am? (I know there are many factors that can cause this time to change)

[shof515]

check in opens at midnight eastern time

depending on the port, boarding can be begin as early as 1130

Edited June 30, 2019 by shof515

[joepeka]

The online check-in window opens 90 days prior to the departure date at midnight. As to boarding time, it can vary depending on the port and conditions of the prior cruise.

Edited June 30, 2019 by joepeka

[RWolver672]

Log in to the Carnival site and under "Planner" it will give you the exact date that you can check in.  As others have said, at midnight that day, you can do it. The time slots do go fast.  

 

As you  mentioned, boarding time is impossible to judge ahead of time.  It seems like the Vista class has been boarding later because it takes so long to clear the previous weeks passengers.

[maryred]

As stated you can start your online check-in at 12:00:01am Eastern time on the 90 day mark prior to the cruise, and it closes out for edits and reprints at 11:59:59pm Eastern time the night before embarkation. 

In general the earliest listed Arrival Appointment time does roughly coincide with the boarding of the Wedding party, with the first wave of Priority passengers boarding 10-20 minutes later. At many ports Priority passengers are allowed in the terminal for inprocessing about 1 hour prior to that time. 

On average priority boarding will start about: 

For small and medium ships about 3-3.5 hours after docking

For Dream Class ships about 3.5-4 hours after docking

For Vista Class ships about 4-5 hours after docking

Of course these general times can be thrown off by special inspections, or medical (or legal) problems concerning departing passengers.

Timing for general boarding will depend greatly on the number of priority passengers that show up early, as the priority lounge and FttF section needs to be cleared before they start zone boarding. Priority passengers that arrive after their section of priority boarding has begun will proceed to board upon completion of in person check-in.

[TNcruising02]

Boarding time always varies.  When I cruised out of Baltimore, it was after 11:30.  When I cruised out of Port Everglades recently on the Magic, they started boarding suite passengers around 10:38 and FTTF passengers at 10:50.  I had FTTf and while I was walking through the line to board, they called out zones A1 and A2.

For my cruise on the Breeze in September, I checked in online right after midnight at the 90 day point and got boarding zone A01 and appointment time 11:30 am to 12:00.

Edited July 1, 2019 by TNcruising02

[Tiffany18]

• Thank you all so much! I just checked into my cruise right when it opened and got the 11:30-12 time slot!