Arrival times

[StolidCruiser]

9 hours ago, groundloop said:

 

 

I'm wondering about the really late check in times, say 2:00 or 2:30 (when departure time is scheduled for 4:00).  My guess is that those folks can walk on without much wait and head straight to their cabins, but I've never boarded anywhere near that late so don't really have a clue.

Your guess would be correct.

 

As has been said, embarkation snafus can really put a damper on that overriding desire to get a vacation started as soon as possible.  If embarkation goes smoothly, you’ve accomplished your goal.  If it goes haywire, you’ve started tour vacation miserably.

 

Although it may be a hard mindset to break, I did and found my vacation starts as soon as I board… much later in the day (after the desperados corral up and wait) when I can breeze though registration, saunter on board, go to my stateroom and then head off to the fun.

 

Everyone is different and has different objectives, tolerances and motivation.  Consider all sides and then do what feels right for you to have a fantastic cruise right out of the gate.

[StolidCruiser]

2 hours ago, crooooze said:

We got the the Galveston port a few mins before 10 for a 10:00-10:30 check-in time (Uber was quicker than anticipated)  We were shocked at the huge crowd (probably hundreds) already on the line. As we zig-zagged, we also notice several people ahead of us holding boarding passes with check in times after 11:00. It took about 50 mins to get through the security and check-in process until we got to sit down in the waiting area.

 

Apparently everyone was just as anxious to get off the ship. We headed to the P&D priority disembarkation point (dining room) at 8am per the notice left in our room. When we got there at 8, it was jammed packed full - just about every seat taken.

 

These experiences just drive the mindset that you must get there much earlier.

…. or much later.

[jsglow]

Our experience in late August on Sunrise.

 

- Had an 11a slot, perfectly fine.

- Got a phone call from Carnival the evening before asking all cruisers to delay one hour (so noon for us)

- Checked out of our hotel precisely at 11a and didn't hurry about getting our Uber.  Arrived port about 11:45 and were ushered through the process.  Once inside, noticed no boarding was actually taking place.  We'd completed all the necessary check ins by about 12 or 12:15.  Sat for maybe 30 minutes tops.

- Actual boarding started maybe 12:45 and we were on before 1p.  By 2p, nobody was still arriving at the terminal.

- We later learned that some positive Covid crew had exited the ship that morning.  Perhaps the reason for the slight delay.

[snowballs mom]

When sailing on a different cruise line out of Port Everglades, we were stuck in an hour long traffic backup due to changes in port security. We ended up at check in around 1:30 (it had opened at 11). We were the only passengers there and breezed right through.