Boarding Time Thoughts

[awhitleycrew]

Ok here's my update on our cruise:

So we had 1-1:30 for boarding in New Orleans.  Wouldn't you know it we experience no traffic and easily drive straight to the port parking deck!  When I tip the luggage porter he points us to a premier parking spot and we get to the embarkation area super fast (like 11:30).  That's when it all goes downhill.  We've never been to the NOLA port and I must say compared to Galveston it was so confusing.  There was very little signage and there were lost/confused passengers everywhere. There were huge lines (I know we are there early so I was prepared to wait), but what I wasn't expecting was the lack of directions and the rudeness of the Carnival port staff.  Guests would get yelled at for being in the wrong line when they only way we knew where to be was by asking other guests.  Come to find out everything was running behind and slow.  It took forever to go through the boarding process and most of the staff didn't really seem to care or try to help things go faster. (not everyone but a large percentage of them)  I guess it's just how things are most everywhere now days......  Anyway, we didn't even get on the ship until probably 2 so we did go straight to our room.  After that everything was fine.  Debarkation was better but guests still got yelled at for going the wrong way. haha  

Sorry that was so long but wanted to explain it some.  

My takeaway....if I had to do it over again I would have picked 11am and if we got there at 1 we would just load then.  At least they would have let us start the process without yelling at us. haha.  I didn't like the stress of driving straight to port and it made us tired when we got there so whenever possible we will come the night before like we do in Galveston.  I don't know if it was a one time thing but we liked the Galveston port experiences much better, but that may be because they were preCovid.  

On the ship most everything was close to normal, except we could tell they are still short staffed (I sat through a Q&A and they said they still were) and it is very hard to understand the waiters in the main dining room through their accent and mask. Also I think our ship, the Valor, was pretty much at capacity. 

 I pray when we cruise next summer masks will be gone.  And the stress of the precruise Covid tests! 

[DrSea]

Just pick the earliest time and just arrive later. That way, if you arrive early, then you can get in. If you arrive late, then no worries bc your time has already been called. It's a win-win to get an earlier time.

 

I am chronically late and almost never arrive at the designated time.

[awhitleycrew]

DrSea I agree.  I will just pick the earliest time available from now on and if I get there later than my chosen time it won't be that big of a deal.....just as long as I get on! haha  Waiting outside in never ending lines while carrying around packs of sodas, a carry on bag with 2 bottles of wine and Cpap machines wasn't fun to say the least! 

[Eli_6]

@awhitleycrew I have always had pretty good experiences at Galveston with boarding, too, and never had to wait a ridiculous amount of time.