check in time on app

[ROBINBIRDIE66]

Hi all,

First cruise in 3 years, and boy have things changed!  

So, we now have to check in on the app 45 days before the cruise.  I'm hearing stories of people logging on at exactly 12:01 am of the day of check in - is that really when the check in process opens?  Is it 12:01 EST, or 12:01 in whatever time zone you are in?

What happens if I select a time of 11, but arrive late (flight comes in that morning) - do I just go direct to port and apologize for tardiness?

Also heard that you can log on, start the check in process just to secure your time, then finish it up later - has anyone done this?

What exactly do you need to complete the check in process?  Used to be:  passport, credit card, flight info.  Do we now need to upload photos of our vax cards?

Thank you all for your sharing of knowledge - I'm an anxious control freak so just looking for some insights on what I need to do.

Happy cruising to all!

Robin 

[LeeW]

Check in generally at midnight 46 days at the location the ship is embarking.  For Florida this would be Eastern time.  Seattle, Western time zone, on the 45th day before the cruise (so just after midnight on the 46th day).  Note that sometimes it doesn't get activated for a while.  Most people don't bother with that late/early and logging in that morning is fine.  My last cruise logged in 5 days later and still got second boarding time.

 

To get an arrival time on the app, you can skip all the checkin details and select your arrival time and fill in the rest later.  On web you need to put in your personal information, add passport/id info, contact info, and credit card info before doing arrival time.  Security photo can be added with either.  Vax card can be uploaded with app but not online.  Not doing flight info except for disembark, done onboard.

 

Port Canaveral is just one big line except suites/Pinnacle/key.  They don't care what time you arrive.  Long line still only took 1/2 hour last month at 12:00.  Other ports have separate lines for each time block.  If you arrive late they may let you in, or have you go to the end of the current block being processed.

 

Even if you upload passport, vax card and security photo they will likely do them again at the port.

[Mum2Mercury]

You're pretty well on top of things: 

- Check your reservation to know when the app will open for you.  

- Yes, if you really care about your time frame, do it at 12:01.  If you're not so fussy, do it any time.  

- Once you make the appointment, yes, you need to keep it.  It's an appointment.  

- No, you aren't required to complete the whole thing at once.  You can go back and edit it later.

 

Prep for your check in -- I admire efficiency: 

- Take a picture of your vaccination card 

- Take a picture of your passport or birth certificate 

- Take a picture of yourself

- Have your credit card ready 

 

When you log in, here's what you'll be asked -- you can easily do this all in 5 minutes, if you have gathered your materials and taken pictures ahead of time:  

- Basic info:  name, birthdate, gender, Crown & Anchor number, home address, email address, phone

- Upload a picture of your vaxx card AND fill in your vaxx dates /booster dates 

- Upload a picture of your travel documents (passport or birth certificate)

- Upload a picture of yourself.

- Emergency contact information:  name and phone 

- Fill in the information for the credit card you want to use onboard -- different family members may use different cards.

- Acknowledge that you've read the Cruise Contract & the Health Acknowledgement.  You really should go back and read this later. 

- Finally, choose your arrival time.

 

Note that you must do this for each individual who's cruising you.  Each person's information must be entered, and each person must choose an arrival time.  Only the credit card information offers to "transfer" to additional people on your account.  

 

When this is done, your account will show a box for each person -- along with a spot to click to print that person's Set Sail Pass and Luggage Tags.  You'll see a pencil next to your name, which will allow you to return to the app /edit details; for example, we've put everything in, but we haven't yet taken our own pictures -- we can still go back and do that.  

 

You'll have to return to the app a day or two before your cruise to complete the last-minute health information.  

[GTO-Girl]

22 minutes ago, LeeW said:

 

Port Canaveral is just one big line except suites/Pinnacle/key.  They don't care what time you arrive.  Long line still only took 1/2 hour last month at 12:00.  Other ports have separate lines for each time block.  If you arrive late they may let you in, or have you go to the end of the current block being processed.

We just sailed out of Canaveral on the Harmony last week and they did care what your arrival time was.  Upon arriving you were sent to the designated time line for your reservation.

 

Our time was 10:30 and we got in line behind the Suites.  They also had marked separate lines for 11:00-11:30, 11:30-12:00 and 12:00-12:30.  Those arriving for even later times than these were told they would have to go over to the sidewalk and wait….

 

 Not sure what happened after we went in, but they were definitely checking.

[rdtpm64]

You only need to pick an arrival time day of check-in (if you want a specific time).  Everything else you can do later, or not at all.  They will check everything at the port and take your picture, even if you have already uploaded everything into the app.  They did us, anyway.  It was a waste of time to upload everything.

Edited July 25, 2022 by rdtpm64

[mom2miracles]

11 minutes ago, rdtpm64 said:

You only need to pick an arrival time day of check-in (if you want a specific time).  Everything else you can do later, or not at all.  They will check everything at the port and take your picture, even if you have already uploaded everything into the app.  They did us, anyway.  It was a waste of time to upload everything.

 

I think the main point is for your credit card info and who can have access to it in your party on the ship so you don't have to waste time in line at Guest Services AND to ensure your vaccine documents are up to date. You (not you personally, the general "you") think you are good to go and really, you aren't. I would much rather find out when they don't clear my vaccine info early to be able to try and sort out the issue rather than at the port and getting turned away. 

 

OP, you're a brave BRAVE soul for flying in the day the ship leaves, especially with the mass amounts of delays at airports. 

 

Most ports do care about arrival time, but more so being early than late. 

 

Also, don't forget (incase you deal with delays) embarkation stops at least 90 minutes prior to sailing, so if you get that after that, they will not let you on the ship. 

[rdtpm64]

1 minute ago, mom2miracles said:

 

I think the main point is for your credit card info and who can have access to it in your party on the ship so you don't have to waste time in line at Guest Services AND to ensure your vaccine documents are up to date. You (not you personally, the general "you") think you are good to go and really, you aren't. I would much rather find out when they don't clear my vaccine info early to be able to try and sort out the issue rather than at the port and getting turned away. 

 

OP, you're a brave BRAVE soul for flying in the day the ship leaves, especially with the mass amounts of delays at airports. 

 

Most ports do care about arrival time, but more so being early than late. 

 

Also, don't forget (incase you deal with delays) embarkation stops at least 90 minutes prior to sailing, so if you get that after that, they will not let you on the ship. 

They asked for all of that while we were in line to board.  Passport (took a picture of it), took our picture, checked vaccination status (and took pictures of vaccine cards), asked for credit card and scanned it.  Everything.  It truly did not matter to them that we had already uploaded all that stuff.  This was at Port Everglades in Ft Lauderdale on the Allure in April.  And they were doing this for everyone in every line around us.  I guess uploading it might inform you of issues ahead of time, but in our case it was a waste of time as we knew our documentation was in order.  They could shorten the time to get on board if they would just use the information uploaded ahead of time.

[mom2miracles]

On 7/25/2022 at 5:31 PM, rdtpm64 said:

They asked for all of that while we were in line to board.  Passport (took a picture of it), took our picture, checked vaccination status (and took pictures of vaccine cards), asked for credit card and scanned it.  Everything.  It truly did not matter to them that we had already uploaded all that stuff.  This was at Port Everglades in Ft Lauderdale on the Allure in April.  And they were doing this for everyone in every line around us.  I guess uploading it might inform you of issues ahead of time, but in our case it was a waste of time as we knew our documentation was in order.  They could shorten the time to get on board if they would just use the information uploaded ahead of time.

 

We've been on three cruises this year, two more to go (YAY) and while yes, they do ask to see the documents at the port too, our check-in at port was beyond smooth and it took no time at all to check our information. We stay in Suites though, so perhaps that is why our check-ins are faster and so smooth? I don't know. I guess I just look at it as a helpful tool incase there was an issue. I would be pretty upset to fly to the port (hell, fly to another Country) only to find out my documents weren't in order and be refused boarding. 

 

I do agree 100% that if they just used the documents they ask for on the app, it would make things a lot smoother. I hate carrying around all of that paperwork and worrying about misplacing something before I even get to the port. That part is always the most stressful.

[Mum2Mercury]

On 7/25/2022 at 5:31 PM, rdtpm64 said:

... but in our case it was a waste of time ...

It's not a waste of much time:  

 

- 5 minutes to gather your items and take pictures of them. 

- 5 minutes to enter the information into the app.  

- DONE. 

 

And it forces you to go ahead and gather your materials -- ID, vaxx cards -- so you're not scrambling around last minute.  

Edited July 28, 2022 by Mum2Mercury