What are your recent boarding time experiences?

[CaptJerry51]

I did a search and the last thread was December 2021 on this topic.  It basically said that HAL sends communications 2 or 3 times near the sail date with new, different boarding times on each contact.

 

Those of you who have cruised recently - June, July - what has been your experience?

  How are times assigned if anybody knows?

  Is there anything that can be done to influence it?  Check in early online - first come, first served?

  Can you state a preference?  or....you just take what they give you?

  When are you first notified? and how?  

  Does higher Mariner status matter?

  

[CaptJerry51]

Bump!

 

Bueller, Bueller, anybody?

 

I assume you just take what they give you, but I would like to board in time to have lunch in the MDR, which I understand on embarkation day stops seating at 1:00 pm.

[vicd1969]

A major factor in boarding time is which port you are boarding from. Some ports have better boarding processes than others. Most places turn a blind eye if you come earlier than your official boarding time but it's not always the case I believe.

Edited August 2, 2022 by vicd1969

[CruiserBruce]

Bumped after one hour, really?

 

If you look around, there are many discussions of the boarding events recently. We boarded on July 16th, and I wrote a description. 

 

How times are assigned for boarding is an unknown. You don't get to pick a boarding time, and haven't heard there is anyway to influence your assigned boarding time. In our two experiences,  boarding time was not enforced, and my impression from other's posts is that the boarding times are not enforced. 

[CaptJerry51]

1 hour ago, CruiserBruce said:

Bumped after one hour, really?

 

Take a closer look - 21 hours.

 

[oaktreerb]

Where are you boarding?  

 

Your boarding time will be in your documents and may change.  Some cruisers with 4*or higher, Neptune Suites, Club Orange have Priority Boarding which seems to mean nothing these days.  The issued boarding times were implemented to spread out arrivals in order to reduce crowding and lines as people arrive at the port.  That and fewer cruisers seems to be working to avoid crowds except for those travelers who arrive by the bus load.  

 

If you have to check out of your hotel, or if you arrive by airline go to the port and just get in line.  Nobody is going to kick you out unless you don’t have your proper boarding documents ready.

 

Our Vancouver boarding documents in two weeks gives us a 10 a.m. boarding time.  In March the ship in San Diego didn’t even start boarding until closer to Noon and our boarding time was 1:30.  Most people are finding the boarding process easier than in the past.  

 

The dining room may not even be serving lunch.  Don’t ask the stewards, they may not know.  Just go to the dining room to see if it’s open.  

Edited August 2, 2022 by oaktreerb

[jhsocal]

All above good advice. Boarding questions seem to be second to covid related issues.  Boarding experiences seem to vary from cruise to cruise.

[Mary229]

July 2.  I started with a 2 pm boarding time.  It jumped around 2 or 3 times and I finally was assigned 10:45 am, very early.  Actually the ship wasn’t ready but there was fairly comfortable seating.  Not a 4 or 5 star.  Not in a suite 

[vicd1969]

My June 19 boarding in Amsterdam took under 30 minutes. I had a 1 PM boarding time but came around 11:30 am and there was no issue. Also, the MDR lunch menu has been standardized so it's the same each lunchtime, whenever the MDR is open. If you miss it on embarkation day you can go to lunch in the MDR on a sea day and have the same experience. The menu is a bit underwhelming imho but to each their own.

[Boatdrill]

My most recent cruise was in June, r/t Vancouver. 

Pre-cruise, actually months before the cruise, the HAL emails with check-in time changes started arriving. Ignored all of them except for the ones that were 1-2 weeks pre-cruise.  Someone at HAL once told me that the times are selected at random by a computer, so I don't pay any attention until the sailing date gets close. I showed up at the terminal within 20 minutes of the assigned time. No one was checking the assigned times, and after check-in,  everyone was directed to an area to sit and wait until boarding began. About 30 minutes later, when it was time to board, the staff went row by row; they did a few rows at a time.   It didn't matter if you were in a suite, 4-5 star Mariner, or Club Orange. It was all the same*. The process was efficient and went smoothly. 

 

* Check-in seemed to be the same way. There were different lanes for suites, etc.

but the amount of time spent checking in with the agent was the same, no matter which lane. There was no added perk that I could tell to being in a suite lane, or 4- 5 star Mariner lane,  and there was certainly no "Welcome Back" greeting.  So not sure what the incentive is to be in the those lanes. 

Edited August 2, 2022 by Boatdrill

[MisterMatthew]

My most recent experience was APRIL.. so, I cannot give a "recent" experience.  Sorry for that.  I sailed out of S.D., California. 

 

2 weeks prior to sailing it said 3pm

1 week prior to sailing --- still said 3pm

48 hour prior to sailing -- still said 3pm

 

I was new to H.A.L. (and, cruising altogether).  I took a chance & got to the dock PRETTY EARLY.  And, I was among the first 30 people to board.  I even made mention to one of the check-in clerks "umm, I just want to be sure it is okay for me to board now?" .... and got a smile & a "go right ahead, Sir".

 

---- Matthew

[BetsyS.]

6 minutes ago, MisterMatthew said:

My most recent experience was APRIL.. so, I cannot give a "recent" experience.  Sorry for that.  I sailed out of S.D., California. 

 

2 weeks prior to sailing it said 3pm

1 week prior to sailing --- still said 3pm

48 hour prior to sailing -- still said 3pm

 

I was new to H.A.L. (and, cruising altogether).  I took a chance & got to the dock PRETTY EARLY.  And, I was among the first 30 people to board.  I even made mention to one of the check-in clerks "umm, I just want to be sure it is okay for me to board now?" .... and got a smile & a "go right ahead, Sir".

 

---- Matthew

Thank you. Good to know.

[daisy-mae]

This may sound like a stupid question, but where exactly in my account would I find the boarding time? I just received a notification but don't want to begin the check-in process until closer to the cruise in mid-September.

[d9704011]

2 minutes ago, daisy-mae said:

This may sound like a stupid question, but where exactly in my account would I find the boarding time? I just received a notification but don't want to begin the check-in process until closer to the cruise in mid-September.

Check-in to get a boarding time.

[The-Inside-Cabin]

2 minutes ago, daisy-mae said:

This may sound like a stupid question, but where exactly in my account would I find the boarding time? I just received a notification but don't want to begin the check-in process until closer to the cruise in mid-September.

You have to check in to see your time.   It will be on your boarding pass 

[ski ww]

For our 2 July cruise out of Athens our boarding time was 2:00 a week later it was changed to 3:00. On the day of boarding, after checking out of our hotel we got to the port about 11:30 they took our bags, we got our covid test, waited for the results, boarded about 12:30 dropped our carry on in the cabin & were in the Lido having lunch by about 1:00. Fasted time ever for check in. Very few people waiting to board.  This is what the waiting area looked like at about 12:30