Priority boarding

[Reijo]

I realize that there have been a lot of changes that have taken places since the pandemic but it appears that priority boarding for upper tiers (Diamond Plus) are a thing of the past.  On our last August cruise, it took about 2 hours to get on board.  The terminal that RCCL is using at Port Canaveral, that I believe is a Carnival terminal, is HORRIBLE.  You are barely out of the elements.  In the event of rain (which happens frequently in Florida)....too bad.  Okay, back to my original question....since becoming Diamond Plus, about 4-5 years ago, we have never been given the option of priority boarding (which used to be a perk).  Also, more importantly, what has happened to times to arrive for check-in?  On this latest cruise, we had people that were to check in THREE HOURS later, in line ahead of us, braggin about it.  Absolutely no one asked for times.  Up until August, there were specific lines to get in based on check in time.  Apparently no more.  Just curious.  

[Biker19]

2 hours ago, Reijo said:

Apparently no more.  Just curious.  

Enforcement of check in time varies by staff, date, time of day, ship, port, etc.

 

As for boarding, that should still be a perk in that if boarding has not started and you are in a waiting room ("regular boarding process"), you should board ahead of D and lower C&A status customers (unless they have Key or in a suite) once boarding does start.

Edited December 12, 2022 by Biker19

[Cigar King]

My experience of late has been that only the suites and pinnacles have priority boarding.

[Starry Eyes]

Royal Caribbean has four ships in Port Canaveral this year (yeah), sometimes two the same day.  They also need to split up the ships to keep from overwhelming the parking garages by the terminals.

 

So, Wonder and Indy have T1.  Mariner and Jewel have T5.  
 

It sounds like you boarded at T5 and did not like it much. Pretty standard terminal building, other than guest entrance on second level.  It was dry the mornings we boarded, but, yes, you should come prepared for the weather that day.  Same if you board in NJ or AK or WA etc.  They all have weather.

 

In my experience if you are waiting in terminal 5 when boarding starts, Suite and Pinnacle guests are called to board first, followed by D+

 

 

Edited December 12, 2022 by Starry Eyes

[Morecruisesplz]

5 hours ago, Cigar King said:

My experience of late has been that only the suites and pinnacles have priority boarding.

Yes, D+ are in with 1st timers.

[PhillyFan33579]

7 hours ago, Cigar King said:

My experience of late has been that only the suites and pinnacles have priority boarding.

I have been on 12 RCI cruises this year and they have all boarded Diamond+ and Diamonds right after boarding Pinnacles. 

[Morecruisesplz]

On 12/12/2022 at 11:21 PM, PhillyFan33579 said:

I have been on 12 RCI cruises this year and they have all boarded Diamond+ and Diamonds right after boarding Pinnacles. 

Any out of Miami?

[smokeybandit]

On 12/12/2022 at 10:21 PM, PhillyFan33579 said:

I have been on 12 RCI cruises this year and they have all boarded Diamond+ and Diamonds right after boarding Pinnacles. 

What port(s)?

[BirdTravels]

Our last cruise was on the Quantum to Alaska this summer. We were Diamond in a Loft Suite and boarding in Seattle was a disorganized free-for-all. Whoever pushed the hardest got on the soonest. 

[DaKahuna]

7 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

Our last cruise was on the Quantum to Alaska this summer. We were Diamond in a Loft Suite and boarding in Seattle was a disorganized free-for-all. Whoever pushed the hardest got on the soonest. 

 

 That was our experience as well for our initial boarding as well as the B2B.  

 On the initial boarding we never heard suites or Diamond Plus called but did hear them call Key.  So we stood up and joined the queue.  

 

 On the B2B, they could not manage the new passengers well, even though the B2B passengers were in a roped off area.  Many new passengers were going around the rope, going under it, and sitting with us B2B passengers.  When they started boarding B2B, everyone in the vicinity of the doors got up and tried to enter.  The few security people had a very difficult time trying to tell non B2B passengers to wait their turn.  We had four people who were not part of the B2B simply step in front of us and go through. 

 

 Total chaos. 

 

[flamingos]

On 12/12/2022 at 4:43 PM, Starry Eyes said:

Mariner and Jewel have T5.  

My January 6 Jewel cruise says Terminal 6.

[Jingerwoppy]

When embarking on our Dec 4th cruise on Allure out of Galveston (new terminal), they were holding all first time cruisers in the waiting area and only allowed repeat cruisers to board for a while. I believe there were also some separate expedited lines likely restricted to suites and Key purchasers. 

[firefly333]

On 12/12/2022 at 9:03 PM, fredmdcruisers said:

Yes, D+ are in with 1st timers.

On allure I boarded 2 sundays ago and D+ and above on one side of the new Galveston terminal and the rest on the other side. He was still calling the last of the key when D+ was called. 

 

So the answer appears to vary. For sure I was glad to board before 80% sitting there waiting. 

[firefly333]

3 minutes ago, Jingerwoppy said:

When embarking on our Dec 4th cruise on Allure out of Galveston (new terminal), they were holding all first time cruisers in the waiting area and only allowed repeat cruisers to board for a while. I believe there were also some separate expedited lines likely restricted to suites and Key purchasers. 

I boarded then too and they definitely were boarding by loyalty tier. Agree. Not sure how they divided the sitting areas. Get off tomorrow. I hear it's cold in Galveston. 

[Jingerwoppy]

2 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

I boarded then too and they definitely were boarding by loyalty tier. Agree. Not sure how they divided the sitting areas. Get off tomorrow. I hear it's cold in Galveston. 

Supposed to by 46 overnight and a little over 50 by 10am. No rain until late tomorrow night. 

[PhillyFan33579]

1 hour ago, fredmdcruisers said:

Any out of Miami?

Miami and Canaveral. 

[PhillyFan33579]

1 hour ago, smokeybandit said:

What port(s)?

Miami and Canaveral.

[smokeybandit]

46 minutes ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

Miami and Canaveral.

Ah, I haven't sailed out of either since the restart.  Galveston, Vancouver, Los Angeles couldn't care less about your status for boarding

[PhillyFan33579]

55 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

Ah, I haven't sailed out of either since the restart.  Galveston, Vancouver, Los Angeles couldn't care less about your status for boarding

The only time it comes into play is if you are seated in the waiting area at the terminal prior to boarding starting. In those situations they board by C&A levels along with Suites and the Key. Outside the terminals the only priority applies to Suites, Pinnacles and the Key. So depending on your level it might get you on the ship 10 minutes earlier. 

[Morecruisesplz]

17 hours ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

The only time it comes into play is if you are seated in the waiting area at the terminal prior to boarding starting. In those situations they board by C&A levels along with Suites and the Key. Outside the terminals the only priority applies to Suites, Pinnacles and the Key. So depending on your level it might get you on the ship 10 minutes earlier. 

In Miami they line every one who has checked in together in double lines. If you ask for rest room, they point you to left. Just go into that room to sit and wait. From that room they board by c&c level.

[Scoobydobe7]

21 hours ago, fredmdcruisers said:

Any out of Miami?

That did not happen in Fort Lauderdale in November...We are D+ and there was no secton for us...We were told not that "perk" was not avaiable anymore .

[Ret MP]

The following is my experience at Port Canaveral, Terminal #1 (I believe that's the Terminal number that we used to get on the Independence).  We boarded on October 31, this year.  

 

First, there are a few terms thrown around that need to be cleared up. 

 

• "Check-in" is when you get on your computer or phone app and get your "arrival time" OR if you don't "Check-in" before you get to the terminal, you "Check-In" in the terminal when you get there.  It's also when you answer your health questions and other things

 

• Arrival Time is the time you show up at the terminal, it's not a boarding time, not that I can find.

 

• "Boarding Time", not that I've seen it in the FAQ use that way.  It's when you've actually entered the terminal and have gone through the security and luggage stuff.  Then they start calling out arrival times no matter what time it is, to proceed to the ship.  If your arrival time is 10:30 AM but they start boarding late, say 11:30 AM, for whatever reason, they still start with the 10:30 AM time and move on.  

 

We had a 12:00 - 12:30 arrival time.  We arrived very early because we wanted to go to the restaurant for breakfast right next to the terminal. It didn't take as much time as we expected so we went over to the terminal fully expecting that we would have to wait around for our "arrival time".  Well, after the specials and suite folks entered the terminal, they started off with the 10:30 times, that lasted about 5 minutes when that time slot was done and there was maybe 10 - 12 people waiting behind that.  So, I walked over to one of the attendants and asked if we had to wait till noon to enter the terminal since there was nobody in line.  He said, "No, it's open to all now".  We entered the terminal and sat and waited for them to call out the arrival times (I guess at that time/point, some folks would call it a "boarding time) to enter the ship, they were running late, at no point was the long line outside the terminal or inside the terminal.  The ship had a full sailing.  But, even though we had a 12:00 - 12:30 arrival time, we were on the ship before that time.

 

I think, as far as congestion, frustration levels and so on are concerned, all really went well, considering what I expected.  I did have a problem with my reservation but that's a whole separate thing.

 

 

 

 

[mafig]

Do Junior Suites board with the suites?

[BND]

We were on Jewel in Nov.  We had the first check in time and within about 3 minutes of leaving the counter, they started announcing boarding.  Suites, Pinnacles, D+ and D were announced.  After that they started announcing times which was funny because first boarding was 12 and they started with 1030 lol.  It was 12 because it was the first cruise after a TA.  So, unless you check in before boarding starts, you will end up boarding with the masses.  

[BND]

7 minutes ago, mafig said:

Do Junior Suites board with the suites?

Yes.  Boarding pass just says "suite".  We've been on HOTS, EN and Jewel in the last 13 months and all had suite on our boarding pass for JS.    We're always in a JS and have always boarded with suites.

 

Edited December 19, 2022 by BND