How do I check in for boarding time only?

[swdke]

I'm traveling with 8 adults booked separately in 4 cabins.  I think I have all 4 cabins linked on the App.  So when we're eligible to check in, and all I want to do is select boarding time for all of us to board together, can someone please describe the steps to do so?  I don't want to complete everyone's check in information, just to select boarding time only.  Appreciate knowing the steps and process.  Thanks so much.

[crzndeb]

You don’t pick a boarding time, although many continue to call it that. You pick an arrival time. If you have all passengers linked, you should be able to see them all when you bring up the app. Once your arrival/check in time is available, you should be able to click on everyone and pick a time. You do not need to fill out all the other info at that time. Everyone can come back later and fill out all their other info.

[poocher]

And this can only be done on the app.  On the website, you have to enter passenger information first.  On the app you can go directly to arrival times.

[DavidMutchler]

 

3 hours ago, swdke said:

I'm traveling with 8 adults booked separately in 4 cabins.  I think I have all 4 cabins linked on the App.  So when we're eligible to check in, and all I want to do is select boarding time for all of us to board together, can someone please describe the steps to do so?  I don't want to complete everyone's check in information, just to select boarding time only.  Appreciate knowing the steps and process.  Thanks so much.

 

As another poster said, you must use the ** app ** and not the Web site.  I did it last night.  It was a bit confusing to me since it listed 3 steps:  1. Enter passenger data (which I do not yet have, like my passport number), 2. Choose arrival time, 3. Fill out health form.  You can go straight to Step 2 (clicking on it) and choose your time.  It saves that and you can go straight to the next passenger for their arrival time, etc, and you can come back another time to fill out the passenger information.  Step 3 cannot be done until the day before you sail.

FWIW, check-in opened for me a few minutes past midnight SHIP time (Galveston time, in my case for the Allure).  The earliest arrival time slot available was 11 a.m.  Since I did check-in within 2 minutes of it opening, I am guessing that 11 a.m. was the earliest time slot for my sailing (Allure, 4/30), i.e., no 10:30 a.m. slot (unless those are reserved for folks with more status points than me).

[HappyTexan44]

Too bad they don't allow us to do Step 1 ahead of time, leisurely.  

 

[slyster]

3 hours ago, DavidMutchler said:

 

 

As another poster said, you must use the ** app ** and not the Web site.  I did it last night.  It was a bit confusing to me since it listed 3 steps:  1. Enter passenger data (which I do not yet have, like my passport number), 2. Choose arrival time, 3. Fill out health form.  You can go straight to Step 2 (clicking on it) and choose your time.  It saves that and you can go straight to the next passenger for their arrival time, etc, and you can come back another time to fill out the passenger information.  Step 3 cannot be done until the day before you sail.

FWIW, check-in opened for me a few minutes past midnight SHIP time (Galveston time, in my case for the Allure).  The earliest arrival time slot available was 11 a.m.  Since I did check-in within 2 minutes of it opening, I am guessing that 11 a.m. was the earliest time slot for my sailing (Allure, 4/30), i.e., no 10:30 a.m. slot (unless those are reserved for folks with more status points than me).

I appreciate your post.  I am booked on Allure later this summer.  I remember trying the app for my cruise last year and the app wasn't open for check in a couple of min after midnight.  I went to the website and checked right in.  I hope it goes well this time.  I need to check in 6 people!  We are all linked.

[rpp77]

Like David said earlier, your best bet is doing it on the app right after midnight (EST) on exactly the 45th day out if you want the earliest time. I was able to get the 10:30-11:00am slot for all 13 of us cruising in a few weeks. Went back in later that morning around 8 am to enter in some additional information and the earliest times available was starting at Noon. Don't wait to book shows either, the reservations fill up quickly.

Edited March 16, 2023 by rpp77

[DavidMutchler]

10 minutes ago, rpp77 said:

Like David said earlier, your best bet is doing it on the app right after midnight (EST) on exactly the 45th day out if you want the earliest time. I was able to get the 10:30-11:00am slot for all 13 of us cruising in a few weeks. Went back in later that morning around 8 am to enter in some additional information and the earliest times available was starting at Noon. Don't wait to book shows either, the reservations fill up quickly.

For me last night, it was a few minutes after midnight CST (Central, ship, Galveston) time.  No idea whether that is normal or not (and I certainly don't deny your experience!).  I did try midnight EST (and thereafter) but with no success then.  (And it is always possible that I screwed up on that, since if there were 10:30 a.m. slots, they were gone when I got entry to check-in.)  YMMV.

Edited March 16, 2023 by DavidMutchler

[ONECRUISER]

Few times in 2022 could not pick Arrival times at 45 days, was 30 instead. Almost always was by 12:05am to pick time. Earliest time to pick on couple Sailings was 1030am and I was on Ship at 1025am, with two other Cruises earliest wasn't until 11am for first passengers. 

Edited March 16, 2023 by ONECRUISER

[Starry Eyes]

1 hour ago, HappyTexan44 said:

Too bad they don't allow us to do Step 1 ahead of time, leisurely.  

 

Check in opens 45 days before sailing.  On the app, you can go straight to step2 to grab the time you want.  You still about 6 weeks to do step , leisurely

[catlady66]

1 hour ago, DavidMutchler said:

For me last night, it was a few minutes after midnight CST (Central, ship, Galveston) time.  No idea whether that is normal or not (and I certainly don't deny your experience!).  I did try midnight EST (and thereafter) but with no success then.  (And it is always possible that I screwed up on that, since if there were 10:30 a.m. slots, they were gone when I got entry to check-in.)  YMMV.

I just checked us on as well.  It's been 5 years since my last cruise so I'm embarrassed to ask this but what's up with the biometric permissions?  Did you allow that in your check-in?

[cruiselvr04]

I’ve always been able to go into the app and first pick my time and then go back later and finish check in.  Always until last time.  I was on Allure at the time.  First I couldn’t get in because we all know how sometimes the app doesn’t work well.  DH then logged me into the internet.  Finally was able to get in but had to complete the passport info first then pick a time.  It was just a hassle cause I had to go back to the cabin, get the passports and do it.  By the time I got it done we got 1200. I’m sure it won’t be a big deal.  

[KansasK]

I got up at 6:00 a.m. on check-in day, and the arrival time I got was 11:00.  On my last cruise, I think the arrival time was first. This time it was almost the last thing to do. 

[LynnTH]

According to the website my check in date is March 31st.  (our cruise is May 15th from Rome).  Would the check in time still be Midnight EST on this?  Or does it go by the time of where the cruise leaves from?

[Starry Eyes]

19 minutes ago, LynnTH said:

According to the website my check in date is March 31st.  (our cruise is May 15th from Rome).  Would the check in time still be Midnight EST on this?  Or does it go by the time of where the cruise leaves from?

I’d expect it to start at midnight (or soon thereafter) in Rome.

Edited March 17, 2023 by Starry Eyes

[angelhelly]

25 minutes ago, LynnTH said:

According to the website my check in date is March 31st.  (our cruise is May 15th from Rome).  Would the check in time still be Midnight EST on this?  Or does it go by the time of where the cruise leaves from?

Funny Story.. I'm on Central Time. It was midnight EST and I tried to check in and did not let me do it. I changed my computer time to EST and then it let me do it.

 

[swdke]

22 hours ago, slyster said:

I appreciate your post.  I am booked on Allure later this summer.  I remember trying the app for my cruise last year and the app wasn't open for check in a couple of min after midnight.  I went to the website and checked right in.  I hope it goes well this time.  I need to check in 6 people!  We are all linked.

How did you link your groups/cabins!  Is there a way you can verify they're all linked?  Thanks 

[swdke]

21 hours ago, rpp77 said:

Like David said earlier, your best bet is doing it on the app right after midnight (EST) on exactly the 45th day out if you want the earliest time. I was able to get the 10:30-11:00am slot for all 13 of us cruising in a few weeks. Went back in later that morning around 8 am to enter in some additional information and the earliest times available was starting at Noon. Don't wait to book shows either, the reservations fill up quickly.

I'm confused, you say to check in at midnight EST.  But I thought check in didn't open till midnight Ship time which would be 1 am EST.  Can you please clarify what I'm missing?  Thanks 

[Kathscof]

7 minutes ago, swdke said:

How did you link your groups/cabins!  Is there a way you can verify they're all linked?  Thanks 

it took my group of 3 cabins random website linkings, calling and giving permissions (one room they just had to note that I had permission to be linked, the other room had to conference call me into the call center with them to give permission) for them to show up on my planner.  I can book anything in the cruise planner for them.  

[DavidMutchler]

Wow, nice thinking out of the box! (to the poster who changed the time on their computer).

It seems that different people have experienced different times at which the app starts allowing check-in.  For me, I am on EST and it allowed me on beginning at midnight CST (ship time).  But others have reported different experiences.

 

Bottom line:  If you want to get the very first crack at it, start trying at EST (or at local time if yours is before EST, as is the person in Rome).

Edited March 17, 2023 by DavidMutchler

[swdke]

21 hours ago, rpp77 said:

Like David said earlier, your best bet is doing it on the app right after midnight (EST) on exactly the 45th day out if you want the earliest time. I was able to get the 10:30-11:00am slot for all 13 of us cruising in a few weeks. Went back in later that morning around 8 am to enter in some additional information and the earliest times available was starting at Noon. Don't wait to book shows either, the reservations fill up quickly.

Are we talking about the Allure sailings out of Galveston?  Thanks 

[DavidMutchler]

15 minutes ago, swdke said:

I'm confused, you say to check in at midnight EST.  But I thought check in didn't open till midnight Ship time which would be 1 am EST.  Can you please clarify what I'm missing?  Thanks 

Different people have reported different times to check in, for different sailings.  FWIW, my sailing was on the Allure out of Galveson for 4/30.  For me, I am on EST and check-in appeared to open at 1 a.m. EST, i.e., midnight CST (ship) time.  But like I said, others are reporting variants. 

 

Sorry to be confusing!

Edited March 17, 2023 by DavidMutchler

[slyster]

18 hours ago, swdke said:

How did you link your groups/cabins!  Is there a way you can verify they're all linked?  Thanks 

 

So we had to call. It's a pain in the tush.  We had to have each person call RC to link the reservations.  Last year we did it, no problem.  This time, we called they linked them, but you should be able to see both reservations in your RC account.  You can do the same things with their reservation that you can yours.  However, after calling twice, we didn't see it under our accounts.  Each time, they verified we were linked reservations.  The third time, we could finally see them.

 

There is dining reservation linking which doesn't show up in your account and then there is linking your booking reservations.  

 

P.S.  I wonder if each person called individually and give permission if it would work?  I would call and then conference in my brother and inlaws so we were all on the line together.  Not convenient, but the only way to link booking reservations is by calling.

[slyster]

18 hours ago, DavidMutchler said:

Wow, nice thinking out of the box! (to the poster who changed the time on their computer).

It seems that different people have experienced different times at which the app starts allowing check-in.  For me, I am on EST and it allowed me on beginning at midnight CST (ship time).  But others have reported different experiences.

 

Bottom line:  If you want to get the very first crack at it, start trying at EST (or at local time if yours is before EST, as is the person in Rome).

 

I have seen numerous posts you can only check in in at midnight in the time zone the ship departs from.  Like you, I am EST so that's 1am for me.  I haven't heard other experiences outside of that though.