Boarding Time Port Canaveral

[carribeanpirate18]

Hi everyone, new to Norwegian and first time cruising as a Florida resident.  We will be driving to PC and planning to arrive around 9am or earlier.  I believe check in will begin around that time, what time does boarding begin?  Also, how does the process work...will we board based on when we arrived at the port or some other way?  Thanks everyone, we are excited!

[kikipug]

25 minutes ago, carribeanpirate18 said:

Hi everyone, new to Norwegian and first time cruising as a Florida resident.  We will be driving to PC and planning to arrive around 9am or earlier.  I believe check in will begin around that time, what time does boarding begin?  Also, how does the process work...will we board based on when we arrived at the port or some other way?  Thanks everyone, we are excited!

You will choose your boarding time when you complete your check-in online 21 days before you sail.  

[CaptainBazz]

When you do online check in you select an arrival time. Early times go quick. Boarding can begin around 11am but I have seen it be later. In my experience they Board Haven guests first, followed by accessibility passengers followed by Platinum level and above. Then follows the rest who are given a number when they arrive. 

[Sand and Seas]

We just cruised from Port Canaveral.   We arrived and went through  check in about  9:45am.   Main waiting room was basically  empty  at that time.     For our cruise Haven boarding started at 11:15am just after zero count from prior cruise.  Main waiting area was very full by that time.

[dbrown84]

2 hours ago, kikipug said:

You will choose your boarding time when you complete your check-in online 21 days before you sail.  

You pick your check in time when you do online check in.  You can't pick a boarding time.  Boarding usually starts around 11, but it's dependent on when they clear the previous passengers 

[zqvol]

2 hours ago, kikipug said:

You will choose your boarding time when you complete your check-in online 21 days before you sail.  

You do not choose a boarding time. You choose a check in time. Boarding begins around 11:30 and is based on numbers given out when you check in, unless you have a priority.

[FLAHAM]

No fun waiting hours at the pier.  Show up at 12:30 p.m. and you will likely be called for processing almost right away.  Still plenty of time for lunch on board and your cabin won’t be available anyway.

[kikipug]

3 hours ago, zqvol said:

You do not choose a boarding time. You choose a check in time. Boarding begins around 11:30 and is based on numbers given out when you check in, unless you have a priority.

Yep, I could have been more specific... your boarding time will be determined by your check-in time, which you can choose when you complete your e-docs. Chalk it up to Monday morning brain, with just 1 more work-Monday before cruising.  

[LatinaInTexas]

On 5/11 we arrived near PC from Orlando at around 11am which was our check in time. Then we sat in traffic for almost an hour before we could get dropped off. Don't know what caused the chaos but our driver was pissed. It ended up being after 12 and we just basically walked onboard, the seating area was empty.

[jsehlmeyer]

6 hours ago, LatinaInTexas said:

On 5/11 we arrived near PC from Orlando at around 11am which was our check in time. Then we sat in traffic for almost an hour before we could get dropped off. Don't know what caused the chaos but our driver was pissed. It ended up being after 12 and we just basically walked onboard, the seating area was empty.

The backup was due to only 1 lane being open for traffic to pick up and drop off passengers.  I know because I had to do both that day.  When we arrived on 5/1 (for the 10 day cruise) we arrived at the port around 9 am, waited outside for about 15 minutes, then were one of the first 10 people in line.  We waited in the terminal after getting checked in for about an hour or so (took the embarkation photo, and made last-minute arrangements for excursions) and then got called (boarding group 1) right after Haven and on board the ship by 11:10 am.

[amygutman]

If you are arriving at 0900 but have a later boarding time and want to be in a food coma even before your vacation starts, I recommend Southern Charm Cafe on Astronaut Blvd. Holy carb heaven. It is outstanding AND inexpensive AND 10 minutes form the port.

It's likely you won't be boarding until after 1100 - this way you will be too full to even have to worry about fighting the lunch embarkation crowds on the ship. 

BTW - make sure you pre-reserve your parking spot in one of the lots. It gets a bit dicey (and expensive as you miss out on booking discounts) if you wait until the day of the cruise.

Warmest (a Floridian since 2022...welcome to our great state!), Amy

[MoCruiseFan]

On 5/22/2023 at 8:52 AM, kikipug said:

You will choose your boarding time when you complete your check-in online 21 days before you sail.  

 

FALSE.  You do NOT pick a boarding time.  You pick a CHECK IN time.  Boarding begins when it begins.  That tiem is dictated mainly by the time tha the ship gets a zero head count from teh previosu sailing and possible clearance form the CG.  THRE IS NO SET BOARDING TIME.

[dbrown84]

On 5/22/2023 at 12:44 PM, FLAHAM said:

No fun waiting hours at the pier.  Show up at 12:30 p.m. and you will likely be called for processing almost right away.  Still plenty of time for lunch on board and your cabin won’t be available anyway.

I totally agree. I'd much rather get a little more sleep at the hotel than sit at the port waiting to board.  I show up between noon and one and can get from security to onboard in 15 or 20 minutes.  I do cruise thru CAS, so there is a separate check in line.  And by the time I've finished lunch, the cabins are usually ready.  Much better than waiting around the port area with thousands of people.  But everyone is different 

[hallux]

9 hours ago, amygutman said:

boarding time

It's not a boarding time, it's a check in time.  Boarding is not likely to start until 2 or more hours after 9 AM...

[BirdTravels]

On 5/22/2023 at 8:26 AM, carribeanpirate18 said:

Hi everyone, new to Norwegian and first time cruising as a Florida resident.  We will be driving to PC and planning to arrive around 9am or earlier.  I believe check in will begin around that time, what time does boarding begin?  Also, how does the process work...will we board based on when we arrived at the port or some other way?  Thanks everyone, we are excited!

When you check in online exactly 21 days prior to departure, 12 midnight eastern time, you select your port checkin time. Since you want to arrive early, you will want to be online exactly at midnight since early port checkin times sell out quickly. Have your passport, emergency contact, payment information and a mug shot (face directly at the camera, one face only, plain background, no glasses, no head covering). 
 

When you arrive at PC and check in at the port, you will be given a boarding group number. You board by group number. 
 

Suites boarding usually starts around 11:00 am. Priority boarding (top tier Latitudes members) around 11:15. General boarding by group number around 11:30. 

[amygutman]

9 hours ago, hallux said:

It's not a boarding time, it's a check in time.  Boarding is not likely to start until 2 or more hours after 9 AM...

Noted.
I think the OP’s question was less about semantics and more about when to arrive at port to check in/board. At least that’s how I understood it. Wouldn’t you agree?

 

[cruiseny4life]

18 hours ago, amygutman said:

Noted.
I think the OP’s question was less about semantics and more about when to arrive at port to check in/board. At least that’s how I understood it. Wouldn’t you agree?

 

I agree with you! 

[Ellipooh]

On 5/24/2023 at 10:06 PM, amygutman said:

BTW - make sure you pre-reserve your parking spot in one of the lots. It gets a bit dicey (and expensive as you miss out on booking discounts) if you wait until the day of the cruise.

Warmest (a Floridian since 2022...welcome to our great state!), Amy

Uh oh. 
My cruise departs from PC tomorrow and I’m driving to the port. I don’t have a parking reservation. I was planning to park at the garage at #10 but their website says they don’t accept reservations. Am I screwed? Or were you referencing off-site lots?
(sorry for the hi-jack)

[amygutman]

8 minutes ago, Ellipooh said:

Uh oh. 
My cruise departs from PC tomorrow and I’m driving to the port. I don’t have a parking reservation. I was planning to park at the garage at #10 but their website says they don’t accept reservations. Am I screwed? Or were you referencing off-site lots?
(sorry for the hi-jack)

Primarily referencing off-site lots. 

Google the websites for GoPort, ParkPort or Port Parking Canaveral - you should be able to reserve a spot. All of those have shuttles that run pretty regularly and are about 5-10 minutes from the ports. 

There's no harm with using the lots right at the terminals, but they are much pricier (about 5-10$ more a day depending on time of year).

Enjoy your cruise!

Warmest, Amy

[Susannekells]

People say you pick a check in time not a boarding time but if you check in online before the cruise why do you need a check in time?. I was told I could board from  11.00 am but online checking show only late afternoon times

[ggTexasGal]

6 minutes ago, Susannekells said:

People say you pick a check in time not a boarding time but if you check in online before the cruise why do you need a check in time?. I was told I could board from  11.00 am but online checking show only late afternoon times

Earlier online Check-In times have already been taken by cruisers who have Haven (or suites), Latitudes upper status, and/or other "perks" that allow earlier access to the Check-In system.

 

None-the-less, you should be able to arrive at the port at your earliest convenience and "Check-In" as quickly as the lines clear port security.  Yet, your actual boarding time will take place with the same sort of "priority" as is allowed for the online Check-In, based on above listed "seniority".

[MoCruiseFan]

16 minutes ago, Susannekells said:

People say you pick a check in time not a boarding time but if you check in online before the cruise why do you need a check in time?. I was told I could board from  11.00 am but online checking show only late afternoon times

 

The check in time is when you get to the port and line up to get (ta-da) check in.  There are only but so many slots available for each check in time to help keep the process organized.

Boarding times are not selectable as they have no idea when boarding will start.  It all depnds on how quickly there is a zero head count from the prior cruise and the CG gives them the OK to start boarding.

[omahabob]

On 5/25/2023 at 12:43 AM, MoCruiseFan said:

 

FALSE.  You do NOT pick a boarding time.  You pick a CHECK IN time.....

Correct. And the the people at the port will promptly ignore it. They just shuffled everyone into the line as they arrived. I even told them it wasn't my check in time. They said it made no difference. I got the distinct impression the time slots were designed more to minimize congestion outside. Once you got there, they couldn't care less what your check in time was.

[Susannekells]

On Norwegian Hawaii cruise. I got there, got in line and was on board by noon, they took my suitcase so I was able to get off go to a couple stores get back on, gave lunch and waited on deck till my room was ready. I'm just going to get in line for this cruise and see what happens. Sitting on the dock with my suitcase for 5 hours do not appeal

[PegNRay]

Cruised out of PC in late January. We arrived around 9:30am and had a 9:30am check in only to find out the building didn’t open until 10am. It was in the 40’s so those in shorts were none too pleased.