Checkin Not Complete - Will I lose my arrival time?

[Maplemoose]

I have checked in to my cruise on the first day in order to get an early arrival time but was unable to get security photos loaded. This can be finished at the pier but will I lose my early arrival time if that step is not completed?

[RocketMan275]

That arrival time is fairly meaningless. There have been no reports of anyone denied entry to the terminal because of their assigned arrival times.  

[The Traveling Man]

1 hour ago, Maplemoose said:

I have checked in to my cruise on the first day in order to get an early arrival time but was unable to get security photos loaded. This can be finished at the pier but will I lose my early arrival time if that step is not completed?

In more than 30 NCL cruises, no port terminal personnel have ever even looked at the arrival time on my documents prior to my entering the security checkpoint and making my way to the check-in counter.

[dbrown84]

I'll chime in with the same as others.....it doesn't matter what check in time you have.  Show up whenever you want

[goldmom]

The only time I remember them checking your arrival time was right after the Pandemic when cruising re-started and they were trying to minimize crowding at the terminal.

Now there are no issues with arrival times.  Get there when you like.

Enjoy!

[RocketMan275]

A reminder. 

Arrival times are not boarding times.

The earlier you arrive at the terminal the longer the wait time until you board.

[graphicguy]

2 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

A reminder. 

Arrival times are not boarding times.

The earlier you arrive at the terminal the longer the wait time until you board.

Yep….many times confused.  

 

Arrival time has no bearing on the time you board.  That’s a function of your cabin (Haven cabins board first), if you’re mobility impaired (e.g. in a wheelchair) and your Latitude status (Ambassadors for first, then the Diamond, Sapphire, etc go next).  Then, the general boarding number you are given (1 through however many they have depending on the number of passengers who are boarding).

[ggTexasGal]

5 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

Arrival time has no bearing on the time you board.  That’s a function of your cabin (Haven cabins board first), if you’re mobility impaired (e.g. in a wheelchair) and your Latitude status (Ambassadors for first, then the Diamond, Sapphire, etc go next).  Then, the general boarding number you are given (1 through however many they have depending on the number of passengers who are boarding).

Unfortunately, some ports are not very good at handling "Latitudes" very well and will call "Platinum" first. 😏😒🤨

[schmoopie17]

If you don't upload the photo, is your online check-in complete? (Does it show "completed" on your reservation? I always thought you weren't "officially" checked in online without the photo.) Is your check-in time at the pier confirmed without the online check-in being completed? (And yes, I realize the check-in time is pretty much meaningless).

 

That's why after we take our photos for the umpteenth time to finally get one to be accepted we sigh a big sigh of relief (and frustration) because the grueling check-in process is finally complete.

Edited August 15, 2023 by schmoopie17

[DCGuy64]

14 hours ago, dbrown84 said:

I'll chime in with the same as others.....it doesn't matter what check in time you have.  Show up whenever you want

And be prepared to wait a long time if 1,000s of others show up when you do!

[RocketMan275]

57 minutes ago, schmoopie17 said:

That's why after we take our photos for the umpteenth time to finally get one to be accepted we sigh a big sigh of relief (and frustration) because the grueling check-in process is finally complete.

Once  you get an acceptable photograph, save it on your computer for the next time  you need one.

[The Traveling Man]

2 hours ago, goldmom said:

The only time I remember them checking your arrival time was right after the Pandemic when cruising re-started and they were trying to minimize crowding at the terminal.

Now there are no issues with arrival times.  Get there when you like.

Enjoy!

On our first couple of cruises after the restart, NCL offered COVID testing at no additional charge.  We had to sign up for a reservation to be tested.  They enforced that reservation time quite rigidly.  After you received your test results, though, you were allowed to proceed to the cruise check-in immediately, regardless of what check-in time appeared on your cruise documents.  At least that's the way it was for us in Seattle and Rome.

[zqvol]

16 hours ago, Maplemoose said:

I have checked in to my cruise on the first day in order to get an early arrival time but was unable to get security photos loaded. This can be finished at the pier but will I lose my early arrival time if that step is not completed?

Arrival times are not checked unless something changes. Go  to the pier when you  want and don't worry about it,

[graphicguy]

14 minutes ago, The Traveling Man said:

On our first couple of cruises after the restart, NCL offered COVID testing at no additional charge.  We had to sign up for a reservation to be tested.  They enforced that reservation time quite rigidly.  After you received your test results, though, you were allowed to proceed to the cruise check-in immediately, regardless of what check-in time appeared on your cruise documents.  At least that's the way it was for us in Seattle and Rome.

I remember that.  Don't bother trying to get in early.  It wasn't going to happen.

 

Sailed the Bliss back in April to Alaska.  I arrived around 12:30-ish.  They checked me in right away and as I was walking on board, there was a family waiting in line and protested that I walked right on board while they still had to wait.  Turned out they had mistaken their arrival time with their boarding time.  They had been there for 2 hours waiting to board.  Didn't stick around to hear how the agent dealt with them but they were getting pretty heated as I heard them while I was walking through the gangway opening protesting.

 

Guessing they were waiting for their boarding number to be called.

[dbrown84]

2 hours ago, DCGuy64 said:

And be prepared to wait a long time if 1,000s of others show up when you do!

isn't this the case no matter what????  You say this as if you don't have to wait if 1,000s of others show up at your assigned time....

[DCGuy64]

9 minutes ago, dbrown84 said:

isn't this the case no matter what????  You say this as if you don't have to wait if 1,000s of others show up at your assigned time....

No, it isn't. Have you ever boarded a plane where they do it in zones? It's not as if everybody rushes forward at once, you have to wait your turn. If I have a 1 pm boarding time and choose to come at 10 am, then I'm there alongside all the people who had a 10 am slot. The whole purpose of assigning boarding times is so the cruise line can stagger embarkation and not have to contend with all 5,000 passengers attempting to check in and board simultaneously.

Here are two kind of things I will see on Cruise Critic: Someone saying "ignore the boarding time on your check-in documents and show up whenever you want to." And another person just back from a cruise who says "embarkation was a nightmare, there were 1,0000s of people in line and it took forever to board." Gee, I wonder why....

Edited August 15, 2023 by DCGuy64

[The Traveling Man]

8 minutes ago, dbrown84 said:

isn't this the case no matter what????  You say this as if you don't have to wait if 1,000s of others show up at your assigned time....

The purpose of assigning check-in times is to spread out the arrival of passengers over a period of several hours, thus reducing the crowding.  If everyone were to adhere to their assigned times, then there would not be a long line of thousands.  IF.

[dbrown84]

1 minute ago, The Traveling Man said:

The purpose of assigning check-in times is to spread out the arrival of passengers over a period of several hours, thus reducing the crowding.  If everyone were to adhere to their assigned times, then there would not be a long line of thousands.  IF.

right, that's my point.

[dbrown84]

4 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

No, it isn't. Have you ever boarded a plane where they do it in zones? It's not as if everybody rushes forward at once, you have to wait your turn. If I have a 1 pm boarding time and choose to come at 10 am, then I'm there alongside all the people who had a 10 am slot. The whole purpose of assigning boarding times is so the cruise line can stagger embarkation and not have to contend with all 5,000 passengers attempting to check in and board simultaneously.

Here are two kind of things I will see on Cruise Critic: Someone saying "ignore the boarding time on your check-in documents and show up whenever you want to." And another person just back from a cruise who says "embarkation was a nightmare, there were 1,0000s of people in line and it took forever to board." Gee, I wonder why....

what in the world does this have to do with what we're talking about.  Nevermind, I've seen enough of your post to know that you will go off-topic to try to prove your pointless point.  Have fun.  I'm off to the next post.  Life is too short

[RocketMan275]

32 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

Here are two kind of things I will see on Cruise Critic: Someone saying "ignore the boarding time on your check-in documents and show up whenever you want to." And another person just back from a cruise who says "embarkation was a nightmare, there were 1,0000s of people in line and it took forever to board." Gee, I wonder why....

There are always those who insist that they board as early as possible so they can.

 

[DCGuy64]

56 minutes ago, dbrown84 said:

what in the world does this have to do with what we're talking about.  Nevermind, I've seen enough of your post to know that you will go off-topic to try to prove your pointless point.  Have fun.  I'm off to the next post.  Life is too short

Ironic that you would attack me when you and I are making the same point. But whatever, buddy, you do you.😉

[DCGuy64]

29 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

There are always those who insist that they board as early as possible so they can.

 

Right, and then likely complain that their rooms aren't ready, LOL.

[BirdTravels]

10 hours ago, graphicguy said:

Arrival time has no bearing on the time you board.  

 

Then, the general boarding number you are given (1 through however many they have depending on the number of passengers who are boarding).

Kinda does have bearing. People want to be early to get an low boarding group and get on the ship sooner. 

[BirdTravels]

6 hours ago, RocketMan275 said:

There are always those who insist that they board as early as possible so they can.

 

We do. So we can take care of our show reservations (big ships) and changes to dining reservations as needed. Then lunch before it gets too crowded. We want to be done eating early so we don’t complain about crowds. 

[Maplemoose]

OP here. Still working on it. Today I was able to get my wife thru step 7 by adding a random pic. A message appeared saying a new pic was needed at the pier but the step could now be completed and it worked. So of course I went to my step 7 and did the same. No dice for me so I will be back at it tomorrow. This all happened after 3 support chats. Oh well, 1st world problems. My goal is to be miserable now instead of on embarkation day. I am half successful so far! 😞