Boarding

[Mommaguti]

Hi there, I am sailing on the Solstice Sept 15 out of Seattle.  I am sharing a cabin with 3 other ladies (I know!!) who are flying in same day and their flight isn’t scheduled to arrive until noon.  I fly in on the 13th.  When checking in, the app message says that our whole party ‘must board together (at the same time)’.  It allowed me to select a10:30 boarding time and they selected later (1:30 I think).  Will I be allowed to check in earlier on my own and will that create any problems for them?  Anyone have personal experience with this?

[doghog]

1 hour ago, Mommaguti said:

Hi there, I am sailing on the Solstice Sept 15 out of Seattle.  I am sharing a cabin with 3 other ladies (I know!!) who are flying in same day and their flight isn’t scheduled to arrive until noon.  I fly in on the 13th.  When checking in, the app message says that our whole party ‘must board together (at the same time)’.  It allowed me to select a10:30 boarding time and they selected later (1:30 I think).  Will I be allowed to check in earlier on my own and will that create any problems for them?  Anyone have personal experience with this?

Are you sure? I've always had the option to select my wife or me or both of us. Regardless checking in separately will not create a problem for your or others in your group. 

 

BTW, the 10:30 time you selected is not your boarding time. The time is your check in time at the embarkation terminal and in most cases is no longer enforced. 

[journeymore]

Pre Covid I was able to check in before my roommate who was stuck in traffic. This was in Florida. 

[Mommaguti]

1 hour ago, doghog said:

Are you sure? I've always had the option to select my wife or me or both of us. Regardless checking in separately will not create a problem for your or others in your group. 

 

BTW, the 10:30 time you selected is not your boarding time. The time is your check in time at the embarkation terminal and in most cases is no longer enforced. 

Forgive my ignorance.  I’m not sure what the difference is between check in and boarding.  Do you not check in and then proceed to board the ship?

[DaKahuna]

2 minutes ago, Mommaguti said:

Forgive my ignorance.  I’m not sure what the difference is between check in and boarding.  Do you not check in and then proceed to board the ship?

 

Not necessarily.  Check in is the process of having your identity and documentation verified.  

Boarding does not happen until after the ship has reached a zero count from the previous cruise, Back to Back passengers and then suite / zenith guest have boarded and then all other guest will start boarding.   Unless you are in a suite, I would not anticipate being above to board the ship before 1100. 

 

[agape01]

So curiously wondering what time would cruisers who are in a suite are able to board?

[If only]

6 minutes ago, agape01 said:

So curiously wondering what time would cruisers who are in a suite are able to board?

Suites can board anytime they want regardless of booking time.

[Mommaguti]

35 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

 

Not necessarily.  Check in is the process of having your identity and documentation verified.  

Boarding does not happen until after the ship has reached a zero count from the previous cruise, Back to Back passengers and then suite / zenith guest have boarded and then all other guest will start boarding.   Unless you are in a suite, I would not anticipate being above to board the ship before 1100. 

 

 

35 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

 

Not necessarily.  Check in is the process of having your identity and documentation verified.  

Boarding does not happen until after the ship has reached a zero count from the previous cruise, Back to Back passengers and then suite / zenith guest have boarded and then all other guest will start boarding.   Unless you are in a suite, I would not anticipate being above to board the ship before 1100. 

 

Oh I see.  Not too much of a wait then. Thank you. 

[DaKahuna]

32 minutes ago, Mommaguti said:

 

Oh I see.  Not too much of a wait then. Thank you. 

 

As I said, it depends on a number of factors but once general boarding starts, it goes fairly quickly. 

 

[davekathy]

1 hour ago, Mommaguti said:

Forgive my ignorance.  I’m not sure what the difference is between check in and boarding.  Do you not check in and then proceed to board the ship?

You're not ignorant. Just clarifying the difference between check in and boarding. You can be checked in but not immediately boarded.

[bEwAbG]

@Ferry_Watcher works at the port in Seattle and will hopefully be able to provide guidance on what they've been seeing in practice.

 

Having to board with your full party was a post-COVID requirement that was enforced during the restart (when testing & health assessment was involved).  Not sure how they're currently handling it.  If they are enforcing it, the policy means you would have to wait for your friends before you could board.

[horseymike]

Flying in on day of departure is risky business.

 I hope all goes well for your group. 🍀🚢

[D. B.]

5 hours ago, Mommaguti said:

Forgive my ignorance.  I’m not sure what the difference is between check in and boarding.  Do you not check in and then proceed to board the ship?

Suite guests get to board first.

That goes pretty fast then you should be immediately after them.

[Mommaguti]

Thanks everyone. 

[doghog]

On 8/27/2023 at 6:42 PM, D. B. said:

Suite guests get to board first.

That goes pretty fast then you should be immediately after them.

After us B2Bers. 

[D. B.]

2 hours ago, doghog said:

After us B2Bers. 

Soe B2B's I have done we never even had to leave the ship.😊

[doghog]

13 hours ago, D. B. said:

Soe B2B's I have done we never even had to leave the ship.😊

We did once in Miami due to a mandatory Coast Guard inspection. Waited in the terminal for about an hour. Last group off, first group back on. 

Edited September 1, 2023 by doghog

[D. B.]

5 hours ago, doghog said:

We did once in Miami due to a mandatory Coast Guard inspection. Waited in the terminal for about an hour. Last group off, first group back on. 

Our Iceland to Boston cruise on Summit 2 weeks ago I had an arrival time of 12:00-12:30.

 Arrived at the terminal at 10:30am. Suites and B2B started boarding at 10:30 and we were Onboard at 10:45!☺️

That seems to be the norm from my recent experience.

[phoenix_dream]

18 hours ago, D. B. said:

Soe B2B's I have done we never even had to leave the ship.😊

Out of US ports you are always supposed to do it that way.  Of all the ones I've done, we've had to leave the ship and return, except for one and I have no idea how they got away with that one.

[Loracpin2]

On 8/27/2023 at 11:44 AM, Mommaguti said:

Hi there, I am sailing on the Solstice Sept 15 out of Seattle.  I am sharing a cabin with 3 other ladies (I know!!) who are flying in same day and their flight isn’t scheduled to arrive until noon.  I fly in on the 13th.  When checking in, the app message says that our whole party ‘must board together (at the same time)’.  It allowed me to select a10:30 boarding time and they selected later (1:30 I think).  Will I be allowed to check in earlier on my own and will that create any problems for them?  Anyone have personal experience with this?

Where are they flying from??

 

[D. B.]

3 minutes ago, phoenix_dream said:

Out of US ports you are always supposed to do it that way.  Of all the ones I've done, we've had to leave the ship and return, except for one and I have no idea how they got away with that one.

I once did not have to leave the ship because the Customs agents came onboard!

[phoenix_dream]

Just now, D. B. said:

I once did not have to leave the ship because the Customs agents came onboard!

Ah, that could have been the situation

[Mommaguti]

7 minutes ago, Loracpin2 said:

Where are they flying from??

 

Toronto Ontario 

[horseymike]

all depends on circumstances. usually not to bad a wait.

Edited September 2, 2023 by horseymike
mistake

[D. B.]

6 minutes ago, horseymike said:

all depends on circumstances. usually not to bad a wait.

 Mostly Because they let us go directly to our cabin and drop our stuff and pick up our sea pass cards while the stateroom attendant finishes with their cleaning.

 I think another reason they want guests on ASAP is to get the Safety and muster station procedures going so they can record who has and who Has Not completed the process?

 We always spend 1 or 2 days Pre Cruise at the place where the cruise starts (International ports) because the air travel glitches can be unpredictable and because we have to check out of our Hotel we just go directly to the ship. Thats why we get there early.