embarkation

[CVA34]

Leaving from San Pedro what would the embarkation start for a 9PM sail away?

[Mrs f.]

Do you mean when can passengers board?  On our recent British Isles cruise,  we were scheduled to leave Southampton at 9pm. We were able to board at 11:00am.  They gave us a bunch of choices 

[CVA34]

Thank you Mrs f. Kind of what I thought.

[AMHuntFerry]

In agreement with Mrs. f, from what I've seen 11 am is the default earliest boarding time no matter when the ship is scheduled to leave the port. There are, of course, exceptions.

An example from O's website is shown below. The 1 pm embark time means 11 am is the earliest boarding time. Note that the 11 am and noon boarding times used to be reserved for passengers with O-Club status and suites. Since the pandemic that has been absent, but could return.

[GerryL13]

@AMHuntFerry Yeah. I was surprised that with my B3 cabin status I was able to snag an 11:30 embarkation slot. As soon as I saw it, I grabbed it.

[LHT28]

12 minutes ago, AMHuntFerry said:

An example from O's website is shown below. The 1 pm embark time means 11 am is the earliest boarding time. Note that the 11 am and noon boarding times used to be reserved for passengers with O-Club status and suites. Since the pandemic that has been absent, but could return.

 

What O Club status level lets you board early ?

[AMHuntFerry]

1 minute ago, LHT28 said:

What O Club status level lets you board early ?

Platinum and above "priority terminal check-in" which I assumed meant early boarding...bad assumption?:

[bradpole]

On 10/8/2023 at 4:25 PM, AMHuntFerry said:

Platinum and above "priority terminal check-in" which I assumed meant early boarding...bad assumption?:

I remember last December in Miami after they called the suites they called the higher levels in the club for boarding and let them use the gold carpet lane.  They then called it he concierge cabins.  Do they do that in all the ports?  Possibly. 

[shepherd really]

41 minutes ago, bradpole said:

I remember last December in Miami after they called the suites they called the higher levels in the club for boarding and let them use the gold carpet lane.  They then called it he concierge cabins.  Do they do that in all the ports?  Possibly. 

Terminal Check-in is slightly less worrisome than priority terminal check-out.

 

I'm happy to wait for that.👻💀

[CVA34]

I only asked because we are arriving LAX around 3pm with a departure of 9pm, so I guess any time before 7pm is ok.

[mauibabes]

If you are referring to the Vista sailing on November 3 and you are arriving at the zoo called LAX at 3:00 on a Friday afternoon you better say 🙏. It is about 20 miles to San Pedro Harbor but you could easily be arriving about 5:00 or. I do not know how late the locals will process people for Embarkation. Maybe it would be good to contact Oceania and get an official answer rather than supposition or opinions expressed on CC. 
Enjoy your cruise.

Mauibabes

[ORV]

On 10/8/2023 at 3:25 PM, AMHuntFerry said:

Platinum and above "priority terminal check-in" which I assumed meant early boarding...bad assumption?:

The problem is very few people working at the embarkation terminals actually know about this. If you are Platinum and up, don't ask, just get in a suite line. If anyone questions you just tell them you have Priority Terminal check-in. 

[edgee]

On 10/7/2023 at 7:07 PM, CVA34 said:

Leaving from San Pedro what would the embarkation start for a 9PM sail away?

We just checked in 2 weeks ahead of our Nov. 3 cruise from San Pedro. Earliest offered time window was 11:00 to 11:30. We are Concierge class without high status.

 

[Snaefell3]

1 hour ago, edgee said:

We just checked in 2 weeks ahead of our Nov. 3 cruise from San Pedro. Earliest offered time window was 11:00 to 11:30. We are Concierge class without high status.

 

Ditto back in Mar ('23).

Edited October 13, 2023 by Snaefell3

[Torquer]

On 10/10/2023 at 10:47 PM, CVA34 said:

I only asked because we are arriving LAX around 3pm with a departure of 9pm, so I guess any time before 7pm is ok.

Your plane arrives at 3PM on embarkation day?  That is seriously risky with possible flight delays and Los Angles traffic getting to the port. 

[CVA34]

I figured that 3:00pm would be the very latest arrival, if there was a cancelled flight or delay on a prior flight. Was basically looking for what the latest boarding time would be for a 9:00pm sailing time.

[Snaefell3]

3 hours ago, CVA34 said:

I figured that 3:00pm would be the very latest arrival, if there was a cancelled flight or delay on a prior flight. Was basically looking for what the latest boarding time would be for a 9:00pm sailing time.

Data for ya:  I've personally endured flight delays of 13 and 22 hours for just "thunderstorms".  Nevermind things like ::checks my "cruises taken" file:: the SAS strike of Apr '19 or Southwest's scheduling-computer fiasco of last Dec.

[1985rz1]

5 hours ago, CVA34 said:

I figured that 3:00pm would be the very latest arrival, if there was a cancelled flight or delay on a prior flight. Was basically looking for what the latest boarding time would be for a 9:00pm sailing time.

From the Points Guy:

Most cruise ships require all passengers to be on board no fewer than one to two hours before the scheduled departure time, which is almost always in the late afternoon or evening.

[Snaefell3]

16 minutes ago, 1985rz1 said:

From the Points Guy:

Most cruise ships require all passengers to be on board no fewer than one to two hours before the scheduled departure time, which is almost always in the late afternoon or evening.

DHS requires ships file a departure manifest 60 minutes before sailing, so for US sailings expect at least a 2 hour all-aboard time.

[MRGACRUZR]

Our first Oceania cruise will be on Vista in March '24. I have seen a few references to "signing up for a boarding time" and people getting up at midnight on a certain day to try and get a "good boarding time". I can't find anything on the O website about competition for boarding time. Can someone explain this or refer me to somewhere to be educated. Thanks.

[1985rz1]

1 hour ago, MRGACRUZR said:

Our first Oceania cruise will be on Vista in March '24. I have seen a few references to "signing up for a boarding time" and people getting up at midnight on a certain day to try and get a "good boarding time". I can't find anything on the O website about competition for boarding time. Can someone explain this or refer me to somewhere to be educated. Thanks.

Hmmm...I haven't seen that competition.  The only area that seems to have folks getting on as early as possible is for dining reservations.  You can select a boarding time when you check in, but I don't think it's that competitive...or that the times are actually followed.

[edgee]

45 minutes ago, 1985rz1 said:

Hmmm...I haven't seen that competition.  The only area that seems to have folks getting on as early as possible is for dining reservations.  You can select a boarding time when you check in, but I don't think it's that competitive...or that the times are actually followed.

We received a reminder e mail to check in 21 days prior to our Nov. 3 trans Canal Vista cruise. Saw it when we woke up and completed check in about 8 a.m. Had choice of all 30 minute time slots beginning at 11 a.m. We chose 11:30. So for us no need to stay up til  midnight as we might for dinner reservations. Also, wonder how strict Oceania is in enforcing the time slots. If we have a 1 to 1:30 slot but arrived at noon would they make us wait an hour?

[Snaefell3]

3 hours ago, edgee said:

Also, wonder how strict Oceania is in enforcing the time slots. If we have a 1 to 1:30 slot but arrived at noon would they make us wait an hour?

Based upon what I saw at Pier 92 last Mar, no.  You'd still need wait on folks with higher boarding priorities, though.

 

Based other folks' reports, if you were at a different port or even a different pier at San Pedro, the *port* might well.

 

YMMV

[GerryL13]

On 10/16/2023 at 5:09 PM, MRGACRUZR said:

Our first Oceania cruise will be on Vista in March '24. I have seen a few references to "signing up for a boarding time" and people getting up at midnight on a certain day to try and get a "good boarding time". I can't find anything on the O website about competition for boarding time. Can someone explain this or refer me to somewhere to be educated. Thanks.

I don’t think I rushed to check in online. May even have waited a day or two. Or more. Managed to snag an 11:30 am slot. I arrived at terminal in Miami at about 11:10 and was strolling onto the ship even before my official embarkation time. I am in a “humble” B3 stateroom.

[shepherd really]

On 10/16/2023 at 6:09 PM, MRGACRUZR said:

Our first Oceania cruise will be on Vista in March '24. I have seen a few references to "signing up for a boarding time" and people getting up at midnight on a certain day to try and get a "good boarding time". I can't find anything on the O website about competition for boarding time. Can someone explain this or refer me to somewhere to be educated. Thanks.

I think you are conflating boarding times with specialty dining reservations.