Getting to Port Canaveral Early?

[MoFarbs]

Hi everyone!  Celebrating my 40th (!!) birthday on the Allure this weekend with friends and family, and I can't wait!  Our group members have a relatively late check-in time of 2pm, but were hoping to try our luck arriving at the port at 11am to see if they will let us on some time earlier if there's a break in the crowds.  I'm seeing mixed reports online -- both of people being sorted into groups by check in time and of people being able to get on early.  Does anyone have a recent experience they can share?

[Ashland]

RCI hasn't been enforcing the assigned times, at least on our last 6 cruises.  

[JJK2008]

7 hours ago, MoFarbs said:

Hi everyone!  Celebrating my 40th (!!) birthday on the Allure this weekend with friends and family, and I can't wait!  Our group members have a relatively late check-in time of 2pm, but were hoping to try our luck arriving at the port at 11am to see if they will let us on some time earlier if there's a break in the crowds.  I'm seeing mixed reports online -- both of people being sorted into groups by check in time and of people being able to get on early.  Does anyone have a recent experience they can share?

You can almost always get onboard early. The key word being "always" as they may decide to enforce the time slots, no guarantee. We've always got on early, usually very early. Good Luck.

[NoShoes2]

We cruised at the end of January. We had the earliest check in time and got to the port 10-15 minutes before that. When we got seated in the waiting area there were at least 200 people already waiting. Nothing was said and there was no signage regarding check in times. 

 

Have a great birthday!

Edited February 21 by NoShoes2

[Mum2Mercury]

I have seen terminal staff dividing people into groups based upon entrance times.  

Since I've always had the earliest entrance time, so I don't actually know what went on after we were admitted.  

[island lady]

We get there early, but leave our carry on bags in the vehicle when we park after dropping off our checked bags.  We then simply walk over next door to Grills to enjoy a Bloody Mary on the deck while gazing at our home away from home for the week.  

 

Once we are ready to get in line to board, the lines have thinned out, we grab our carry on bags and proceed into the terminal with a fresh new relaxation mode on our faces.  😉 

[Starry Eyes]

2 hours ago, Mum2Mercury said:

I have seen terminal staff dividing people into groups based upon entrance times.  

Since I've always had the earliest entrance time, so I don't actually know what went on after we were admitted.  

We had the second arrival time on a recent sailing, so we were in the second set of gates outside the terminal building.  After the earliest group entered, our group was allowed in the doors immediately after.  The people in the next set of gate followed immediately after us as there was still space in the security line inside the terminal that week.  YMMV if the number of passengers arriving early is greater, if terminal doors open later, etc.

Edited February 21 by Starry Eyes

[bucfan2]

Apparently the 'show up at your scheduled arrival time' message has served its purpose spreading out pax arriving, as we have not encountered any troubles checking in regardless of time (Tampa/PC/PE/Miami). We cruise monthly, and have for the past several years. Show up whenever you desire, realizing you have some micro chance of having to wait a little. 

[SUgwoz]

1 minute ago, bucfan2 said:

Apparently the 'show up at your scheduled arrival time' message has served its purpose spreading out pax arriving, as we have not encountered any troubles checking in regardless of time (Tampa/PC/PE/Miami). We cruise monthly, and have for the past several years. Show up whenever you desire, realizing you have some micro chance of having to wait a little. 

Its been a good process, along with how quick the embarkation process has been.  

 

My experiences this past winter at two different Florida ports was to have people move on through as they arrive with plenty of staff checking passengers that the process takes minutes.  They are not looking to have passengers wait around if not necessary.  

[Rotherham_Cruiser]

11 hours ago, MoFarbs said:

Hi everyone!  Celebrating my 40th (!!) birthday on the Allure this weekend with friends and family, and I can't wait!  Our group members have a relatively late check-in time of 2pm, but were hoping to try our luck arriving at the port at 11am to see if they will let us on some time earlier if there's a break in the crowds.  I'm seeing mixed reports online -- both of people being sorted into groups by check in time and of people being able to get on early.  Does anyone have a recent experience they can share?

I got off Allure 3weeks ago, at about 09:00. The line for.the new passengers had formed outside the Terminal, and at 09:30 they called anyone with a time before 11am.

 

Our embarkation a few days earlier got us on the ship an hour earlier than booked, so I guess the message is get eealy, and chances are, you'll get straight on

 

 

Edited February 21 by Rotherham_Cruiser

[Mum2Mercury]

2 hours ago, bucfan2 said:

Apparently the 'show up at your scheduled arrival time' message has served its purpose spreading out pax arriving

Yes, lines are shorter than they were in the distant past.  

1 hour ago, SUgwoz said:

They are not looking to have passengers wait around if not necessary.  

Right.  Everyone loses when they keep people waiting.  

[Saturngrl]

Our last cruise in May 2023, we had The Key and an early scheduled arrival time.  We went through the Key line and were seated in the The Key section of the terminal.  Passengers were then seated in sections based upon their assigned arrival times, i.e. 11:00, 11:30 and on.  Boarding started with Suites, and the Pinnacles, then The Key and then arrival time groups.  It worked well. 

[MoFarbs]

9 hours ago, Saturngrl said:

Our last cruise in May 2023, we had The Key and an early scheduled arrival time.  We went through the Key line and were seated in the The Key section of the terminal.  Passengers were then seated in sections based upon their assigned arrival times, i.e. 11:00, 11:30 and on.  Boarding started with Suites, and the Pinnacles, then The Key and then arrival time groups.  It worked well. 

thanks! I guess you wouldn’t have seen how early they boarded those groups since you were first on?

[MoFarbs]

On 2/21/2024 at 1:39 AM, Ashland said:

RCI hasn't been enforcing the assigned times, at least on our last 6 cruises.  

 

On 2/21/2024 at 7:36 AM, JJK2008 said:

You can almost always get onboard early. The key word being "always" as they may decide to enforce the time slots, no guarantee. We've always got on early, usually very early. Good Luck.

 

On 2/21/2024 at 8:13 AM, NoShoes2 said:

We cruised at the end of January. We had the earliest check in time and got to the port 10-15 minutes before that. When we got seated in the waiting area there were at least 200 people already waiting. Nothing was said and there was no signage regarding check in times. 

 

Have a great birthday!

 

On 2/21/2024 at 8:14 AM, Mum2Mercury said:

I have seen terminal staff dividing people into groups based upon entrance times.  

Since I've always had the earliest entrance time, so I don't actually know what went on after we were admitted.  

 

On 2/21/2024 at 8:34 AM, island lady said:

We get there early, but leave our carry on bags in the vehicle when we park after dropping off our checked bags.  We then simply walk over next door to Grills to enjoy a Bloody Mary on the deck while gazing at our home away from home for the week.  

 

Once we are ready to get in line to board, the lines have thinned out, we grab our carry on bags and proceed into the terminal with a fresh new relaxation mode on our faces.  😉 

 

On 2/21/2024 at 10:39 AM, Starry Eyes said:

We had the second arrival time on a recent sailing, so we were in the second set of gates outside the terminal building.  After the earliest group entered, our group was allowed in the doors immediately after.  The people in the next set of gate followed immediately after us as there was still space in the security line inside the terminal that week.  YMMV if the number of passengers arriving early is greater, if terminal doors open later, etc.

 

On 2/21/2024 at 11:02 AM, bucfan2 said:

Apparently the 'show up at your scheduled arrival time' message has served its purpose spreading out pax arriving, as we have not encountered any troubles checking in regardless of time (Tampa/PC/PE/Miami). We cruise monthly, and have for the past several years. Show up whenever you desire, realizing you have some micro chance of having to wait a little. 

 

On 2/21/2024 at 11:10 AM, SUgwoz said:

Its been a good process, along with how quick the embarkation process has been.  

 

My experiences this past winter at two different Florida ports was to have people move on through as they arrive with plenty of staff checking passengers that the process takes minutes.  They are not looking to have passengers wait around if not necessary.  

 

On 2/21/2024 at 11:20 AM, Rotherham_Cruiser said:

I got off Allure 3weeks ago, at about 09:00. The line for.the new passengers had formed outside the Terminal, and at 09:30 they called anyone with a time before 11am.

 

Our embarkation a few days earlier got us on the ship an hour earlier than booked, so I guess the message is get eealy, and chances are, you'll get straight on

 

 

Thanks all, really appreciate it! I’ll let you know how it goes tomorrow. 

[island lady]

1 hour ago, MoFarbs said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks all, really appreciate it! I’ll let you know how it goes tomorrow. 

 

The ship won't leave without you.  Relax and take it as it comes. 

 

I am boarding on Sunday and in no hurry to rush onto the ship.  😉 

[nolimits]

Go early, just not to early, 11::30 after boarding starts then no one will be in lines

 

[MoFarbs]

12 hours ago, island lady said:

 

The ship won't leave without you.  Relax and take it as it comes. 

 

I am boarding on Sunday and in no hurry to rush onto the ship.  😉 

true, but for only a three night cruise (with a drink package) I’m eager to get the party started! If boarding early is a possibility that would be amazing!
 

 

10 hours ago, nolimits said:

Go early, just not to early, 11::30 after boarding starts then no one will be in lines

 

Fingers crossed!!

[island lady]

8 minutes ago, MoFarbs said:

true, but for only a three night cruise (with a drink package) I’m eager to get the party started! If boarding early is a possibility that would be amazing!
 

 

Fingers crossed!!

 

Go for it!   Hope for the best indeed, hopefully you will not have to stand in line outside to wait for your appointed time.  I have seen them set up little "cattle gates" with the times listed...but won't know until Sunday if that is still the case yet.  

[MoFarbs]

14 minutes ago, island lady said:

 

Go for it!   Hope for the best indeed, hopefully you will not have to stand in line outside to wait for your appointed time.  I have seen them set up little "cattle gates" with the times listed...but won't know until Sunday if that is still the case yet.  

Yes, I’ve read such varying information just about port canaveral alone that it’s hard to get a bead on things. Worst case scenario we will all just stand around the port for too long…nobody was too excited about killing two hours in cape canaveral anyway. 
 

have a great time on your cruise!

[Gemina]

We were on the Wonder a couple of weeks ago and it was super fast. We had an arrival time of 11:00 but arrived at Port just before 10:00. We were on the ship by about 10:20 - definitely the earliest I’ve ever been onboard!

[island lady]

1 hour ago, MoFarbs said:

Yes, I’ve read such varying information just about port canaveral alone that it’s hard to get a bead on things. Worst case scenario we will all just stand around the port for too long…nobody was too excited about killing two hours in cape canaveral anyway. 
 

have a great time on your cruise!

 

Thanks you too!  🙂  

 

BTW....just an idea...if you do get stuck waiting until closer to your scheduled time you can always do what we do.  Walk next door to Grills and have a drink, breakfast, lunch...etc.   Nice place to hang out and be able to sit.   There is no place to sit outside the terminal entrance.

[MoFarbs]

Update: my boarding time was 2pm, but I arrived at 11:30 and was able to go right through to the ship! Short security line and very few people waiting around, despite a sold-out sailing on the Allure. The other members of my group with similar boarding times had the same experience. One person went straight through aa early as 11! Although there was signage at the port dividing people by boarding time, nobody asked and we were ushered all the way through. 
 

Great way to kick off my birthday weekend! Happy sailing everyone!

[island lady]

2 hours ago, MoFarbs said:

Update: my boarding time was 2pm, but I arrived at 11:30 and was able to go right through to the ship! Short security line and very few people waiting around, despite a sold-out sailing on the Allure. The other members of my group with similar boarding times had the same experience. One person went straight through aa early as 11! Although there was signage at the port dividing people by boarding time, nobody asked and we were ushered all the way through. 
 

Great way to kick off my birthday weekend! Happy sailing everyone!

 

 

Yaahh!  Happy Birthday...happy it worked out for you.  😊