Embarkation boarding prior to your time

[jwlane]

1 hour ago, TheHawk1 said:

 next time I'm on a crowded flight and assigned Zone 5 or 6, I guess I'll just push my way to the front of the line and board with Zone 1, 

Let us know how that works out for ya'!

[hrhdhd]

49 minutes ago, kaysha2004 said:

Yuk!  You must be one of those people that pick your nose and cough into the buffet while getting your food and spread norovirus.

Sigh. He was pointing out other frequently violated norms on the ship. BTW, noro isn't usually spread through coughing.

[hcat]

3 hours ago, Galaxy2004 said:

@kaysha2004 6 cruises from FLL in the last 2 years all from Terminal 25 so not for sure on others but I've never seen "chaos in the boarding process" at any time I've shown up. 

we have..but not recently!

but why have rules and procedure ic X and its customers ignore them?

[phoenix_dream]

On 3/14/2024 at 12:18 PM, helen haywood said:

At Port Everglades (Ft. Lauderdale) no one has been paying attention to the scheduled boarding times since the post Covid sailings recommenced. 

Actually our first few sailings after Covid they stuck strictly to assigned times. But I agree that lately no one seems to check 

[jwlane]

On 3/14/2024 at 5:11 PM, hcat said:

why have rules and procedure [if] X and its customers ignore them?

Face it.  Arrival times are a holdover from Covid days.  They remain because they're a soft means of metering the flow.

[JLMcruise]

 For the OP you seem to have a good plan - but a funny story.... I am OCD about check in times. We were on an Alaska cruise and I set my alarm to get up at 2:00am to check in for our Hawaii cruise (forgetting we were in a suite and I didn't need to do this). I arrived at Guest Relation in my pj's looking like I just crawled out of bed and with passports in hand. I forgot my glasses.   The guest service agent probably thought I was nuts and  he stated he never had a guest check in for a cruise  before on board. He turned the computer around and went to the back office. I  realized  I couldn't read the computer screen  (I forgot my glasses) - I asked another staff member who was vacuuming the guest service area if she could help me. She was great! She got me checked in so I could have that beloved 11:30 check in time. She was wonderful but we both started laughing about how absurd this was....she got a nice tip!  Needless to say - I have my alarm set for 4am on Sunday for our next cruise. This time we are not in suite! Enjoy your cruise!

[ICANTWAITTOCRUISE]

On 3/14/2024 at 4:42 PM, dacf said:

Thanks to all that wrote in.   To those who made a comment of me cutting the line, we would never do that on purpose, that's just rude and insensitive and it's not what I meant.

 

For the other folks, you've helped me decide on what to do, so thank you.  Our check out time is at 11am, we'll definitely take our time and even ask for a late check out if possible - not sure if we'll get that or not.   We'll eventually head over to that end - probably closer to 1pm.   I'll mention it to the personnel there that our time is not till 2pm and if we need to sit back and wait, it'll be more entertaining people watching than sitting in the hotel lobby bored, if they tell us to go ahead, because of lack of people then we will. I will leave it up to them.

I can guarantee you they will not even know what you're taking about or care and will definitely not tell youyou have to wait! What the majority have said here is correct: it's really just a suggestion:). It works just like if you get to the dentist early and check in. If they can accommodate you they will and not delay others. And somehow celebrity knows how to do it! Have a great cruise!

Edited March 16 by ICANTWAITTOCRUISE
Add something

[cecelia0613]

We did equinox in January with a group all with different arrival times.  When we got there at our arrival time, people in our group who had later were already there sitting in the terminal cattle prod area.  They were at the front of the line while we were way back in line.  Didn’t bother us, we got on the ship too.  I do believe however they are trying to control the crowds by assigning arrival times.  What they can’t control is when the ship is actually ready for boarding.  Some in our group with early times ended up having to stand outside because there was no more room inside the terminal.  This the reason they ask folks to stick to their assigned time slot.

[Octavias]

Not trying to hijack the topic, but I think the OP got her answer anyway…

 

what is this about suite passengers not needing a boarding time?  I thought I was going to have to stay up on the day we can check-in for the cruise to get a good time slot.  I have multiple severe food allergies so need to be able to eat lunch that day in Luminae which I heard closes at 130.

[Northern Aurora]

3 minutes ago, Octavias said:

......

 

what is this about suite passengers not needing a boarding time?  I thought I was going to have to stay up on the day we can check-in for the cruise to get a good time slot.  I have multiple severe food allergies so need to be able to eat lunch that day in Luminae which I heard closes at 130.

 

Suite passengers and Zenith Captain's Club (loyalty level) board when they desire.

[hrhdhd]

15 minutes ago, Northern Aurora said:

Suite passengers and Zenith Captain's Club (loyalty level) board when they desire.

They arrive when they desire. They board when the ship is cleared to board new passengers.

[TheHawk1]

22 minutes ago, Octavias said:

Not trying to hijack the topic, but I think the OP got her answer anyway…

 

what is this about suite passengers not needing a boarding time?  I thought I was going to have to stay up on the day we can check-in for the cruise to get a good time slot.  I have multiple severe food allergies so need to be able to eat lunch that day in Luminae which I heard closes at 130.

I had a Sky Suite last year and boarded at 10:30.  This year, I had an SV, which is why I stayed up until midnight on the day of check in, to get an early assigned boarding time, which ended up being 11:30 am.  Trust me, having a suite last year was much easier 😄

[gold1953]

14 hours ago, TheHawk1 said:

I had a Sky Suite last year and boarded at 10:30.  This year, I had an SV, which is why I stayed up until midnight on the day of check in, to get an early assigned boarding time, which ended up being 11:30 am.  Trust me, having a suite last year was much easier 😄

11:30 is now the earliest time that can be booked

[gold1953]

Anyone staying in a hotel generally has an 11 am check out time and you can hang out at the pool to wait if there is decent weather.. or if there is a pool. Some have rental cars which need to be returned before a 24 hour time is up  ( like us) Our flight arrives early morning the day before so our time is up by 10am . The daily fee is now about $80 and I am not buying a second day. I stay up to get my boarding time so I get the earliest

[Minorhawk]

A week ago Sunday, we showed up an hour early for our boarding time, and I went to the port employee and told him we were early for our time. He was very friendly and said it didn't matter and motioned me into a line to get on the ship. I have seen on these boards that some port employees have made people to wait, but our person allowed it.

[the penguins]

On 3/14/2024 at 8:03 PM, Rick&Jeannie said:

Given that your interaction with "pier/port personnel" are *not* cruise line personnel (in general) I have always highly doubted that they are even aware of the systems that the cruise lines put in place to simply "spread the load" of passengers' arrival times.  They are *certainly* not "checking people off a list in regards to any assigned arrival time.

depends on the port. Southampton for example checks the time. Arrive early and you will be sent to the holding line - no seats and no cover. Other Posters have reported the same at other Ports. Arriving early is at your own risk - if it doesn't work don't complain.

[Lena11033]

54 minutes ago, the penguins said:

depends on the port. Southampton for example checks the time. Arrive early and you will be sent to the holding line - no seats and no cover. Other Posters have reported the same at other Ports. Arriving early is at your own risk - if it doesn't work don't complain.

 

Good to know as my next one is from Southampton, so should try and get the earliest time then

[mickey89]

Don't bother to follow the rules which Celebrity don't enforce.  Recent experience is it's a free for all and none of the Celebrity staff pay any attention to your arrival slot.

[Rick&Jeannie]

3 hours ago, the penguins said:

depends on the port. Southampton for example checks the time. Arrive early and you will be sent to the holding line - no seats and no cover. Other Posters have reported the same at other Ports. Arriving early is at your own risk - if it doesn't work don't complain.

Well, I have differing experience with Southampton. We have sailed from there 5 or 6 times over the past couple of years...have *never* had anyone "check us" for our arrival time.  This may very well be due to the fact that we never get there early (we just don't try to get in the mad rush to be first on board...hence we never get to have lunch in a MDR) *or* that it has been with Princess every time. We always stay at a London hotel and take the transfer from Victoria Coach Station, arriving well after the MDR is closed.

[jwlane]

53 minutes ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

 the transfer from Victoria Coach Station

In our opinion, the BEST way to get there.

[Rick&Jeannie]

49 minutes ago, jwlane said:

In our opinion, the BEST way to get there.

We like it...it's not the cheapest way but we just like to have all the details handled by Princess.  (I understand that the price has gone up from the $59 that it used to be...)

[Club Eleven]

What is the earliest possible arrival time, for Ft. Lauderdale? 10:00AM?

 

Thanks!

[jwlane]

8 minutes ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

.it's not the cheapest way 

I'm talking about National Express---only about $11 per person.  Is that what you're referring to?

[Rick&Jeannie]

9 minutes ago, jwlane said:

I'm talking about National Express---only about $11 per person.  Is that what you're referring to?

Ah!  Sorry...I'm used to posting over in the Princess forum.  I was referring to the Princess transfer out of Victoria Coach Station...sorry!

[39august]

The earliest posted check in time at Ft. Lauderdale used to be 11. I believe now it is 11:30. You can obviously arrive earlier and wait. Boarding has started about 11:15 on our last 3 or 4 cruises.