Early Boarding in LA???

[Borrego]

Does anybody know if there is a program for early boarding (before 2 p.m.) in LA? The book Celebrity sent us says on page 10 not to arrive before 2 p.m. at the port.

[Irishwhiskey]

I can understand why.We were waiting in line for two hours.The security checkpoint has to check every passengers passport,documents etc,before entering to be checked in at the cruise desk.The line was wrapped around the complex.Buses of passengers were showing up in groves.Luggage was everywhere.There were only two customs agents checking passports when we went back in April.Maybe its changed today but thats what was happenning.Celebrity was serving refreshments and helping people with disabilities who couldn't stand in line.Showing up early might not be the best option at this port.We arrived at about 12pm and walked on the ship around 3:45/4pm.

[Host Karen]

We arrived at the LA terminal prior to our Nov. 5 cruise around 11 a.m. The place was a disaster because the customs service had not sent enough officers and disembarking passengers were delayed (some long enough to miss their flights). There was originally a group of about 12 of us who were able to turn our luggage over to a porter but were not allowed inside the terminal. Around 11:30, they took us over to the Royal Caribbean terminal, gave us a number (#1, of course), and checked us in there. We were informed that when the ship was available for boarding, we would be driven back to the terminal by number, and would be allowed to walk directly onto the ship.

 

As it turned out, by 12:30 or so when the ship was ready, there were perhaps 100 people who had been driven from one terminal to the other and therefore had to be driven back in order to board. When we arrived back at the Celebrity terminal (we were in the first van to arrive), passengers who had showed up much later than we did had already checked in at the Celebrity terminal and boarded the ship. There was a small group waiting to check in.

 

I don't know if a timely debarkation of passengers would have eliminated this transfer of passengers, but it was a ridiculous exercise in my opinion. It was not possible to walk back to the Celebrity terminal, because the parking lots and access roads are fenced off. Should I board in Los Angeles again, I would probably arrive early just to see if this was standard operating procedure, but I would be prepared for the same chaos.

[Texed]

We arrived at the LA terminal prior to our Nov. 5 cruise around 11 a.m. The place was a disaster because the customs service had not sent enough officers and disembarking passengers were delayed (some long enough to miss their flights).

I don't know if a timely debarkation of passengers would have eliminated this transfer of passengers, but it was a ridiculous exercise in my opinion.

 

I have cruised more than 50 times. San Pedro is the worst.

[Drew B]

I arrived between 10:30 and 11:00, and while I wasn't on the ship till about 12:15, I didn't consider it a horrendous experience. I found it a nice time to share my anticipation with a lot of others who were equally excited about the impending cruise. Even met a family from our role call and hung out with them while waiting.

 

If you are impatient while waiting or get frustrated easily, you may wish to arrive later. If you are willing to go with the flow, you WILL get on board earlier if you arrive earlier.

[Keith1010]

We boarded the ship in March at around 12:30 PM even though the official boarding time was at 2:00 PM.

 

There was confusion as to exactly where the line started as no one from security would say definitely where to stand. So, we all ended up moving three times. Sort of silly. Either the cruise line or the local security should just put a sign up as to where to stand.

 

But based on what I read I had expected it to be quite a bit worse, so we were pleased with what time we boarded the ship. Once you get past securit the check in process was very efficient.

 

One comment though. If it had been raining it would not have been good as waiting in the line in a heavy down pour would not have been fun. Thank goodness it was sunny the day we boarded.

 

Keith

[Petert]

I am surprised at the number of letters refering to boarding problems at San Pedro. We have sailed out of there on both Carnival and RCI at least ten times, and have had very good experiences as a whole. There are actually two adjacent terminals, that can handle up to three ships at a time. The worst delay we have seen was when RCI's Vision of the Seas was a little late in arriving, and the boarding ramp broke down (not a common occurance).

 

We usually arrive at about 11:00A for our cruises. Debarking passengers are normally cleared by about 10:15A, and they will start processing the boarding passengers within 30 or 45 min. Actual boarding will begin about 11:15A and the lines and waiting times are usually relatively short. There are seperate lines for Diamond members and suite passengers that speed the process, in addition RCI's online preboarding check in has had the effect of shortening the entire process. Best bet is to arrive no earlier than 11:00A, to avoid the congestion of bebarking passengers, with the baggage handlers working with the off loading bags and all the busses and cabs picking up passengers. Then there is an initial crowd of embarking passengers that got there very early and had to wait until the check stations were opened. After this crowd is thinned out there is a time of short lines, and then the buses will start arriving from the airport and the waiting times can then become longer.

 

In my experience the San Pedro cruise terminal is one of the most efficient and well run terminals I have sailed from.

 

Petert

[GaryfmCol]

I am surprised at the number of letters refering to boarding problems at San Pedro.

 

In my experience the San Pedro cruise terminal is one of the most efficient and well run terminals I have sailed from.

 

Petert

 

We agree.

 

We were on the SUMMIT for the 10/14 - 10/28 cruise to Hawai'i.

We arrived on a bus from the Westin Hotel in Long Beach.

(Three busses arrived at the same time we did.)

 

We arrived at 12:45 Pm, and, we were ready to go to lunch in the

grill at 13:10 Pm. True were were Concierge Class and, that line

was shorter, and, we had all of our paperwork in order

and, our X Boarding Passes. We certainly had nothing

to complain about.

 

(We heard one guy complaining in line behind us, about

how long it was taking..he had only been in

line about 5 minutes at that point... :D

[judyfssw]

We left on the Summit out of San Pedro last year and both the embarkation and especially the disembarkation was the worst I've ever experienced. We had my mom who was in a wheelchair and on oxygen and it was just plain awful. It sounds like it hasn't improved at all. I was also on the Summit in Alaska and the disembarkation was much better. I have to believe that the problem is with the San Pedro pier people.

[Literary Lynne]

Have to agree with those who think embarking at San Pedro is bad. We were on Summit sailing via the Panama Canal up to Fort Lauderdale this time last year and embarking took about an hour and a half. We arrived at 12.30pm. I felt really sorry for those people who were elderly or less able - they really suffered just standing in a queue (line) for so long.

 

Have cruised Europe/Far East/US/Caribbean and San Pedro is definitely the worst.

:(

Lynne

[Lsimon]

We like to board early, and were at the pier last March before 11AM. There was a some confusion as the porters were just finishing up with the last of the disembarking passengers. Also was a bit of confusion as to which entrance we should wait in line at, and there was conflicting info being given between Celebrity people and port security people. A lot of people were getting impatient and upset. We just waited without moving back and forth between lines like some did and ended up being one of the first on board between 11:30 and noon.

 

My advice, if you want to get on early show up around 11, but be prepared for some confusion and just take it easy and enjoy yourself. If you are the type that will get nervous and upset if the lines are confusing and not organized, then don't show up until the appointed time of 2PM. I bet that by 2PM the lines were very short and orderly. My observation is that if you're going to show up before the guidelines say you should then you shouldn't complain if things are not yet organized.

[joeinsb]

We arrived at San Pedro for our 11/11/06 Panama Canal cruise on Summit at noon, got through security and the X check-in (where they had more than a dozen agents) and were on board an in our cabin by 12:30 tops. Since 1990 when we began cruising we've sailed out of San Perdo 19 times and only once did we experience any serious delays--on Carnival's Elation, when we arrived around 2 and spent close to two hours in long lines and changing terminals. Not bad odds, I'd say. Given a choice, arrive around noon and you should be OK.

[KreinKrunker]

Have to agree that it is mass chaos in San Pedro, especially if there are three ships in port. Part of it seems to be an immigration/customs problem, they don't have enough officers, or they don't get there in a timely fashion. That slows down the debarkation process, which then affects the embarkation process. The entrances for the terminal that serves the two ships are not marked very well, people are lined up all over the place. Some lines have passengers for both ships in them. My advice, take it for what it's worth, is not to arrive before noon, especially if there are three ships in that day.

[Jimsgirl]

According to another posting in the Connections thread, the Dec 8th sailing will have a delayed boarding because the ship will be undergoing a special cleaning.

 

Since we all hate the "cruise virus", we should be pleased with this safety measure. I am sure those who are staying in a hotel for the pre cruise night will not object to the delay.

 

For those arriving from the airport you may wish check with the "meet and greet" person.