Emerald - Embarkation

[Cosmic Rays]

I have read recently with great interest the problems encountered while waiting to embark at Port Everglades.

 

Those who have been and returned, what did you find to be the best time to try...........11.30am, Noon, or wait as the documents have said until about 2pm and just in time for a late lunch!! We sail on January 15th.

 

We will have been in Ft Lauderdale for three nights pre cruise so there is no rush, but we would like to make contact with our friends asap and to "get the party started"!!

 

Any help and advice would be welcome please..........

 

Thanks,

 

Colin:) :)

[BruceMuzz]

Boarding a cruise ship is quite like getting on the school bus in Kindergarten.

Everyone wants to be the first on the bus so they can sit behind the driver.

 

If you like standing in long lines, pushing and shoving, and getting stressed out at the beginning of your cruise, then by all means go ahead. Then you can do it all over again at the mandatory photo stop, then again at the gangway, and one more time at the Lido Buffet. Good luck finding a seat. Too bad your cabin isn't ready yet.

 

If you want to have an elegant cruise experience from beginning to end, show up in mid-afternoon. There are no lines at all. You have dozens of check-in staff waiting to assist you. You are calm, stress-free, and ready to enjoy your trip. You stroll casually onto the ship and go straight to your waiting clean cabin. Then you go to the buffet, which is now nearly deserted.

Have a calm lunch and a drink. Then it's time for boat drill and off you go.

[Colo Cruiser]

We always go early, 10:30-11:00, even if we have to wait.

 

On the Emerald last month we did this and were onboard by 12:00.

[Cosmic Rays]

Boarding a cruise ship is quite like getting on the school bus in Kindergarten.

Everyone wants to be the first on the bus so they can sit behind the driver.

 

If you like standing in long lines, pushing and shoving, and getting stressed out at the beginning of your cruise, then by all means go ahead. Then you can do it all over again at the mandatory photo stop, then again at the gangway, and one more time at the Lido Buffet. Good luck finding a seat. Too bad your cabin isn't ready yet.

 

If you want to have an elegant cruise experience from beginning to end, show up in mid-afternoon. There are no lines at all. You have dozens of check-in staff waiting to assist you. You are calm, stress-free, and ready to enjoy your trip. You stroll casually onto the ship and go straight to your waiting clean cabin. Then you go to the buffet, which is now nearly deserted.

Have a calm lunch and a drink. Then it's time for boat drill and off you go.

 

 

Bruce......

 

Mmmmmmmm, the last paragraph is so well put, I guess we'll spend the morning at leisure and then stroll on down early afternoon and board in style!!

 

Thanks

 

Colin:) :) :)

[Benita]

We arrived at the port at 12:30 and there were about 200 people on line outside the building. We are platinum members so we were able to go right on, but it was at least an hour before those in line made it on the ship. I agree with the poster who said to go a little later - after 1:30 and you should be in pretty good shape.

[vickie_bernie]

Colin I agree to wait until at least 2 pm, problem with this is that you have to check out of hotel usually around 1200 and then what do you do?

 

We are sailing with you, we will be getting to the pier around 1230, but we are Platinum so hopefully we won't have to wait too long, but it is nice just to be there and with others who are sailing with you!

 

If you see me in line, just wave, otherwise I will see you up on deck at sailaway party.

[strummer]

Just a quick question as we will be embarking the caribbean princess at port everglades in Feb '08.

 

What time does the princess transfers usually drop you off at port? We are staying with princess at the intercontinental west miami the night before as we are flying in from the UK.

 

Any help would be appreciated

 

Hannah

[NJSunWorshiper]

When we boarded the Star in FL a few years ago we got there early but we waited a long time. It wasn't worth it. I plan on showing up around 2:00 this time for the Emerald.

 

Has anyone had problems getting a cab when they disembark in FL? Last time on the Star it was a nightmare. Way too many people and not enough cabs.

[Colo Cruiser]

When we boarded the Star in FL a few years ago we got there early but we waited a long time. It wasn't worth it. I plan on showing up around 2:00 this time for the Emerald.

 

Has anyone had problems getting a cab when they disembark in FL? Last time on the Star it was a nightmare. Way too many people and not enough cabs.

 

 

Just off the Emerald in FLL and there are tons of cabs. :)

Way too many cabs and not enough people.

[RockinRobin]

We are arriving the day before and may rent a car. Can we drop off our luggage at the pier on the morning of embarkation and drive away to enjoy more of fort lauderdale then return later to board the ship?

Thanks,

Robin

[Colo Cruiser]

We are arriving the day before and may rent a car. Can we drop off our luggage at the pier on the morning of embarkation and drive away to enjoy more of fort lauderdale then return later to board the ship?

Thanks,

Robin

 

 

Yes but they won't start taking luggage until 9 or so, so don't plan to drop off too early.

This will also depend on whether there are any problems with the diembarking prior cruise passengers and their luggage. :)

[AliceS]

We arrived at the port at 12:30 and there were about 200 people on line outside the building. We are platinum members so we were able to go right on, but it was at least an hour before those in line made it on the ship. I agree with the poster who said to go a little later - after 1:30 and you should be in pretty good shape.

 

 

Do you go to the front of the line as a platinum member and not get into the line at all? We are elite members, but just get in line like everyone else. I want to hear about this one.

[Cosmic Rays]

Colin I agree to wait until at least 2 pm, problem with this is that you have to check out of hotel usually around 1200 and then what do you do?

 

We are sailing with you, we will be getting to the pier around 1230, but we are Platinum so hopefully we won't have to wait too long, but it is nice just to be there and with others who are sailing with you!

 

If you see me in line, just wave, otherwise I will see you up on deck at sailaway party.

 

Vickie - I KNOW you (and Bernie if you don't forget to bring him) are sailing with us...........hope the teeth are now sparkling in readiness, the 'fake' tan is coming on fine, and lunch was good with your Dad today!! Just because you are Platinum (as we will be after our cruise next June on the Grand) it means you'll have to wait even longer to board... as you will have to queue for numerous photos .....lol

 

How will we recognise you - are you planning on parking your bus at the quayside? Tigger B Brian will be easily identifiable in his leopard skin thong - all neatly pressed and ready for an airing!!!

 

Enjoy the Christmas Vacation - 28 days to departure from Ft L, yet only 25 days for us from England!!

 

Colin:D :D :D :D

 

We will check out at noon and leave our bags at Kira Mar - booked through Trip Advisor last March - and collect about 1.30 I guess

[m steve]

. There was a line about the length of the building at around 1 pm but it moved quite fast and we boarded in about a half hour on the 6th for Emerald. Once inside the building it sped up with lots of agents. The biggest delay were the damn photogs slowing down the line and no way to bypass them.

[Cosmic Rays]

Just a quick question as we will be embarking the caribbean princess at port everglades in Feb '08.

 

What time does the princess transfers usually drop you off at port? We are staying with princess at the intercontinental west miami the night before as we are flying in from the UK.

 

Any help would be appreciated

 

Hannah

 

Hannah,

 

Our experience is that you will be picked up from the Hotel at about noon or was when we did it last. We were picked up another time from South Beach at 1pm and got to the ship about 2pm. It's a shame the Hotel is away from Miami as it is difficult to go downtown or to South Beach for the morning. There are restaurants near the Hotel - mind the road junctions - it is expensive dining at the hotel. On the return, with transfers, you will be taken back to the hotel for lunch and then on to a shopping mall for a while before returning to the airport for the overnight flight home. We are doing cruise only this time and flying Manchester via Newark, New York to Ft Lauderdale - easier and much cheaper than the Princess inclusive costs. All we pay for is a 10 minute taxi journey. We're actually going three days early and staying in Ft Lauderdale - it's still cheaper than the Princess package for the additional winter sunshine and chill out pre cruise...........

Hope this helps you

 

Colin:) :)

[Shoalwater]

Just off the Emerald in FLL and there are tons of cabs. :)

Way too many cabs and not enough people.

 

disembarked CB yesterday (17-Dec) at 0930 hrs. There were 6 other ships in port doing the same thing. It was a zoo. I saw hundreds of folks looking for cabs in vain, and for 1 hr saw nobody picked up in one. They were absent.

[Colo Cruiser]

disembarked CB yesterday (17-Dec) at 0930 hrs. There were 6 other ships in port doing the same thing. It was a zoo. I saw hundreds of folks looking for cabs in vain, and for 1 hr saw nobody picked up in one. They were absent.

 

 

We did not have that many ships in the day we were off. It was during the week. :)

[Sea Day Cruiser]

Do you go to the front of the line as a platinum member and not get into the line at all? We are elite members, but just get in line like everyone else. I want to hear about this one.

 

I'm Elite also and, yes, you go to the front of the line. It took me several cruises to figure that out, and sometimes I feel guilty doing it, but that's how it works. Just walk up to the entrance and show your boarding pass with "preferred" on it. They will direct you to the platinum line.

[strummer]

Hannah,

 

Our experience is that you will be picked up from the Hotel at about noon or was when we did it last. We were picked up another time from South Beach at 1pm and got to the ship about 2pm. It's a shame the Hotel is away from Miami as it is difficult to go downtown or to South Beach for the morning. There are restaurants near the Hotel - mind the road junctions - it is expensive dining at the hotel. On the return, with transfers, you will be taken back to the hotel for lunch and then on to a shopping mall for a while before returning to the airport for the overnight flight home. We are doing cruise only this time and flying Manchester via Newark, New York to Ft Lauderdale - easier and much cheaper than the Princess inclusive costs. All we pay for is a 10 minute taxi journey. We're actually going three days early and staying in Ft Lauderdale - it's still cheaper than the Princess package for the additional winter sunshine and chill out pre cruise...........

Hope this helps you

 

Colin:) :)

 

Thanks for the info its good to know how long we will have that morning - hoping to hang out by the pool and try and get over so of the jet lag. If we get picked up by midday I'm guessing we'll get there by approx 2pm which is fine by me.

 

Due to time restraints we are getting the princess transfers - no chance of getting a cheaper package of flights and hotel as its Feb half term when we go. Would love to go a few days early - V jealous!!:D

[AliceS]

I'm Elite also and, yes, you go to the front of the line. It took me several cruises to figure that out, and sometimes I feel guilty doing it, but that's how it works. Just walk up to the entrance and show your boarding pass with "preferred" on it. They will direct you to the platinum line.

 

 

It took me 26 cruises to hear this one. When we got to the Emerald in November, the door was closed, no one was getting in. If everyone Platinum+ came to the front, there would have been another line forming. What then? They must have opened early, filled the waiting area and then closed down. They had security checking your name off of a manifest by hand and they were really slow. Once you were in Princess' hands, it was smooth.