4Pm Sailaway- BEst time to board?

[peppymom98]

I just saw our ship leaves at 4pm. Whats the best time to get onboard? We're driving to the port. Is dinner served on a late departure day? Just wondering how they do muster drill sailaway and all at that time.

[Shorty1007]

Usually you can get to the port about 11am and be on the boat between 12pm and 1pm. You can have lunch on the lido deck. Most of the time your room will not be available until about 1:30pm, so you will have to carry around your carry ons.

[momofzeke]

I like to get to the cruise terminal right around 11 am. That way, you can be on the ship by noonish, usually. They will be serving lunch in the Lido buffet.

 

Sometimes you can drop your carry-on luggage off in your cabin even before 1:30 pm. We have been able to do that on 2 of 3 cruises. The other time, the fire doors were closed going into the hallway where the cabins are. Just be aware that the stewards have the doors propped open while they are getting the cabin ready for you.......so your luggage might be in a cabin that is not locked for a while if you drop it off early.

 

Dinner is served on embarkation day at regular times. Main dining room will have early seating and late seating. Lido buffet will serve dinner. Plus, there will be the poolside grill and room service (24/7). Pizza is available 24/7 and so is soft serve ice cream.

 

Muster drill is usually just before sailaway......around 3:30 or so for a ship departing at 4 pm.

 

Enjoy! :)

[FortyParty]

Do you think getting to the terminal at 1:30 or 2:00 is too late for a 4:00 departure? We are driving to New Orleans the day of departure - it's about a 3 hour drive, but if there's not much going on activity wise on the ship, is it really necessary that we get there any earlier than 1:30 or so?

[KatSt]

I like getting on the ship as early as possible. This way you can have lunch, relax, walk around the ship, etc.

 

You can definitely get on at 1:30 - 2 pm. You just won't have as much time to relax before the muster drill.

[FortyParty]

I get what you're saying. I guess it's nice to look around and get familiar with different areas before you set sail. I guess my main concern was having to haul around our carry-on luggage until the room was ready. That's why I was aiming to be there about 1:30. Maybe we'll shoot for getting there around 1:00.

 

Thanks for the info.

[cathyz]

I get what you're saying. I guess it's nice to look around and get familiar with different areas before you set sail. I guess my main concern was having to haul around our carry-on luggage until the room was ready. That's why I was aiming to be there about 1:30. Maybe we'll shoot for getting there around 1:00.

 

Thanks for the info.

Also, just fyi, for a 4:00 sailing, you must be on board by at least 2:30 (homeland security rule).

[wrp96]

Remember that you have to be onboard no later than 3pm for a 4pm sailaway (earlier if you haven't completed your Funpass).

 

With a 3 hour drive, remember that that's 3 hours of opportunities to encounter delays on the road, traffic accidents, car troubles etc. The earlier you plan to get to the pier, the more leeway you've given yourself in case Murphy rears his ugly head.

 

And also remember, you've paid for the first day on the ship, get there early enough to take advantage of it.:D

[FortyParty]

Thanks guys, you have made some valid points. I think we will leave home around 8:00am and make the most out of the day we already paid for!

[ray98]

I used to try to be on first thing....11am or so. Now I try to time it around 1:30 so I can go straight to the room and drop everything off. Everything is just so crowded when everyone is in the common areas before the state rooms open...when the cabins open everything thins out just a bit.

[Aplmac]

Do you think getting to the terminal at 1:30 or 2:00 is too late for a 4:00 departure?

We are driving to New Orleans the day of departure - it's about a 3 hour drive,

but if there's not much going on activity wise on the ship,

is it really necessary that we get there any earlier than 1:30 or so?

You're a first-time cruiser it would seem...?

 

 

Our point is that

your cruise starts the minute you catch that elevator..

taking you up-level from the Bonk! machine

(you'll soon discover what that is too).

 

 

Any time spent after arrival on board is cruise-time, baby :)

even if she sails absolutely nowhere for the next 4 days!

 

You're sudenly living in the midst of this...

This is 'your living room' where you meet friends to chat..

 

 

..and this is your socialising area

but maybe your surroundings off the ship excel such conditions, I dunno. :D

 

 

Most ppl try to start their cruise early as possible on The Day! :D

 

 

 

.

[gaylensgigi]

You're a first-time cruiser it would seem...?

 

 

Our point is that

your cruise starts the minute you catch that elevator..

taking you up-level from the Bonk! machine

(you'll soon discover what that is too).

 

 

Any time spent after arrival on board is cruise-time, baby :)

even if she sails absolutely nowhere for the next 4 days!

 

You're sudenly living in the midst of this...

This is 'your living room' where you meet friends to chat..

 

 

..and this is your socialising area

but maybe your surroundings off the ship excel such conditions, I dunno. :D

 

 

Most ppl try to start their cruise early as possible on The Day! :D

 

 

 

.

 

What ship are these pictures from?

[Shipshape7]

Remember that you have to be onboard no later than 3pm for a 4pm sailaway (earlier if you haven't completed your Funpass).

 

With a 3 hour drive, remember that that's 3 hours of opportunities to encounter delays on the road, traffic accidents, car troubles etc. The earlier you plan to get to the pier, the more leeway you've given yourself in case Murphy rears his ugly head.

 

And also remember, you've paid for the first day on the ship, get there early enough to take advantage of it.:D

 

I think this is good advice. It always surprises me, though, that the same reasoning isn't applied to the last morning of the cruise. I can understand if you have a flight to catch, of course, but otherwise why the big rush to "take advantage" of early disembarkation? Personally, I have a nice breakfast in the dining room, retire to my lounger on the Sun Deck like any other morning and wait for last call rather than spend an hour standing in line to do something I don't want to do anyway (disembark!).

[livestocruisetoo]

That's the Victory. Loved ir...twice! :D

[NCTribeFan]

There is no "best" with anything to do with cruising, really.

 

It's all personal preference.

 

Just because some other people like to do things one way doesn't mean that's "best" for you.

 

I usually like to board fairly early, but getting to the port and then sitting and waiting isn't all that much fun. Or boarding, then dragging your carryons around the buffet because you can't get in your cabin isn't all that much fun, either, now that I think about it!

 

Or course, running late and not getting there until the lines are really long is also not much fun!

 

I no long think I need to be there when they open the doors. I no longer think I need to be the first one in the buffet line (I actually was the first person in the buffet on Glory last May!).

 

If you aren't early risers, then take your time. If you are, get there whenever you're comfortable getting there!

 

This isn't about what all the "experts" on Cruise Critic dictate you should do. It's about you enjoying your vacation, and that means doing things at your own pace.

[rdenee]

Those are beautiful pictures. The colors are so vibrant.

 

I like to get on board as soon as possible. Grab a drink of the day, bit to eat and then just sit around until the room is ready. Drop off the luggage and learn the layout of the ship.

 

On our April cruise, we are flying out on Monday, so we don't have to rush off the ship as we have on our previous cruises.

 

We are learning! :)

[cruisinsly]

We always get there as early as possible. It is the first day of your cruise, so go and have fun. We are always on board around noon for lunch. Like a previous poster has said, you can put your luggage in your room, but it isnt secure since all the doors are popped open. That is, if the fire doors are not closed. Never have been in our case. I just dont leave anything important in the room on that first day. Going early allows us to explore and not feel rushed. Plus, it's the start of vacation. Crossing over onto the ship just changes a person's whole demeanor. As far as the 3 hour drive, well I have a drive like that if I leave out of Port Canaveral or Miami. We still go to the area the night before and stay in a hotel. You just never know what will happen. I have been on my way to Miami the day before the cruise and had to sit on the interstate for hours due to an accident. Even if you live a few hours away, to me, it is still beneficial to go the day before and get a hotel. I never want to take the chance of missing my cruise because of this or that. Have fun!!

[vtoria98]

I think this is good advice. It always surprises me, though, that the same reasoning isn't applied to the last morning of the cruise. I can understand if you have a flight to catch, of course, but otherwise why the big rush to "take advantage" of early disembarkation? Personally, I have a nice breakfast in the dining room, retire to my lounger on the Sun Deck like any other morning and wait for last call rather than spend an hour standing in line to do something I don't want to do anyway (disembark!).

 

I agree completely, we are lucky enough to be able to drive to most any port we sail from so getting off the ship for us is no big deal. We have been the last off on every cruise we take, they are literally escorting us off at the last minute, we usually start on the lido make our way to the centrum and wait for the end of the line to get up and go. I hate being a burden but i hate leaving vacation behind even more.

[mandms40]

If your only 3 hours away, why have a carry-on? If you need your swim suit, have it on before you get there, I would just leave it all for the porters(no one has lost my luggage yet). Go sit by the pool with a drink of the day and people watch, Its just fun! Grab yourself something to eat. Check out the dinning room to see where your table is, order your drink card(for sodas), and go visit the spa(see what the specials are) and before you know it, you are sailing away. Go, relax and have fun!

[ray98]

If your only 3 hours away, why have a carry-on? If you need your swim suit, have it on before you get there, I would just leave it all for the porters(no one has lost my luggage yet).

 

I never put all my eggs in one basket. My carry-on always has my electronic, jewlery and anything else of value along with some clothes.

[misguidedangel]

I would suggest getting there so you can get on board and start your vacation right away. I got to the port before 11am and the line moved very fast (15-20 minutes from scanning to checkin) and then waited another 10 minutes to get onboard. By the time I got there and checked in they already started calling the tag numbers for boarding. I was given #21 and they were calling #15 within 5 minutes!!!!!

 

You can get on board, have lunch and a drink, and then take a tour of the ship. By the time you walk through Promenade deck it'll be time to check out if the cabin is ready...If you have a balcony get there early, if you have inside or OV, well, that is disappointing...I go with balcony everytime...more expensive, but I don't drink much, so I splurge and get the balcony (or suite). I also cruise solo...

[Aplmac]

What ship are these pictures from?

Yes, Carnival Victory.

 

 

 

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[QUIGONATOR]

I agree completely, we are lucky enough to be able to drive to most any port we sail from so getting off the ship for us is no big deal. We have been the last off on every cruise we take, they are literally escorting us off at the last minute, we usually start on the lido make our way to the centrum and wait for the end of the line to get up and go. I hate being a burden but i hate leaving vacation behind even more.

Do they have food or anything on lido deck the last day?

[mrsbean1990]

We are cruising for the first time late this coming summer.

 

We plan on getting to the terminal by 10:15 the day of our cruise, for a 4:00 departure.

 

I want my cruise to start as soon as possible! (Lunch, swimming, exploring, etc.):D

[peppymom98]

Thanks for the replies. For some reason I was thinking since we sail at 4pm boarding will be later. I plan on arriving by 11 am then. We will be driven to the port, with no traffic should be a half hour or less. Can't wait for May!