Best time to arrive at the pier?

On our first Silversea cruise, when we received our paperwork, there was a very firmly worded paragraph telling us what time to arrive. Because they stressed that they were serious about not boarding until at least 2pm, we paid attention and turned up a few minites after 2.30. When we checked in, we were the very last passengers to board, and the crew members told us that everyone else had arrived ages ago!

We'd rather not have to find things to do after we check out of our hotel, but we also don't want to be too early and hang around the terminal for hours either. Our embarkation time for this cruise is given as 2pm - 4pm. Since it appears that they might not actually mean their stern wording about not arriving until after lunch, what time do most experienced Silversea cruisers turn up?

Don't know what's the big deal to get to the ship too early. All you get is lunch and will have to wait till 2PM to get to your room. So maybe the best thing for you is get there one hour early and have lunch first. We usually arrive close to 2PM so the crew can complete the turnover. If you get there to early, they will not turn you away but you feel like your getting there before they are ready...

As stated, this was their first SS cruise, no "big deal" to you but they were anxious to arrive. I don't blame them! Boarding is usually about noon. Stroll around the ship, have a drink at the Pool Bar and then enjoy a leisurely lunch (before 1:30 in the Dining Room. Welcome aboard. Enjoy![emoji568]

Thanks for this! Carefreecruise, I agree with you that we don't want to arrive too early and make crew step over us because we are in the way. Because we were last, we actually inconvenienced them anyway, because they could have taken down some of the shoreside stuff once everyone had checked in.

And duct tape, that sounds like the perfect timing to arrive in time for a drink and a bit of lunch. We'll aim for 12.15 - 12.30, which should tie in well with leaving our hotel.

Arriving at noon-ish isn't a problem really. Take a leisurely lunch in Terrazza or the pool grill, have a coffee in the Panorama lounge (or , maybe, a cocktail or two) and before you know it (and with enough cocktails inside - after you've stopped caring) the suite will be ready.

We usually arrive about 1300 and it is quite clear that many have already embarked - the hand baggage at the entrance to Terrazza gives it away.

We boarded in Barcelona at 12 noon 12 days ago without any problem. I expect our rooms were ready earlier than 2 as well though we stuck with the instruction to wait until 2pm.

And for us it was perfect, spot of lunch, couple of drinks, getting ship orientation sorted and lots of photos without other passengers in sight. We had lunch at the pool but duct tape is right...... head for LA Terrazza.

Not sure why you would want to board and get as much time in as possible! Plus most hotels kick you out at 11 or 12 and it's no fun if you are stuck looking after your cases.

Hi Lisiamc,

Glad to see you're coming back for more - which cruise are you on? I'm always looking for a good trivia team - was just on the Spirit and lucked into an awesome team!

I just check out of my hotel about noon, taxi to the pier, and board as soon as allowed - usually straight away. Then there's the joy of hanging out on the pool deck by the pool bar and grill until the cabins are ready at 2pm - being out in the air and seeing water all around gets that cruise feeling going (helped by a few drinks of course ...)

JollyJ from Bermuda

We boarded in Barcelona at 12 noon 12 days ago without any problem. I expect our rooms were ready earlier than 2 as well though we stuck with the instruction to wait until 2pm.

 

And for us it was perfect, spot of lunch, couple of drinks, getting ship orientation sorted and lots of photos without other passengers in sight. We had lunch at the pool but duct tape is right...... head for LA Terrazza.

 

Not sure why you would want to board and get as much time in as possible! Plus most hotels kick you out at 11 or 12 and it's no fun if you are stuck looking after your cases.

Pretty much our experience on the Wind in San Juan six weeks ago. We see no sense in sitting around a hotel lobby after we've had to get out of our room. Sure we could ask for a later check out but once we're ready to go to the ship we're ready. Even after 20+ years of cruising I still get that embarkation morning mental rush and want to get to the ship.

We also board about 11:45am and follow duct tape and other posters advice; have a leisurely lunch in La Terraza then head to our suites after 2pm. However, Silversea does have a VIP program (your travel agent can procure) for a price where you can board even earlier than noon.

Hi Lisiamc,

 

Glad to see you're coming back for more - which cruise are you on? I'm always looking for a good trivia team - was just on the Spirit and lucked into an awesome team!

 

I just check out of my hotel about noon, taxi to the pier, and board as soon as allowed - usually straight away. Then there's the joy of hanging out on the pool deck by the pool bar and grill until the cabins are ready at 2pm - being out in the air and seeing water all around gets that cruise feeling going (helped by a few drinks of course ...)

 

JollyJ from Bermuda

We're on Silver Shadow next month, from Tokyo to Vancouver. It would be great to team up for trivia again - I hope we will see you on a future cruise!

We're on Silver Shadow next month, from Tokyo to Vancouver. It would be great to team up for trivia again - I hope we will see you on a future cruise!

Ah, shame, most of my future cruises are on and around the Atlantic so we won't be meeting for a while but maybe somewhere down the future ...

Enjoy the Shadow - my one non-Atlantic cruise will be on her, but not just yet - I'm doing Singapore to Sydney Nov 2017.

I was wondering this too.We are boarding at Southampton 27th May.All our past sailings after a long flight have been a mad rush to get aboard, one time missing the fire drill. So looking forward to easy travel down to Southampton & relaxing lunch before setting sail. Only problems its only 7day cruise.Thanks for the information.

I was wondering this too.We are boarding at Southampton 27th May.All our past sailings after a long flight have been a mad rush to get aboard, one time missing the fire drill. So looking forward to easy travel down to Southampton & relaxing lunch before setting sail. Only problems its only 7day cruise.Thanks for the information.

We are boarding the same day but will be travelling down from Heathrow by private hire. They are collecting us at 09.30 so we could get there by 11.30 but, with having to negotiate the London Orbital Car Park (M25) and the generally inadequate SE England motorway system, it could be anytime. However, I'm sure that SS won't leave a forlorn couple pierside if we get there before lunchtime.

We are trying our first Silversea cruise, after numerous cruises, first on Regent and more recently on Seabourn. We leave from Rome and arranged our airfare through Silversea, since surprisingly it was actually cheaper than we could get ourselves. This means that Silversea will pick is up at the airport and take us to the pier. Our flight lands at 8:30. I know we have to claim our luggage and that the Civitavecchia is well over an hour from the airport, but do you think Silversea will take us straight to the ship and let us board when we get there? Also, will we have our own car or be in a bus or minibus with other passengers. I haven't sailed Regent in years, in fact before airfare was included, but when they provided transport from the airport to the ship it was on a minibus. The one time we used Seabourn's airfare, it was also from Rome. They picked us up at the airport in a Mercedes sedan, because it would be too early to board, they took us to a hotel where they had booked a day room in Rome where they thought we would nap, but instead we toured around until 1:00, and then they picked us up and took us to the ship. However, this was in the days when they did not let you board much before the scheduled boarding time of 2:00. Just curious if anyone knows what I should expect from Silversea. Looking forward to trying something new.

We are trying our first Silversea cruise, after numerous cruises, first on Regent and more recently on Seabourn. We leave from Rome and arranged our airfare through Silversea, since surprisingly it was actually cheaper than we could get ourselves. This means that Silversea will pick is up at the airport and take us to the pier. Our flight lands at 8:30. I know we have to claim our luggage and that the Civitavecchia is well over an hour from the airport, but do you think Silversea will take us straight to the ship and let us board when we get there? Also, will we have our own car or be in a bus or minibus with other passengers. I haven't sailed Regent in years, in fact before airfare was included, but when they provided transport from the airport to the ship it was on a minibus. The one time we used Seabourn's airfare, it was also from Rome. They picked us up at the airport in a Mercedes sedan, because it would be too early to board, they took us to a hotel where they had booked a day room in Rome where they thought we would nap, but instead we toured around until 1:00, and then they picked us up and took us to the ship. However, this was in the days when they did not let you board much before the scheduled boarding time of 2:00. Just curious if anyone knows what I should expect from Silversea. Looking forward to trying something new.

We've used Silversea transportation a number of times. It has varied from a bus with 30 +/- passengers to a private limo. Really depends on how many fellow passengers are on a flight or at a hotel or wherever they're picking you up. We always fly to our cruises at day or two before so have never flown in and gone directly to the ship so I personally don't know how they handle that.

I too will be boarding in Southampton on the 27th and will be training from London, after arriving from New Zealand on Tuesday. Hopefully I will have my body clock sorted!