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How early can we board?


kitty allen

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On pretty much every cruise I've been on boarding starts very shortly after the last disembarking passenger gets off the ship. Usually we arrive around noon and boarding is well underway. I believe it usually starts not much after 11.

 

Of course if there was some unusual delay that can change things a bit and if you do board early your stateroom probably won't be ready until around 1PM. Before then you'll be directed to the buffet area for lunch but you have the run of all public areas of the ship.

 

The only exceptions, other than an unusual delay, is for a few unusual itineraries where the ship disembarks at one port and travels to a nearby port for embarkation. Those are rare but I have read talk of them on these boards. Under those circumstances boarding might not start until mid to late afternoon.

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Celebrity site only tells me that I have to be there 90 min prior. I want to get on the moment they'll let us. Does having concierge room make any difference?

 

 

We sail out of Miami on Saturday and celebrity's transport is picking us up at noon at our hotel,so I would say as soon as we complete our paper work we will be cleared to board.:)

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There really isn't any reason to rush to the port -- staterooms won't be ready until maybe one or so, which means you are dragging your carry-on around with you while you explore the ship.

 

As you come to the check-in area, there are different lines for Suite passengers, Concierge Class, the different Captain's Club members, and all others. Sometimes the line you are sent to is longer than the others. There are so many classes of staterooms and passengers who get "priority boarding" that there really isn't such a thing any more. Pick the shortest line.

 

If there has been a delay in getting the previous passengers off, which frequently happens as the ship arrives from its transatlantic crossing, you'll be herded into a big waiting area and that's not very comfortable.

 

So, my advice is to wait at your hotel until their check-out time then make your way to the ship. We usually even ask for late check-out and linger at the hotel pool, arriving at the ship after the crush of passengers and we seldom have to wait in line for anything and can go directly to our staterooms.

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Equinox. Ft lauderdale

 

The Dec 12 Equinox cruise is the first one after the transatlantic which probably means delays in boarding due to customs and other inspections. I wouldn't want to get there much before noon or you may end up standing outside until they start the boarding process.

 

Orlandocruiser is right - after TA's it isn't unusual for embarkation to be delayed a couple hours. I don't know if they'll start check-in on time or delay it but either way the odds are good for actual boarding of the ship to be delayed until sometime around 1. If it were me I think I'd get to the terminal around 12:30 or so knowing that things might be backed up and we might spend an hour or so standing in lines and/or waiting to board.

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We usually get to the port in the 11:30-12 time frame. As another poster has stated, there may be delays, so, go knowing that. We have been delayed for a ship coming in late, total disinfecting of a ship because of norvo, and an electrical fire at the port than caused all the computers to go down.

But, even if you go onboard without any delays, the cabins are not ready until 1 or 2 and, many times the corriders to the cabins are locked off. Go up to the buffet where they will be serving lunch--they will make an announcement when the cabins are ready.:)

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