Puzzled

Just printed docs for upcoming cruise-boarding pass says embarkation time at 1:00PM and itinerary states departure at 4:00PM. Does the 1PM time mean when you can board the ship?

Thanks in advance

Yes, embarkation time is the time when you cruise card and other items will be ready for you to pickup at the pier when you check in for your cruise.

However often cruise lines say 1:00 PM and you can board around Noon.

Keith

Yes, embarkation time is the time when you cruise card and other items will be ready for you to pickup at the pier when you check in for your cruise.

That's not so....you may start boarding as soon as the ship is cleared of departing passengers...around 11:30 or so....they TELL you a time, but no one heeds it....and they do NOT enforce it.

Cabins aren't ready until 1 pm, but you can certainly get ON the ship and start using that which you've paid for!!!

Just printed docs for upcoming cruise-boarding pass says embarkation time at 1:00PM and itinerary states departure at 4:00PM. Does the 1PM time mean when you can board the ship?

 

Thanks in advance

The cruise lines will also sometimes send out e-mails suggesting a specific arrival time at the embarkation port. This is done so that the terminal isn't jam-packed at 10:00 a.m. with long lines of people waiting to board. You don't have to heed that 1PM time. No one is going to deny you entry if you arrive earlier. I don't know about you, but my vacation officially starts once we step onto the ship. So the sooner we can board, the better. ;)

Normally if you get there around noon, you'll be able to begin the embarkation procedure. :)

That's not so....you may start boarding as soon as the ship is cleared of departing passengers...around 11:30 or so....they TELL you a time, but no one heeds it....and they do NOT enforce it.

 

Cabins aren't ready until 1 pm, but you can certainly get ON the ship and start using that which you've paid for!!!

Holland America Lines allows passenger check-in at the US terminals as soon as the ship is cleared by federal authorities. In most cases, this is around 10:15. Boarding usually begins at 11:30 for those who have completed their check-in.

Holland America cabins are supposed to be available for passenger occupation NLT 11:30.

That's not so....you may start boarding as soon as the ship is cleared of departing passengers...around 11:30 or so....they TELL you a time, but no one heeds it....and they do NOT enforce it.

 

Cabins aren't ready until 1 pm, but you can certainly get ON the ship and start using that which you've paid for!!!

Actually, you ARE supposed to take heed and come at the time they assign you and not earlier. I know a lot of people ignore that, though which is problematic for the mega ships boarding/crowd control.

The cruise lines will also sometimes send out e-mails suggesting a specific arrival time at the embarkation port. This is done so that the terminal isn't jam-packed at 10:00 a.m. with long lines of people waiting to board. You don't have to heed that 1PM time. No one is going to deny you entry if you arrive earlier. I don't know about you, but my vacation officially starts once we step onto the ship. So the sooner we can board, the better. ;)

My vacation officially starts when we board the plane to our port of embarkation. To me, getting on the ship earlier is of no benefit. We typically have a late brunch and relax morning of embarkation and then make our way to the ship in a relaxed and stress-free manner. We prefer to arrive later and not be stuck in the huge lines in 100F heat. One of our favorite embarkations was in Barcelona at 2:30pm. The terminal was almost completely empty and out butler came and escorted us to our suite. So simple and quick.

HAL lists 1 PM embarkation time for all their cruises. They have done that for years. It is an assigned time for anyone.

We always get to the pier by 10:45 -- go through security and check-in.

On HAL boarding begins usually around 11:30 and HAL also tries to have all the cabins ready by that time so that you can drop off your carry-ons. That way you don't have to lug everything around with you -- lunch -- doing whatever you want to do.

On HAL, if we waited until 1 PM to check in, those of that are Mariners would miss being able to have lunch in the main dining room which is from Noon until 1:30.

Actually, you ARE supposed to take heed and come at the time they assign you and not earlier. I know a lot of people ignore that, though which is problematic for the mega ships boarding/crowd control.

Not in our experience with RCI Oasis and Allure. Pier 18 in Fort Lauderdale is very efficiently set up and run and we typically arrive between 10:30 and 11:00 AM and are on board between 11:15 - 11:30 AM and having lunch by 12:00.

They also typically have their ships cleared of passengers by 9:30 and cleared with customs by about 10:00, which helps facilitate their turn araound.

Just printed docs for upcoming cruise-boarding pass says embarkation time at 1:00PM and itinerary states departure at 4:00PM. Does the 1PM time mean when you can board the ship?

 

Thanks in advance

Note that US departures requires all passengers to be on board 90 minutes prior to departure (2:30 in your case) as that is when the final passenger manifest needs to be provided to US Customs. If you arrive after that you will be denied boarding.

This is another reason why the requested arrival times typically are "soft". Besides, as others have said, get on as early as reasonable to enjoy the ship and Day 1.

Not in our experience with RCI Oasis and Allure. Pier 18 in Fort Lauderdale is very efficiently set up and run and we typically arrive between 10:30 and 11:00 AM and are on board between 11:15 - 11:30 AM and having lunch by 12:00.

 

They also typically have their ships cleared of passengers by 9:30 and cleared with customs by about 10:00, which helps facilitate their turn araound.

Thank you. I was getting ready to say the same thing. I always show up between 10:30 and 10:45 for RCI cruises because I know boarding starts at 11. This is the Oasis terminal approx 15 minutes before boarding. Doesn't look like much of a problem to me. ;)

Not in our experience with RCI Oasis and Allure. Pier 18 in Fort Lauderdale is very efficiently set up and run and we typically arrive between 10:30 and 11:00 AM and are on board between 11:15 - 11:30 AM and having lunch by 12:00.

 

They also typically have their ships cleared of passengers by 9:30 and cleared with customs by about 10:00, which helps facilitate their turn araound.

I was on Allure last November and that was NOT the case for our embarkation day. It was chaos and overcrowded at the port going through security due to too many people ignoring the time they were supposed to arrive. We were in the Owner's Suite and the line for security was so long it wrapped around the building and then up and down several times. Once past security, it was even more crowded and the lane for suites was overloaded. With our Getaway cruise in May, same problem. People ignore the boarding times they are given and it slows everything waaaay down.

I don't even know of a valid reason to get on the ship before noon. You can't put your stuff in your cabin. The restaurants may or may not be open. It's hectic onboard. Not my idea of a relaxing or enjoyable way to begin a cruise.

My vacation officially starts when we board the plane to our port of embarkation. To me, getting on the ship earlier is of no benefit. We typically have a late brunch and relax morning of embarkation and then make our way to the ship in a relaxed and stress-free manner. We prefer to arrive later and not be stuck in the huge lines in 100F heat. One of our favorite embarkations was in Barcelona at 2:30pm. The terminal was almost completely empty and out butler came and escorted us to our suite. So simple and quick.

I so agree with everything you said! My first couple of cruises we were there before noon and waiting in line with the hoards of other people; then got smart and now arrive around 2:00 and just walk right on with no stress!

I was on Allure last November and that was NOT the case for our embarkation day. It was chaos and overcrowded at the port going through security due to too many people ignoring the time they were supposed to arrive. We were in the Owner's Suite and the line for security was so long it wrapped around the building and then up and down several times. Once past security, it was even more crowded and the lane for suites was overloaded. With our Getaway cruise in May, same problem. People ignore the boarding times they are given and it slows everything waaaay down.

 

I don't even know of a valid reason to get on the ship before noon. You can't put your stuff in your cabin. The restaurants may or may not be open. It's hectic onboard. Not my idea of a relaxing or enjoyable way to begin a cruise.

That sounds very unusually and - as said - not our three experiences in the recent past, both in suites and standard staterooms. Sorry you had to deal with that but something must have been amiss as that is out of the ordinary.

The choice to be on board early for us is just personal preference as we like to get lunch on board and relax prior to getting into the stateroom - which is a valid reason to us. And that's fine if that is not your preference.

The restaurants are in fact open at 11:30 (Windjammer, Park Cafe, Sorentos, Cafe Promenade, and other specialty restaurants that open at 12:00) and they start boarding at 11:00 which also validates our boarding time for us. If they prefer not to have passengers on prior to noon they would not sponsor those restaurant hours and boarding time.

I was on Allure last November and that was NOT the case for our embarkation day. It was chaos and overcrowded at the port going through security due to too many people ignoring the time they were supposed to arrive. We were in the Owner's Suite and the line for security was so long it wrapped around the building and then up and down several times. Once past security, it was even more crowded and the lane for suites was overloaded. .

Was your Allure cruise out of Fort Lauderdale? :confused: That doesn't sound right at all. For suites, you enter through an entirely different door than everyone else and have your own row of check-in attendants. I've never experienced any line in the suites entrance, let alone a line that goes out the door and around the building. If this was FLL, there must have been an issue at the port that day.

Actually, you ARE supposed to take heed and come at the time they assign you and not earlier. I know a lot of people ignore that, though which is problematic for the mega ships boarding/crowd control.

I just surpassed my 200th cruise, and the only times I have seen problems with "ships boarding/crowd control" during early hours was times when boarding or the terminal security was delayed due to USCG inspections or other problems with the port facility.

And as the others said, the Oasis terminal is by and far the best and easiest of all cruise ship terminals on the planet. In fact, I have a hard time believing your story. I've cruised those 2 ships a dozen times and I have never seen anything even close to what you described.