RCI day one - embark and disembark soon after?

Hi there,

Just wanted to run something by everyone, if you've done this yourself before.

Long story short, we are a group of 8 and are waitlisted for our preferred dining time. We have been told to go to maitre d first thing for the best chance of having our dining time changed onboard.

All 8 travelers have 11am-12pm boarding time, the first boarding time slot. Two of us will arrive at 11am, the rest of the group will be arriving just before midday.

Two of us will board at 11am to try and make the dining arrangements. How easy is it then to disembark to meet the group on the pier?

Will we all be able to them go together to get our embarkation photo as a group, or will the first two of us who have already checked in prior, have a seperate boarding queue to get back on the ship?

Thank you!

I honestly think you're over-thinking it. I think if you were in drastically different boarding slots (say, 11am and 3pm) it might be different but as you're all in the same slot, just board all at the same time if the photo is important to you, and then go straight to the dining room. Your dining arrangements are very unlikely to be made or broken for the sake of 30 mins or so.

I'm afraid I don't know the actual answer to your question though (re re-embarking while embarkation is still ongoing. I have to say my gut feeling is that it would cause a bit of consternation though!)

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Usually, the dining room opens at 1 p.m. for changes, so you will most likely all be onboard before the Maitre'd is available.

People do it on the Adventure out of San Juan, but that might be because the boarding time is so long and the ship leaves so late at night. But it is allowed.

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Hi there,

 

Just wanted to run something by everyone, if you've done this yourself before.

 

Long story short, we are a group of 8 and are waitlisted for our preferred dining time. We have been told to go to maitre d first thing for the best chance of having our dining time changed onboard.

 

All 8 travelers have 11am-12pm boarding time, the first boarding time slot. Two of us will arrive at 11am, the rest of the group will be arriving just before midday.

 

Two of us will board at 11am to try and make the dining arrangements. How easy is it then to disembark to meet the group on the pier?

Will we all be able to them go together to get our embarkation photo as a group, or will the first two of us who have already checked in prior, have a seperate boarding queue to get back on the ship?

 

Thank you!

If this is all to get a picture together, it seems to me like too much to worry over. You will have plenty of opportunity for group pictures with a ship background.

Why not just pick a time and place to meet on the ship, so you the early arrivals can be relaxing and start to enjoy your cruise rather than fighting more crowds.

I agree with others, why not all board at noon. your only talking an hour. Upon boarding, two go to the dining room and make your arrangements. Is there a way you can arrange taxi pick ups or shuttle at the sametime.

Thank you all. I think my partner and I will just board at 11am as we will be there early, and head to the dining room and make the arrangements. The rest of the group will arrive an hour later and can just meet us on the ship :)

The Maitre'D isn't usually there until 2 or so...

Thank you all. I think my partner and I will just board at 11am as we will be there early, and head to the dining room and make the arrangements. The rest of the group will arrive an hour later and can just meet us on the ship :)

I'm almost always in the minority with this, but unless you're headed straight form the airport I'd wait and come aboard with your group. RC won't punish you, the ship's not leaving for hours, and you have more time to enjoy the port city. Once we boarded 3ish in New Orleans or 5ish in Honolulu, we sailed right through check in... there were more people working the counter than waiting at it.

I know there's usually a desire to be aboard ship as soon as you possibly can, but aside from eating-- and there's enough of that coming during the trip-- and waiting for your cabin to open, there's little to do right off the bat.

(OK, unless you schedule your pedicure for Embarkation Day like DW.... though that's precisely because there's so little else going on Embarkation Day).

$0.02 from us.

Thank you all. I think my partner and I will just board at 11am as we will be there early, and head to the dining room and make the arrangements. The rest of the group will arrive an hour later and can just meet us on the ship :)

The Maitre D is usually not there til 1:00 to make the dining changes

Thanks all for your feedback.

We prefer to board right away as this will be my 12th time boarding from this city and we will have already have spent a day there before the cruise. For us we prefer to board right away, avoid the big rush as we are the first boarding time, and want to give ourselves the best chance of having the dining time organised.

We have found normally the maitre d is there as soon as we board, so would prefer to get this out of the way on embarkation day.

Thanks all for your feedback.

 

We prefer to board right away as this will be my 12th time boarding from this city and we will have already have spent a day there before the cruise. For us we prefer to board right away, avoid the big rush as we are the first boarding time, and want to give ourselves the best chance of having the dining time organised.

 

We have found normally the maitre d is there as soon as we board, so would prefer to get this out of the way on embarkation day.

Just to let you know if you don't already the "first boarding slot" you mention really means nothing. Anyone can board at any time. Just FYI. Have a great cruise, and I agree with the others who said you will have lots of opportunities for a group pic.:)

Just to let you know if you don't already the "first boarding slot" you mention really means nothing. Anyone can board at any time. Just FYI. Have a great cruise, and I agree with the others who said you will have lots of opportunities for a group pic.:)

Ive actually found cruise lines enforce the time slots especially if there is a crowd. If it's quiet they do sometimes let you board any time.

Well after all that, our my time dining waitlist has cleared and I've been able to confirm my time dining and also make our reservations on the cruise personaliser, so there's no need for us to board seperately.

Thanks again for your help everyone! :)