Why do people want to get on ship early?

My checking in time is 12:30-1:00 and that seems fine to me. But I would like to know why anyone would want to check in early. If your room will not be ready until 1 or later. Why get on early.

If I didn't have FTTF, I wouldn't want to get on early and lug around mine and my kids' stuff. I want to start having fun ASAP, but not without things being as easy as possible.

To start your vacation.

We usually try to fly into port early the day before the cruise. Spend the rest of that day/evening in the embarkation port. But hotels generally want you out by 11, maybe giving you a bagel on the way out. So pretty much as soon as we are up we are ready to head to the port. Ships usually start boarding around 11 and once we step onboard our cruise has started. Get lunch, get a drink, check out the ship... and usually after all that the room is ready.

I wouldn't want to drag my luggage around until 1 or have to make multiple trips to/from the hotel or port to store my luggage. And frankly, my room not being ready doesn't detract from my first day. Don't plan on spending in that in my room anyway. Just carry a backpack with my essentials.

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Because I'm Platinum and when I wasn't, I got FTTF so that means my cabin is ready when I get on the ship. Since I only bring a carry on sized suitcase and a tote bag, I like to get my things unpacked and go get some lunch.

Before they had FTTF, or when we sailed on Celebrity, we still liked to get on early, grab some food, and then go camp out somewhere with our carry ons and just relax and enjoy the ship. Once you're on, vacation can start!

We like getting on early - and we are lucky we can. Just to start vacation early. Get lunch. People watch. Unpack. Enjoy the early buzz. Something about being on the Lido Deck on Day 1 is so much fun.

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If you're platinum you're cabin is ready. You can get started on your 15 drinks for the day :tropical-drink:

You paid for that day, might as well use it, nowhere else to be. Why not?

Because that day is part of your cruise you paid for. You bought a 7 day cruise and the embarkation day counts as one your days you paid for. Let me on so I can enjoy what I paid for. I don’t care if my room isn’t quite ready, let me on and enjoy the food, drinks, exploring the ship and people watching.

It's been awhile since I've cruised... before you had to pick check-in times. Previously, we've gotten on the ship at the absolute earliest time they would let us on. So what if we had our carry-ons with us. We had our swimsuits on underneath our clothes, would grab a deck chair, throw the carryon underneath it, and commence with DOD's.

Before I became platinum, I would get on ASAP and keep my carry on with me. No big deal.I was always anxious to get my vacation started. But being Platinum and now diamond it is so much easier.

1- I fly the day before and stay overnight at a hotel, check out is always by 11am where else would I go but only to the ship

2- Why sit and linger in a hotel or somewhere and wait wait wait to leave to get to the ship, then the longer lines parking then the long lines checking in and more lines to get onto the ship, I am platinum I get on faster so it makes sense

3- We don't eat breakfast in the am so we are hungry around noon, we arrive early and get to eat lunch

4- To get a good close parking spot at the pier

5- Why board after 1pm, half the daytime is already over

We like to get on early because you are already paying for the day.

My checking in time is 12:30-1:00 and that seems fine to me. But I would like to know why anyone would want to check in early. If your room will not be ready until 1 or later. Why get on early.

I want to board a ship as early as possible . I like to roam around ,have the opportunity for an early lunch and be able to relax.

ALL of the above!!!!

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My checking in time is 12:30-1:00 and that seems fine to me. But I would like to know why anyone would want to check in early. If your room will not be ready until 1 or later. Why get on early.

Just excited after preparing and waiting for the day to get on board.

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All of the above and to make sure it doesn't sale without me!

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I want to board a ship as early as possible. go to the lido to eat and drink.

To explore the ship, have lunch and start my holiday.

My checking in time is 12:30-1:00 and that seems fine to me. But I would like to know why anyone would want to check in early. If your room will not be ready until 1 or later. Why get on early.

From a long time cruiser, being on the ship early means psychologically that your vacation has started! Even if you can't go to your room right away, you are on the ship, you are signed in, what could go wrong? You've waited months and months for that present moment and now you have arrived. You are sucking in every moment of knowing that the next several days are yours. So, that's why get on early.

I was always afraid if I waited till late, "what if" something happened ate the last minute and I missed the ship... a psychological thing I'm sure. However, as of late I have discovered the joy of getting there after 1-1:30... terminal is empty, walk right onboard to room (even though I'm Platinum and can do that anyway) and then go to Lido, by 2 pm lines are shorter for food since everyone is just then getting in cabins.... but that nagging "what if something happens and I miss ship" doubts usually keep me from actually getting there late....

we get FTTF and board as soon as the wedding parties and Diamonds/Platinums board and we unload our stuff in the room and head to the bar!! Nothing like that first Boat Drink!!

Well my biggest concern is getting whatever luggage I had the porters bring to my cabin get lost and getting stuck not being able to get into my stateroom and waiting on the crowded Lido deck all afternoon and having to carry and keep up with my backpack and rolling carry on bag on the muster drill. Not to mention wanting to be on the ship before they hold muster drill and leave!

I otherwise don't care. I just as soon eat a big lunch, get on the ship, wait until I can get in my cabin, drop my stuff off there and unpack until time for muster drill, and then get back to my cabin and finish unpacking. If the dining room is open, I'll go for dinner, if not, I'll go to pizza pirate later. And during all that, I do want my sign and sail card punched at the casino so I can put it on my lanyard. But you see I'll have plenty of time to do that.

The ship I'm going on next will have over 2,300 passengers on it and they all crowding onto the Lido deck to wait in line for the buffets and Guys Burger joint and the Blue Iguana and pizza pirate. I'll have two sea days before the ship docks at the next port, I can explore then.

If I'm put on board early , it would be because my Aunt paid for my cruise for my birthday and her and my uncle want on fast to get to their grand suite and whatever.

Thanks, all good answers. I have never taken a cruise so I have never looked at it that way.

To start your vacation.

This.....

As you can see, the most common reason mentioned is to get lunch and people-watch.

Secondary reasons of exploring the ship and “getting what you paid for” are important for those who value that additional hour or two and don’t mind sitting around for about the same amount of time for the payoff.