LOS Boarding Question

We will be going on our first Royal cruise at the end of July. I have cruised 3 times in the past, but it has been a long time. You guys on CC have me wondering.

I am an early bird when it comes to vacation fun. At Disney, I "rope drop" every day. Meaning, I get to the parks an hour before opening and am often the first in line. I do this in order to get to the more popular rides first and do more of them before the crowds wake up and hit the parks an hour after opening. The trick is to stay one step ahead.

I plan to get to the terminal early to at least stay ahead of the other first timers. I want to enjoy every minute that I can even if it means lugging my carry-on around for a couple hours or so.

Questions:

How crowded will the ship be once we newbies are finally able to board? Where should we be "running" to first? Any other priorities as we wait for our cabin to be ready?

Thanks for your guidance!

If you're hungry look for food. Explore the ship. Above all just enjoy. Be patient, don't try to do everything. There's always next time. Have fun.

I wouldn't be running anywhere. It's a gorgeous ship. If you end up boarding at 11 am or later just grab food at Cafe Promenade and avoid the windjammer. Put your swimwear in your carry on and enjoy the pool area. Get a map of the ship and familiarize yourself with the ship. Many things you could do. Choose one or two. Rooms open at 1 pm

We sail Liberty our fifth time in August (since March 2016). Love the ship.

... How crowded will the ship be once we newbies are finally able to board? Where should we be "running" to first? Any other priorities as we wait for our cabin to be ready?

 

Thanks for your guidance!

The ship won't be crowded at all if you board as early as possible. If you need to eat lunch, then I'd go to Windjammer first. Otherwise, I'd make any reservations you need to make, such as specialty restaurants and spa treatments.

So there's no boarding order? It's first come first served?

So there's no boarding order? It's first come first served?

Typical boarding order: Consecutive cruisers, wedding parties, Suite/Pinnacle, other C&A members (may or may not be ordered by C&A level), non C&A members.

2 weeks ago there were <100 of us in the C&A area (Platinum and above) when they called us to board around 10:45. We had run of the ship for a couple hours before the crowds started. I'm not sure how they managed boarding of the other 5,000 folks :)

The terminal didn't open for departures until 10:00 and there was confusion outside with arrivals wanting to stay out of the rain, but we were checked in and sitting in the waiting area by about 10:15 and on board by about 11:15.

My first ever cruise was on LOS in February 2017. We got to the cruise terminal at 10:45 and were on the ship at 11:15 AM. The Windjammer was super crowded, so we grabbed a table out by the pool and brought our lunch outside. They are on the same deck, 11.

Have fun!

We don't have any status with royal so I was assuming we'd be boarding really late.

We don't have any status with royal so I was assuming we'd be boarding really late.

A lot of it depends on when you get there. You stand a better chance if you get there early, a lot of times. Once you get through security, you will get into whichever line (to get your seapass card, etc) corresponds to your Crown and Anchor level, or if you are in a suite. I have seen sometimes where some of the higher level C&A lines have more people in them than the gold (lowest C&A member status) or even the new Royal cruisers.

I also like to think of it as I have paid for that day of my vacation, so I would like to get on the ship as soon as possible and start enjoying it. Good luck with your cruise and remember to sign up for Crown and Anchor membership right after so that you will have some status on your next Royal Cruise (you only need 3 cruise points to become gold status). Have fun!

Thanks for the tips!

We don't have any status with royal so I was assuming we'd be boarding really late.

If you are checked-in before general boarding has started, then once boarding starts, you might have to wait a whole 15 minutes for the priority people to board ahead of you.

We don't have any status with royal so I was assuming we'd be boarding really late.

This is what I was wondering, too.

If you are checked-in before general boarding has started, then once boarding starts, you might have to wait a whole 15 minutes for the priority people to board ahead of you.

Good News! The "Rope Drop" strategy works for many things. Glad to know it will be helpful boarding the ship.

If you end up boarding at 11 am or later just grab food at Cafe Promenade and avoid the windjammer.

Thanks for the tip. :)I will save this one for later when my teenage son is grown.

My first ever cruise was on LOS in February 2017. We got to the cruise terminal at 10:45 and were on the ship at 11:15 AM. The Windjammer was super crowded, so we grabbed a table out by the pool and brought our lunch outside.

We have a parking reservation across from the terminal in a parking deck across from the Railroad Museum. We will need to walk over as there is not a shuttle. From what I can tell, it is a new thing to be able to make reservations here - maybe not. But I am hoping to get to the terminal early. When I asked my son what he was most looking forward to on the cruise, he replied - the food. Every teenage boy's dream - an endless buffet! So we will make the WJ our first stop. I appreciate the tip about eating by the pool.

Thanks for the tip. :)I will save this one for later when my teenage son is grown.

 

 

We have a parking reservation across from the terminal in a parking deck across from the Railroad Museum. We will need to walk over as there is not a shuttle. From what I can tell, it is a new thing to be able to make reservations here - maybe not. But I am hoping to get to the terminal early. When I asked my son what he was most looking forward to on the cruise, he replied - the food. Every teenage boy's dream - an endless buffet! So we will make the WJ our first stop. I appreciate the tip about eating by the pool.

Are you parking at Park-n-cruise? That's where I got a reservation. I figured hubby can drop me and the kids off by the terminal with the luggage and then park the car and walk back. My almost 9 year old son is eating a ton of food too so this will be good for him as well.

Are you parking at Park-n-cruise? That's where I got a reservation. I figured hubby can drop me and the kids off by the terminal with the luggage and then park the car and walk back. My almost 9 year old son is eating a ton of food too so this will be good for him as well.

We live relatively close to the port, so I drove down to Galveston to check out the parking situation. Between driving around and Google Earth/Maps, I think I know where the garage is located. It isn't Park-n-Cruise - it is operated by the Port of Galveston. I paid $85 online, so it may be more that other places. But you park on level 2, 3, or 4 (hopefully not 4 as it is uncovered). In case of a storm, I was hoping to be off the ground if it floods and covered if things are flying in the air. The website says the garage is located on the corner of Harborside and 25th across from the cruise terminals. That would be on the other side of the street from Park-n-Cruise. The parking deck directly on the corner is only 3 stories. I emailed the Port of Galveston Cruise Parking and she said the garage had 4 stories but the 1st level is a transit center, so no parking there. So from what I can tell, the garage is a little further down the block.

I was hoping to drop the kids off at the terminal. My son is 18, so he needs to take on some responsibility now. But DD will have no part in waiting for me at the terminal with her brother. So we will be lugging our bags down the road looking ridiculous. I probably should have paid for Valet. A little luxury in life is good from time to time. But I would have zero patience waiting for the car when it is time to go home.

If it were just me, I would probably take the Cafe Promenade advice. I looked at the pictures here on CC. From the pics, it seems as that Cafe Promenade has lighter offerings of sandwiches. Since I'll be stuffing my face all week, it seems like a good place to start. But DS will probably have none of that. He says he is going to starve himself the week before the cruise.:) So he will be ready for the WJ - and especially after I get the kids up early, drag them to Galveston for an early start at the terminal, and finally the waiting game to board. But wait we will. Because if Mama is not happy, then nobody is happy.;p (Honestly, it is usually the other way around in our household.;))

We live relatively close to the port, so I drove down to Galveston to check out the parking situation. Between driving around and Google Earth/Maps, I think I know where the garage is located. It isn't Park-n-Cruise - it is operated by the Port of Galveston. I paid $85 online, so it may be more that other places. But you park on level 2, 3, or 4 (hopefully not 4 as it is uncovered). In case of a storm, I was hoping to be off the ground if it floods and covered if things are flying in the air. The website says the garage is located on the corner of Harborside and 25th across from the cruise terminals. That would be on the other side of the street from Park-n-Cruise. The parking deck directly on the corner is only 3 stories. I emailed the Port of Galveston Cruise Parking and she said the garage had 4 stories but the 1st level is a transit center, so no parking there. So from what I can tell, the garage is a little further down the block.

 

I was hoping to drop the kids off at the terminal. My son is 18, so he needs to take on some responsibility now. But DD will have no part in waiting for me at the terminal with her brother. So we will be lugging our bags down the road looking ridiculous. I probably should have paid for Valet. A little luxury in life is good from time to time. But I would have zero patience waiting for the car when it is time to go home.

 

If it were just me, I would probably take the Cafe Promenade advice. I looked at the pictures here on CC. From the pics, it seems as that Cafe Promenade has lighter offerings of sandwiches. Since I'll be stuffing my face all week, it seems like a good place to start. But DS will probably have none of that. He says he is going to starve himself the week before the cruise.:) So he will be ready for the WJ - and especially after I get the kids up early, drag them to Galveston for an early start at the terminal, and finally the waiting game to board. But wait we will. Because if Mama is not happy, then nobody is happy.;p (Honestly, it is usually the other way around in our household.;))

Don't lug your bags down the road. Swing by the terminal before you park and the porter will take your bags. Best tip you will ever pay is the tip you give him to take your bags. Make sure you have your luggage tags attached but if you don't they can help you. Drive to where you park and walk back with just the things you are going to carry on. If you are leaving your son at the terminal then he can stand with your carry ons and you won't even have to lug them back!