How early can you board the ship ?

This is a our very first cruise and I was curious how early can you arrive at the terminal and board the ship. We were going to leave our hotel around 11 am and it's about a 20-30 minute drive to the port .

We're cruising with Royal Caribbean

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That should be fine. In most cases check-in starts somewhere between 10:30 and 11:30 and if they are not yet ready for people to board there will be a waiting area until you are called.

Our experience has been that boarding will typically begin around 11:00 AM, and we usually arrive at the pier around 10:30 for luggage drop off and check in. And just to add, lunch will be available at the Windjammer and one or two other venues (depending on ship), and your staterooms will be available by 1:00. Luggage will arrive to your stateroom anytime after that through early evening. Take all valuables, medications, and documents - and a change of clothes if desired - in a carry on so that you have that with you until your luggage arrives. And don't worry about what you are wearing for dinner the first night as the recommended dress is not an issue due to the staggered luggage arrival times.

Sounds like perfect timing! While SOMETIMES boarding begins earlier, arriving around 11:30 is a pretty safe bet. There is no real benefit or reason to arriving earlier and standing around the terminal, waiting for boarding to begin!

Have a late breakfast before you leave the hotel, and you won't really need to take part in the feeding frenzy that seems to occur upon boarding!

Sounds like perfect timing! While SOMETIMES boarding begins earlier, arriving around 11:30 is a pretty safe bet. There is no real benefit or reason to arriving earlier and standing around the terminal, waiting for boarding to begin!

Have a late breakfast before you leave the hotel, and you won't really need to take part in the feeding frenzy that seems to occur upon boarding!

The benefit is getting on the ship early to start your vacation as - which you've pointed out in the past - the cruise starts day one with boarding and why not spend as much time as possible on board exploring the ship, etc. The lines are pretty much the same at 10:30 as they are at 11:30 and so on, so why not get an early jump on things? And in our experience, boarding has always begun by about 11:00 and we are typically on board between 11:15 - 11:30 and enjoy having lunch on board - part of what you paid for. Arriving early helps avoid the "feeding frenzy" you refer to - and there are alternative venues to the Windjammer to avoid that altogether, if desired.

You all have been so helpful!!! Thank you! [emoji16]

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You all have been so helpful!!! Thank you! [emoji16]

 

 

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You're welcome - enjoy your cruise!

Also take what you carry-on light weight. The main elevators mainly will be used on boarding day for the staff to get luggage delivered too the cabins. Enjoy your cruise.

does every ship have a windjammer? I would prefer to board earlier than later- our cruise is supposed to leave at 4 that day- how do you 'avoid lunch crowds' on that day?

Sounds like perfect timing! While SOMETIMES boarding begins earlier, arriving around 11:30 is a pretty safe bet. There is no real benefit or reason to arriving earlier and standing around the terminal, waiting for boarding to begin!

 

Have a late breakfast before you leave the hotel, and you won't really need to take part in the feeding frenzy that seems to occur upon boarding!

Agree with boarding later, on our first cruise we got there at like 9am and waited for about 2 hours :o although I do disagree with one thing, I starve myself until I get onto the boat and partake on the feeding frenzy

Agree with boarding later, on our first cruise we got there at like 9am and waited for about 2 hours :o although I do disagree with one thing, I starve myself until I get onto the boat and partake on the feeding frenzy

I don't understand what you mean about agreeing with boarding later. If you waited two hours you still boarded at the earliest time available - 11:00. Your issue with waiting is that you arrived way too early - not that you boarded too early. Had you arrived around 10:30 you would not have waited at all as the check in process would have taken about until you could board. So it isn't a matter of boarding later to avoid the wait - its a matter of not arriving as early as you did.

I don't understand what you mean about agreeing with boarding later. If you waited two hours you still boarded at the earliest time available - 11:00. Your issue with waiting is that you arrived way too early - not that you boarded too early. Had you arrived around 10:30 you would not have waited at all as the check in process would have taken about until you could board. So it isn't a matter of boarding later to avoid the wait - its a matter of not arriving as early as you did.

IT was our first cruise about 15 years ago or so. We thought that boarding was at 10am. And even though we got there around 9 am, there was still a big crowd waiting with us. Had we arrived at 10:30 I am sure we would have had to wait until 11:30-12 judging by the amount of people who came after. Ideal time for me to get to the ship now is 1pm, when the lines are not as hectic.

IT was our first cruise about 15 years ago or so. We thought that boarding was at 10am. And even though we got there around 9 am, there was still a big crowd waiting with us. Had we arrived at 10:30 I am sure we would have had to wait until 11:30-12 judging by the amount of people who came after. Ideal time for me to get to the ship now is 1pm, when the lines are not as hectic.

I now understand the issue, and also that it was a long time ago when the boarding process was not as organized as it is today. Normally they won't let you in the terminal before about 10:00 as they are still disembarking the prior cruise's passengers.

But in our more recent year's experience we typically arrive around 10:30 and are boarding by 11:00 - 11:30. The wait for us is not with lines waiting to board, but with the security and check in process, which can take 20-30 minutes, depending. But as indicated, that typically has us through that and then directly boarding with the times indicated. Hopefully you find it smoother for you now as well. By 1:00 we've already had our first drink, lunch, and are checking into our stateroom. :)