Can you check in / board earlier than online appt time?

Can anyone tell me when you select your boarding time? Is this new? My last cruise was two years ago and I do not remember doing this for the pride? If you have Faster to the Fun you still cannot board early?

You DON'T select BOARDING time

You select CHECK-IN time

Boarding time and Check-in time is not the same thing.

Yes, it's relatively new.

About 6 mos out

we have 12:30 boarding but FTTF for Pride out of baltimore. so aim for 11 am arrival??? first time on carnival in about 18 years and first time with FTTF.

thanks to all those who answer my questions.

I completed my online check in yesterday for our cruise out of Baltimore that is 20 days away and the only embarkation time left available was 230-300. If we arrive earlier will we be able to check in earlier or will we have to wait until 230? This will influence if we drive in the day before or day of the cruise (5-6 hour drive) Thanks for your help!

From what I have seen, they enforce the check in times.

Our last cruise out of Miami, we had a 1:30 check in. People were showing up that had 2 or 2:30 and they were putting them in a separate line to wait.

Maybe they let some through if the time slotted check ins are all though. Not sure, as I pick 1:30 and show up after that.

we have 12:30 boarding but FTTF for Pride out of baltimore. so aim for 11 am arrival??? first time on carnival in about 18 years and first time with FTTF.

 

thanks to all those who answer my questions.

We also have 12:30 check-in with FTTF for our Pride cruise and based on some other threads plan to arrive around 10:30-11. Based on our February cruise, I would expect to board around 12-12:30 if she arrives into port on time that morning.

When I did glory in January we ended up there an hour earlier than expected. We were going to wait outside but we thought we’d ask anyways and they let us board. No lines, took maybe 10 minutes from main door to get on the boat.

in my experience check in times were not enforced.

This is in Miami and Port Canaveral

Interesting, we cruised out of Miami in May and they were absolutely enforcing it. As well as checking our boarding pass before allowing us into the FTTF boarding area. We watched many people be turned away.

This is a port I have plenty of experience with and I will tell you they are strict at least early in the day about your appointment time. The port itself is part of a large cargo port so it is very tight quarters for the passenger terminal and on site parking (plenty of spaces just only 1 access/egress option). So the parking area does not allow new cars in until about 3/4 of previous cruise passengers have left.

With the Pride's docking time being either 9 or 10am this means often the parking lot does not open until 11/11:30am. This in turn causes a big back-up and if the Baltimore police get involved you will find yourself just circling on the access road until the parking lot does start accepting new cars. Priority or appointment times mean nothing to the parking personnel, so they let anyone and everyone park as the police let them in.

Depending on the time the Pride arrives back at the earliest priority boarding will start at noon (for the 9am docking), and the door personnel are vigilant about making those that arrive too early for their appointment time wait. Mostly it's because there are not that many seats (when compared to other ports) for those waiting to board. Having the 2-2:30 check-in appointment time will have you avoid many of the back-ups and waits that happen at this port.

So aim for arriving around 1pm and the parking lot should be caught up, unless there was a delay in docking. That should have you at the terminal doors about 1:30 and as long s boarding has gone smoothly you could be allowed in. Once inside because there is not that large of a waiting area zone embarkation is pretty much caught up by 2pm that there should be little to no wait after the check-in counter to board the ship.

Thanks to the OP for posing the question. We are leaving this Sunday on the Pride and have the 2:30 check-in time. I was about to post the same question, but saw yours.

Thank you, maryred, for your detailed post for the Port of Baltimore. We live about an hour and a half away and I plan on following your recommendations to the "t." I am aiming to arrive in the parking lot at 1:00p. At that time of day, will the porters still be taking luggage or will we need to carry ours?

Can someone tell me about Tampa? We are a group of 18 people and I know not everyone will have the same time. We are carpooling 4 cars to get everyone to the port and hope some will not have to wait outside for their time. We tried to get a bus to take us and pick us up but they wanted $640 for a 25 mile trip. The parking Dr is $45 a car for the whole week so we felt 180 split 18 ways was better than the bus.

You DON'T select BOARDING time

You select CHECK-IN time

 

Boarding time and Check-in time is not the same thing.

 

Yes, it's relatively new.

About 6 mos out

thanks

Isn't it really the same. I can't board until I check-in? If I am stuck with a later time I will be on the ship later.

... I am aiming to arrive in the parking lot at 1:00p. At that time of day, will the porters still be taking luggage or will we need to carry ours?

The porters in Baltimore are accustomed to the later boarding times. As long as you are there 1.5 hours prior to sail away all should be fine. The Pride usually sets sail at 5 or 6pm.

When parking, you will first be asked to pull up next to the luggage train the stationed porter will assist you w/ the bags so make sure you keep an eye on your carry-on(s). After that you proceed to the car port looking structure to pay for parking, then on to the parking spaces. The same for drop offs, but their luggage train is closer to the entry of the building. So there are really no curbside porters walking around with their typical wheeled carts pushing, pulling the luggage around.

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You DON'T select BOARDING time

You select CHECK-IN time

 

Boarding time and Check-in time is not the same thing.

 

Yes, it's relatively new.

About 6 mos out

Now its changed to 90 days out. You select your check in time as part of the online registration which very recently changed to opening only 90 days out.

I've done the pre-selected check in 3x now & my answer is "it depends". I've never sailed from Baltimore. My first experience was Miami. Our passes were checked before we were allowed in line. We were within our timeframe (11-11:30) so good to go. 10 months later it was the exact same story in NOLA (again, 11-11:30). We saw people turned away both times.

In March I sailed Vista from Miami. We arrived in our timeframe. There was a loooooong line. We got on the end without ever being checked for our time. We waited, reached a counter outside the terminal & were handed a zone number again without ever having our selected time checked. Didnt see anyone turned away. Our time was 11:30-12. So the reason wasnt a late time selection. Someone in our party had an 11 & also wasnt checked.

Same port twice with 2 different experiences. My advice? Assume it will be enforced. Don't show up too far in advance. Sitting on concrete in the hot sun for hours isn't a fun start to vacation.

Thepetroskes..... can you forward your experience when you get to Baltimore? I’m in the same situation

Thanks... enjoy

Can someone tell me about Tampa? We are a group of 18 people and I know not everyone will have the same time. We are carpooling 4 cars to get everyone to the port and hope some will not have to wait outside for their time. We tried to get a bus to take us and pick us up but they wanted $640 for a 25 mile trip. The parking Dr is $45 a car for the whole week so we felt 180 split 18 ways was better than the bus.

When we left from Tampa in May, they didn’t look at our paperwork or check in times. It was between 11:30 - 12:00 and was surprisingly not busy at that time. It might not always be like that though.

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I completed my online check in yesterday for our cruise out of Baltimore that is 20 days away and the only embarkation time left available was 230-300. If we arrive earlier will we be able to check in earlier or will we have to wait until 230? This will influence if we drive in the day before or day of the cruise (5-6 hour drive) Thanks for your help!

yes you can, as long as the others with the current check-in times have moved on.

Also, I think if you waited a half hour on line and you are 30-60 minutes early that no one at the desk will turn you away.

ENJOY

You DON'T select BOARDING time

You select CHECK-IN time

 

Boarding time and Check-in time is not the same thing.

 

Yes, it's relatively new.

About 6 mos out

Sorry...but you're not correct either.

Per Carnival: All guests must complete their Online Check-in process no later than midnight prior to their sailing date. During online check-in, you will be asked to select an arrival appointment.

It is not Boarding Time or Check in Time. It is "Arrival Time"!

To the OP regarding driving to Baltimore. I believe you said you had a 5-6 hour drive? I would plan on driving down, at least 2/3 of the way, the night before. Given your goal of arriving around 1:00, I would stop at a motel about 2 hours away, and plan on leaving the hotel around 10:00. If everything goes according to plan, I would stop for drinks/restroom about a half hour away, so you don't arrive too early.

5-6 hours is, IMO, too long of a drive, and too many things can go wrong, for a cruise departure.

 

5-6 hours is' date=' IMO, too long of a drive, and too many things can go wrong, for a cruise departure.[/quote']

good advice.

Sorry...but you're not correct either.

 

 

Per Carnival: All guests must complete their Online Check-in process no later than midnight prior to their sailing date. During online check-in, you will be asked to select an arrival appointment.

It is not Boarding Time or Check in Time. It is "Arrival Time"!

The Baltimore cruise port doesn't have restaurants or pubs at the pier. You would need to walk underI-95 and it's not worth it. Terminal doors open at 11:30am and they do check your papers. You may very well be denied entry to the terminal building if you're there too early. Why take the chance? Have a relaxing lunch somewhere and then show up when scheduled. If one shows up too early and is denied access, not a fun way to start off a trip.

From my current booking it states Check-In Time

My Ship:Carnival Pride# of Guests:2Stateroom:

Bedding:King Bed Edit Dining Time:Your Time 5:45-9:30 (Confirmed)

EditCheck-In Time:12:30 PM - 01:00 PM