Silhouette Convention Center Embarkation

Very disappointed in how this is going today. We got to the convention center OK, and bag drop with the porters was a bit disorganized and crowded (would be very difficult for anyone with mobility issues) but we were at a check in desk getting our seapass cards before 11am...At this point I had hope the process wouldn’t be too bad. Then we went to sit in a bunch of seats waiting for shuttles. NOTE: If you are doing this make sure you get your shuttle number before you sit down! No one gave us one and we had been sitting for awhile before we realized how the process was working and they were calling numbers, but we didn’t have one! The employees gave us the number for people who were just checking in at that time, and would not make an exception when I explained we had been sitting without one for 30 minutes. There were no signs or anything saying to get a shuttle number, after printing our seapass cards the check in people just told us to go sit across the room. After 2 hours our number was finally called and after Xraying our carry on, we were on a shuttle bus thru the port and at the edge of the terminal looking at Silhouette at 1:40. At this time, a security guard stopped and refused to let the bus thru to the ship because we did not have a security escort. Now it is 2pm and we are headed back to the convention center to get a security guard and deal with the port traffic again. On the way back to the convention center, we have seen 4 more shuttle busses pass in the other direction heading to the ship. I hope they have their security guards. So 3 hours after having our seapass cards printed, we finally got within a few bus lengths of the ship, only to be turned around. I hope they improve this process for future weeks. So far I am very disappointed in my first Celebrity experience, and the $25 OBC does little to help, I’d rather have personally paid more for aqua or conceirge to be on an earlier shuttle. In this case, that is an extra extra perk of being in those categories.

Shoreside people, although they wear Celebrity name badges, are not Celebrity employees. EM

What? I'm on Sillo next week. Has something changed for Ft Laud boarding? I've always just dropped bags, gone inside to check in, then walked on the ship.

We had a cruise booked for March on Silhouette out of Fort Lauderdale. Celebrity moved Silhouette cruise ship embarkation to Miami because of construction at Fort Lauderdale port for Celebrity Edge. Might this have something to do with the need for a shuttle.

What? I'm on Sillo next week. Has something changed for Ft Laud boarding? I've always just dropped bags, gone inside to check in, then walked on the ship.

You will be fine for your sailing next week.

There were 8 ships in Port Everglades today with over 25000 passengers both debarking and embarking! Celebrity's terminal is under construction to support the new Edge. They had to use the convention center as their temporary terminal for today only and passengers were shuttled to and from the ship. Some sailings will debark and embark in Miami.

Very disappointed in how this is going today. We got to the convention center OK, and bag drop with the porters was a bit disorganized and crowded (would be very difficult for anyone with mobility issues) but we were at a check in desk getting our seapass cards before 11am...At this point I had hope the process wouldn’t be too bad. Then we went to sit in a bunch of seats waiting for shuttles. NOTE: If you are doing this make sure you get your shuttle number before you sit down! No one gave us one and we had been sitting for awhile before we realized how the process was working and they were calling numbers, but we didn’t have one! The employees gave us the number for people who were just checking in at that time, and would not make an exception when I explained we had been sitting without one for 30 minutes. There were no signs or anything saying to get a shuttle number, after printing our seapass cards the check in people just told us to go sit across the room. After 2 hours our number was finally called and after Xraying our carry on, we were on a shuttle bus thru the port and at the edge of the terminal looking at Silhouette at 1:40. At this time, a security guard stopped and refused to let the bus thru to the ship because we did not have a security escort. Now it is 2pm and we are headed back to the convention center to get a security guard and deal with the port traffic again. On the way back to the convention center, we have seen 4 more shuttle busses pass in the other direction heading to the ship. I hope they have their security guards. So 3 hours after having our seapass cards printed, we finally got within a few bus lengths of the ship, only to be turned around. I hope they improve this process for future weeks. So far I am very disappointed in my first Celebrity experience, and the $25 OBC does little to help, I’d rather have personally paid more for aqua or conceirge to be on an earlier shuttle. In this case, that is an extra extra perk of being in those categories.

Hope it finally worked out for your boarding, and things will be better when you return to port., but truthfully it may not be so...

We had already cancelled our Jan 2018 Silhouette cruise, mostly forpost hurricane port conditions and lack of info...This shows we absolutely did the right thing intstinctively..

..This cluster f OP described is something we have experienced twice before to a somewhat lesser extent with Celebrity at this port... Being Aquaclass or E plus would not have help...trust me , They seem to have learned very little along the way or care even less..Modern Luxury or Cattle Car????

It was 2 1/2 hours from the time we completed check in until the time we got on the bus. Cattle car doesn't begin to describe it. Next we missed sail away for the muster drill and last but not least our table assignment was messed up at dinner. It's gotta get better!

Never again. Buses unable to handle handicapped people. No signage as where to wait shuttles. Had to walk to parking lot and stand for over an hour. Celebrity staff completely in the dark.

WOW! So sorry that this cruise started off this way. Hopefully the rest of the cruise will be much better.

I received no notification of this from Celebrity. Is this the procedure for January cruises? Were there lines for Suites/Zeniths?

I received no notification of this from Celebrity. Is this the procedure for January cruises? Were there lines for Suites/Zeniths?

Celebrity has the itinerary changes on its web site and the only change for January sailings is for the ports of call.

Thanks! Good news

May I suggest Park n' Go? We sailed the Silhouette over Thanksgiving and experienced bottlenecks getting through Security and checking in. Park n' Go will drop you right at the port without the shuttle hassle.

I've been through worse, during a California Coastal a few years ago. This one had toilets that flushed and running water, plus refreshments.

Dad and I arrived about 10. It was confusing where to go, but we finally found it. SIL dropped us off then went back for the rest. Dad is in a wheelchair but can walk short distances. They offered us assistance at every turn. Would have sent us on an earlier shuttle, but we were waiting for the rest of our group to go together. They asked a number of times if he could so the steps on the bus, and had one with a lift if needed.

Yes, we waited for a while, but the trip to the ship was short and direct.

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Yikes! Haven’t sailed Celebrity in over ten years. I just usually take a taxi from hotel to Ft Lauderdale pier and ship. Are you reporting that I might get shuttled to Miami? That I have to go to some sort of Convention Center and then get on a shuttle? You have me spooked! Sailing Jan. 26 on the Silhouette from FT Lauderdale. Hoping for clearer explanation ( and reassurance...). Grateful for and help you can give.

Yikes! Haven’t sailed Celebrity in over ten years. I just usually take a taxi from hotel to Ft Lauderdale pier and ship. Are you reporting that I might get shuttled to Miami? That I have to go to some sort of Convention Center and then get on a shuttle? You have me spooked! Sailing Jan. 26 on the Silhouette from FT Lauderdale. Hoping for clearer explanation ( and reassurance...). Grateful for and help you can give.

Don't be spooked.....Your sailing on January 26 ( only 2 ships in port that day) will go as normal from Ft. Lauderdale. The convention center was a one time deal and the sailings from Miami passengers were notified on the change.

Don't be spooked.....Your sailing on January 26 ( only 2 ships in port that day) will go as normal from Ft. Lauderdale. The convention center was a one time deal and the sailings from Miami passengers were notified on the change.

Hope you are correct. Just called my TA and he was under the impression that the rennovation to the terminal/pier was going to take quite awhile. All this for the new Edge.

Construction will take a while, but Silhouette is returning to a different dock than we left from.

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Construction will take a while, but Silhouette is returning to a different dock than we left from.

 

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Unfortunately boarding problems do occur occasionally.

Were handicapped passengers turned around at the port and given refunds? Incredible that folks had to wait over three hours to board, maybe they can sue the port or Celebrity!! Hopefully they didn’t have to return through Atlanta, the. They would have gone through even more of a delay to return home! Travelers beware, all trips may not be problem free.

Unfortunately boarding problems do occur occasionally.

Were handicapped passengers turned around at the port and given refunds? Incredible that folks had to wait over three hours to board, maybe they can sue the port or Celebrity!! Hopefully they didn’t have to return through Atlanta, the. They would have gone through even more of a delay to return home! Travelers beware, all trips may not be problem free.

What are you talking about? Dad is in a WC and was offered assistance and a bus with a lift many times. It wasn't that bad!

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What are you talking about? Dad is in a WC and was offered assistance and a bus with a lift many times. It wasn't that bad!

 

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Please see first post in thread and post by MrandMrsB.

I was not there but took their posts to be truthful and not exaggerated. Obviously, things may not have been as bad as described in these posts.

Shoreside people, although they wear Celebrity name badges, are not Celebrity employees. EM

This time, there were a lot of Celebrity employees helping.

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Please see first post in thread and post by MrandMrsB.

I was not there but took their posts to be truthful and not exaggerated. Obviously, things may not have been as bad as described in these posts.

I stand by my statement that bag drop would have been very difficult for those with mobility issues. It was on a crowded sidewalk with obstacles (flower arrangements, kiosk stands, etc) that would force a wheelchair user to have to continually ask people to clear a path, and required us to stand in the sun in the crowded line for 15 minutes waiting for a porter. My aunt who is off balance and uses a cane would not have managed it.

I love how people who didn't experience the boarding nightmare have something to say about 'our' experience. 3hrs 10 minutes to drive down from Orlando and drop the car at Park N Go. From there to our cabin was 3hrs 30mins. Aqua and Concierge classes did get called for their buses before their numbers were up, so they did receive better service. Celebrity was not prepared, the hired help was not prepared, dropping the bags off at the convention center was a complete mess, etc, etc, etc. They did have chocolate pretzels, hard empanadas and coffee and juice while we waited though! If anyone has a comment, I hope they were there on December 17th. That, or as far as I'm concerned keep your opinions to yourself. You know what they say...

I just got off the phone w/Celebrity. This process will continue until March. I'll get notification from X about 10 days prior to our sail date in Feb. Our only hope is that they have the process smoothed out by then.

We always do walk off & take a taxi from the port to FLL airport. Does anyone know if we'll be required to put our bags out the night before and search for them before boarding a shuttle to FLL?