Port Canaveral - Magic - Check In and Boarding Times

Going on Carnival Magic out of Port Canaveral in a few weeks and just searched and read a bunch of threads about the times but got some mixed information.

Goals:

Spend the least of amount of time waiting outside in heat.

Drop off numerous carry-ons and get the room "re-cleaned" ASAP so we can head to lunch unencumbered.

We have FTTF so don't suspect this will be a huge issue overall. (hopefully)

Questions:

1. Everything I found says that Sign & Sail cards are in the mailbox on the Magic now. So outside of the security lines, what is the exact check-in process now? Just show your boarding pass to someone and sit down?

2. The earliest check-in time I can select is 11:30am-12:00 but I have read several people said they were on the ship at 11:05, 11:20am, etc. without even having priority. So my question is what time to they normally open the doors and let people in and what is the normal boarding times for each group?

Yes, I realize everything is subject to deviate at any given time (like everything cruising) but just looking for the usual/normal time frames.

Any other info regarding the PC boarding process welcomed. :)

Thanks

We had fttf and showed up around 10:30 and they had just started calling zones. As far as room being recleaned, I don't see that happening. They are still getting all the other rooms cleaned and ready. Best case would be that evening if you ask for twice daily service. Enjoy lunch at the Italian place for free, its always empty the first day or try the bbq outside on deck 5 if it's open. There will be a huge line there on sea days.

Sent from my SM-G928V using Forums mobile app

Going on Carnival Magic out of Port Canaveral in a few weeks and just searched and read a bunch of threads about the times but got some mixed information.

 

Goals:

 

Spend the least of amount of time waiting outside in heat.

Drop off numerous carry-ons and get the room "re-cleaned" ASAP so we can head to lunch unencumbered.

 

We have FTTF so don't suspect this will be a huge issue overall. (hopefully)

 

Questions:

 

1. Everything I found says that Sign & Sail cards are in the mailbox on the Magic now. So outside of the security lines, what is the exact check-in process now? Just show your boarding pass to someone and sit down?

 

2. The earliest check-in time I can select is 11:30am-12:00 but I have read several people said they were on the ship at 11:05, 11:20am, etc. without even having priority. So my question is what time to they normally open the doors and let people in and what is the normal boarding times for each group?

 

Yes, I realize everything is subject to deviate at any given time (like everything cruising) but just looking for the usual/normal time frames.

 

Any other info regarding the PC boarding process welcomed. :)

 

Thanks

1. You go to the desk and they verify all of your paperwork just like before and then you wait until they call you to board. Since you have FTTF you can go straight to your room and get your cards.

2. Your check in time makes no difference with FTTF. They say they open the port at around 10am.

on our cruise last September we arrived right at 10am and there were already a ton of people! With FTTF we were onboard by 11am.

Have a Blast its one of my favorite ships!

Rooms aren't available until 130 so plan on keeping carry ons with you until then. I also wouldn't count on getting room recleaned quickly as they are turning over all rooms. Best case would be that evening if you ask for twice daily service.

 

Sent from my SM-G928V using Forums mobile app

I have FTTF so I don't have to wait until 1:30.

Re-clean is ME cleaning the room again after they do. :)

.

 

on our cruise last September we arrived right at 10am and there were already a ton of people! With FTTF we were onboard by 11am.

Have a Blast its one of my favorite ships!

Thanks for the feedback.

When you arrived at 10am were you able to just walk right into the terminal?

I have FTTF so I don't have to wait until 1:30.

 

 

Re-clean is ME cleaning the room again after they do. :)

Sorry, I totally misread the FTTF part.

1) yes, your boarding pass. Just make sure it has the bar code. Otherwise, they will need to print it out for you.

2) with FTTF, unless the ship is delayed, you should be good if you got there before your check in time. We are Platinum and we’re on the Magic 2 weeks ago. We got there at 11:00 and zipped through everything and onto the ship. Our check in time was 11:30.

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Thanks for the feedback.

 

 

When you arrived at 10am were you able to just walk right into the terminal?

Yes, they let us go straight in and so did my family in 2 other rooms without FTTF and their check in time was not until 11am.

We boarded by 11 and my other family didnt get on until about 11:30 w/o FTTF.

We were able to go drop off our stuff and head up to lido before it was slammed and got a table for all of us.

We were on the extended Hurricane Irma cruise on her so if you have any other questions let me know. we got 10 straight days!

Sorry, I totally misread the FTTF part.

No worries.

I only get once a day service but I bring some wipes that I used to basically clean every surface in the room and the balcony chairs & railing on boarding day and then I know we're good.

We also eat at the little known pasta place on embarkation day. :)

Yes, they let us go straight in and so did my family in 2 other rooms without FTTF and their check in time was not until 11am.

We boarded by 11 and my other family didnt get on until about 11:30 w/o FTTF.

 

We were able to go drop off our stuff and head up to lido before it was slammed and got a table for all of us.

Nice. Thus far it sounds like shooting for 10:30am is good bet.

Nice. Thus far it sounds like shooting for 10:30am is good bet.

Yup!

We spent 10 days on her for the Hurricane Irma extended cruise!

any other questions just let me know!!

I just got off the magic and the check in process was the easiest I've ever experienced. We zipped right through the line. We had fttf and the earliest checkin time of 11:30 am. We were on the ship before our check in time. Some people in our group were on the ship earlier (before 11am).

We dropped off our carry ons, our sign and sail cards were in our box ready for us, then we headed to get some BBQ.

My advice is to avoid the Lido (deck 10) on the first day. Everyone and their mom will be on deck 10 trying to eat at the same time and place. My advice is to eat at Guys Pig and Anchor BBQ (deck 5 outside right past the casino) on the first day. The food is good and the lines will be short since no will know about this place except for people who did their homework. And this place will be extra crowded on sea days when everyone starts to find out about it. So I like to get it in the first day incase I cant get to it any other day. Remember it only opens on sea days or embarkation day.

Other places you can eat at on embarkation day (while avoiding the crowds) is the Italian Resturant (Cucina Del Capitano), Indian Restaurant (Tandoor) and the Red Frog Pub (the Red Frog Pub charges a small fee for food)

I just got off the magic and the check in process was the easiest I've ever experienced. We zipped right through the line. We had fttf and the earliest checkin time of 11:30 am. We were on the ship before our check in time. Some people in our group were on the ship earlier (before 11am).

 

We dropped off our carry ons, our sign and sail cards were in our box ready for us, then we headed to get some BBQ.

 

My advice is to avoid the Lido (deck 10) on the first day. Everyone and their mom will be on deck 10 trying to eat at the same time and place. My advice is to eat at Guys Pig and Anchor BBQ (deck 5 outside right past the casino) on the first day. The food is good and the lines will be short since no will know about this place except for people who did their homework. And this place will be extra crowded on sea days when everyone starts to find out about it. So I like to get it in the first day incase I cant get to it any other day. Remember it only opens on sea days or embarkation day.

 

Other places you can eat at on embarkation day (while avoiding the crowds) is the Italian Resturant (Cucina Del Capitano), Indian Restaurant (Tandoor) and the Red Frog Pub (the Red Frog Pub charges a small fee for food)

Thanks for the awesome feedback. We are talking about taking the 10am shuttle to the port from our hotel which is about 5 minutes away so that sounds like it is going to work out nicely.

Did you have to wait outside in the heat at all or were you able to go straight into the terminal?

 

Other places you can eat at on embarkation day (while avoiding the crowds) is the Italian Resturant (Cucina Del Capitano),

Are there any meat/fish dishes in Cucina del Capitano?

Thanks

Thanks for the awesome feedback. We are talking about taking the 10am shuttle to the port from our hotel which is about 5 minutes away so that sounds like it is going to work out nicely.

 

Did you have to wait outside in the heat at all or were you able to go straight into the terminal?

With FTTF you will get right in. We were priority on the June 23rd sailing and were on stepping on the ship at 10:35. Easiest and fastest we've ever had.

Are there any meat/fish dishes in Cucina del Capitano?

 

Thanks

If it is like Dream then it is called Captain's Pasta Bar or something like that for lunch and you only get a choice of 1 pasta dish (pick your pasta, pick your sauce, pick your ingredients). Dinner is totally different.

With FTTF you will get right in. We were priority on the June 23rd sailing and were on stepping on the ship at 10:35. Easiest and fastest we've ever had.

Nice! What time did you arrive at the port/terminal?

Nice! What time did you arrive at the port/terminal?

Back in May I had a burger from Guy's in my mouth by 10:30. I think we caught an Uber from our hotel around 9:30 and went to the port. The hotel had a shuttle but I didn't want to go on the shuttles schedule nor did I want to be crammed in a shared shuttle.

Thanks for the awesome feedback. We are talking about taking the 10am shuttle to the port from our hotel which is about 5 minutes away so that sounds like it is going to work out nicely.

 

Did you have to wait outside in the heat at all or were you able to go straight into the terminal?

No we were not in the heat. You should be fine. I would have left earlier if I knew they were going to start boarding before time.

Are there any meat/fish dishes in Cucina del Capitano?

 

Thanks

For lunch (which is free) it's a limited menu. You get bread, salad and sauce/pasta/meat for the entre. They have different types of pasta and sauces you can choose. The meat you can choose from are chicken, shrimp, and meat sauce.

They have a full menu for dinner. Its $15 for a 5 course meal. The menu is on Carnivals website.