Is the scheduled embarkation time flexible?

Our cruise documents indicate a 2:00pm embarkation time. Our hotel check out time is 11:00am. What would happen if we arrived at the dock at 12:00noon or earlier?

Our cruise documents indicate a 2:00pm embarkation time. Our hotel check out time is 11:00am. What would happen if we arrived at the dock at 12:00noon or earlier?

They would welcome you with a glass of champagne and then direct you to the Colonnade for lunch. And check you in, of course.

They would welcome you with a glass of champagne and then direct you to the Colonnade for lunch. And check you in, of course.

Thank you! That is just the answer I was hoping to get.

Indeed if you arrived at noon, I'd expect there to be about 50-100 folks ahead of you who have also arrived "early".

They will generally begin boarding the ship as soon as they are ready to open the Colonnade and the ship is cleared by the authorities to take on new guests which in my experience is anywhere between 11:30 and 12:30 pm.

Unlike mass market lines where it tends to be a madhouse where you first check in and then have a seat to wait for your group to be called (and endure the stampede of passengers), my Seabourn boarding experience has always been most civilized. When we have had to wait, they seat everyone in an orderly "queue" until they are ready to call you up with your documents to check-in. Once checked in, I've always been immediately escorted onto the ship.

Either way, you won't wait long. I think the longest I've waited has been around 30 minutes and that was always simply due to the ship not being cleared to board passengers and yet not being the first one to arrive (we've generally gotten there between 11:00 and 11:30 when we've had to wait. I've never waited when arriving after noon. We were always seated to wait our turn (and beverages were provided along with an advance copy of the Seabourn Herald with the daily schedule and that evening's menus to look over) so the wait didn't seem long at all!

We arrived for a 2pm embarkation around noon (for the Encore) and were immediately processed and found many many ahead of us and already enjoying lunch in the Colonnade. Next time, we will probably go a bit earlier!

It sounds so civilized. Thank you all for the encouraging input.

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I usually arrive between 11.30 and noon because of the hotel check out time.

Only once has boarding been delayed. It was at Port Everglades and the ship was undergoing a CDC inspection. We eventually boarded just after 1pm. The process was well managed and orderly.