Earliest boarding for excursion desk run?

[L2ConD]

Hello, fellow cruisers –

 

What is the earliest time we can board the Pride out of Baltimore?

 

I know the website says 2 PM; I know people routinely board earlier than that.

 

Unfortunately, I need to claw my way to the excursion desk (ugh!) to set up a cabana rental on Half Moon Cay before they’re sold out. I hate to get there way early, but we would really like to get a cabana.

 

So --- does anyone have any guidelines for the earliest boarding time?

 

TIA!

[maritaysa]

Hello, fellow cruisers –

 

What is the earliest time we can board the Pride out of Baltimore?

 

I know the website says 2 PM; I know people routinely board earlier than that.

 

Unfortunately, I need to claw my way to the excursion desk (ugh!) to set up a cabana rental on Half Moon Cay before they’re sold out. I hate to get there way early, but we would really like to get a cabana.

 

So --- does anyone have any guidelines for the earliest boarding time?

 

TIA!

 

Is it possible for you to book that on the Carnival website (where you would book excursions for HMC)?

[travelntreats]

HMC Cabanas can only be booked onboard ship.....

 

OP... earliest you may be able to board will be 11am ish....and may have to camp out by the excursion desk as they may not be open right when you board. Good Luck.

[golfadj]

I would get to the port by 11 to be on the ship as early as possible.

[golfadj]

Going to HMC on our next cruise after about 15 and very curious as to why people will spend so much on these cabanas.

[kjunea]

Going to HMC on our next cruise after about 15 and very curious as to why people will spend so much on these cabanas.

 

For us, it was having an air conditioned area, nice cushy loungers to lay on, a nice table and chairs to eat at, etc. They provide the snorkeling equipment x4, float mats x4, cans of soda x8, plus chips, salsa, guac, fruit, etc provided. It worked out to $50 a person, which isn't bad. Even my accountant DH thought it was the best deal of the cruise!

[poobears]

Just returned from our first trip to HMC and we got a cabana. Arrived at port around 10:30, on the ship around 11:30. We got the 2nd one, all sold out.

 

It was incredible, I wouldn't want to do HMC without it. We had a private place to eat, to relax and to talk out of the sun, in total comfort. When that temp gets high you'll be glad you have that fan and airconditioning to cool off in, also the shower to rinse off came in really handy.

 

We booked cabana 10, short walk to the restrooms and the buffet but far enough down it never really got crowded. Loved it so much we are already looking at booking another trip there.

[L2ConD]

Thanks to everyone for the advice! We are out the door because we're LATE if we want a cabana!!!

 

Thanks!!

[lambcruiser]

:):)

HMC Cabanas can only be booked onboard ship.....

 

OP... earliest you may be able to board will be 11am ish....and may have to camp out by the excursion desk as they may not be open right when you board. Good Luck.

 

:)not true, you can book this on the carnival web site. I booked mine in January for my July cruise.If you wait, they may be all gone.This is the first year they let you book on line!!

[cruise423]

We booked ours on the website also!

[KenMo]

Now it's true.

 

Was not true when this thread was started in July 2010.

[joyful34]

YOU CAN BOOK a cabana on the website now and you should do it ASAP!!! You still have to go the excursion desk to pick which cabana you want but defintely log onto your fun pass and reserve one now! They just made this available a month or two ago.

Last time we were one of the first groups of people on the ship. Got to the dock at around 10:30am. Were on the ship by 11:45am. Still were about 15 people back in line. Of course not all of them were there for cabanas. The desk didn't open until about an hour after we got on the ship but by then there were over 50 people in line behind us all w/different issues/requests.

[elcuchio24]

This thread is like a year old. When it was posted what was said is true, now, not so much. Look at dates.