Early Boarding

[bostonlass]

I got my docs today :D I'm so happy. It feels "real" to me now!

 

I was reading through the little booklet here and it asks to please not go to the dock until the time on your pass...which says 2pm. Is that true? I mean in reading all of the reviews for the various RCCL ships, including the Enchantment, it seems as though people are able to board as early as 11:30am. Do they really frown on early embarcation?

[Merion_Mom]

They are lying. Believe US.

 

Carol

[dcdiva]

Our docs also said 2pm. But we boarded a bit after noon and there were already tons of passengers onboard and enjoying lunch!

[wwinfl91]

Basically it has been our experience that ship lines want to get you on board as early as they can because then you can start buying things like drinks which seem to flow very easily on the that first afternoon on the ship. They also want to try to keep the lines down so if you are there a couple of hours before the posted time for boarding, the chances are VERY good you will be allowed to board the ship. You may not be able to go to cabin until a little later but you will be able to get on the ship.

 

Have a great next cruise.

[bostonlass]

Basically it has been our experience that ship lines want to get you on board as early as they can because then you can start buying things like drinks which seem to flow very easily on the that first afternoon on the ship. They also want to try to keep the lines down so if you are there a couple of hours before the posted time for boarding, the chances are VERY good you will be allowed to board the ship. You may not be able to go to cabin until a little later but you will be able to get on the ship.

 

Have a great next cruise.

 

Thanks!!! I really like getting onboard as soon as we can so we can go and investigate the various decks and all that. I sooo need this cruise it's not even funny!!!

[Soxfan05]

Think about it, they tell you 2:00 and by boarding 2-3 hours early, you are "stealing" extra time that you didn't pay for! ;) I bet these are the same folks who buy sodas with someone else's card and bring wine to drink on their balconies! Heathens!

[wireman180]

On the 3/5 sailing of the NOS Immigration did not clear the ship lor boarding until 1:30. Some people were in line for a long time and there were a lot of frayed tempers. We didn't arrive until 12:30 so it wasn't too bad for us. Once they start boarding it goes pretty fast.

Corky

[journey2002]

Well...I certainly hope we can board early. I'm so excited about our cruise I want to be on it NOW!!! (Think they'll let me on this early???)

[shrimp0]

here is the deal....

The port will open at 10am... this is when they let you up the escalator to the waiting room that is just before security. At 11 am they open security and start letting people go to check in. They will usually take wedding parties and high level C&A people first. This can take just a few minutes... or it can take up to a half hour. ( depends on the number of weddings and such). Then, they will open the security lines to allow people to go to check in. From here, is where time really varies. After you check in, you go and wait against the wall.... you will see that many people will just sit down in their spot in line as this part can take a while. This is were you must wait for the ship to be cleared by immigration... and wait for all the previous cruisers to disembark. You will see them walking the gangway heading out. Last year, this took until almost 1 pm to get on the ship. 3 weeks ago, we were told that it would take until about 12:45.... but then suddenly at 12:10 they started boarding!!!!!! So, bottom line, if you go early... go with patience!!!!! Eventually you will all get on board and start enjoying your cruise. ( also note... they say that staterooms will not be ready til after 1... we did drop our carryons in the cabin when we boarded at noon.... just dont leave anything too important as sometimes the cabin attendants will still have all the doors open til they are completly done)

[shipknotshore]

We tend to go early (10:30-11:00) & we have always been on the ship by noon. We have been able to take our carry-ons to leave in our cabin as soon as we got onboard. The crew probably wishes that they would have more of a break between passengers, but the cruise line certainly knows that passengers will be buying drinks and the almighty dollar does speak in a very loud voice. I'll buy a drink to be able to board a couple hours early anytime.

[Sheffie]

Think about it, they tell you 2:00 and by boarding 2-3 hours early, you are "stealing" extra time that you didn't pay for! ;) I bet these are the same folks who buy sodas with someone else's card and bring wine to drink on their balconies! Heathens!

 

Oh, no!!!!! :eek: I've been busted!!!!!!!:eek: :eek:

[bostonlass]

I noticed that our luggage tags say "suite" even though we're in a junior suite. Will we be able to board earlier than the other passengers maybe?

[PhoenixCruiser]

I noticed that our luggage tags say "suite" even though we're in a junior suite. Will we be able to board earlier than the other passengers maybe?

 

Not earlier because everyone goes through Security. However, we were able to join the "suite" line, which is shorter. Then we were pulled into the "Platnium/Diamond" room. I stated that we were only Gold, but she said, "go ahead". We were offered cookies and juice and were able to sit down to check in. It was very nice :D :D

 

 

We LOVED our JS, hope you do as well :D

 

###

[negc]

You may get priority check-in (although I'm not sure that applies to Junior Suites unless you are also Diamond Crown and Anchor members) but basically once people have checked in, and they start letting people board, you can just get in line and board. No priority boarding for suite members under usual circumstances.

Don't worry that you are cheating by getting to the pier before the time shown on your documents. If they didn't want people boarding until 2pm they wouldn't let them. As someone else mentioned, by boarding passengers as early as possible they make the boarding process easier for everyone and those who can't arrive until 2pm or later may not find crowds or long lines.

[HockeyMom44]

In January we were lucky enough to have a JS. We waited in the C & A lounge and were boarding the ship by noon. I spoke to some people who got to the pier at 11:30 and waited till 2:30 to board.

 

Trudy