Splendor/Long Beach Embarkation Question

[cdamion]

I have seen numerous times on the board that the Long Beach embarkation is not the most fun with people waiting hours to get on board.

 

My question is this: If we arrive early and get into boarding group 1 or 2, can we leave the area to go eat somewhere/do something else and then come back?

 

What happens if they are already to a higher boarding group when we come back, can we just go on with our earlier number?

 

Thanks for the info!

 

(I wonder why things seem tougher in Long Beach then the Florida ports where I have always had great luck boarding in well under an hour)

[UpstateCruizer]

Yes, many people will go drop off their luggage and get their boarding pass then leave. We have done this both times when we've sailed out of Long Beach. We prefer staying at the Queen Mary so we walk over to the parking garage around 9:00am and give our luggage to the porters. Once that's done we go register and get our boarding zone card. Back to the Queen Mary for a relaxing breakfast then head back to the port area. We've always gotten back before they start boarding and still have a wait even with boarding zone 1. If you arrive after boarding begins and your number was called you simply board with the current group.

[cdamion]

Thanks for the info. We are staying at the Queen Mary. I figured we would do as you described. Hopefully Queen Mary will still offer early check-in in March so we can stay right on the ship.

 

I will have kids with me and standing around outside the dome for a couple hours would not be fun. 120 minutes in 2 hours = being asked 'when can we go on?' at least 200 times.

 

I figure we can go back and relax on Queen Mary for a couple hours until they start boarding.

[cathyz]

Thanks for the info. We are staying at the Queen Mary. I figured we would do as you described. Hopefully Queen Mary will still offer early check-in in March so we can stay right on the ship.

 

I will have kids with me and standing around outside the dome for a couple hours would not be fun. 120 minutes in 2 hours = being asked 'when can we go on?' at least 200 times.

 

I figure we can go back and relax on Queen Mary for a couple hours until they start boarding.

It's been our experience that the early check-in on the QM is only for the Paradise (now Inspiration) and the early check-in for the Splendor was at temporary counters right outside the dome, but that could have changed I guess.

[cdamion]

It's been our experience that the early check-in on the QM is only for the Paradise (now Inspiration) and the early check-in for the Splendor was at temporary counters right outside the dome, but that could have changed I guess.

 

I suppose that I can endure the long 2 minute trek from the QM to the dome if I must. Maybe I can get a taxi. (can you imagine how upset that driver would be with the fare)

[love2relax]

Another option would be to show up at little bit later, after they have already boarded all of the early (waiting) passengers. I have shown up around 12:30 and, after a short wait in line inside to get checked in (the line looks long, but there are many agents servicing the passengers), I have boarded the ship in about 30 - 40 minutes total.