Getting on the Ship - Process

[discru]

Hi! We will be going on our first ever RCL cruise on the Liberty of the Seas in March, out of Ft Lauderdale. Can someone please tell me what the process to board is? We will be traveling with elderly parents and kids. Are there benches in the terminal to sit on? Do you board the ship by number, first come-first served, etc... Do you carry all your luggage thru the port, or leave it somewhere? Thanks for any help you can give.

[temple1]

I hope you and your family have a wonderful cruise.

 

Are your parents handicapped or in need of assistance? There are other boards that can help specifically with that issue.

 

Otherwise for generally healthy people - you leave your bags curbside with the baggage handlers as you approach the terminal. Make sure you have your luggage tags on every piece you want checked. Be sure to visit the Royal Caribbean site to get info about what to pack and what not to pack. That will save you stress and a possible visit to the naughty room.

 

Make sure you do not pack your passport, SetSail Pass and credit card you're using for your onboard spending you will need them to get on the ship.

 

When you enter the terminal they will check your set sail pass and id to make sure you are who you are and are in the correct place. You will go through a security check through like the airport. Your carryon will go through an scanner and you will walk through the metal detector. At that point you go upstairs to check in and get your seapass. At that point you can sit and wait to be called on board. They normally will call suite, diamond plus, diamond etc (priority boarding first), then they will call rows from the waiting area.

[will773]

I was on the Navigator this past April, which left from the same Terminal that the Liberty leaves from this year. My Grandparents also needed some extra assistance. We entered the terminal, and were wheeled up to our own check in counter. They then wheeled us up and right on to the ship. It was quick and painless.

[discru]

Thank you both! That's EXACTLY the kind of information I was looking for!! I feel better having some sort of an idea what to expect! Are the "rows" actually seats? Meaning, do you get to the terminal and take a seat in a row, or is everyone standing...and wait for them to call you? Also, 1 of the 7 people traveling with us has previously cruised with RCL many, many years ago. Would he board before the rest of our group?

Do you, by any chance, have any information on the teen program?

[dorito6778]

in FLL, there are very very few places to sit. there are a few benches outside, but once you are in the terminal there is no where to sit down (from what i can remember). the "rows" are just roped off lines feeding into the check-in windows.

[discru]

Wow, good to know. We planned on having one wheelchair for my dad. We may need to get another one for my mother. I'm not sure she would be up to standing for a long time.

[arlodog]

In my experience if you wait until around 11:30 to board you won't have a long wait. We were on Oasis last fall and walked right in with no lines--literally took about 10 minutes total.

 

We then went on board and wandered around for a bit, ate lunch and were able to get into our rooms. A great check-in process!

[juniorsmom]

Timing would be something to consider as well. Boarding usually starts around 11:00 or 11:30. I suppose if you arrive at the terminal shortly after 11:30 then boarding will have started and the only line up you could possibly face is at check in.

[Eng23]

In my experience if you wait until around 11:30 to board you won't have a long wait. We were on Oasis last fall and walked right in with no lines--literally took about 10 minutes total.

 

We then went on board and wandered around for a bit, ate lunch and were able to get into our rooms. A great check-in process!

One thing to remember is that the Liberty does not use the same terminal as the Oasis/Allure. The Oasis/Allure have their own terminal specifically due to their size.

[discru]

Great advice. Thanks! I envisioned standing in long, grueling lines well past noon ( as has been our experience on another cruise line). Sounds like RCL boards everyone pretty quick. Would love to get on the ship and start our vacation as early as possible. :)

[ehfl]

If they have problems standing/walking, you might want to bring folding wheelchairs and/or walkers or portable seats (some walkers even have built-in folding seats).

[liljay6915]

As soon as you are dropped off in front of the terminal any of the porters can get wheelchairs for your family members. 4 years ago I ended up with 14 stitches on the bottom of my foot the night before the cruise and was on crutches the entire time. I have never been taken better care of. Crew members will do anything they can to accommodate you not only at the terminal but also on the ship. My group was actually zipped right to the front of the small line to check in because I was in a wheelchair.

[discru]

I haven't heard of the folding seats on wheelchairs! I'll look into it.

 

Liljay, did the porters bring you a wheelchair to use for the entire cruise, or just at the port? We were planning to rent one from a hospital supply company.

[skandls]

Embarcation on the Liberty was not bad. The screening lines went pretty quickly. Debarcation - was very very long. We stood in line at least an hour to get our luggage and clear customs and immigration. The terminal is one of the older ones. Not the nice up to date terminal the Oasis and Allure use. Eight days later we got off the Oasis and the lines went very quickly.

[Jimnbigd]

The security screening is not as strict as the airport, because your checked bags are also going to your room -- eventually. So it is OK to have liquids in your carry-on luggage when going through ship security. But no booze including wine, and sometimes they don't even allow soft drinks or water to be taken on board.

 

The gangway ramp to get to the ship can be steep so this can take a strong person to get someone up the ramp when pushing a wheelchair.

 

Be sure to take any medications with you and not in checked luggage -- especially any you need that day. Some people also take at least one change of underwear and clothes in carry-on bags, just in case your checked luggage gets misrouted. It should be on the ship somewhere, but there have been instances where the luggage was not found until late night or even the next day. Rare, but can happen. Also it is a good idea to not put all of your items in one bag, but instead mix it up -- put some of each persons stuff in each checked bag. That way if a bag is missing, you still have something to wear.

 

Be sure to tip the porters something when they take your checked luggage -- usually $2 per bag is OK. And you will probably want a porter when you leave the ship the last day. Usually there is a separate line for porters when you leave the ship the last day. This can take a while (my last cruise took 90 minutes), and there are not places to sit -- at least not in ports I've used (mostly Galveston). So a wheelchair for both elderly parents would really be best here.

 

My wife uses a wheelchair but can walks for short distances. Cruises are excellent for her.

[discru]

Thank you for the great tips and advice!