New to Suite Life: What to expect at the pier

[signora]

We've cruised many times before but without privileges. Will we have to wait in line at the pier? Please spell it out for me as I am a little overwhelmed by all that the suite experience entails. Thanks very much in advance!

[aceparty]

You will have to wait for customs/security, but they move you to the head of the line. Then your off to check in and move to the head of the line again. When done checking in you move to a private room with only suite guest and you meet with people from the ship and when the ship is ready you board first.

This is out of New York City, not sure of other ports.

[Demonyte]

You go through security normally with everyone else but after that You want to go to the line for suite passengers. You get to do the checkin sitting down and get to wait for the boarding in a separate area with refreshments available.

 

When the boarding starts, you will be escorted directly to Cagneys for lunch before other passengers get to board.

 

That's about it in a nutshell. We are on the same Pearl cruise, enjoy your suite perks, they really are worth it. :)

[signora]

Thanks! Sorry for the double post--my original post wasn't showing up. Looking forward to the suite life!

[signora]

Hi Demonyte: Yes we are on the same cruise, and have you joined our meet and greet? If not, please feel free to do so on the roll call! I noticed you're doing a wild back to back between the Epic and the Pearl--cool! I'd be curious to hear your thoughts re: a comparison of the two ships. Apples and oranges? I think you're in for a great time!

 

Take care and hope to see you at the M&G. Happy Holidays--Amy

[Riksha]

Thanks for this question and all the great responses, it's our first time in the suite life and I was trying to piece together the same thing.

 

I had a related question - do suite guests need to show up earlier? Does anyone know when boarding time is? Or do they just wait until they have enough guests in the waiting room to take a group to board? We're leaving out of Miami.

 

Thanks!

[rvsullivan]

In every port I've be aware of you do not go to the head of the general security line, you wait like everyone else. After security find someone to point/take you to suite check in. You will be escorted to the VIP area. When the ship is cleared for boarding Suite/VIP guests are escorted on as the first guests to board.

[Demonyte]

Signora: Thanks, I've been following the roll call since we booked in June. :)

 

I had a related question - do suite guests need to show up earlier? Does anyone know when boarding time is? Or do they just wait until they have enough guests in the waiting room to take a group to board? We're leaving out of Miami.

 

Suite passengers do not need to be there earlier than others, the boarding usually starts between 11 and 12 after the ship is cleared (that depends completely on the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the cruise line doesn't have a say in the matter).

 

If you arrive to the port after the boarding has begun, there might be a small wait until someone escorts you to the Cagney's but all in all it's really smooth process usually and there is a lot less queue than in the regular checkin lines.

[valleyvillage]

For what it's worth, our check in has been different almost every time!

1. Suites had a separate line, but they called you over ahead of others to the regular check in desk. Then we were escorted to our beaming concierge who introduced us to our butler. He took us onto the ship, to our stateroom and then sent us to Cagney's.
   
2. Still a separate line which fed into the regular desk. Noting that we were in a suite, after taking our pic they sent us to a roped off area where the concierge was seated handing out envelopes with our cards and a welcome letter. There were light refreshments as we awaited an escort, who was not our butler. We were taken to our suite and then Cagneys.
   
3. We were taken through a special security door (we had a wheelchair with us this time) and then over to the desk to get our pix taken, then intro'd to the concierge, then escorted to Cagney's.
   
4. This time there was a separate line AND a special part of the regular check in desk and the concierge was darting around in the background making sure his guests got the envelope! We were taken directly to Cagneys by a staff member, not our butler.
   

Except when one of us was in a wheelchair we always went through the general security line.

So the answer is: it depends!

But once you are sitting in Cagney's sipping a double Grey Goose Bloody Mary, who cares? :D

[Cruisin&Relaxin]

In every port I've be aware of you do not go to the head of the general security line, you wait like everyone else. After security find someone to point/take you to suite check in. You will be escorted to the VIP area. When the ship is cleared for boarding Suite/VIP guests are escorted on as the first guests to board.

 

That is incorrect for NYC. At the security check in, there is a separate queue to the far right that allows the suite guests to go to the head of the regular security queue. I have used it everytime I was in a suite leaving from NYC. It is a huge timesaver.

[Demonyte]

That is incorrect for NYC. At the security check in, there is a separate queue to the far right that allows the suite guests to go to the head of the regular security queue. I have used it everytime I was in a suite leaving from NYC. It is a huge timesaver.

 

I think that that might be a NYC speciality. I haven't seen a separate security queue based on the cabin class at least in Miami, Tampa or Barcelona.

[NayRN]

That is incorrect for NYC. At the security check in, there is a separate queue to the far right that allows the suite guests to go to the head of the regular security queue. I have used it everytime I was in a suite leaving from NYC. It is a huge timesaver.

 

Good to know! I don't remember this when I sailed out of NYC last time....but I sure could have missed it!:eek:

[Aladdin1968]

For what it's worth, our check in has been different almost every time!

1. Suites had a separate line, but they called you over ahead of others to the regular check in desk. Then we were escorted to our beaming concierge who introduced us to our butler. He took us onto the ship, to our stateroom and then sent us to Cagney's.
   
2. Still a separate line which fed into the regular desk. Noting that we were in a suite, after taking our pic they sent us to a roped off area where the concierge was seated handing out envelopes with our cards and a welcome letter. There were light refreshments as we awaited an escort, who was not our butler. We were taken to our suite and then Cagneys.
   
3. We were taken through a special security door (we had a wheelchair with us this time) and then over to the desk to get our pix taken, then intro'd to the concierge, then escorted to Cagney's.
   
4. This time there was a separate line AND a special part of the regular check in desk and the concierge was darting around in the background making sure his guests got the envelope! We were taken directly to Cagneys by a staff member, not our butler.
   

Except when one of us was in a wheelchair we always went through the general security line.

So the answer is: it depends!

But once you are sitting in Cagney's sipping a double Grey Goose Bloody Mary, who cares? :D

 

Yup. To add something to this: the escort to the ship may be done by someone who is not very familiar with The Haven if the butler is not available and everybody else is also busy. And it may be a group escort. We once had one with 12 other passengers and got dropped off at the elevator to find our room ourselves.... Don't expect a royal treatment, but you might be lucky. Escort is normally straight ahead to Cagney's (open until around 2 PM) but you can ask if your room is available already. We have always been able to go to our room immediately. Freshen up and drop off hand luggage and then head off to Cagney's. The escort may not be aware of this possibility so you might need to ask twice.

[Riksha]

Signora: Thanks, I've been following the roll call since we booked in June. :)

 

 

 

Suite passengers do not need to be there earlier than others, the boarding usually starts between 11 and 12 after the ship is cleared (that depends completely on the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the cruise line doesn't have a say in the matter).

 

If you arrive to the port after the boarding has begun, there might be a small wait until someone escorts you to the Cagney's but all in all it's really smooth process usually and there is a lot less queue than in the regular checkin lines.[/quot

 

Sounds good - thanks!

[WaldosPepper]

That is incorrect for NYC. At the security check in, there is a separate queue to the far right that allows the suite guests to go to the head of the regular security queue. I have used it everytime I was in a suite leaving from NYC. It is a huge timesaver.

 

Agree completely. There is usually someone with a clipboard standing at the entrance to a ribboned-off area. You check in with that person and they allow entry only to those who are on their list. You enter that walkway and it leads directly to the head of the line for security check. Once through the check there is another person who will direct or escort you to the check-in queue for suites and vips. That line is usually either empty or extremely short, and once you have completed your check-in you will be escorted to the concierge lounge. ;)

[rvsullivan]

That is incorrect for NYC. At the security check in, there is a separate queue to the far right that allows the suite guests to go to the head of the regular security queue. I have used it everytime I was in a suite leaving from NYC. It is a huge timesaver.

 

But the OP is not sailing from NYC!

[bonvoyagie]

I know that in Seattle there was a seperate check in area outside the terminal. There our names were checked off of their lists and our documents checked over. We were then excorted to the head of the security line and and then to the suites lounge where we were sat down to do final check in and establish our OBC. There were coffee cookies and more - but we did not have time for them because as soon as we were checked in they were ready to excort us onto the ship. We were in an SF suite which was not quite ready when we boarded so we went right to Cagneys for lunch - then found our own way to the suite. On the ship we bypassed the entry photos and followed a red carpet to the mid ships elevator - which also goes to the Haven.

[Cruisin&Relaxin]

But the OP is not sailing from NYC!

 

I don't believe that the OP has stated what port they are sailing from. Perhaps it can be backed out with a little detective work, but I don't remember seeing a direct statement.

 

The OP has actually repeated this request in another thread in which I asked them to state which port they were leaving from, but alas they never responded.

[bonvoyagie]

I don't believe that the OP has stated what port they are sailing from. Perhaps it can be backed out with a little detective work, but I don't remember seeing a direct statement.

 

The OP has actually repeated this request in another thread in which I asked them to state which port they were leaving from, but alas they never responded.

 

I agree that while there are some common elements to NCL suite boarding it does indeed vary with the port. That is why each of us are relating to the port that we know - your are correct that the OP never stated which port they are sailing from.

[Cruisin&Relaxin]

I agree that while there are some common elements to NCL suite boarding it does indeed vary with the port. That is why each of us are relating to the port that we know - your are correct that the OP never stated which port they are sailing from.

 

And that is why in the two identical threads that the OP started, I indicated that I was talking specifically about NYC and it is why I asked the OP to indicate their port so that people with experience at that specific port could comment.

[christie584]

Does this information apply to all mini suites as well? We're new to NCL and just booked our first cruise in a mini suite.

[Cruisin&Relaxin]

Does this information apply to all mini suites as well? We're new to NCL and just booked our first cruise in a mini suite.

 

No, it does not apply to a mini suite. Mini suites are not considered to be a suite and do not receive suite privileges. I wish NCL had never invented this term. It only confuses people.

[Demonyte]

Does this information apply to all mini suites as well? We're new to NCL and just booked our first cruise in a mini suite.

 

As C&R already said, mini suites are not suites at all, they are what other lines would call deluxe balconies - only differences to a regular balcony are a bit more space, curtain between bed and sofa and a bathtub. So no suite perks, butler, concierge etc.

[rvsullivan]

I don't believe that the OP has stated what port they are sailing from. Perhaps it can be backed out with a little detective work, but I don't remember seeing a direct statement.

 

The OP has actually repeated this request in another thread in which I asked them to state which port they were leaving from, but alas they never responded.

 

On their original post, Pearl 2/17/2013 the suite life!

 

That would be Miami I think?

[beyer4]

Can anyone tell me how the suite boarding works in NEW ORLEANS? Thank you!!