Why board early?

[NOLA3cruisers]

I like to get on early to take pictures while the ship is fairly empty, especially if it my first time on a certain class of ship! We leisurely explore the ship, get lunch, etc before our cabin is ready. :)

[BecciBoo]

We have been literally the first couple in the door and later than we wanted to be, both strategies have waiting involved. Once we were there by 9:00, but waited outside the terminal in rainy weather an hour to be let in...isch:( because so many others were there early too...so go whenever you feel like it. You wait till the cabin is open if you go early, you wait in line if you go late, tit for tat...mas nix.

We'll be cruising with Centex in April, he can go first, we'll follow....we'll all be sailing away at the same time:D;)

[bouhunter]

We're not usually in much of a hurry, especially in San Juan. Getting there too early feels like sitting in a parked car.. waiting to leave. I try not to get there before I can get in the cabin. But we'll see, I'm aiming for 2-3 this time in San Juan.

 

That's the first time I've heard Adventure of the Seas compared to a parked car:D

 

I haven't seen any cars that had a swimming pool, restaurants, and a dozen bar's......:rolleyes:

[DonnaK]

We get there early, and generally breeze through check-in and walk right onto the ship. We've never experienced "mobs" or "long lines". In fact, arriving early has been a way for us to avoid the crowds. We like having lunch in the Windjammer when it is relatively empty (like 11:30 or 11:45am).

 

But, the real reason we arrive early is that we are too excited to begin our vacation on the ship to wait around leisurely in the morning, and then head on over after lunch. We find that we cannot relax the morning of the cruise until we are checked in and onboard. In fact, waiting ashore to board gives me anxiety.

 

When we're done eating, we find a nice spot in the empty solarium (the only time it is quiet and empty all week) to wait until we have access to our cabin. We don't bring a lot of carry-ons, and certainly nothing heavy or cumbersome, so it's not inconvenient by any means.

[justluv2cruisewithhubby]

We like to get to the port by 11am, sit down and relax and wait for boarding. Once we are on the ship we head to the buffet or dining room (depending on which ship) eat lunch. After lunch we will look for our dining room table to see if its a table for two or if we are sitting with other passengers. Tour the ship with our backpacks. At 1:30 we will head to our cabins and drop off our back backs and review the daily itinerary. Vacation starts for us at 11am ;)

[ryano]

We get there early, and generally breeze through check-in and walk right onto the ship. We've never experienced "mobs" or "long lines". In fact, arriving early has been a way for us to avoid the crowds. We like having lunch in the Windjammer when it is relatively empty (like 11:30 or 11:45am).

 

But, the real reason we arrive early is that we are too excited to begin our vacation on the ship to wait around leisurely in the morning, and then head on over after lunch. We find that we cannot relax the morning of the cruise until we are checked in and onboard. In fact, waiting ashore to board gives me anxiety.

 

When we're done eating, we find a nice spot in the empty solarium (the only time it is quiet and empty all week) to wait until we have access to our cabin. We don't bring a lot of carry-ons, and certainly nothing heavy or cumbersome, so it's not inconvenient by any means.

 

Thats the way I like to do it too :)

 

I totally understand where you are coming from in the red highlighted text above. The most miserable time for me of the whole week besides debarkation morning, is those hours at the hotel from the time I wake up (7:30 or so) until time to leave for the port. I have never had a problem trying to rush out before a 11 am check out time LOL! :)

 

Its a personal choice for sure though and everyone should do what THEY are comfortable doing. I just dont understand the long lines and mob comments from the OP about arriving early. Ive never experienced that.

[hazeleyez3]

Some don't mind spending that time the first day standing on lines or sitting around with the mob in the cruise terminal waiting for boarding to begin.

They enjoy the crowd and like to be among the first ones on the ship.

 

It is similar to the way that some people like to stand on line outside stores on sale days waiting for the doors to open so they can be the first ones in.

 

Others hate the crowds and lines of embarkation day.

So they request a late check out at their hotel, sleep in, have a leisurely breakfast and spend their morning enjoying the hotel grounds or sightseeing in town, or shopping for last minute items.

 

Then they head to the pier after the mad rush is over and walk right on with no lines and no crowds.

Since they know that they will have the entire week, or even longer to enjoy the ship, rushing down to the terminal early holds no appeal for them at all.

 

It is your vacation and your choice.

There is no right or wrong time to arrive, as long as it is not later than the final boarding time. :)

 

Our experience is the exact opposite.

 

The first couple cruises we arrived later, and experienced long lines and crowds.

 

We've never had long lines or been part of a crowd when we board early.:)

[mjldvlks]

. . . I just dont understand the long lines and mob comments from the OP about arriving early. Ive never experienced that.

As I said above we like to arrive early and our experience is generally consistent with yours with one possible exception. On our TA from Ft Lauderdale, we arrived a bit earlier than usual [1015 or so] because of shuttle logistics. We had no trouble with check in, but we still had folks coming off the ship to contend with at the drop off point and the ship was not quite ready for boarding when we got through check in so we had to wait in the seating area for a while. But we had a really large roll call for that cruise and we passed the time getting to know people we had been talking to in the roll call for several months by that time. The T Shirts were a dead give away. That cruise was also unique in that the hallways were not locked and we were able to drop our carry ons immediately on boarding. Don't know if that was the intent, but I always operate under the premise that if the door is opened, it is fair game.

 

I like early arrival, but I like to time it so that at least the ship is ready for boarding when we get checked in. BecciBoo's 9 a.m. in the rain is a bit much even for me.

[DMickey28]

Im on the fence for our April 7th cruise. We are flying in the morning off but land at 9:20am. Realistically we will probably be at the port by 10am. lol. Too early. We are going to have brunch at the Cheesecake Factory with some friends and head to the port after that. OUr vacation begins the day before when we leave our house in NH and go to Boston, leaving the kids with Grandma and Grandpa!

[shorbr]

Get on board early, lunch in the WJ, and only then I know after all the planning, that we are finally cruising!

[Shak]

I try to board early because I paid for that day.

 

Shak

[banshee72]

How/when can one find out which table they will be dining at?

[ryano]

How/when can one find out which table they will be dining at?

 

Your table # and dining time is listed on your Seapass card. You can go to the MDR once you board the ship and find it and make changes if it doesnt suit you. They will do their best to accomodate your wishes.

[karena1]

My wife and I were discussing about when we are going to board the ship for our cruise. I know a lot of people on here like to board as early as possible (11:00?). We were thinking about sleeping in (if we can), having breakfast some where, and boarding around 1:00 or so....hoping the cabins will be ready when we get there. Is the biggest incentive to boarding really early just to get your vacation started early? Are lines longer or shorter if you wait until 1:00 or so? We will be arriving in Ft. LAuderdale at 1:00 the previous day (MArch 15th) s I consider that the beginning of our vacation. While I will be excited about getting on the ship, I dont want to ruch around in the morning trying to get to the ship. Do many of you wait? What is your reasoning? Other than getting a couple extra hours on the ship....are there other reasons to boarding early?

 

We always board as early as possible. Lines are virtually non-existant and there is nothing like getting on the ship, going up to the pool bar, finding the lounge chairs at the pool we want and having our first cruise cocktail before noon. Perfect:p

[banshee72]

How common is it to get a table for two?

[Clarea]

How common is it to get a table for two?

Very common if you opt for My Time Dining.

[granddutchess]

We like to check out of the hotel and get to the port by 11:00. Check in and then head up to the Windjammer for an early lunch.

[gelo7]

To get every second out of my cruise.

[Swath]

To get every second out of my cruise.

:D

 

Also to Avoid Crowds in The Windjammer

[BND]

And my go to answer. Because we can.:D

[stompy]

My wife and I were discussing about when we are going to board the ship for our cruise. I know a lot of people on here like to board as early as possible (11:00?). We were thinking about sleeping in (if we can), having breakfast some where, and boarding around 1:00 or so....hoping the cabins will be ready when we get there. Is the biggest incentive to boarding really early just to get your vacation started early? Are lines longer or shorter if you wait until 1:00 or so? We will be arriving in Ft. LAuderdale at 1:00 the previous day (MArch 15th) s I consider that the beginning of our vacation. While I will be excited about getting on the ship, I dont want to ruch around in the morning trying to get to the ship. Do many of you wait? What is your reasoning? Other than getting a couple extra hours on the ship....are there other reasons to boarding early?

 

We like to get on early and eat in the Windjammer before there are 4000 other people all lining up for Honey Stung Chicken...

 

We then find a nice quiet place to hang out, either poolside or in the CL.

 

On our last cruise we did a B2B and were actually back onboard around 930AM and there wasn't a soul to be found-it was lovely...

[luckyprincess]

I'm in the 'I paid for the first day so I want it to start ASAP' camp but I totally get OPs preference too! If the port was new to me I'd explore that first and do an excursion or go to the beach or something and then it's like I got an extra port day. I'm one of those constant worriers that are scared that my perfectly fine, perfectly valid passport will suddenly be unallowed and I'll have to go scrambling for id to get on board or something. :rolleyes: I know, I know! So getting through check in and the screening is alleviating a lot of stress for me. :cool:

[SueBabe]

I still don't understand the big rush to getting on-board. I agree with a previous poster as why not explore the port you are in. There is a lot to do in Miami and Ft. Lauderdale. Go to Lincoln road mall or hang out on Deco drive, really cool places. I would rather do that on the first day than stand in line for food or sit on the deck. Also, you can either store your bags at the hotel you are staying at or even drop them off at the port and leave for the day.

 

We will have the best of both worlds--get to FLL two days pre and two post- cruising to explore beaches, shopping and whatever. Then get on the ship early on departure day to have lunch early and be ready to drop off our bags in the room at 1:00 to change into our suits and go to the pool :) There is so much to do on this ship, I don't want to miss a moment!

[SingaporeCruiser]

Does the 11am (boarding) and 1-1.30pm (cabin ready) times apply to ports elsewhere in the world? Am asking this as I believe most posts here are related to Caribbean cruises.

 

Looking forward to my first RCI cruise on 23rd March leaving Singapore :)