RCCL Embarkation--do lower decks go last?

[samzgirl84]

Someone told me that on RCCL Embarkation day that the higher decks get on board first.....the higher the deck the sooner you board and the lower decks have to wait. Is this true? We are booked for deck 4 and I don't want to get on board almost last as our flight is going to get us to port about 10:30 or 11.

[molly361]

That is not true. They will board you upon arrival after you have checked in assuming that boarding has started.

Edited November 30, 2013 by molly361

[shaggyofwv]

Someone told me that on RCCL Embarkation day that the higher decks get on board first.....the higher the deck the sooner you board and the lower decks have to wait. Is this true? We are booked for deck 4 and I don't want to get on board almost last as our flight is going to get us to port about 10:30 or 11.

 

I believe that passengers booked in staterooms on the top deck get the same priority embarkation as do Platinum and up C&A members.

[yogimax]

No. In general, boarding is based on your time of arrival at the pier.

[cb at sea]

Boarding the ship is NOT like boarding an airplane! You board as you arrive! If you get there before boarding starts, then the suites and VIP cruisers go first......but after that, it's 1st come, 1st served.....so go ahead and plan on heading straight to the ship....you'll be on and vacationing ASAP!

[yogimax]

I believe that passengers booked in staterooms on the top deck get the same priority embarkation as do Platinum and up C&A members.

 

Suite guests yes, but not others.

[shaggyofwv]

Suite guests yes, but not others.

 

 

Ok, thanks for the clarification. :)

[Clarea]

Someone told me that on RCCL Embarkation day that the higher decks get on board first.....the higher the deck the sooner you board and the lower decks have to wait. Is this true? We are booked for deck 4 and I don't want to get on board almost last as our flight is going to get us to port about 10:30 or 11.

Suites do board first, and suites tend to be on the higher decks. However, the process of boarding suites and C&A members (who also get priority boarding) goes pretty fast, so you're only looking at maybe a 10 or 15 minute delay before the priority boarding is finished.

[spookwife]

Someone told me that on RCCL Embarkation day that the higher decks get on board first.....the higher the deck the sooner you board and the lower decks have to wait. Is this true? We are booked for deck 4 and I don't want to get on board almost last as our flight is going to get us to port about 10:30 or 11.

 

totally wrong.

 

1st people on board are wedding parties, followed by Suites followed by open boarding in the order in which you arrived and checked in. the deck your cabin is on has no bearing esp since they don't even let you get NEAR it until 1 pm at the earliest.

 

boarding typically begins between 11-1130. which means by the time you finish checking in you will probably go straight on.

[knittinggirl]

Suites first, then sometimes Diamonds and Up, then everybody else.

[mm1251]

On our last couple of RCI cruises, the info in the guest ticket booklet does list times based on your deck. (may depend on the terminal) But --- they are recommended, not absolute. You may board when you get there. Have fun!

 

Copied from the last cruise:

 

Check-In Appointment

Royal Caribbean International would like to offer the following Check-in times to better enhance the check in and boarding

 

experience. Check In will take place between

 

 

10:30 AM and 2:30 PM. We encourage and recommend guests arrive at the

following designated times to limit queues and wait times.

 

Deck 10 10:30 AM

 

Deck 9 11:00 AM

 

Deck 8 12:00 PM

 

Deck 7 12:30 PM

 

Deck 4 1:30 PM

 

Deck 2 & 3 2:00 PM

 

Suite, Pinnacle, Diamond Plus, Diamond, Emerald and Platinum Guests can check-in and board anytime at their convenience

 

between the hours of

 

 

10:30 AM and 2:30 PM. Additionally, any guest who purchased flights and/or transfers through Royal

Caribbean International may check in anytime between

 

 

10:30 AM and 2:30 PM. Gold members are asked to refer to their

assigned check-in time.

 

[Clarea]

On our last couple of RCI cruises, the info in the guest ticket booklet does list times based on your deck. (may depend on the terminal) But --- they are recommended, not absolute. You may board when you get there. Have fun!...

I've heard of staggered boarding times for cruises out of Australia, but not anywhere else.

[mm1251]

I've heard of staggered boarding times for cruises out of Australia, but not anywhere else.

 

That one was Tampa.

[Clarea]

That one was Tampa.

Thanks for the info. Perhaps Royal is expanding the staggered boarding process.

[jkskrap]

Howdy doody.

 

Leaving from Tampa next week and our documents have the same thing printed on them (the "check-in appointment" stuff). First time I have seen it.

[Eng23]

Suites first, then sometimes Diamonds and Up, then everybody else.

Technically it is B2B people board first, then suites, then Platinum and higher C&A members........

At least that is what I have encountered on my Royal Caribbean cruises.

Edited November 30, 2013 by Eng23

[SammiC72]

In Australia we have staggered boarding times at our ports. This occurs by deck plan and C&A + Suites have the earliest boarding time and/or priority check in at port whenever they show up.

[avazah]

My cruise docs for my upcoming Explorer cruise also include staggered boarding times.

 

It also recommends not coming to the pier at all until after 12pm.

 

I really think these are things they put to help ease the flow right at 11am (or whenever they start letting people on). I am sure plenty of newbies or people who don't know better WILL arrive at the listed time for their deck number. Either way, despite being on Deck 7, I'm still going to get there early. :P

[DragonOfTheSeas]

I have never seen these staggered times on the cruise documents. I will have to look or them next time.

[Familygoboston]

Tampa is the only place Ive ever had trouble boarding; it's been a problem 100% of my cruises out of there. Maybe the staggered boarding is designed to alleviate some of the problem (though neither of our delays was due to pax overload; one was weather delaying docking of the prior cruise and the other was a snafu with the photo face detection system.) But maybe because they have frequent "issues" there, trying to stagger the guests would alleviate some of the stress.:confused: There are very few "chairs" for waiting guests in Tampa, so if a delay occurs there, there is no where for the gathering guests to wait comfortably.

 

Of course bottom line, is once they begin the boarding process, they will invite, b2b cruisers, suite, pinnacle, D+, then D then other top tier guests. If you arrive before the ship is cleared that all takes about 15-20 minutes before general boarding begins. Once boarding has begun, you board when you show up, no one is held back for someone else to board first.

[molly361]

Tampa is the only place Ive ever had trouble boarding; it's been a problem 100% of my cruises out of there.

.

 

Same here for some reason. So much so that my DH says he would rather drive 1 hour more to Ft. Lauderdale then go out of Tampa:)

[Lionesss]

For us the excitement on cruise day we would rather wait in the boarding area and stare at the clock, than staring at each other at the hotel.

We usually arrive by 10:20-10:30 check in and go to the suite section.

We have been on board as early as 11:00 (Freedom) and 11:30 (Allure).

Just what we do:D

Sea Ya

[DragonOfTheSeas]

Tampa is the only place Ive ever had trouble boarding; it's been a problem 100% of my cruises out of there.

 

That is interesting. We have only cruised from there once, however, it was very smooth. I have it in my mind that it is one of the easy ports to leave from. So, I better keep your comment in mind. :eek:

[brw1965]

For us the excitement on cruise day we would rather wait in the boarding area and stare at the clock, than staring at each other at the hotel.

We usually arrive by 10:20-10:30 check in and go to the suite section.

We have been on board as early as 11:00 (Freedom) and 11:30 (Allure).

Just what we do:D

Sea Ya

 

That's exactly the approach taken by my friends that got me started on cruises. Marc and I sailed Allure at the end of August and were on board well ahead of 11:30am in spite of cruise documents, email, voice mail, and text messages instructing us to arrive after Noon due slowed disembarkation procedures.

 

For that and each cruise in at least the past year, RCI has been very careful to seat people in areas designated by their Crown & Anchor status in the order they arrive. When opening boarding for the Allure, it was just as someone described above with B2B cruisers, followed by a special event party (wedding - is there anything else?), followed by Suites, then down through the ranks of Crown & Anchor status. I'm not sure if Junior Suites were in with Suites or just behind them.

 

Once this process is done, everyone boards as they arrive, as far as I know, but I've never stuck around to see it. :-)

 

--Bryan

[Eng23]

That's exactly the approach taken by my friends that got me started on cruises. Marc and I sailed Allure at the end of August and were on board well ahead of 11:30am in spite of cruise documents, email, voice mail, and text messages instructing us to arrive after Noon due slowed disembarkation procedures.

 

For that and each cruise in at least the past year, RCI has been very careful to seat people in areas designated by their Crown & Anchor status in the order they arrive. When opening boarding for the Allure, it was just as someone described above with B2B cruisers, followed by a special event party (wedding - is there anything else?), followed by Suites, then down through the ranks of Crown & Anchor status. I'm not sure if Junior Suites were in with Suites or just behind them.

 

Once this process is done, everyone boards as they arrive, as far as I know, but I've never stuck around to see it. :-)

 

--Bryan

 

Junior Suites do board with the rest of the passengers in suites. Suites guests board after the B2B folks. Unless there is a wedding party or some other special event.

 

 

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