Imagination 4-night Mexico - checking in??

[Califor6]

First timer here.....

for a 4night cruise, departing at 5:30pm on a Sunday (in June), what's the checking in process like? just saw a few pics online, and WOW, thousands of people all checking in! what's your suggestion - how early can check in, how to get through process most smoothly, etc?

[ccruisequeen]

Go early and check in at the QM. They give you a zone card. You're on deck by 12:30. Go late and there's a chance you can just walk through the dome. Your SS photo is taken at the check in desk, not as you leave the dome oops since its a Sunday you may be checking in at the terrace. Not sure in that case.

 

 

Edited February 25, 2014 by ccruisequeen

[Shmoo here]

We did a 4 night Mexican cruise on the Inspiration. Arrived at the port at 12:30. Directly through the checkin line and on board the ship. It's not worth it to me to arrive "first" just so I can stand in lines with lots of antsy kids and parents.

[Buckett]

Hi and welcome! You can do your check-in online, on the Carnival website. That will save you a lot of time. You can enter your passport info, credit card info for your onboard account, etc. Depending on what time you get to Long Beach, you can do the final stuff like getting your picture taken and get a boarding pass, on the Queen Mary starting at like 9 or 10 am.

[Califor6]

wow - thanks everyone for some great info. Here I was thinking....'oh, 2 hours in advance' - thinking like an airline flight. guess we'll target 12:30 to arrive.

so we can check in online - how early....24hrs in advance (again, thinking like an airline flight)?

and then this allows us to 'physically' go through a different line upon arrival? (hopefully little smoother and faster than without an online checkin)

 

what pictures is everyone referring to, to get taken?

[Ehpride]

wow - thanks everyone for some great info. Here I was thinking....'oh, 2 hours in advance' - thinking like an airline flight. guess we'll target 12:30 to arrive.

so we can check in online - how early....24hrs in advance (again, thinking like an airline flight)?

and then this allows us to 'physically' go through a different line upon arrival? (hopefully little smoother and faster than without an online checkin)

 

what pictures is everyone referring to, to get taken?

 

 

You can do online check in anytime. You can't print your boarding pass until after you make final payment though. A cruise is nothing like an airplane :)

 

I don't know for certain about Long Beach but completing online check may not necessarily put you in a different line. It just makes the process faster.

 

After they call your zone, you'll get a picture taken to match to your s&s card (comes up whenever the card is run). You'll also have an embarkation picture taken.

 

 

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[Ehpride]

You also have to be on the ship by a certain time because they have to run a passenger list. I want to say it's an hour to 90 minutes before sailing?

 

 

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[Starlight Durban Cruising]

so we can check in online - how early....24hrs in advance (again, thinking like an airline flight)?

and then this allows us to 'physically' go through a different line upon arrival? (hopefully little smoother and faster than without an online checkin)

 

what pictures is everyone referring to, to get taken?

The picture is one they take at the check-in desk - similar to having your photo taken at the DMV. They need your photo in the system. Each time that they scan your card for you to pay for an item/order onboard then your photo comes up on the system and they can see that you are the person making the order.

 

Online check-in can be done at any point in advance, unlike the airlines that are usually 24 hours in advance.

[SadieN]

Check in in Long Beach is kind of confusing for the first timer, so here's a primer:

 

Checked Luggage gets dropped of with the porters at the lower level of the parking structure.

 

--If you are Suite/Paltinum/Diamond go to the little building just across from the parking structure. (Clean bathrooms are to the rear of the building) After checkin go towards the far right door of the Dome.

--Not too sure where FTTF checks in, it keeps on changing. Need to ask.

--If you aren't part of any of those groups go to the Dome. There will be a bit of a wait. They will be looking at you passports and boarding passes. (Hint: The right most line sometimes takes longer because of the Suite/Paltinum/Diamond/FTTF going thru.)

There will be up to 20 checkin lines available inside.

 

If you arrive before the doors open around 11:30 there will be desks set up to do early checkin. You will be given a Zone card. Wait for your number to be called. If you do not see it in front of the Dome it will be at the Queen Mary, a 5 minute walk away.

 

If you arrive around noon you won't have to wait as long.

 

Parking structure- $17/24 hour period, you will be charged for that 25th hour. Keep your receipt as you will need it to get out of the whole complex.

 

Where are you from? Morning weather in June can be horrible with it's June Gloom-cold and foggy.

[Califor6]

Thanks, SadieN, for the fantastic detailed info.

We will be driving in from San Diego (there for a few day vacation prior to shipping off)....so we can pretty much arrive anytime, so according to what I read, we will target being there at 11:30am. Sounds like doing the online check-in will help somewhat in the entire check-in process the day of departure, so will do that the day before. What all is involved in the online checkin?

[pulledporky]

It's not really a check in. It's providing information ahead of time to "quicken" the actual check in dockside. Log on to Carnival and follow the links. You can go do it right now. They want your passport#, credit card#, emergency contact, etc.