Best time to board 11:30? Noon? 2pm?

[Lovelearning]

My DH & I are going on our first Alaska cruise for our 20th anniversary aboard the Westerdam on June 28 & will be catching a ride with Seattle Express from our hotel...my question...what is the best time to board the ship without too much of a wait?

Were not in a suite or anything deluxe.

[CowPrincess]

The best time for ME to board is as soon as I can; I am usually a mess of anxiety about "missing the ship" before we get to the terminal. Once at the terminal, I'm slightly better. I only fully relax once onboard. YMMV :)

[Crew News]

My DH & I are going on our first Alaska cruise for our 20th anniversary aboard the Westerdam on June 28 & will be catching a ride with Seattle Express from our hotel...my question...what is the best time to board the ship without too much of a wait?

Were not in a suite or anything deluxe.

 

If you would like to eat lunch on board, since you have paid for it, it is best to board as early as possible to get a table in the Lido Restaurant. You will have time to meet your neighbors, unpack before the safety drill, and tour the ship before it departs.

 

If you don't plan on eating lunch or wandering around the ship, then 2:00 - 3:00 PM would work.

[PathfinderEss]

Yeah, there is a rush at 11:30, so to avoid the long lines I would wait til around 12:30 to 1 pm.

[cbr663]

As your goal is to avoid a wait and not eat lunch, I would suggest boarding around 1:00 - 1:30. We have previously boarded at 2:00 and have just walked right on the ship - no lines whatsoever.

[Lovelearning]

Thanks for all your replies...I am also a worry wart & would rather just be there then leave anything to chance. I would like to eat lunch & "relax" before any drills start too.

[DaveOKC]

We like to get to the port before 11 am. That way we can get onboard early, make any reservations, do signups (like the Spa), etc. before it gets busy and then go to a nice lunch in the MDR.

 

DaveOKC

[Lizzie68]

We like to get to the port before 11 am. That way we can get onboard early, make any reservations, do signups (like the Spa), etc. before it gets busy and then go to a nice lunch in the MDR.

 

DaveOKC

 

Am I right in thinking you have to have cruised Holland before in order to go for lunch in the dining room on embarkation day? I'm not good with crowds, but I am going on my first Holland cruise. Maybe I will board after lunch, to be on the safe side.

[summersigh]

Thanks for all your replies...I am also a worry wart & would rather just be there then leave anything to chance. I would like to eat lunch & "relax" before any drills start too.

 

That is our thinking as well. Often times our luggage arrives and we can even unpack before the safety drill which really makes me feel like I'm on a luxury vacation :):)

 

There are even folks who pack swimwear/sunbathing garments in their carry-on bags who change in the restroom and spend the afternoon at the pool.

Edited May 21, 2014 by summersigh

[igraf]

Last time we showed up at the Seattle Pier 91 at noon I swore that we would never do that again! There was nothing relaxing about that experience, and it definitely was not worth getting the first lunch. Now we hold off until at least 1:30pm.

 

On our last cruise out of our home city the embarkation was held up until close to 2pm. Everyone who showed up early had to sit there for hours. It was very fortunate for us that we did not show up until about that time.

 

What is the worry? The city isn't going to suddenly run out of taxis.

 

igraf

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for all your replies...I am also a worry wart & would rather just be there then leave anything to chance. I would like to eat lunch & "relax" before any drills start too.

Edited May 21, 2014 by igraf

[DaveOKC]

Am I right in thinking you have to have cruised Holland before in order to go for lunch in the dining room on embarkation day? I'm not good with crowds' date=' but I am going on my first Holland cruise. Maybe I will board after lunch, to be on the safe side.[/quote']

 

Technically you have to have been on a Holland ship or ANY of Holland's sister lines (Princess, Carnival, Cunard, Costa, etc). However, they do not always check to see if you qualify anyway - as long as it is not too busy.

 

DaveOKC

[CowPrincess]

>SNIP<

 

What is the worry? The city isn't going to suddenly run out of taxis.

 

igraf

 

Taxi could get a flat tire

Road construction

Enormous traffic accident

Psycho taxi driver who decides to take the "scenic" route and doesn't get us to the ship on time

Earthquake

Huge fire shuts down all the roads

 

 

For me, it doesn't have to be rational. I could probably worry about Godzilla and Mothra, or the missing dinosaur from Jurassic Park being on the loose at the cruise terminal. If you don't experience irrational anxiety/worry yourself, I don't think I can explain it ;)

[Linda&Vern]

We consider any "wait time" at the cruise terminal as part of our vacation. We like to get there early. My vacation doesn't start until I "see" my ship and know it is very close to where I am! It's the experience ... waiting, lines, people watching - all part of the experience. :D

[summersigh]

taxi could get a flat tire

road construction

enormous traffic accident

psycho taxi driver who decides to take the "scenic" route and doesn't get us to the ship on time

earthquake

huge fire shuts down all the roads

 

 

for me, it doesn't have to be rational. I could probably worry about godzilla and mothra, or the missing dinosaur from jurassic park being on the loose at the cruise terminal. If you don't experience irrational anxiety/worry yourself, i don't think i can explain it ;)

 

rofl !!!!! :)

Edited May 21, 2014 by summersigh

[Mytime2014]

Taxi could get a flat tire

Road construction

Enormous traffic accident

Psycho taxi driver who decides to take the "scenic" route and doesn't get us to the ship on time

Earthquake

Huge fire shuts down all the roads

 

 

For me, it doesn't have to be rational. I could probably worry about Godzilla and Mothra, or the missing dinosaur from Jurassic Park being on the loose at the cruise terminal. If you don't experience irrational anxiety/worry yourself, I don't think I can explain it ;)

 

hahaha that's how I'm feeling - lets get there early!! - my friend just said "we have several hours to board" NO NONONO we don't. I'm going to sleep late [ha, I know better], get packed, get breakfast and then I'm headed to the ship....by myself if needed. What if there is _______ {anything} that would make me late. I don't want to take a chance!

[maxie99]

We consider any "wait time" at the cruise terminal as part of our vacation. We like to get there early. My vacation doesn't start until I "see" my ship and know it is very close to where I am! It's the experience ... waiting, lines, people watching - all part of the experience. :D

 

-;)- exactly my thought , just chill and relax and watch the cruising world go by-:cool:

[RuthC]

If you would like to eat lunch on board, since you have paid for it, it is best to board as early as possible to get a table in the Lido Restaurant.

Lunch is served in the Lido until just a few minutes before muster drill. There's no need to make the choice of get there early, or forgo lunch. You can board late and still eat lunch.

[CowPrincess]

rofl !!!!! :)

 

Thank you, thank you very much :D

 

hahaha that's how I'm feeling - lets get there early!! - my friend just said "we have several hours to board" NO NONONO we don't. I'm going to sleep late [ha, I know better], get packed, get breakfast and then I'm headed to the ship....by myself if needed. What if there is _______ {anything} that would make me late. I don't want to take a chance!

 

the {anything} very well COULD be Mothra. :D

 

Seriously, though, this is your vacation, too, so your friend needs to understand some of your needs and accommodate you to some degree.

[sapper1]

I like to board as soon as possible because I like to be completely settled before muster drill. By that time I always have my spa appointments made and my Pinnacle reservations re confirmed. I don't worry about meeting the neighbours. I haven't met one yet.

We usually have someone we know from CC on board so we touch base with them early on.

[kazu]

Lunch is served in the Lido until just a few minutes before muster drill. There's no need to make the choice of get there early, or forgo lunch. You can board late and still eat lunch.

 

absolutely - some rush to get the "mariner's lunch' in the MDR - but the Lido is open for an extended period of time and much less busy as the day goes on from my experience.

[mountainmare]

We are in the minority who don't find waiting in the terminal as part of the vacation. For us we aim for 1:30 or later after a late check-out in the hotel. We see the check in as the last pain filled hassle until vacation can begin. We go straight to the room, open some drinks and let the vacation begin.

[igraf]

Taxis have spare tires.

There are other roads.

ditto

Hours on a scenic route????

We have earthquakes all the time here. No biggie.

Not too many fires along the coast. Ocean beats fire. We had six wildfires in one day here in San Diego last week. Didn't make a bit of difference near downtown and the cruise port.

 

Most of us are smart enough to stay at a hotel that is in the vicinity of the ship. Usually I can walk to the ship from the hotel (Pan Pacific in Vancouver, Old Montreal, etc).

 

The truth is that getting to the ship on embarkation day is no less perilous than getting back to the ship at a port stop. Do you get back to the ship four hours early at every port stop?

 

igraf

 

 

 

 

 

Taxi could get a flat tire

Road construction

Enormous traffic accident

Psycho taxi driver who decides to take the "scenic" route and doesn't get us to the ship on time

Earthquake

Huge fire shuts down all the roads

 

 

For me, it doesn't have to be rational. I could probably worry about Godzilla and Mothra, or the missing dinosaur from Jurassic Park being on the loose at the cruise terminal. If you don't experience irrational anxiety/worry yourself, I don't think I can explain it ;)

Edited May 22, 2014 by igraf

[oldbluff]

We consider any "wait time" at the cruise terminal as part of our vacation. We like to get there early. My vacation doesn't start until I "see" my ship and know it is very close to where I am! It's the experience ... waiting, lines, people watching - all part of the experience. :D

 

I'm with you. We both take books to read so no boredom, just anticipation. And there is always people-watching. That can be entertaining. :)

[Ms. Alpha]

I love wandering around the ship and taking photos before it gets crowded, but have never done the Mariner Lunch.

On a HAL cruise tour in Alaska, we did an excursion on the way to the ship. We didn't arrive till nearly 4 p.m. then it was time for lifeboat drill. I know it was a HAL excursion, but it seemed like such a rush. Also, our friends who didn't do the land tour and were meeting us on board were starting to get nervous. Ever since then, I've been ready to board as early as I can.

[erewhon]

We consider any "wait time" at the cruise terminal as part of our vacation. We like to get there early. My vacation doesn't start until I "see" my ship and know it is very close to where I am! It's the experience ... waiting, lines, people watching - all part of the experience. :D

 

Same here.:)