Stan and Jim

[joan24]

I don't know if you have heard about the Coast Guard inspection of Riviera on Nov. 29. I always value your opinion and hope you have some idea of how they plan on boarding on that day, since we got an email asking us not to arrive until 3:00 pm. I've never run into this situation before and have no clue if this will turn into total chaos with everyone trying to board at once. Thanks for any information or advice. We have a driver that was planning on picking us up at 10:00 for embarkation at 11:00. Thanks guys.

Joan

[LHT28]

Not Jim but

If they ask you not to arrive early then just come later but do check in at least 2 hr before sailaway

The people at the port building will not even let you in the door to go sit & wait ..you will be standing out on the sidewalk

I would have thought the suite passengers would be able to board before 3 pm though

There is always an inspection after a transatlantic cruise ...nothing new

Edited September 15, 2014 by LHT28

[Jancruz]

I don't know if you have heard about the Coast Guard inspection of Riviera on Nov. 29. I always value your opinion and hope you have some idea of how they plan on boarding on that day, since we got an email asking us not to arrive until 3:00 pm. I've never run into this situation before and have no clue if this will turn into total chaos with everyone trying to board at once. Thanks for any information or advice. We have a driver that was planning on picking us up at 10:00 for embarkation at 11:00. Thanks guys.

Joan

 

As ypu can see I am not Jim but after 18 cruises on O, I can tell you this happens occasionally and there will be no chaos..Oceania has a plan and they follow it..everyone will be borded in an orderly way per usual..Change the time of your driver to pick you up at 3:00pm and do a tour of the city during the day..sitting in the cruise depot all day is a waste of time..

Jancruz1

Edited September 15, 2014 by Jancruz

[cruisingxpert]

Again, not Jim or Stan, but we had the same message last year for our Dec 2nd cruise on Riviera. We showed up around 1pm and were on board by 1:30pm

[StanandJim]

I don't know if you have heard about the Coast Guard inspection of Riviera on Nov. 29. I always value your opinion and hope you have some idea of how they plan on boarding on that day, since we got an email asking us not to arrive until 3:00 pm. I've never run into this situation before and have no clue if this will turn into total chaos with everyone trying to board at once. Thanks for any information or advice. We have a driver that was planning on picking us up at 10:00 for embarkation at 11:00. Thanks guys.

Joan

 

 

Come to think of it, we've sailed on two Oceania cruises where the ship was inspected by the Coast Guard before we sailed.

 

Boarding won't be chaos, but it is best to be respectful of the Inspection Process, and push your arrival time at the terminal back by a few hours, I'd suggest 2pm at the very earliest.

 

I say this because some aspects of the Inspectors being on the ship keeps the crew away from their "normal" turnaround day duties, and there are some tasks that they cannot even start to do until the Inspection is over and the Inspectors are gone.

 

The Crew of the Riviera will work like mad to make up the time, but embarkation simply cannot start until the ship is ready to receive guests, and there isn't any sense in you sitting in the terminal when you can be more comfortable, elsewhere.

Edited September 15, 2014 by StanandJim

[Caroldoll]

and they had a place set up for sandwiches and lemonade, etc. They never know how long the inspection will take, so be sure to arrive late...the ship will not leave without you. It was not chaos. It was an especially long inspection as well.

[DOJO466]

Heed everyone's advice. Arrive later in the afternoon. In 2011 we were not even allowed into the terminal to wait. At that time no reason was given. No chairs provided for those with problems, no water offered, nothing. It was very chaotic but they seem to have worked that aspect out. It is good that they let you know in advance. Even if you are in the upper suites you will still stand in line until they let everyone in, at that point you will be directed to your suite designated lines. As mentioned above by Jan arrange for a tour of the area and arrive no earlier than 2pm

[joan24]

Thank you everyone for your responses. We live about an hour and a half from the port and will be picked up at home. I'll tell our driver to get us to the port at around 2:30 and hope for the best. We're in a PH, but I'm not counting on getting on earlier because of that.

Joan

[newbie60]

Again, not Jim or Stan, but we had the same message last year for our Dec 2nd cruise on Riviera. We showed up around 1pm and were on board by 1:30pm

 

We were on the same cruise with cruisingxpert. Our flight landed at Miami at 12:30, we arrived at the cruise terminal around 1:30 and essentially walked right thru the World Card process and boarded. We were at Terraces within minutes and found lots of tables available since so many heeded the advice and came later.

 

I'm sure there can be delays with any inspection, but last year it was easy.

[Jancruz]

We were on the same cruise with cruisingxpert. Our flight landed at Miami at 12:30, we arrived at the cruise terminal around 1:30 and essentially walked right thru the World Card process and boarded. We were at Terraces within minutes and found lots of tables available since so many heeded the advice and came later.

 

I'm sure there can be delays with any inspection, but last year it was easy.

 

The problem is you never know how long it will take..

Jancruz1

[Travelcat2]

We are on that cruise as well and wonder if the fact that it is a holiday weekend (Thanksgiving) whether it will affect the number of people working on shore as well as well as the number of Coast Guard officers that will be on board. Not expecting anyone to know, just thinking out loud:-)

[Hunding]

Not Jim but

If they ask you not to arrive early then just come later but do check in at least 2 hr before sailaway

The people at the port building will not even let you in the door to go sit & wait ..you will be standing out on the sidewalk

I would have thought the suite passengers would be able to board before 3 pm though

There is always an inspection after a transatlantic cruise ...nothing new

 

Did not know about the automatic inspection following a TA…which leads me to this question: If you are doing a B2B (a "Grand Voyage," they are called now, which pretty much cracks me up), will you be required to debark the ship during the inspection process? Not stressing in the least…just curious.

[ChatKat in Ca.]

We were on the Riviera's crossing last year and most of the cruise the staff was prepping for the inspection. They were working very hard to make the ship more than perfection. In as much as i am sure that passengers are probably not supposed to know the behind the scenes goings on. I saw a cabin stewardess be chastised by the supervisor while she was on her hands and knees with a scrub brush. It's was very demoralizing and the look on her face made me so sad for her.

[StanandJim]

Did not know about the automatic inspection following a TA…which leads me to this question: If you are doing a B2B (a "Grand Voyage," they are called now, which pretty much cracks me up), will you be required to debark the ship during the inspection process? Not stressing in the least…just curious.

 

Every passenger and crew member must leave the ship, for at least some portion of time, during these Inspections.

 

As I understand it, they are required to start with a blank slate (or completely empty vessel) for some of the reports.

Edited September 15, 2014 by StanandJim

[Hunding]

Every passenger and crew member must leave the ship, for at least some portion of time, during these Inspections.

 

As I understand it, they are required to start with a blank slate (or completely empty vessel) for some of the reports.

 

Thank you very much, as always. So, a few hours in Miami…. Okay.

[CintiPam]

We took the architectural walking tour of the Art Deco section of Miami Beach last January and thought it was a great way to spend a few hours. We rented the audioguide alone, so we could go at our own pace.

[Hunding]

We took the architectural walking tour of the Art Deco section of Miami Beach last January and thought it was a great way to spend a few hours. We rented the audioguide alone, so we could go at our own pace.

 

Thanks, CintiPam - great idea! Partner is a docent for Los Angeles Conservancy, so this idea will sell itself.

[joan24]

Thanks, CintiPam - great idea! Partner is a docent for Los Angeles Conservancy, so this idea will sell itself.

 

Please remember that even in November Miami can be very warm. We've lived here for 42 years and we're still not completely used to the heat. Although, when the rest of the country if freezing, it's great having warm weather. I grew up in the Boston area and still love our "cold" waves when we get them. : )

Joan

[Paulchili]

Although, when the rest of the country if freezing, it's great having warm weather. Joan

 

However, there is a price you have to pay for that - it's called Summertime in Florida :D

People in San Francisco have the opposite problem. Mark Twain is quoted as having once said : "The coldest winter of my life was the summer I spent in S.F." :) The tourist to SF learn this the hard way every summer.

Edited September 17, 2014 by Paulchili

[CintiPam]

Thanks, CintiPam - great idea! Partner is a docent for Los Angeles Conservancy, so this idea will sell itself.

 

I am a docent at the Cincinnati Art Museum and thought it was a very well-done tour. Also a round trip from the place you get the audioguide.

 

Last January the weather when we disembarked in Miami was a cool high in the low 70's so walking a few miles was very comfortable. A bit cool for a day at the beach.

[Hunding]

Thanks, all - joan24, Paulchili and CintiPam. Early December. I'm not worried about the Miami weather. Uh…always excepting a late-season hurricane. That would ruin my day.