Embarkation in Miami & how early may we board?

[OctoberKat]

This Tuesday we board Navigator bound for the Western Caribbean. The website suggests the cruise is close to fully booked. The cruise packet suggests we board at 1pm but embarkation begins at noon. How early may we board? We will have seen what we want of Miami having arrived two days earlier, thus eager to start our cruise. Anything we need to know about embarkation in Miami?

 

Thanks!

[Travelcat2]

Boarding generally begins at noon. People arrive earlier and start lining up (usually in seats). Once the busloads of passengers begin to arrive, it can get crowded so the earlier the better. Once you have your champagne and check in, you are free to go to La Veranda or out on the pool deck to have lunch, drinks, etc.

[Pam]

It honestly depends on whether or not you want to wait in line. You can get there as early as you want, but you are going to sit in the waiting area until they are ready to let you onboard; the common areas have to be cleaned after the previous passengers are all gone. We never boarded in Miami, always Ft. Lauderdale, but the waiting area was stark and not comfortable. And honestly, there never seemed to be any rhyme or reason to the order you were admitted; my memory seems to tell me that once we left that waiting area, we stood in line to get our boarding passes. Then we went onto the ship and stood in line in the theater to give them our passports. If everybody does that at once, you wait a few times. Since Mark was always in a hurry, we hurried up and waited.

 

Once you get all that waiting done, everything turns into sunshine and roses, honestly. I could feel the stress leaving and the calm coming on, as we left the theater.

 

All that typing to say, you could have a leisurely lunch near the port and let the lines die down. You will have several days to have lunch on the pool deck, and those days won't be nearly as crowded or rushed.

 

But I have no idea what the boarding is like in Miami, I do have to point that out again.

 

I know you are going to have an incredible cruise, and I hope you enjoy it to the fullest!

[LoonCall]

My experience in Miami was that embarkation was a breeze. We arrived around noon and did have to wait approximately 20 mins. for the process to start. Once begun it was fairly well organized. Regent is out of Terminal J, newly renovated, bright and comfortable.

[Anchorbuoy]

This Tuesday we board Navigator bound for the Western Caribbean. The website suggests the cruise is close to fully booked. The cruise packet suggests we board at 1pm but embarkation begins at noon. How early may we board? We will have seen what we want of Miami having arrived two days earlier, thus eager to start our cruise. Anything we need to know about embarkation in Miami?

 

Thanks!

 

We got on the Navigator last week, so we will be leaving as you board. Miami terminal J is very convenient and well equipped. It is an exclusive terminal on the southwest corner of the terminal island, far away from the hustle of the north side and the mega ships from Carnival, NCL, et al.

 

If you are driving, there is a covered parking garage across the street from the entrance to the terminal building .....a very short walk. If you arrive in a taxi, the luggage drop off point is curbside at the entrance. Porters are usually lined up waiting for you to arrive, and will put your bags on a cart. Our luggage was in our suite before we were allowed to move in at 2:30

 

Once in the terminal, you will need your cruise documents and passport to proceed. You then go upstairs and go thru the security checkpoint and scanners. If you arrive before noontime, you will be asked to have a seat. You also need to fill out an Ebola questionnaire and Noro questionnaire.

 

The check-in process is right there in the terminal waiting room. If everything is on schedule, you will be allowed to form a queue for check-in.....usually at noon; sometimes a little earlier. Their are plenty of agents on hand, and the line moves quickly. They will snap your security photo, give you the room keys, and straight on to the ship from there. The gangway is level between terminal and ship, so there are no stairs to climb.

 

Hope you enjoy your cruise as well as we have enjoyed ours !

[OctoberKat]

Thanks all, appreciate the info. We'll plan to leave the Four Seasons Miami around 11:30 which will put us at the port a little before noon. Shiver me timbers!

[Sunprince]

Navigator seems to always use terminal J, which as mentioned is a breeze. We did have some traffic before getting into the cruise terminal but you will be fine leaving the Four Seasons at 11:30. It's a short drive. It may even be best to arrive after noon to let the first rush of early birds on. When we boarded at 12:30 there were no other passengers in sight. Also, they handle everything before you get on the ship, so no need to go to the ship theatre. I'd suggest after boarding to immediate go to La Veranda and secure a table on the aft deck and enjoy a nice lunch before going to your suite when it's ready. La Veranda will be a little bit of a zoo, which is why we prefer to sit outside on the aft tables where it is quieter. There can be some rough seas in/out of Miami, so hopefully it will be calm for you. Enjoy your cruise

[Travelcat2]

Sunprince brings up a good point -- Miami is different and you do check in before actually boarding the ship. It does make it easier. Our experience with La Veranda has been different -- it isn't a zoo. Perhaps that is the difference between boarding at noon and boarding at 12:30 p.m. They process a whole lot of people in that half hour.

[Mr Rumor]

Our favorite embarkation experience to date was in Miami for the January, 2013 Miami-Lima cruise. We arrived quite early, 11ish, and were among the first to board at 11:30 a.m. By noon we were happily settled at our favorite table on La Veranda's terrace, where we enjoyed a leisurely, peaceful lunch while chatting with a lovely couple who had booked the entire 72-day South America itinerary. Maybe someday we'll enjoy another embarkation as ideal as that one was.

[Hambagahle]

Just two things to take into account:

 

The porters are not Regent staff so the "all inclusive" doesn't apply to them. The appreciate a tip...

 

And second, no matter when you board on Regent (there is no priority given to larger suites) you all access your suites at the same time. So if you board at noon you will, inevitably, wait until all suites are ready which is generally some time after 2pm.

 

Terminal J has a nice waiting area, is well decorated and lit and bears no comparison to the "olden days" when Regent sailed from FLL and was condemned to use a terminal that was freight during the week and people on the weekends!