Boarding Schedule?

[B40 Tha Cruisa]

Hello All,

 

I just received a "boarding schedule" from Royal Caribbean that has suggested boarding times for each deck. Is this legit? Do we really have to abide by this? I was planning on heading down around 11 or 12.

 

Thanks!

[Janet524]

Hello All,

 

I just received a "boarding schedule" from Royal Caribbean that has suggested boarding times for each deck. Is this legit? Do we really have to abide by this? I was planning on heading down around 11 or 12.

 

Thanks!

 

This has been RC's attempt at "crowd control"...trying to spread out the number of passengers arriving at the same time. It has been widely ignored, so make your way to the pier at your convenience.

[Susie51]

As suite guests are we able to arrive between 11 and 12 and use the priority line?

[Ken at the beach]

As suite guests are we able to arrive between 11 and 12 and use the priority line?

 

You can arrive whenever you would like to and yes there will be a priority line.

[ckfred]

I'm not sure how well RC can spread out the boarding, considering that so many people head straight from the airport to the cruise terminal. If you arrive at the airport in Orlando, Ft. Lauderdale, or Miami at 10am, or earlier, are you really going to sit around the baggage claim for an hour, so that you arrive at the cruise terminal at your suggested time?

 

I can see suggesting times for people who are planning to leave a car at the cruise terminal or taking a cab from a hotel.

 

By the same token, for people who arrive, say between 11am and 1pm, chances are they will head straight for the Windjammer for lunch. It's not the same as trying to figure out the most efficient way to board an airplane (which they did on the Discovery Channel show "Mythbusters").

 

Also, as with boarding an airplane, what happens when there are a lot of elite passengers? I've been on flights that, after they call of the elite frequent flyer passegners, there are only 10 or 12 people left in the gate. If a ship has far more Platinum and higher passengers than Gold and non C&A members, that will throw a monkey wrench into the process.

[nu_cruzer1]

Just so I get this, if I am given a check in time that I don't like, I should ignore it? I posit that some people who are giving this advice did not get an early check in time and thus would be have no problem with disregarding the time they were given.

[MICHLEV1974]

i am on deck 2..suggested i go to the port for 330...what???? like many, i will be disregarding this suggestion and will be going at my usual 11:30 time slot. thank you RCL for the suggestion!

[PCWalton1]

For our Oasis cruise last month the email/text/voicemail that Royal sent me stated I should check in about 2:45.

 

We took a shuttle that left our hotel 10:55 and after stopping at a Princess ship got us to Oasis I want to say about 11:30. Check in was quick and by 11:50 we were waiting in the terminal upstairs for the ship to start allowing passengers on. By 12:20 I was eating seafood paella in Windjammer. If I followed their advice I would have missed lunch which we pay for. :p

[nu_cruzer1]

"i am on deck 2..suggested i go to the port for 330...what???? like many, i will be disregarding this suggestion and will be going at my usual 11:30 time slot."

 

You have proven my point exactly .. those people who do not like their later suggested times are the ones who will disregard the suggestion. Or those who don't want miss out on lunch!

[ryano]

If I followed their advice I would have missed lunch which we pay for. :p

 

Which is exactly what they are counting on.

[Restless24]

i am on deck 2..suggested i go to the port for 330...what???? like many, i will be disregarding this suggestion and will be going at my usual 11:30 time slot. thank you RCL for the suggestion!

 

Lol we usually plan on being there at 11:00 and end up getting there around 12:00. If we planned on 3:30 we would miss the boat.

[ryano]

i am on deck 2..suggested i go to the port for 330...what???? !

 

I have seen the go to the port at 3:30 for Freedom too. Wait a minute? Arent we supposed to be, BY LAW, checked in and onboard 90 minutes before departure? :confused: Freedom sails at 4:30. The math aint adding up.:rolleyes:

 

This whole boarding time thing is a bunch of hogwash IMO. The more people they can get to board later on in the day, the less included food they have to serve in the WJ. :D

 

Bring on the flames. As for me and mine, I will be arriving at my normal 10:30 - 10:45 arrival time with full intent of being onboard by 11:30.

Edited February 5, 2015 by ryano

[nu_cruzer1]

I promise .. no flaming! It's all about friendly debate here on CC ...

[Haber]

I have seen the go to the port at 3:30 for Freedom too. Wait a minute? Arent we supposed to be, BY LAW, checked in and onboard 90 minutes before departure? :confused: Freedom sails at 4:30. The math aint adding up.:rolleyes:

 

Sign up for Adventure Ocean when parents are allowed in with the kids is 12:30-3:30. Can't do that if boarding time is 3:30.

 

I will happily have a leisurely breakfast, play in the pool, shower, pack and check out of my hotel on the dot of 11:00. But once we're kicked out of our room with two kids and all our luggage we'll be catching a cab straight to the terminal.

[ryano]

Sign up for Adventure Ocean when parents are allowed in with the kids is 12:30-3:30. Can't do that if boarding time is 3:30.

 

I will happily have a leisurely breakfast, play in the pool, shower, pack and check out of my hotel on the dot of 11:00. But once we're kicked out of our room with two kids and all our luggage we'll be catching a cab straight to the terminal.

 

If they really wanted this to work, they should offer up some kind of small incentive to the people they want to board so late. They paid for day one just like the early boarders did and are really being "cheated" out of a few hours on board. A 3:30 boarding time would be right before Muster drill too from what i remember and there would be no Windjammer.

 

I still dont get the "arrive at port 3:30" for a 4:30 departure when they tell us by law that we HAVE to be checked in and on board by 90 minutes before departure :cool:

[LMaxwell]

The earlier you get to port, the earlier you can check in, the earlier you are able to board. People fly in and don't usually have the option to "cool their heels" at the airport.

[B40 Tha Cruisa]

Agree with most of you on here - Granted my ship doesn't leave San Juan until 830, there is no chance I am going to sit around and try to lug my bags around into a restuarant or something. Heading to the port after I leave my hotel!!

[lara68]

Is this new boarding practice fleetwide? We're on the March 29 sailing of the Quantum. When I did my online checkin, I was given a wide range of times to check-in starting at 11:1/5

[stlouistravelers]

Airlines do it and it doesnt seem to affect travelers..

 

Airlines get everyone on board in less than 30 minutes.

[Susie51]

You can arrive whenever you would like to and yes there will be a priority line.

 

Thank you for your help.