Designated Arrival Time? What if you get there earlier?

[staceyv64]

I am sailing on 6/21 on Breakaway. I just noticed that there is a "designated arrival time" section. I didn't notice this before. I was planning on arriving at 9:30AM, but it designated me to arrive at 11:30AM.

 

Has anyone here arrived earlier than their designated time? Any issues? I want a Vibe pass and that arrival time will most likely rule out that possibility.

[perkydebrajean]

I wish I could remember where I read it at yesterday (memory problems), but it said something about having to choose an arrival time and if you get there before your designated time then you would have to wait until an opening became available. Something to that effect. I'm still trying to track down where I read it at.

 

Forgot to add that it said that if you are in the Haven or a Suite then you are not required to choose an arrival time.

Edited June 14, 2015 by perkydebrajean

[Planefixer]

Didn't travman??? post something about this a few weeks ago. And get crucified for posting this?

[perkydebrajean]

http://www.travelpulse.com/news/cruise/norwegian-outlines-onboard-enhancements.html

[staceyv64]

I wish I could remember where I read it at yesterday (memory problems), but it said something about having to choose an arrival time and if you get there before your designated time then you would have to wait until an opening became available. Something to that effect. I'm still trying to track down where I read it at.

 

Forgot to add that it said that if you are in the Haven or a Suite then you are not required to choose an arrival time.

 

Thanks! I noticed it on the website when I was completing my check in. It has my designated arrival time and then it said if I got there early I would probably have to wait. So that being said I don't know if it's worth it to get there that early now because chances are I won't be able to get a vibe pass.

 

I don't recall anybody indicating this on the boards so I was a little surprised. It sounds like everybody just goes when they want to go or at least they had been.

I'm guessing they have to manage the crowds since the ship is full.

[Ilovesailing]

This could certainly put a hindrance for those seeking Posh/Vibe passes.

[staceyv64]

This could certainly put a hindrance for those seeking Posh/Vibe passes.

 

I know it seems like people find things to complain about and I'm trying to not be one of those people :D but I think something will need to follow this streamlining process to make it a level playing field to get those passes.

 

I am not saying this to get crucified I'm just saying this as someone who wasn't paying attention and didn't realize there were designated times. Hopefully They thought that far ahead!

Edited June 14, 2015 by staceyv64
Misspelling

[Ilovesailing]

I don't think its been in place that long and I'm not sure if its only for the 4 mega ships.

 

Interesting if some one can chime in.

[nancynana9950]

How soon can you do on line check-in? Right after final payment?

[D&J38]

Just got back from Alaska on the Norwegian Jewel. When we had to pick an arrival time, I didn't think you could board before noon, so that's what I chose. Turns out we arrived shortly after 11, and while one of the Norwegian guys glanced at our paperwork and noticed we were early, he said to just go ahead. (We certainly were prepared to wait if necessary.) The lines weren't too bad yet, and I think we were on the sundeck around noon. Same for the parking garage across the street. Their paperwork said not to get there before 11:30, but when we arrived about an hour early, they took care of us with no problem.

 

One thing did kind of take us and some others by surprise, so I'll mention it. When the parking garage shuttle driver dropped us off, she told us to head to a building to drop off our luggage. Turns out you need to have your cruise documents and passports all ready to show multiple people in that line, so be ready! Actually we don't have passports, so we were doing the birth certificates/marriage license thing and had to get those out. After they take your luggage, you go back outside and get in another line to go through the whole embarkation procedure, which I thought was remarkably quick and efficient. We were Latitudes members, having taken one other NCL cruise before, so we were directed right to an available counter. Do think about how much carry-on stuff you really want to drag through those lines and ramps. We'll try harder to minimize stuff next time!

 

Janice

[Susieqq52]

When are you asked to pick a designated arrival time? I have already checked in online for our cruise on Epic in October and wasn't asked.

[IncredibleCruising]

Hi Everyone, I will be on the Getaway in July and they didn't give me an option to pick our arrival time. They gave us 12:00pm. Is there any way to change this or be able to pick an earlier time. We were planning to be there for around 10:30am.

 

Thanks

[meltingmoments]

When are you asked to pick a designated arrival time? I have already checked in online for our cruise on Epic in October and wasn't asked.

 

I'd like to know this as well, please.

 

We've done on-line check-in for our August Epic cruise and we weren't asked either...........unless I completely missed something! :o

 

Edited to add that I've just checked our e-docs and it states *Boarding starts at 12 noon. Please do not arrive earlier than one hour prior to boarding time shown*

Edited June 14, 2015 by meltingmoments

[fshagan]

It may be recent. We have an upcoming cruise on the Gem in September and I filled out our information for online check-in yesterday. It asked me to pick an arrival time.

 

So it looks like it isn't for just the larger ships. I don't know if having my choice of any time was related to Latitudes membership or if all the times available were due to not many people picking their time yet. I suspect it is because of the latter, as we are only Silver Latitudes members.

[staceyv64]

I'd like to know this as well, please.

 

We've done on-line check-in for our August Epic cruise and we weren't asked either...........unless I completely missed something! :o

 

Edited to add that I've just checked our e-docs and it states *Boarding starts at 12 noon. Please do not arrive earlier than one hour prior to boarding time shown*

 

I did my online check in weeks ago and wasn't asked. I went to print out my docs today and they had added a fifth step. All the early times were no longer available. An email heads up would have been thoughtful for those of us who don't have a chance to read up on all the process improvements.

[meltingmoments]

I did my online check in weeks ago and wasn't asked. I went to print out my docs today and they had added a fifth step. All the early times were no longer available. An email heads up would have been thoughtful for those of us who don't have a chance to read up on all the process improvements.

 

We did on-line check in on May 30th so I just headed back to MY NCL..........no fifth step for us!!

 

Guess we'll just arrive at check-in when we are ready and see what happens.

 

I agree with you about an e-mail heads up though....would have been useful.

[Sauer-kraut]

It sounds like the European cruises aren't given that 5th step. Perhaps it only for the North American ports.

[SuiteCruiser]

It sounds like the European cruises aren't given that 5th step. Perhaps it only for the North American ports.

 

I would agree with this. I just checked in online yesterday for th Epic June 28th sailing and it did not ask me to say when I would be arriving.

[Got Tequila?]

As a Haven or suite guest, a Platinum Latitudes Rewards member or a guest with air travel or transfers provided by Norwegian, you do not need to select your arrival time to the pier. We ask that you arrive no earlier than 9:30 am - 10:00 am and no later than 1 hour prior to departure and we will get you settled in.

 

I did the on line registration a few months ago and just checked it out today and saw this...guess I don't have to choose a time. :)

[D&J38]

We only booked our June 6 cruise on the Jewel about 18 days ahead of time, and I checked in online around the end of May. There was a place where I had to choose a time, and I think the earliest would have been 10:30 a.m.

 

Janice

[Sparkygirl]

Has anyone had experience with access needs and the new assigned arrival time? We arrive at 9am for check-in because my young daughter is removed from the reservation and it takes time for the desk agent to call over the supervisor to call over the access officer from the ship to then have the supervisor reinstate her on our reservation as well as work on finalizing the dock clearance for us to board via the crew gangway. I can't imagine going through all these steps at noon or 1pm.

 

 

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[MisterX88]

I'm sailing on BA on 8/2 and did my online check in a few weeks ago. They asked me when I would be arrive at the pier and the options for me started at 9:30am in 30 min intervals. I chose 10:00-10:30am so hopefully those times actually mean something.

[packman1029]

Going on the GA on July 25th.

 

I completed our online check in maybe 2-3 weeks ago, and it said nothing about picking a time to arrive. Our e-docs do say that boarding will begin at noon, and not to arrive more than an hour prior to that time.

 

My DW and I want to get vibe passes so we will probably arrive around 10am and hope for the best.

[gmazz]

My travel agent checked us in last month and my docks don't show a time but it does have the message that boarding starts at noon and not to arrive more than an hour before then. I will be there sometime between 10:30-10:45 depending on traffic.

 

I think that this new policy really stinks that there has been no communication from NCL about it! I have a car service picking us up and am sure that I am not the only person not driving to the pier. Not everyone can change when they are arriving with such short notice.

[dcipjr]

I'm curious if this is a policy, as in "this is when you must arrive" or simply a way for NCL to gauge when people will be arriving at the pier, so they can plan accordingly. I'm sure this is an attempt to spread out arrivals so everyone doesn't show up at once—hopefully it will cut down on lines.

 

Do arrival times "sell out", so to speak?

Edited June 15, 2015 by dcipjr