Galveston Staggered Embarkation ---- Any feedback?

[winddawn]

The first bus finally pulled out at 11:15 am. Stepped on the ship at 12:35pm with priority embarkation. Some people I talked to waited in the airport a couple more hours than I did. There was applause on the bus when they finally moved. Had my Ultra Premiere gift bag waiting in my cabin. Lets hope it gets better from here. :)

[jh2360]

I take many different types of trips. I don't have to choose a Carnival cruise. If one option is a four-day cruise, knowing that I can't board until 2 p.m. instead of 11:30 a.m. does make a significant difference to me. Boarding early, I have a meal at my normal lunch time before the ship gets crazy, and then enjoy the ONLY time when the hot tubs aren't packed, before muster drill, unpacking, and dinner. On shorter cruises on smaller ships, those couple hours have been my favorite part of the cruise.

 

I'm also not sure when I would arrive at the port. There's no way I'd aim for 2 p.m., knowing the various delays that can occur.

 

Hot tubs aren't packed when in port (at least in my experience). To each their own. Personally, 2 1/2 hours isn't a big deal to me. There is always FTTF until you hit platinum.

[elkie20000]

We were on the Magic on 11/15. My sister and I had FTTF and a 10:30 check in time. My parents were with us and did not have FTTF and had an 11:00 check in time. We dropped my parents off to stand with the bags around 10:30 and went to park the car. At that time there were a bunch of people waiting for a shuttle to get back to the ship. But, they wouldn't pick us up and an employee in the lot sweeping said it was because people were still getting off the ship. So, shuttle after shuttle passed the group and the group got larger. We asked the man sweeping if it was ok to walk back to the ship from the parking lot. He said it was fine if we wanted to. So, the two of us did that but didn't see anyone else doing that.

 

When we got back to the ship, there were a bunch of people standing around outside so it was hard to tell where to go. The FTTF entrance was the last one so we had to wind through a bunch of people to get in. I think it would make sense to have the first door be the one you go in and then have people waiting beyond there if they get there early so that they are out of the way. My parents had to wait a little longer since it wasn't 11 yet. We each brought our bag since we figured the room would be ready and we could just drop it off. I won't do that again! It was too crowded to be pulling a bag around. Once we got to the sitting area, the chairs were very close together and people were standing in the aisles so it was very hard to get through anywhere.

 

I don't remember what time we actually got on the ship but I sent a text to my husband at 12:03 saying we were still sitting there so it took awhile to be called and actually get on the ship. I don't think it was too long after that. Once they called the FTTF group, it was total chaos with so many people trying to get on at the same time. I have never been to Galveston before though so I don't know if this is typical. We cruise out of FL most of the time and on RCCL and it is a lot more organized. My parents who did not have FTTF and were in the Red group got on the ship 15-20 minutes after us so it didn't make much of a difference in our case.

[Naomi John]

One has to pick a time, even if you are Dia/Plat/FTTF?

 

Once arriving in Galveston, to enter the terminal, there is a priority line, but not a separate line for DIA/Plat?

 

You receive your cards, DIA/Plat go to the Lounge, FTTF has a separate waiting area?

 

For boarding, Dia/Plat are escorted first, (or are they called), then FTTF, Weddings, etc?

 

Is this correct?

[clhayes]

One has to pick a time, even if you are Dia/Plat/FTTF?

 

 

 

Once arriving in Galveston, to enter the terminal, there is a priority line, but not a separate line for DIA/Plat?

 

 

 

You receive your cards, DIA/Plat go to the Lounge, FTTF has a separate waiting area?

 

 

 

For boarding, Dia/Plat are escorted first, (or are they called), then FTTF, Weddings, etc?

 

 

 

Is this correct?

 

 

Correct on all, except wedding parties go ahead of Diamond. Wedding parties are first. Also just to clarify, in Galveston we no longer received are S&S cards in the lounge. We went to a priority line, like at the airport ticket counter and then waited in the longe, and yes waited to be called.

Edited January 1, 2016 by clhayes

[IPlayWithString]

We were on the Magic on 11/15. My sister and I had FTTF and a 10:30 check in time. My parents were with us and did not have FTTF and had an 11:00 check in time. We dropped my parents off to stand with the bags around 10:30 and went to park the car. At that time there were a bunch of people waiting for a shuttle to get back to the ship. But, they wouldn't pick us up and an employee in the lot sweeping said it was because people were still getting off the ship. So, shuttle after shuttle passed the group and the group got larger. We asked the man sweeping if it was ok to walk back to the ship from the parking lot. He said it was fine if we wanted to. So, the two of us did that but didn't see anyone else doing that.

 

When we got back to the ship, there were a bunch of people standing around outside so it was hard to tell where to go. The FTTF entrance was the last one so we had to wind through a bunch of people to get in. I think it would make sense to have the first door be the one you go in and then have people waiting beyond there if they get there early so that they are out of the way. My parents had to wait a little longer since it wasn't 11 yet. We each brought our bag since we figured the room would be ready and we could just drop it off. I won't do that again! It was too crowded to be pulling a bag around. Once we got to the sitting area, the chairs were very close together and people were standing in the aisles so it was very hard to get through anywhere.

 

I don't remember what time we actually got on the ship but I sent a text to my husband at 12:03 saying we were still sitting there so it took awhile to be called and actually get on the ship. I don't think it was too long after that. Once they called the FTTF group, it was total chaos with so many people trying to get on at the same time. I have never been to Galveston before though so I don't know if this is typical. We cruise out of FL most of the time and on RCCL and it is a lot more organized. My parents who did not have FTTF and were in the Red group got on the ship 15-20 minutes after us so it didn't make much of a difference in our case.

 

Oh lordy.

 

We were able to get FTTF for our upcoming cruise but I am NOT looking forward to the embarkation process if this is the kind of mess we'll have to put up with. Because it will not go well. Especially the shuttle coming around and not picking up people to take them to the terminal. Hubs will make his thoughts on that known, that's for sure.

Edited January 1, 2016 by IPlayWithString

[peachesncream4u]

I have a cruise booked for June and I have already chosen my check in time. Just FYI.

[turboteacher]

Anymore folks that have cruised out of Galveston RECENTLY (since the staggered check-in times were implemented) have more experiences to share.

 

We have 10:30am check-in time. So basically I need to brace myself for a WHOLE bunch of people standing on the curb waiting for their check-in time? When we arrive at the terminal, we will be able to drop our luggage (that we want to be delivered to our stateroom) with a porter? And then we stand in a line up to enter the terminal (based on your check-in time). Then we will be "cattle-herded" into the terminal, and then given a "boarding color" and then we will wait some more?

 

I think the IDEA of staggered check-in sounds good, but if people are not following the rules of showing up at their check-in time (and there is no where for them to stand) that causes confusion and chaos. I feel sorry for those who purchased FTTF... :(

[IPlayWithString]

Anymore folks that have cruised out of Galveston RECENTLY (since the staggered check-in times were implemented) have more experiences to share.

 

We have 10:30am check-in time. So basically I need to brace myself for a WHOLE bunch of people standing on the curb waiting for their check-in time? When we arrive at the terminal, we will be able to drop our luggage (that we want to be delivered to our stateroom) with a porter? And then we stand in a line up to enter the terminal (based on your check-in time). Then we will be "cattle-herded" into the terminal, and then given a "boarding color" and then we will wait some more?

 

I think the IDEA of staggered check-in sounds good, but if people are not following the rules of showing up at their check-in time (and there is no where for them to stand) that causes confusion and chaos. I feel sorry for those who purchased FTTF... :(

 

 

This is what I'm worried about. We have FTTF for our cruise in about 3 weeks but I don't think it's been made available for our March cruise yet. We may end up talking to Special Needs about that since my son doesn't do well with "cattle herding" (as you put it). That kind of situation is exactly what we try to avoid as it tends to overwhelm him and he ends up melting down which isn't pleasant for him or anybody involved.

[kwbound]

Anymore folks that have cruised out of Galveston RECENTLY (since the staggered check-in times were implemented) have more experiences to share.

 

 

 

We have 10:30am check-in time. So basically I need to brace myself for a WHOLE bunch of people standing on the curb waiting for their check-in time? When we arrive at the terminal, we will be able to drop our luggage (that we want to be delivered to our stateroom) with a porter? And then we stand in a line up to enter the terminal (based on your check-in time). Then we will be "cattle-herded" into the terminal, and then given a "boarding color" and then we will wait some more?

 

 

 

I think the IDEA of staggered check-in sounds good, but if people are not following the rules of showing up at their check-in time (and there is no where for them to stand) that causes confusion and chaos. I feel sorry for those who purchased FTTF... :(

 

 

We were on the 12/24 Triumph sailing. We had FTTF and went through the priority line just before 10:30. There was another line, long, crowded and congested, of people who had assigned boarding times. It was just one line, with no indication where different check in times should stand. They were not being let through yet. I wondered what was going to happen when people with 11am assigned times started showing up in the line before their time. If they don't let them through, they are just going to step back and cause even more congestion. It really didn't look like the program was going to accomplish much to me.

 

Once we got through security and upstairs to check in there were already a lot of people checked in and waiting, probably a couple 100 people. Idk where those people came from. They weren't wedding parties, suites, FTTF or other priority because they were still sitting there when we were called to board.

 

So, idk if our experience is helpful to anyone or not. We had FTTF, and embarkation was fine for us. I can't speak for those with assigned times, other than to say it didn't look like anything I wanted to deal with.

[trooper49]

We are booked on the Dream for January 24th out of New Orleans. This is the first cruise for the Dream with the Staggered boarding times. We have a suite with a scheduled boarding time confirmed for 10:30-11am. Should be very interesting indeed !! :)

[Athankfulheart]

We sailed from Galveston a few weeks into the new protocol. We had FTTF and showed up at about 10:30am. I had intended to go to a shop before heading to the port, but due to Dickens on the Strand, the street was closed. We wound up kind of pigeon holed into the parking lot so we decided to stay and board then. We entered the doors on the far left which were labeled as priority. They checked at the door to verify that we had the right boarding time OR priority. When we got through them we waited FOREVER at the documents checkpoint. It was completely insane, crowded, noisy and super slow. I can't remember if this checkpoint was priority only or if everyone was still in one place at this point, but it was a nightmare. After we got through this we waited behind 4-5 families in the line to the check in desk. This agent looked at all our docs again, which really made the first checkpoint suffering burn twice :( Then we entered the terminal waiting area where there wasn't a single seat to be found and hardly any standing room that they didn't come along and kick you out of. It was frustrating and tiring. We waited here approximately 30 minutes. I think that the first line was closer to an hour because we wound up aboard ship shortly after 12. We aren't inexperienced cruisers and neither are our kids, but this was our first time out of galveston. Sadly, we already had another booked out of Galveston so we couldn't swear off it for the future. By the time we got to our cabins, we needed to completely defrag and rest :o We sail again in February and I signed up for 10:30-11. Not buying FTTF this time. We shall see how it goes...

[turboteacher]

When we got through them we waited FOREVER at the documents checkpoint. It was completely insane, crowded, noisy and super slow. I can't remember if this checkpoint was priority only or if everyone was still in one place at this point, but it was a nightmare. After we got through this we waited behind 4-5 families in the line to the check in desk. This agent looked at all our docs again, which really made the first checkpoint suffering burn twice :( Then we entered the terminal waiting area where there wasn't a single seat to be found and hardly any standing room that they didn't come along and kick you out of. It was frustrating and tiring. We waited here approximately 30 minutes. I think that the first line was closer to an hour because we wound up aboard ship shortly after 12. We aren't inexperienced cruisers and neither are our kids, but this was our first time out of galveston. Sadly, we already had another booked out of Galveston so we couldn't swear off it for the future. By the time we got to our cabins, we needed to completely defrag and rest :o We sail again in February and I signed up for 10:30-11. Not buying FTTF this time. We shall see how it goes...

 

In this case, it really looks like FTTF didn't do anything to speed up the process.

 

Athankfulheart: How did all those hundreds of people get into the terminal before you? You were there at 10:30am, that is the earliest time for staggered check-in. That doesn't even make sense. This seems like it's going to be very frustrating for us in March. :mad::confused: Or I hope they are making tweeks to the system NOW, with all the "not so positive" experiences.

Edited January 2, 2016 by turboteacher

[luv2trvlnow]

In this case, it really looks like FTTF didn't do anything to speed up the process.

 

Athankfulheart: How did all those hundreds of people get into the terminal before you? You were there at 10:30am, that is the earliest time for staggered check-in. That doesn't even make sense. This seems like it's going to be very frustrating for us in March. :mad::confused: Or I hope they are making tweeks to the system NOW, with all the "not so positive" experiences.

 

You might want to check and see if there is an earlier boarding time for your cruise. We are going on the Magic in March. When they first started the staggered boarding I signed us up for the earliest time which was 10:30. But about a week or 2 later they added a 10 am time and I switched us to that. Was very simple to go in and edit. Maybe that is where the people came from---the 10am boarding time!

[Naomi John]

Do the FTTF get wait in the Captians lounge with the Dia/plat or do they have a different area?

[figi4]

You might want to check and see if there is an earlier boarding time for your cruise. We are going on the Magic in March. When they first started the staggered boarding I signed us up for the earliest time which was 10:30. But about a week or 2 later they added a 10 am time and I switched us to that. Was very simple to go in and edit. Maybe that is where the people came from---the 10am boarding time!

 

How did you find out that they had added another boarding time?

[LovetheTXsun]

How did you find out that they had added another boarding time?

 

For our May 14th Freedom cruise out of Galveston we are able to choose a 10am boarding time under our on-line check-in. Does yours not have that option?

[christyran1228]

When I first chose mine, 10:30 was the earliest. I went back and checked yesterday and there were 10:00am slots available.

[texast518]

You might want to check and see if there is an earlier boarding time for your cruise. We are going on the Magic in March. When they first started the staggered boarding I signed us up for the earliest time which was 10:30. But about a week or 2 later they added a 10 am time and I switched us to that. Was very simple to go in and edit. Maybe that is where the people came from---the 10am boarding time!

It was there, just had to hit back arrow in my case. 10-10:30 came up but back arrow showed 10.

[Athankfulheart]

In this case, it really looks like FTTF didn't do anything to speed up the process.

 

Athankfulheart: How did all those hundreds of people get into the terminal before you? You were there at 10:30am, that is the earliest time for staggered check-in. That doesn't even make sense. This seems like it's going to be very frustrating for us in March. :mad::confused: Or I hope they are making tweeks to the system NOW, with all the "not so positive" experiences.

 

Sorry that I missed this question. I have no idea how all those people got in so early UNLESS they added a 10-10:30 slot after I stopped looking at my booking. Once I printed my docs, I don't think I looked back again. I did notice that my Freedom sailing in February added an earlier check in time at some point. I don't expect to find a place to sit down, but will have new cruisers with me and wanted to try to give them the full experience of arriving when the ship begins boarding. For myself, I have become an afternoon embarker from now on LOL. I don't have FTTF for my Feb sailing.

[Athankfulheart]

Do the FTTF get wait in the Captians lounge with the Dia/plat or do they have a different area?

 

There is not a designated area for FTTF in Galveston, at least there wasn't on December the 6th. We were in with the general cruisers. There weren't enough chairs, yet every port employee who walked by told us to get off the "walkway" and sit down. Um yea about that ... It was HUGELY frustrating. Even if you were off to the side, leaving the huge wide walkway area clear they would tell you to move. One thing about our sailing is that there seemed to be a lot of weddings, but when the weddings boarded, it didn't free up a lot of seats. It was strange. We have done FTTF in PC and in San Juan, but for Galveston - we wouldn't buy FTTF again unless we really need early cabin or priority tender.

[Naomi John]

There is not a designated area for FTTF in Galveston, at least there wasn't on December the 6th. We were in with the general cruisers. There weren't enough chairs, yet every port employee who walked by told us to get off the "walkway" and sit down. Um yea about that ... It was HUGELY frustrating. Even if you were off to the side, leaving the huge wide walkway area clear they would tell you to move. One thing about our sailing is that there seemed to be a lot of weddings, but when the weddings boarded, it didn't free up a lot of seats. It was strange. We have done FTTF in PC and in San Juan, but for Galveston - we wouldn't buy FTTF again unless we really need early cabin or priority tender.

 

 

This does not appear very pleasant. Thanks for the information.

[IPlayWithString]

Maybe they've tweaked that since your sailing though. We have FTTF for our cruise a week from now and I'll report back on how it went as far as the staggered embark, etc.

[turboteacher]

Our check-in time is 10:30-11am. What happens if we show up to the terminal AFTER 11am? Are we allowed in the terminal immediately? I wish there was more information about this "new" system. :confused:

[cruizinisthebest]

Our check-in time is 10:30-11am. What happens if we show up to the terminal AFTER 11am? Are we allowed in the terminal immediately? I wish there was more information about this "new" system. :confused:

 

It has been mentioned several times on this board and I believe also in the guidelines about this on the website that arriving late is fine. Arriving early - before your scheduled time - is a problem.