best boarding time?

[twosit]

Cruising in December on the Caribbean Princess and have read rather unpleasant stories of long lines on embarkation. It's kind of disappointing as my best embarkation experience was on Princess a few years ago--we must have just timed it right. We are driving over to Fort Lauderdale and have an option of when to arrive. On our last cruise we accidentally arrived just in time for the muster--no line, but a little too late--lol. When is a good time to arrive and not have to wait in line? suggestions anyone? I hate lines--doesn't everybody?

[cruisin'instyle]

I went of the CP last year and we left the hotel, Amerisuits, around 11:30 go there at 12. We waited for an hour until they opened the doors and then waited another 45 minutes once the line opened up and started moving. This year we are going to wait until around 2 to get to the terminal. I have heard that if you get there at this time you basically walk on the boat and don't wait in any lines. THe whole process lasts about 30 minutes. This sounds great to me. SO, I'm going to try this this year and see. When I get back I will e-mail you and let you know. But on the flip side, if everyone does this there will be a line then as well.

[SaltwaterTwo]

Avoid the mob scene. Go no earlier than two. I like two thirty. You practically walk aboard.

[cruisetmc]

We had an early hotel check out of 10:00 so we were in line around 11 but I thought they opened the doors at 11:30. The line wasn't that bad. If you don't want to wait in line I'd guess 2 would be good.

[surrocruiser]

We arrived about 12:15. There was a long line and they hadn't opened the doors yet. As soon as we took our place in line, the doors were opened and we started moving. The line never really stopped. We were in our cabin by 1. I don't know if we lucked out or if that is standard. I thought it was pretty simple though.

[spongerob]

Princess does a good job at embarkation. There can be long lines prior to the shore staff starting embarkation, but once the process starts it is fast, particularly at Berth 2 where Caribbean Princess is usually docked. If boarding starts on time at around 11:30, which is not guaranteed by the way, you should have no major waits if you are there by 12:30.

[cruiseryyc]

In the past we would leave our hotel and go the terminal right at 11:30/12:00, however this past April we checked out and then sat around the hotel pool until 1:00, arrived at the terminal at 1:15 and basically walked onboard. We were in our cabin within 30 minutes of leaving the hotel.

[Redsgj]

So we know the best boarding time to get no lines, how about early boarding?

 

We are staying at the Extended Stay Hotel (going on the CB) which has a check out of 11:00. I've seen mention of the official boarding time as being 1:00 but we will have nothing to do (no hotel pool to sit around) between 11 and 1. If we get a cab for 11:15, how long will we have to wait until the doors open?

 

I was looking at some online Patters and they have the first day's shows activities, etc starting as early as 11:45 so it would seem like they are expecting people to have already boarded by then. So does this mean the 11:30 time is really the usual door opening time (assuming no delays have happened that day)?

 

Thanks

[Iamthesea]

the first day's shows activities

I have never heard of a ship having shows on the first day...at least not until the evening shows.

[twosit]

Thanks for all of your help. I guess my train of thought now is around 2-2:30. Hope that works. I really thought Princess had done the best job of all the different lines we had been on--but I started wondering after reading various reviews. We're going Dec. 17th--just around the corner.

[Redsgj]

I have never heard of a ship having shows on the first day...at least not until the evening shows.

 

Oops... need to read what I've typed more carefully!

 

That was supposed to be "The patter shows the first day's activities starting as early as 11:45."