When will our rooms be ready after boarding?

[laine.melissa]

We have never been on NCL (CCL only and only with FTTF). What time are the rooms generally ready? Is there an announcement when it is clear to head up or something?

 

I am just trying to figure out how much stuff to pack in my carry-on bags for DH and myself and how much to just check.

 

Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[www3traveler]

We have never been on NCL (CCL only and only with FTTF). What time are the rooms generally ready? Is there an announcement when it is clear to head up or something?

 

I am just trying to figure out how much stuff to pack in my carry-on bags for DH and myself and how much to just check.

 

Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Yes, announcements are made when the rooms are ready.

 

Most of the time they are ready about 1:30 P.M.

[Leavethekidswithmom]

What's FTTF? Our rooms have always been ready by 1.

[mking8288]

FTTF - for Carnival cruising, as in Faster To The Fun ... extra charge option, sold (in advance) for early/priority boarding ahead of the herds on embarkation day - capacity controlled.

 

Let's not give NCL ideas ... chances are, being considered :D

 

As for what to pack, same drills for us whether it's by air or sea - with the carryons, one change of clothes, toiletry essentials & beach wear/shorts if planning to be outdoors on pool deck. Checked luggage are usually delivered by 4 or 5 PM, often earlier as we tend to arrive early to check in around 10:30 AM.

[kerryincork]

You may be able to go to rooms by 1pm but unlikely your luggage will be there before 5pm at earliest. I always bring a change of clothes for first night on ship & wear swim suit under clothes when boarding ship. Usual valuables etc in hand luggage. A few ships have had a place where you can check hand luggage too (in board) and collect it when rooms are available ☺

[numberguy]

Also, the dress codes can be a little relaxed the first dinner, just in case not everyone has received their luggage.

[laine.melissa]

Awesome. Thanks for all the responses.

[bonvoyagie]

They prep the rooms from the top down. They usually announce by deck when they are ready. The goal is to have them ready no later than 2:00PM.

 

Also one should not confuse priority embarkation with your cabin and luggage availability as they are not related :D

[bluesea777]

As veteran NCL cruisers (16 NCL cruises under our belt) we no longer want to get to the ship early - we now head to the ship at 2pm or after, and go directly to the cabin. Usually we have loaded carry-on bags - wine and/or water - and do not fancy the idea of lugging them around with us on ship while waiting for the cabin to be ready.

 

We check out of hotel at usual check out time, put our bags in hotel's luggage storage, go out and enjoy lunch at one of the city's superb restaurants. Then we linger around a bit and look at our watches and say "Time to go to the ship". Usually the terminal is quiet when we get there 2-3pm and it takes a matter of a few mins before we're on board.

[Sauer-kraut]

The good thing about NCL over CCL is that there will be a room (lounge) available to drop off any bags that you don't want to carry around all day til the staterooms are ready. When the stateroom is ready you can just pick your stuff up there and head to your 'home'. No lugging stuff around to the buffet and restaurant while waiting like on Carnival.

[CP3o]

Interesting, how does the lounge work, relatively secure?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[mking8288]

On the smaller Dawn/Jewel class ships, NCL does usually set aside a location on deck 7 for luggage storage - until rooms are ready. But, we have not come across such arrangement for the *Away class ships, we're given info by NCL that it's okay to drop off our carry-on bags first even while crew is still cleaning & doing the turnaround - before going to lunch & that's what we've done.

 

On the smaller ships, NCL has had the corridors/passage blocked or fire doors closed, restricting access until 1:30 PM or when the rooms are ready - those in Suite were exempt, however, from my recollection as they're usually escorted @ embarkation.

 

Obviously, protocols are always changing & subject to change - with & without notices until day of embarkation & could be ship-specific.

[bonvoyagie]

We were in a suite on our last cruise - we were escorted to Cagney's for our lunch - carry ons and all. This was on the Pearl in 2012. When we were done with lunch they said our room was ready.

 

I was hoping to be able to put our bags somewhere - I did not ask and they did not offer.