Carnival Miracle- Boarding at Port of Long Beach

[catemo_x]

Helllo! We are 90 days out from our Mexican Riviera cruise on Miracle. This is our first non-Caribbean cruise (we have only ever cruised from Miami or Port Canaveral)

 

To those who have cruised on Miracle out of Long Beach- what was your boarding experience like? I'm guessing much will be the same as it is in Miami, but specifically, how is the new staggered boarding process? Is the port truly that strict about the boarding windows (i.e. will they turn away early arrivals?) Not sure if it will affect us much, as we have purchased Faster of the Fun...but tell me, was it a smooth process? Thanks, all! :)

[riclop]

Smooth as silk.

[SadieN]

Thursday was the very first embark using Staggered Check in. Hopefully someone will do a little review about it.

 

In the past check in in Long Beach was like The Girl with a Curl. When it was good it was very, very good. But when it was bad, it was horrid.

[S&S Cruisers 1983]

Going to keep an eye on this, since we sail in less than 50 days!

[vwrestler171]

I wouldn't trust this weeks of staggered embarkation to be a good representation of how it will be in the future. Give it a cpl weeks to work the bugs out. Most people I've talked to say it works great in other ports. The only complaints I hear are from people who try and show up early and are not allowed in.

[catemo_x]

Thursday was the very first embark using Staggered Check in. Hopefully someone will do a little review about it.

 

SadieN, I choose you to write a review since you'll be cruising next week according to your countdown! 😊 Enjoy Hawaii!!

[catemo_x]

I wouldn't trust this weeks of staggered embarkation to be a good representation of how it will be in the future. Give it a cpl weeks to work the bugs out. Most people I've talked to say it works great in other ports. The only complaints I hear are from people who try and show up early and are not allowed in.

 

That Is a good point. Hopefully if there are any problems they will get worked out quickly. We are not cruising until January so I'm hoping embarkation will move along like a well-oiled machine by then.

[riffatsea]

It is check in that we would like to hear about and not so much actual boarding.

The first check in time listed for the Miracle is much later than most of us are used to for previous cruises.

We want to know if you have platinum/diamond, suites/FTTF can you check in before the earliest listed time???

[catemo_x]

It is check in that we would like to hear about and not so much actual boarding.

The first check in time listed for the Miracle is much later than most of us are used to for previous cruises.

We want to know if you have platinum/diamond, suites/FTTF can you check in before the earliest listed time???

 

 

I agree, I suppose the check-in process is more what I was referring to than actual "boarding" of the ship 😉 From my understanding, if you have priority boarding (Diamond/Platinum/FTTF) you still have to select a check-in window but you can come "at your leisure" (per carnival.com) with the only exception being that you cannot check in earlier than the earliest posted window. So I'm just as curious as you are if that will be strictly enforced. Every time we've ever cruised out of Port Canaveral or Miami we have gotten to the Port about 10:30 and had no problem getting checked in early 😊 I guess I am just very eager to get on the ship and start enjoying my cruise as soon as possible!

[Micahs Grandad]

In our experience they seem to be very late boarding but dont see how staggered check in will help that out.

[SadieN]

Doesn't boarding now start at something like 12:30? It's more like Princess. I think this is the only port that Carnival has chosen such a late boarding time.

 

 

 

To the OP, Long Beach can be easy or it can be a complete mess. I wouldn't be in a huge hurry to get there. Bring a jacket as you'll be standing outside waiting in line. There are concrete blocks to sit on, but no chairs. Hope for dry weather and warm temperatures.

 

 

Previously, on a good day, the Dome doors would open at 11:30 for boarding. Sometimes the doors wouldn't open til noon. Allowing all those who checked in early to board. Early check in started at 9:30 outside the Dome.

 

Now the earliest check in time is 12:30. Assume they've eliminated the outside checkin stations. Someone (Priority) on our 'other' roll call called Carnival and was told they can get to port at 11. Getting to and actually checking in are two different things.

[Micahs Grandad]

Previously, on a good day, the Dome doors would open at 11:30 for boarding. Sometimes the doors wouldn't open til noon. Allowing all those who checked in early to board. Early check in started at 9:30 outside the Dome.

 

Now the earliest check in time is 12:30. Assume they've eliminated the outside checkin stations. Someone (Priority) on our 'other' roll call called Carnival and was told they can get to port at 11. Getting to and actually checking in are two different things.

 

Wonder why they are so much later than all the other ports we have been too?

[n6uqqq]

I have cruised out of Long Beach 7 times and it usually is a disaster! Plan for long lines outside the dome and about two people from Carnival doing check ins outside. I try to arrive late around 3 pm but last year that didn't even stop me from waiting an hour and a half to check in.

[catemo_x]

To the OP, Long Beach can be easy or it can be a complete mess. I wouldn't be in a huge hurry to get there. Bring a jacket as you'll be standing outside waiting in line. The are concrete blocks to sit on, but no chairs. Hope for dry weather and warm temperatures.

 

Thanks for the info. Hubby and I will just take our time and enjoy breakfast somewhere in Long Beach before heading to the port at 12:30. Fingers crossed for good weather! I've been a little worried that we will have substantially colder weather than our previous January cruises in the Caribbean but we cannot wait!!! 89 days is still so long to wait!

[flutepilot]

 

We have 96 until we get on the Miracle for Hawaii. I wish it was 89...

 

Dan

[SadieN]

Wonder why they are so much later than all the other ports we have been too?

 

 

I was wrong. The earliest check in time is noon-12:30.

 

Long Beach only has one door, for both entrance and exit. The check in line goes thru the luggage area. All previous pax have to be out of the building for the Dome to be opened. They've added a third security line for Priority which speeds things up a bit.

 

Before staggered check in the process was convoluted. Suites/Diamond/Platinum went to the Little Building. The rest checked in outside, FTTF went to another area. Everyone waited until the Dome was cleared. After it opened, Riviera deck continued to check in outside.

Sometimes the Dome wasn't cleared until after noon. Usually it was around 11:30. Our January cruise with Crew Check, Coast Guard inspection and rain we didn't start boarding until 1:30 or so.

[Micahs Grandad]

I was wrong. The earliest check in time is noon-12:30.

 

Long Beach only has one door, for both entrance and exit. The check in line goes thru the luggage area. All previous pax have to be out of the building for the Dome to be opened. They've added a third security line for Priority which speeds things up a bit.

 

Before staggered check in the process was convoluted. Suites/Diamond/Platinum went to the Little Building. The rest checked in outside, FTTF went to another area. Everyone waited until the Dome was cleared. After it opened, Riviera deck continued to check in outside.

Sometimes the Dome wasn't cleared until after noon. Usually it was around 11:30. Our January cruise with Crew Check, Coast Guard inspection and rain we didn't start boarding until 1:30 or so.

 

We were platinum at the time and remember the little building and how we finally had to go outside to wait for boarding. Wonder why they havent fixed the problem.

 

Did notice that at 7 am people were already getting off the ship from previous cruise so they should have had plenty of time to start boarding by noon or even earlier but didnt start till after 1 as I recall.

[GB Chicago]

We almost always cruise out of Florida terminals so this was a new experience for us. I'm platinum so we got to check in around 10:15 in the little building as mentioned. The waiting area was outside as mentioned in earlier posts where everyone sat on concrete planter style benches. Despite what the luggage porter told us (12:45 earliest on) they called diamond around 11:45 and platinum right after. I was told the port checks in later as the ship sometimes is late and the customs folks can be slow there. Other than that it was a breeze getting on.

[Micahs Grandad]

We almost always cruise out of Florida terminals so this was a new experience for us. I'm platinum so we got to check in around 10:15 in the little building as mentioned. The waiting area was outside as mentioned in earlier posts where everyone sat on concrete planter style benches. Despite what the luggage porter told us (12:45 earliest on) they called diamond around 11:45 and platinum right after. I was told the port checks in later as the ship sometimes is late and the customs folks can be slow there. Other than that it was a breeze getting on.

 

Glad you were lucky in boarding

[riffatsea]

The October 8 Miracle Roll Call thread describes early check in for Plat,diamond, suites ,FTTF as not different than usual -before 10AM.

We shall see if this continues.