What to expect on late embarkation sail away

[ScottC4746]

This is my first time to have a late departure on a cruise. All my past have been 4 PMish and arriving at 11:30 AM to check in and board was not a problem.

My cruise on RCCL in Dec is an 8 PM out of Tampa. Docs show check in begins at 5 PM and when I called both my TA and RCCL both said 230 PM board.

We have the late seating for 8:30 PM Are dinners pushed later? What happens in this case? Yes, I've asked this in the Meet and Greet for my cruise, but wanted to ask to a larger audience.

Edited October 24, 2016 by ScottC4746

[papaflamingo]

Never done this, but have from port stops. Dinner should be held at the time published. They will likely hold Muster at an earlier time, but I doubt dinner will be changed on embarkation day.

[Desert Cruizers]

Upon returning off our Transpacific and continuing on with the 12 day Hawaii, we were in Port until 10 PM, we returned back to the ship around 3 PM and most everyone else was coming back. Dinner was at usual time, 6 & 8

[cruzgryphon]

I've done the 8pm departure out of San Juan. Late dinner seating was the same time - but if you're at a table with more people than yourself/whoever you're travelling with, you'll find that some of the people do arrive at the table a little later than usual. Also dress is a little more informal on the first night than usual.

 

Muster Drill is the same time before departure (I think it's like half an hour before departure) as it would be for any other sailing - which is too bad for people with early dinner seating.

 

Surprised about the 2:30pm embarkation - on my San Juan trips, you could get there as early as 11:30am to start check in process.

[cb at sea]

Boarding still starts around 11am....everything is the same...except the ship doesn't start moving until later!