Is there any way to get an early boarding number on the Breakaway?

[Laszlo]

I'm wondering if the check in time you chose online has anything to do with what boarding number you get. Sign up for a later boarding time, get a higher number, even if you show up earlier. It's a possibility.

 

Not on the cruises I've been on. They usually have the new person handing out boarding passes. I don't think their is any structure at all. We have been in line with friends 30 seconds a part. We got boarding group 1 and our friends got 20. This was from two different people working the line.

[shof515]

Total side bar: can't wait for the staggered check in to be enforced in NYC for the BA..... when people completely disregard the time they are asked to arrive and then complain when it's packed and the lines are long and the system is stressed and..... whether the check in time is enforced or not is irrelevant..... things would be so much nicer if people just followed direction.

 

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carnival is suppose to have staggered checkin. when i cruised on the carnival vista last month, no one looked at my documents when i got there earlier. I checked in normally without a problem. As soon as they made a announcement to start with boarding numbers, everyone was running to board the ship. little to no crowd control. Hopefully things improve a bit in a few months when i go on the Carnival Sunshine and Norwegian Breakaway

[esm54687]

carnival is suppose to have staggered checkin. when i cruised on the carnival vista last month, no one looked at my documents when i got there earlier. I checked in normally without a problem. As soon as they made a announcement to start with boarding numbers, everyone was running to board the ship. little to no crowd control. Hopefully things improve a bit in a few months when i go on the Carnival Sunshine and Norwegian Breakaway

Exactly what I said..... you showed up "earlier" than you were suppose to..... and then speak about how there was no crowd control.

 

Just saying....

 

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[luckyinpa]

No, only full suite guests - minis are not.

 

 

The first "checkpoint" is the security folks & a handful of "greeters" - all outsourced, working for the pier/terminal operator - get about 10 to 15 seconds to scan your BP & ID's before moving you ahead. Then, it's onward to the actually check-in area, straight ahead, to the left or to the right, depending on how it's setup - again, 10 to 15 seconds for a hyper screening ... impossible to verify & dish out a matching Boarding # based on the selected arrival time, suggested or otherwise "enforced"

 

If you are Haven, VIP or suite, CAS or special needs - you are directed and/or sometimes escorted to the front of the line and/or next available agent on duty ... some of them raising their hands. Sometimes, it doesn't matter where or who is processing your check-in documents ... the magic is of course, as we all know, getting a lower # as that's generally boarding earlier.

 

Those in the roped off area with seatings, closest to the gangways (2 are used for the Breakaway ... I think the GEM only has one gangway for pax) and if all the "stars" aligned - you can be onboard as early as 10:45 or 11 AM ... wedding parties often get to go first; and, sometimes, TA's and invited guests on ship tours (as they will be leaving later on, not sailing).

 

On days where we disembarked early, it's not unusual to see hundreds already sitting inside the terminal as we come off the gangway, apparently already processed by 9 AM - waiting to board the ship ... eventually (probably, no sooner than 11 AM unless they have special status like those in Haven, VIP, CAS, etc.) - not exactly a productive way to spend the early morning hours, not in NYC anyway. Besides, I'm doubtful all of them are there to seize one of the prized Vibe passes.

 

But, they do collect those numbered zone/boarding cards as you head up toward the gangways check-in area with the key cards out - what we need is a BTS story to explain it. (Behind The Scene) :D

 

per my cruise last week out of NYC:

 

all the above is all true. i arrived 915 sunday and the security line was longer than the snake line and you know no one can get on at 915! it was crazy. when i arrived in october at 915 i waited outside until 1015 and went in and zero people were in the security line. no idea if the time meant anything.

 

to the left of the main door is special needs and my friend was told to call someone upon arrival to the terminal and i'm glad they were. they assigned Mary to us and it was wonderful. she walked us through the entire terminal. past the security line to the front (how long does that line take anyway?)

 

then Mary walked us to checkin and asked the other staff member how best to designate us and they just handed us a casino pass. Mary stood there while we all checked in and did what we had to do. patience of a saint and would not take a tip in the end. then she walked us past the haven area to the extreme rear of the terminal where the special needs section was. this section is a mixed blessing. it's pretty close to the gangway and i think it was a shorter walk than even the haven area. i dont remember the time since we were so excited to board but it was probably 1130 or so. the line of people coming off the ship did not disappear until after 1030 i think.

 

the bad thing about the special needs area is it's pretty small. id guess 50x50 square and the entire middle is empty (assume for wheelchairs) and there are only about 40 or so seats around the perimeter and they will ask you to move for people who really need the seats which is ok of course. but the point is the caregivers etc really have nothing to do but stand in back of the wheelchairs because there arent enough seats.

 

also please note when you disembark there IS an elevator to the right when you go inside the terminal doors. there's a rope line but you cannot see the elevator unless you know its there and go to the right. a very kind terminal agent on the dock told us about this when he saw my friend was special needs.

 

that being said, when you get to the lower floor you have a much longer walk under and in front of the escalators to get through luggage. but if you need the elevator you need the elevator.

 

also i need to do my daily reminder that every person can get a porter to whiz them past the customs line. i was shocked to see all the porters standing around doing nothing. no one was using them. i was thrilled to have him take my luggage and whisk me to the front of customs then out to my car upstairs. i give them 20 bucks every time. they work hard and i deserve the comfort of using their services :) i have no idea how 'little' they would take but why would anyone want to wait in that long customs line if they were given an option?:confused:

 

heck i bet if you told him you just need him to get to the other side of customs he would do it for just 5 bucks and though i do NOT advocate this, there never is any price discussed before hand so you could indeed stiff him a bigger tip if you didnt want to give that much money but i think that is rude if you do that!