What time does the Tampa Bay port open?

[cloudninecat]

We have to be out of our room by 11:00 and was hoping just to head over to the port and wait but I read something about them not opening until 1:30, which seamed awfully late to me. What time can you enter and what time do they usually board?

[figdu]

I was checked in shortly after 10:00 in October. That was before they started staggered boarding and we are Platinum.

[Susan2u]

Hi,

 

Tampa is starting the staggered check in soon. Depending on when your cruising you will need to sign up for a check in time. I have the 11:00am -11:30 am time for my boarding in Feb.

 

Good luck

[tilliebob1919]

From what I understand they now have staggered boarding in Tampa. So you have to essentially go by your assigned or by choice check in time. The Port it self opens earlier than 11am.

 

 

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[springs741]

We have to be out of our room by 11:00 and was hoping just to head over to the port and wait but I read something about them not opening until 1:30, which seamed awfully late to me. What time can you enter and what time do they usually board?

 

 

You are on the first sailing for staggered check in ( I think). Go online and start the check in process so you may select your time. Remember, you will not be allowed to enter the terminal before your check in time.

 

Take good care of her I board on the 26th of Feb.

[cloudninecat]

Thanks, when we originally signed up you couldn't choose your time and it said 1:00-1:30. We just checked and were able to choose 11:00-11:30. I was able to snag a FTTF too. It was sold out before. I had it last time and not having to stand in line for guest services came in handy.

[crusinpsychRN]

You are on the first sailing for staggered check in ( I think). Go online and start the check in process so you may select your time. Remember, you will not be allowed to enter the terminal before your check in time.

 

Take good care of her I board on the 26th of Feb.

 

First staggered is 1/15, she's on 2/14.

Edited January 10, 2017 by crusinpsychRN

[Shaded Lady]

Since you got FTTF you can check in any time you want. You don't need to worry about the 11:00 check in time it says on your boarding docs.

 

The space just outside the check in area in Tampa was open at 10 AM the last time I cruised there... there are a few (limited) seats in that area, but they didn't open check-in until about 10:30. With staggered check-in I'm not sure what time it starts but whenever it does, you can just go then. It's easy enough to wait in the pre-check-in area as well for a few minutes.

[STP1972]

Well, I guess I'm glad we got one of the last non-staggered Tampa boardings for Paradise on January 2. Although the printed boarding docs said check-in window was 1:00-3:00, we arrived at Terminal 3 on our hotel's free shuttle at 11:10 and were on the ship by 12:30.

[cloudninecat]

How close to the terminal can you drop off your luggage, or do you have to lug it from the parking lot? We just drop it off in NOLA before we entered the parking garage.

[hotsauce126]

It doesn't even really matter if its open, just hang out somewhere in Channelside. Ginger Beard coffee is nearby as is Starbucks. Unlike a lot of ports there's actually other things around it.