Boarding and disembarking questions

[tinybiny]

I'll be boarding Star in a few weeks for my first Princess cruise. I am still a total noob when navigating the Princess website and am not sure if I am missing something or if it isn't there.

 

Do we have set boarding times? What is typically the latest time to board the ship?

 

Approximately what time do we disembark on the final day?

 

Will I receive anything in the mail ahead of time (docs that need to be brought with me)? I've only cruised Disney and they send out a cruise booklet with everything you could ever want to know about all the stuff above and more. It is also required to bring that booklet to the cruise.

[dfields1814]

Princess used to send out a packet, but not any more. Every thing you need is on their web site under cruise personalizer. As for disembarkation time, that depends if you want to walk off handling your own luggage. If so you will be the first to disembark. If you are not handling your luggage you will be given a time and meeting place. Usually disembarkation takes place 45 to 60 minutes after arrival in a port and lasts a little over two hours or so. Sometimes it can be slower if there is not enough customs agents. I have no idea when the latest you can board. I think it is about an hour before he ship leaves the dock. But I could be wrong. Usually muster drill is about 45 minutes to an hour before leaving the dock. Princess may send you an e mail with an embarkation time. I ignore it. We get there a little before noon. We may have to wait a while in the lounge until the cleaning is complete and we can board. When you embark you can go directly to your cabin.

[easyboy]

Princess sends an email on embarkatjon schedule by deck. You can come earlier. Latest time is 60min beforr departure., Disembarkation usually start 30min after arrival,

 

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[tinybiny]

Thank you both!

[ggprincess2004]

You will need to go into your cruise personalizer on the Princess website to download your boarding pass and luggage tags. You will need the boarding pass and passport to board. Sometime prior to handing over you checked luggage to the porters pierside, make sure those luggage tags are securely attached to your bags.

You also want to make sure if you are traveling to South America and/or other "exotic" ports, that you have the needed Visas and/or proof of immunizations. You don't really have to concern yourself with this on a Caribbean cruise, an Alaskan cruise or a Mexican coastal.

If you haven't had a tetanus shot in the last 10 years, you might want to get that taken care of before you travel anywhere.

 

Bon Voyage

[Pam in CA]

Princess sends an email on embarkatjon schedule by deck. You can come earlier. Latest time is 60min beforr departure., Disembarkation usually start 30min after arrival,

The boarding time is a "suggestion" and not enforced. Check-in usually starts 10:30-11am, boarding starts 11:30am-Noon. First to board are Elite, then Platinum, then general boarding in the order of Check-in time. It goes pretty quickly.

 

Disembarkation times depend on the port. In FLL, disembarkation starts at about 7am. In Los Angeles, it starts at about 8am.

[Cruisin' Chick]

Generally we try to get to San Pedro (which I'm guessing where you're sailing from) around 11am or so. There is an area where you can wait after you do the check in and go through security.

 

You should be starting to get emails from Princess including a reminder to print out your luggage tags from the Cruise Personalizer. There will also be other info including greetings from the captain and the cruise director, info about dining and entertainment. You may also get an email telling you when you can go to the port, but as others have said, it's just a suggestion.

 

 

Personally I rather be too early and wait, then risk getting stuck in traffic and not get to the ship on time.

 

 

Make sure to find the cruise answer place on the Princess website -- it's the FAQs and there's plenty of info.

[LeeW]

Princess docs can be printed from your Personalizer 75 days before the cruise. A good idea to print your boarding pass, although all you really need is id and credit card to check in. You can also print as many copies of your luggage tags as you need.

 

 

With Disney you need your docs book to get transportation. If you buy transfers on Princess you just see the agent in the airport luggage area. They already know who you are.

[caribill]

 

Approximately what time do we disembark on the final day?

 

 

Everyone will usually be off of the ship by about 10 AM.

 

When you need to disembark will depend on your circumstances.

 

Several days before the end of the cruise you will get a form to fill out about your disembarkation needs.

[tinybiny]

Thanks, everyone. I found in my online cruise planner that my boarding time says 2:00pm, but I do expect to get there at least an hour before that.

 

Disembarking sounds reasonable. It's a short cruise, so we will carry our luggage ourselves.

 

 

Interesting suggestion about getting the Tetanus shot. I was recently trying to figure out when my last one was and am actually seeing my doctor a couple days before the cruise, so I'll ask for the shot if it's been 10+ years.