How strict is the 2hr embarkation before sailing?

[SquishTheWhale]

This is pure curiosity! How strict is the 2hr before sailing deadline for embarkation? If you turn up 90 minutes before would you be turned away or would they still let you board? Does anyone have any experience of this happening to them and how late they were allowed to board?

 

I'd like to clarify that this is 100% curiosity and not something we would ever dream of attempting. I'm the one standing at the port at 9am waiting to board- 'last minute' is not in my vocabulary! I just had a dream (nightmare?) last night that we were late boarding our Escape cruise. We got there at 1hr 55 mins and they wouldn't let us board and I had to watch her sail away without us! I mentioned the dream to my partner and he reckons that as long as the ship hasn't yet sailed they will probably let you board. So now I'm curious as to the answer!

Edited May 6, 2017 by SquishTheWhale

[asubaru]

One hour deadline if you have your cruise documents is what NCL says. I doubt they would deny boarding even if you didn't have them. I have no intention of testing it, 'tho:D

 

 

This is pure curiosity! How strict is the 2hr before sailing deadline for embarkation? If you turn up 90 minutes before would you be turned away or would they still let you board? Does anyone have any experience of this happening to them and how late they were allowed to board?

 

I'd like to clarify that this is 100% curiosity and not something we would ever dream of attempting. I'm the one standing at the port at 9am waiting to board- 'last minute' is not in my vocabulary! I just had a dream (nightmare?) last night that we were late boarding our Escape cruise. We got there at 1hr 55 mins and they wouldn't let us board and I had to watch her sail away without us! I mentioned the dream to my partner and he reckons that as long as the ship hasn't yet sailed they will probably let you board. So now I'm curious as to the answer!

[biker@sea]

A few years back D.W. and I were at Black Falcon terminal To watch Dawn sail away.

 

1/2 hr before sailaway We ran into a lady crying her eyes out, Seams the hubby took forever changing a flat on the way down from Vermont.

 

No Entry ,No Insurance, No way to meet the ship in Bermuda.:loudcry:

[cb at sea]

At your home port, they are very strict about it...

[KeithJenner]

The only time that this has ever been an issue to us was when we arranged our flights through NCL.

 

By the time we had collected our bags at the airport and then waited for the shuttle bus to leave (it was waiting for people from another flight), we arrived at the port less than an hour before departure time.

 

It was no problem at all. That in itself is obvious, as it was NCLs timings that did it, but I recall that there were quite a few people arriving at that time and it didn't seem to be a problem.

 

I've always assumed that it isn't policed all that strictly, but like the OP it isn't something I'm ever likely to test again.

[Bellyflopchamp]

I'm pretty sure it is not a company policy but rather a customs or coast guard policy. Those to not have any wiggle room. I've heard that they need to turn in their passenger manifest which is where that time comes from. Once that is turned it I don't think legally the cruise line can let you on.

[slightlysilly]

If there are people on an NCL arranged flight and the flight is coming in late, they will let you on. Or rather, they let us on in this particular situation. This happened to us boarding the Pride of Aloha. We were on a flight from San Francisco with people who booked the flight through NCL. We were the last of the people to get on and made it on board right in the middle of the muster drill. So maybe a half an hour before sail away?

 

I guess short answer to that is, it depends. I like to get on the ship a little later to try and avoid crowds but I wouldn't risk it too much. Curious question though, I wonder about these things too sometimes.

 

 

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[CruiseMH]

There are a lot of documentation issues to be kept in mind(customs,etc.) and from the moment NCL hands over the docs to the authorities for checking it takes some time until they are allowed to leave.After that confirmation only - i guess - the emergency drill thing will be held,which also takes some time. So they tell you 2 hours to be on the safe side and be able to sail away on time.

[sanger727]

I agree with the 'it depends' answer. I know ur asking about embarkation, not all aboard at ports. But on our last cruise all aboard was 30 minutes prior to sail away and at every port we were pulling away from the dock a few minutes before 'sail away' time. So I'm sure they were really pulling up the gangway close to all aboard time. I'm also sure they weren't waiting on any ship excursions to get back, and if we were and you weren't on a ship excursion, just happened to be late, you might think it was no big deal. However, in this scenario, if you just happened to be late you might realize 'all aboard' time really means 'all aboard'.

 

In the instances referenced when the people were less than an hour from departure they were on NCL arranged flights so I'm sure they kept embarkation open for them. However, not sure what you might find if you come in less than 60 minutes prior to departure when all the NCL arranged flights/transfers were already onboard.

 

 

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[KeithJenner]

One other thing to consider.

 

In my cruises, I have encountered a few instances of people arriving relatively late.

 

For example, on one cruise there was someone on our roll call whose flight (independently booked) was late and they were rushing to port where they were due to arrive not long before departure time.

 

I've also read a few stories on these boards, after the event, of people who had very difficult journeys to the ship.

 

That would suggest to me that it isn't unusual for people to arrive within the two hour period, and sometimes quite close to departure time.

 

However, I don't recall ever reading or hearing of anyone who has been denied boarding in such circumstances.

 

If it was the situation that the two hour limit was strictly enforced, I'm sure that there would have been quite a few reports of people arriving, for example, an hour before the departure time and being denied boarding. Considering the things that people get upset about, I'm sure that would be something that people would feel was unfair, as the ship just sits there for an hour after they arrive.

 

My guess, based on this, is that there is a time that will be too late and it probably depends on the port as much as anything. However, I suspect that time is quite considerably less than two hours in practice.

[ColinIllinois]

Again, it is two hours arrival time if you have not completed your online check-in, one hour if you have.

[KeithJenner]

Again, it is two hours arrival time if you have not completed your online check-in, one hour if you have.

 

 

 

The question is still the same though. How strictly are those times applied?

[ColinIllinois]

The question is still the same though. How strictly are those times applied?

 

 

To be honest Keith, I don't have any personal experience with this issue myself. However, on a couple of TV cruise documentaries I have seen people get turned away when they showed up for embarkation less than one hour prior. Those were actually on RCCL but I believe all the cruise lines have the same requirements set forth by the authorities.

[casofilia]

Surely it will depend on the time the manifests have to be provided to the port authorities. So it will depend on how soon before sailing they require the manifest.

[thendriks]

This is just my 2 cents. But it is my belief that being late can be avoided. Yes there are circumstances beyond ones control. However it is my observation that some people believe the world revolves around them and that rules do not apply to them. I'm sure we have all witnessed those standing at security losing it because their flight is about to leave. They Blame everyone in front of them. I travel a lot and it is one of my pet peeves when it comes to travelling. In my books if they say 2 hours before I will shoot for 3 hours before.

[KeithJenner]

This is just my 2 cents. But it is my belief that being late can be avoided. Yes there are circumstances beyond ones control. However it is my observation that some people believe the world revolves around them and that rules do not apply to them. I'm sure we have all witnessed those standing at security losing it because their flight is about to leave. They Blame everyone in front of them. I travel a lot and it is one of my pet peeves when it comes to travelling. In my books if they say 2 hours before I will shoot for 3 hours before.

 

 

 

I'm pretty sure everyone on here agrees with you.

 

This discussion is basically speculation, out of interest.

[Homosassa]

There have been rare occasions where a cruiseline arranged transfer bus has been held for late arriving passengers (also on cruise line arranged air program).

 

The names on the passengers on the bus are called into the ship so that the manifest can be submitted and the ship can depart once the passengers and their luggage are on board.

[uneamie]

All of this is why we stay overnight in a hotel the night before. We only live 2 hours away from NYC, which is where we always cruise from........but due to the traffic and weather ( most of our cruises are in the middle of winter)...don't want to chance a snow storm, we never chance that we will not make it to the port. I am one of those people who gets very hyper about being on time for everything........married to a wait to the "last minute" kind of guy, so you can imagine my stress. LOL

[Budget Queen]

An issue that is being missed is - money. It costs the cruise lines big money for late departures. All those dock workers go on overtime. The terminal stays open again with numerous overtime staff etc. Expenses are directly lined to cruise ship prices. No, they don't want to leave late, but is unavoidable in some instances.

 

There is no guarantee that they will always "wait" for cruise air either. I have friends who were left behind due to a late flight.

[don't-use-real-name]

An issue that is being missed is - money. It costs the cruise lines big money for late departures. All those dock workers go on overtime. The terminal stays open again with numerous overtime staff etc. Expenses are directly lined to cruise ship prices. No, they don't want to leave late, but is unavoidable in some instances.

There is no guarantee that they will always "wait" for cruise air either. I have friends who were left behind due to a late flight.

 

In addition to this operational details like the ship must sail to free up the Pier for another to use it.

The Pilot contracted to captain the ship to deeper waters is on overtime or unable to guide another

ship into or out of port while his services are tied to the task at hand.

The BIG Decision is if the lines have been cast off and the gangway pulled - safety kicks in - No boarding

at that point ! Dream on in your one big ugly bad fantasy quest perhaps riding the Pilot Boat to get

on or catch up at sea !

[BirdTravels]

Surely it will depend on the time the manifests have to be provided to the port authorities. So it will depend on how soon before sailing they require the manifest.

 

This is exactly what drives when they have to "close" the cruise. The port authorities and local immigrations drive when the final manifest must be submitted.

 

Once the cruise is closed, you can watch the sailaway,,,, from the dock.

[CalLuvsCrusingToo]

It happens, but seems rarely...... We once made a mad dash back to the (tsa looking) screening area because

my son had left his Belt.

This was approx 45 mins before sailing.

There was a few people boarding, and........... Steven Tyler lookalike. Spitting image of him.

He was boarding last min, as he was the headliner in Legends in Concert show on the ship.

[mamasylvia]

> married to a wait to the "last minute" kind of guy,

 

Why do we organized people always wind up with those partners? I mused "Two weeks from now I'll be finishing up last minute packing." DH responded "I'll start packing at midnight of the day we leave." I told him if everything wasn't packed and in the car in time for me to get a good night's sleep, I'd be making this cruise as a widow!

[travel33]

> married to a wait to the "last minute" kind of guy,

 

Why do we organized people always wind up with those partners? I mused "Two weeks from now I'll be finishing up last minute packing." DH responded "I'll start packing at midnight of the day we leave." I told him if everything wasn't packed and in the car in time for me to get a good night's sleep, I'd be making this cruise as a widow!

LMBO! Thanks for the laugh :D

[SquishTheWhale]

OP here, thanks for all the replies! It seems like it's not a cut and dried rule so it is really interesting to hear about those who have almost missed or met those who missed their sailing!

 

The mention of 'all aboard' times was interesting as well- I only have one cruise under my belt so far but it seemed like the 30 minutes was not enforced- there was always the pier runners at 10 minutes to departure! But like has been said once you get past time the ship is likely going to sail without you.

 

Can also empathise with being an organised person who married a disorganised person- my fiance used to be late for everything! But I think my influence has rubbed off a bit as he's not as bad now. But to be fair I do the packing for both of us- if I didn't pack his case he probably would be doing it at midnight on the day we leave!