later embarkation times?

[SusieKay]

We adhered to our designated check in time of 2 pm on our March cruise on the Koningsdam out of FLL and found it worked very well for us for the following reasons:

 

We could sleep in at our overnight hotel and enjoy a late leisurely breakfast after most of the other cruise passengers had departed.

 

After a noon checkout, while the hotel held our luggage, we did some last minute shopping for wine, etc.

 

When we called for a taxi, there was no wait as their busy time was over.

 

Though it was a Sunday and there were nine ships in port there was minimal traffic in midafternoon and no delay in reaching the port.

 

We were on the ship within ten minutes after arriving as there were no lines at all. We breezed right through checkin.

 

We stopped by the Dutch cafe en route to our cabin and picked up a snack to hold us till our late dinner.

 

I realized a long time ago that I am allergic to long lines and crowds of people in small spaces. This was a lovely relaxed way to start our cruise without encountering either.😊

[TheSecondSister]

Probably because people will ignore the time suggested to them and join the herd at the first opportunity.

 

Not that it seems to have any effect. This was taken about 11:30 as we were getting ready to board the Eurodam on 5/20/17. :D

 

[*Miss G*]

^^Did anyone else check to see if they saw someone they knew? lol

 

Because for the first time, passengers are receiving emails, distinct from their online documents, which emphasize the staggered boarding times, prior to their cruises.

Ahh. Thank you.

 

 

A woman who was in some official capacity of the port actually got on a bullhorn and said that if people didn't sit down and shut up, she was going to call the police and have everybody thrown out. I think she was having a bad day.

:')

[slidergirl]

Not that it seems to have any effect. This was taken about 11:30 as we were getting ready to board the Eurodam on 5/20/17. :D

 

 

In the Delta forum of FlyerTalk, there is a name for people who arrive well beforehand their zone is called and line up to be first: "gate lice." :')

[3rdGenCunarder]

Not that it seems to have any effect. This was taken about 11:30 as we were getting ready to board the Eurodam on 5/20/17. :D

 

 

What time did boarding start? I wonder how early some of these people arrived.

[ChristyS]

We had a Neptune suite last week when we cruised Seattle to Alaska. We also had Hal transport from the hotel. The bus left the hotel 1100. We went straight to pier and by the time we got through all the checkin process they were calling d group and we were a. We were on the ship and in the dining room eating at 1230 and had already been to our room

[Hlitner]

About 3 years ago we were cruising on the Oosterdam out of Seattle when we received an e-mail from HAL asking us to embark at 2 pm. They were trying to stagger embarkation to avoid crowding (according to HAL). So we showed up at 1:30 pm...and there was a long line that snaked outside the cruise terminal. It took us over 40 minutes to just get to the security screening. Once aboard we met some folks who ignored the e-mail and showed up at 11:30. They said there was no line and there were aboard before noon! Do you think we will listen to HAL in the future?

 

Hank

[navybankerteacher]

Ever since I can remember there was a recommended check-in time for my HAL cruises. I'm confused as to why it's only being commented on recently. :confused:

W

This has been my experience on several recent cruises: we have been given what turns out to be a suggested time - and have simply shown up at the pier when we want - and have never seen any effort to comply with the suggested times - you are simply given numbers when you get there - and board accordingly.

[TheSecondSister]

What time did boarding start? I wonder how early some of these people arrived.

 

They started boarding the first group (of which we were part) just shy of noon; we deposited our carry-ons in the cabin and were eating lunch in the main dining room by 12:30.

[happysiera]

I've posted this before: We got the same form email from HAL prior to our Eurodam departure from Seattle on May 20th. As someone mentioned above, it says "suggested" boarding times. We showed up at the terminal at pier 91 at 11am, at which time there were already a few hundred people in the process of checking in. Boarding began at 11:30am, and we were in the main dining room having lunch by noon. The ship and crew are already prepared to welcome the new passengers onboard by 11:30, and our cabin was ready for us.

 

The humongous Ruby Princess shares the same pier and departure time with Eurodam in Seattle. When Oosterdam leaves pier 91 on Sunday, it shares the pier with the Emerald Princess, sister ship to Ruby, I believe. Even though the two cruise lines have separate check-in facilities, the combined number of passengers boarding is close to 5,000. HAL is simply trying to space out arrivals in order to reduce the congestion. I suppose scoff-laws like me mess up their planned procedure, but the check-in process was already up and running smoothly for us when we arrived at 11am.

 

Passengers are given numbers for boarding when they check in, but the wait is not long. If you are a suite passenger, 4 or 5 star Mariner, or have impaired mobility, you will be the first to board if you are already in the terminal. But the subsequent number groups are announced quite soon after the announcement for priority boarding, and the whole process is quite efficient.

 

PS Edited to add that I believe that Amsterdam , departing alone at pier 91 on Monday, will not have the same congestion as Eurodam and Oosterdam.

 

did your boarding times start at 11 or 12:30? i remember your thread here and read your blog about the same route - many thanks for such detailed information and photos!

 

i'm not surprised about staggered boarding as we had an 'assigned' time via rccl in the past ... only wondered why it seemed to start later than i remembered from experience/reading about lunch options ... we may just get lunch in seattle and not stress about finding our way on the ship before muster ...

[Old As Dirt Mom]

did your boarding times start at 11 or 12:30? i remember your thread here and read your blog about the same route - many thanks for such detailed information and photos!

 

i'm not surprised about staggered boarding as we had an 'assigned' time via rccl in the past ... only wondered why it seemed to start later than i remembered from experience/reading about lunch options ... we may just get lunch in seattle and not stress about finding our way on the ship before muster ...

 

Boarding in Seattle began at 11:30am.

[Old As Dirt Mom]

They started boarding the first group (of which we were part) just shy of noon; we deposited our carry-ons in the cabin and were eating lunch in the main dining room by 12:30.

 

Sister, dear, boarding began at 11:30am. We were traveling together.:p You're messing up my time line.;)

[happysiera]

of course now i see where @TheSecondSister said you boarded just before noon, my apologies for my oversight ... to clarify, though, i was curious if your letter also said that it would start at 12:30 and it started early, or did your letter say your boarding would start at 11:30?

 

(our letter says boarding will start at 12:30 for ns guests, but if things start prior, then maybe we won't have to wait quite as long as 2 pm ...)

 

thanks!

[Old As Dirt Mom]

of course now i see where @TheSecondSister said you boarded just before noon, my apologies for my oversight ... to clarify, though, i was curious if your letter also said that it would start at 12:30 and it started early, or did your letter say your boarding would start at 11:30?

 

(our letter says boarding will start at 12:30 for ns guests, but if things start prior, then maybe we won't have to wait quite as long as 2 pm ...)

 

thanks!

 

Yes, our email letter said 12:30 for Neptune and Pinnacle suite guests and 4 and 5 star Mariners (we were Neptune suite guests, and we are both now 4 star Mariners). But we showed up at 11:00am, and the check-in process was already in full swing. I hope that helps you?

[happysiera]

yes - thanks so much! i appreciate the details :)

[Happily@Sea]

About 3 years ago we were cruising on the Oosterdam out of Seattle when we received an e-mail from HAL asking us to embark at 2 pm. They were trying to stagger embarkation to avoid crowding (according to HAL). So we showed up at 1:30 pm...and there was a long line that snaked outside the cruise terminal. It took us over 40 minutes to just get to the security screening. Once aboard we met some folks who ignored the e-mail and showed up at 11:30. They said there was no line and there were aboard before noon! Do you think we will listen to HAL in the future?

 

Hank

 

Yes, our email letter said 12:30 for Neptune and Pinnacle suite guests and 4 and 5 star Mariners (we were Neptune suite guests, and we are both now 4 star Mariners). But we showed up at 11:00am, and the check-in process was already in full swing. I hope that helps you?

 

I got this email in Feb for K'dam [one of the very few who did] with my boarding time of noon. I'm a 4 star. Like Hlitner, I arrived at appointed time and found an extremely long line for security - all the way to the end of the covered area at FLL. By the time I got to check-in, they were calling #11 and 12. So much for my preferential boarding perk - the only thing I did not have to do was take a number - I was sent directly on to the ship.

 

All future boarding e-mails will be ignored - as long as they continue to pick and choose who they send them to.

[TheSecondSister]

Sister, dear, boarding began at 11:30am. We were traveling together.:p You're messing up my time line.;)

 

I shall, of course, defer to my (ahem) older sister, even though the time stamp on the photo was 11:49. :D

[Sequim88]

But this arbitrary system is not right.

It did not look real arbitrary to me in the email we got for Oosterdam this coming Sunday (geez that sounds good!) . Neptune and Mariner status had the earliest slot then it seems to proceed from higher decks to lower decks a couple decks per slot. Since higher decks often have a higher fare there did seem to be some association with fare paid.

 

Since SveaGirl uses a wheelchair and the cruise lines (HAL and RCCL) have always insisted on assisting her we will probably arrive at 11:00-11:30 regardless of the assigned 1:30pm time and let HAL board us at their discretion. Hopefully we can be onboard in time to have lunch in MDR where we planned a little celebration of the exact minute we said "I do" forty years ago. 3pm at the little white church in Kandiyohi, MN would be 1pm in Seattle. :champagne-toast: at the stroke of 1pm. :hearteyes: