How Late Do You Board

[TravisP]

I like to board as soon as I can. Need to get the most out of my booze package. ;)

 

I also like to check everything except for a backpack with minimal things for my wife and I.

[BillOh]

I like the 1:00pm-2:00pm time as well.

 

 

Not to diminish the opinion, but it seems like the majority of the people who like to board at 1-2 are people living near the port and more frequent cruisers. With cruising being a once or twice a year thing for me and always coming from a hotel that wants you out, I'll be staying in the board ASAP camp.

[caszos]

We are hoping to board early because we have 3 small kids (who have never cruised). We will pack some snacks for once we go through check in and are in the waiting area (we aren't in a suite or anything so we expect we may have to wait). I am hoping we can see some of the ship and let them get excited. Once on, I'm sure we will explore the ship some (they dont move quickly) and make our way to the WJ to eat and maybe a dip in the pool.

[Jasukkie]

It seems that our 5/31 Anthem sailing will have delayed boarding due to a Coast Guard inspection and passengers are being told not to arrive before 12 PM. Will this delay the cabins being ready and cause a mad dash once boarding is allowed? As a Diamond normally I would get priorty checkin. Wondering how this will be addressed. Also, trying to plan what time for the car service to pick us up.

 

MARAPRINCE

 

I'm on your sailing and not looking forward to this. In the past, I've had great experiences boarding here, but once onboard the long line of cars backed up around noon-1PM can be seen from the Windjammer. I like getting there early but now that will mean a long line once inside the terminal. So it's a question of long line in traffic, or long time waiting inside prior to boarding. I'm driving, so there's also the issue of parking with multiple ships sailing out of Bayonne now.

 

Another reason to board early is being able to get reservations that are held back for onboard booking. Things like iFly, NorthStar, and the escape room aren't in the cruise planner but are available once you board. Same goes for people wanting to make dining room changes. Early bird gets the worm.

[asalligo]

I appreciate this post as I am considering late boarding for the first time in January on my first RCCL cruise. My last six cruises have been Carnival and each time either a suite or FTTF has allowed me to be one of the first hundred or so people on-board, but this time I will have no priority boarding in any manner on the Serenade out of Fort Lauderdale, so I am seriously considering waiting until after 1pm to board. I am just not sure I can though. As many have said, you paid for that first day, but at the same time we are talking maybe an hour difference between sitting in the terminal and waiting or showing up at 1pm and walking on. Tough choice.

[DShock]

I appreciate this post as I am considering late boarding for the first time in January on my first RCCL cruise. My last six cruises have been Carnival and each time either a suite or FTTF has allowed me to be one of the first hundred or so people on-board, but this time I will have no priority boarding in any manner on the Serenade out of Fort Lauderdale, so I am seriously considering waiting until after 1pm to board. I am just not sure I can though. As many have said, you paid for that first day, but at the same time we are talking maybe an hour difference between sitting in the terminal and waiting or showing up at 1pm and walking on. Tough choice.

 

As mentioned we always do b2b's or longer each cruise so we never feel rushed to board early. But if I were only going for 7 days I'd board early. The boarding process really isn't bad, even if you don't have any priority. Priority boarding isn't as big a deal as most people try to make it. Believe me, they want you on as early as possible so you can start spending money!

[bettingthebear]

We are on Oasis (Port Canaveral) in October and I was thinking of boarding late.

If I am driving to the Port from an Orlando hotel, what would parking look like around 1pm?

Last year we got to the Port around 10:30, and we were on the ship in about an hour. We parked right at the terminal and had to wait in line for about 10 mins to get into the parking, but easily found a spot.

Thanks.

[gfountain1]

When we had no kids, we would arrive at 10:30 AM and rush to the pools for drinks and peace while watching people schlep stuff around in a confused panic. Now that we will be cruising with 2 small children, I want to go straight to the room if at all possible, so we may end up showing around 1ish.

[ONECRUISER]

We are hoping to board early because we have 3 small kids (who have never cruised). We will pack some snacks for once we go through check in and are in the waiting area (we aren't in a suite or anything so we expect we may have to wait). I am hoping we can see some of the ship and let them get excited. Once on, I'm sure we will explore the ship some (they dont move quickly) and make our way to the WJ to eat and maybe a dip in the pool.

Kool, Memories. Remember to bring swimsuits/sunscreen in carry-on. That way don't have to wait for Luggage to take a dip. We started bring out kids after they were 2. Had 3 young ones also. Cheaper then a week at Disney. Enjoy!

[Rygal99]

Does anyone drop a carry on in front of their room before the room is open? Thinking of dropping luggage with our wine and sparkling water off before we check out the ship.

 

 

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[Clarea]

Does anyone drop a carry on in front of their room before the room is open? Thinking of dropping luggage with our wine and sparkling water off before we check out the ship.

You cannot get into the passenger corridors before the rooms are ready, the fire doors are closed. You would also be obstructing the corridor with your things when they need that space for their carts and other items.

[juliesVacation]

We are definitely late boarders. It's so nice, I've never had to wait in a long line to get on board. You're on vacation - who wants to wait in lines?

[juliesVacation]

It's the disembarking that I find more frustrating. You need to be out of your cabin so that they can start doing turnover, which is understandable. But waiting around the lounges on the ship is just not fun and it's difficult to be casual about it. There's always someone who seems to get pushy or grumpy, no matter whether you do early or late disembarking.

[kalliekae]

We always arrive around 1pm to board. We like to have a late breakfast at the hotel and then a no wait line at the cruise terminal. I don't feel "cheated" out of a half day as some have stated. Our vacation has already started when we touched down in FL.

[BluerWaters]

But waiting around the lounges on the ship is just not fun and it's difficult to be casual about it. There's always someone who seems to get pushy or grumpy, no matter whether you do early or late disembarking.

 

I second this. I took a friend on her first ever cruise last year and by the time we made it off the ship she declared that she would never cruise again because of it.

To be fair - we enjoyed every last minute of the cruise up until they shooed us out of the casino the night before so we may have been just a liiiiiitle sleepy...

 

I'm always a late boarder and I can't imagine actually waiting in lines longer than a couple of minutes to get on the ship. Galveston is a home port for me, and I always board late there because I'd rather hit up one of my favorite lunch spots in the city first, but I board late on European cruises as well. My thought process is that it's more fun to explore the city than to explore the ship.

 

Even with deluxe bev. package, there's usually a limited bar, and the buffet is the same WJ food you'll eat all cruise long - why rush it?

[mscinmia]

I appreciate this post as I am considering late boarding for the first time in January on my first RCCL cruise. My last six cruises have been Carnival and each time either a suite or FTTF has allowed me to be one of the first hundred or so people on-board, but this time I will have no priority boarding in any manner on the Serenade out of Fort Lauderdale, so I am seriously considering waiting until after 1pm to board. I am just not sure I can though. As many have said, you paid for that first day, but at the same time we are talking maybe an hour difference between sitting in the terminal and waiting or showing up at 1pm and walking on. Tough choice.

 

Since you are sailing on the Serenade, I would suggest either to come early (doors open at 10 to check in ) boarding normally starts around 11 or come later after 1:30. I work at the port and we use terminal 29 or 19 for that ship You will avoid the crowds coming at those times....

[Virtopia]

If I'm traveling alone and finding my own way to the port (not a shared transfer), then I wait until the cabins are most likey open. I will check out of my hotel as late as possible, find two bottles of wine and then head over to the port.

 

I've now found that getting there too early and waiting is a waste of time.

[GUT2407]

As early as I can.