Nevada Jen Posted September 5, 2018 #1 Share Posted September 5, 2018 We have FTTF and are in a suite. What is the earliest we can checkin and board Miracle in Tampa? My arrival appointment is 11:30 but I know that does not matter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Havingfun2010 Posted September 5, 2018 #2 Share Posted September 5, 2018 We have FTTF and are in a suite. What is the earliest we can checkin and board Miracle in Tampa? My arrival appointment is 11:30 but I know that does not matter. Usually by 11:00, they let people on a ship, so you get to pay how much???? so you may get on the ship, a few minutes earlier? :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nevada Jen Posted September 5, 2018 Author #3 Share Posted September 5, 2018 Its worth it to me. Last cruise I didn't sleep at all the two nights before (because I was so excited) and all I wanted was to be able to get on and get settled. Plus, the magic guest services line is worth its weight in gold to me! I will be up from my nap on board before most people have even gotten on the ship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evandbob Posted September 5, 2018 #4 Share Posted September 5, 2018 I boarded Miracle as a Diamond around 11:45AM a few weeks ago. Suites will be behind the other priorities, like Platinums and FTTF's. On my sailing there was also a low level priority for those who booked casino fares, they probably boarded just behind suites and before the zone #'s. Every sailing is a little different, yours may be a little ahead or a little behind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beachbum6264 Posted September 5, 2018 #5 Share Posted September 5, 2018 My pics from March show us arriving at the port at 10:50 and stepping onto the ship at 11:22. YMMV. (I'm Platinum) We were not the first people there, the Priority lounge was pretty full when we got there, but I don't see any reason to get there any earlier - you know you're just going to sit and wait, not my favorite thing. There are always people who don't want to get off the ship at the end of their cruise (I'm looking in the mirror), so don't look for boarding to start before 11:00. I just looked and on the Victory last October we boarded at 11:16, so pretty close. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoasterJoe Posted September 7, 2018 #6 Share Posted September 7, 2018 We have FTTF and are in a suite. What is the earliest we can checkin and board Miracle in Tampa? My arrival appointment is 11:30 but I know that does not matter. If you have a suite you already get the benefits of FTTF so you do not need to purchase that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stobe1 Posted September 7, 2018 #7 Share Posted September 7, 2018 If you have a suite you already get the benefits of FTTF so you do not need to purchase that. This is not entirely accurate. As a suite guest, you get priority boarding but you are not entitled to priority stateroom access nor do you have a dedicated line at guest services (unless you are Platinum or Diamond or have FTTF). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkyMaster Posted September 7, 2018 #8 Share Posted September 7, 2018 I too, boarded the ship at about 11:00 on my last "Miracle" cruise. I'm a Diamond. The main thing is how quickly the arriving passengers get off the ship. I wouldn't waste my time getting to the port much before 11. "SKY" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WizBang Posted September 9, 2018 #9 Share Posted September 9, 2018 We have FTTF and are in a suite. What is the earliest we can checkin and board Miracle in Tampa? My arrival appointment is 11:30 but I know that does not matter. We got off of the Miracle yesterday and because there were only two Customs agents, it was very slow. We had our bags and did self disembarkation and stood in line to get off the ship for two hours. We were in line at 8:15 and in a cab at 10:30. I can only imagine how long it took the rest of the passengers to get through that line. On embarkation day we watched the last passengers leave a few minutes after 12 and then they immediately started boarding the new passengers. Sent from my iPhone using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsmac3 Posted September 10, 2018 #10 Share Posted September 10, 2018 We got off of the Miracle yesterday and because there were only two Customs agents, it was very slow. We had our bags and did self disembarkation and stood in line to get off the ship for two hours. We were in line at 8:15 and in a cab at 10:30. I can only imagine how long it took the rest of the passengers to get through that line. On embarkation day we watched the last passengers leave a few minutes after 12 and then they immediately started boarding the new passengers. Sent from my iPhone using Forums We were on this same cruise . . . we made our 12:30 flight, but the flight attendants mentioned that several cruisers didn't make the flight. On embarkation day (the 2nd) traffic was awful . . . it took our shuttle 25 minutes to travel from the Marriott Waterside to the terminal (1/2 mile). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LX19 Posted September 16, 2018 #11 Share Posted September 16, 2018 We were there at 11:30, and we weren't on board until 1:45ish, and they didn't call suite & FTTF until 1. I know they had a hard time with the passengers before us getting off the ship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zephyrhillscruisers Posted October 2, 2018 #12 Share Posted October 2, 2018 We arrived at 1130 am, Sunday, Sept 30. There were still passengers leaving the terminal from the previous Cruise, but we were not delayed at all. We’re Platinum, so we were Inthe room by 1205. Posting this from Cozumel and we are having a great time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Carnival Posted October 2, 2018 #13 Share Posted October 2, 2018 Even though there may have been a slight wait the port announcer guy made it FUN! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soccer2010 Posted October 4, 2018 #14 Share Posted October 4, 2018 I have an 11:15 flight out of Tampa. Do I need to be 1st in line on self disembarkment to make it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lake effect Posted October 4, 2018 #15 Share Posted October 4, 2018 I have an 11:15 flight out of Tampa. Do I need to be 1st in line on self disembarkment to make it? If you are among the first 250 off and do express walk off with all your luggage with you ,then 25-30 dollar cab on Sunday morning,you will have enough time . Sent from my iPad using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B-Side Posted October 4, 2018 #16 Share Posted October 4, 2018 Last week we had the 11:30 time and were on board by 12:30; they had a delay getting everyone off the ship. No worries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Djptcp Posted October 4, 2018 #17 Share Posted October 4, 2018 DH works part-time at the Port of Tampa checking passengers in. They start the process after 10am, but then everyone sits in designated areas and boarding doesn't start until Homeland Security says so. Could be 11am or earlier or later. Then it's Diamonds and Platinums first, then FTTF, then everyone else. We cruise often out of Tampa and are Platinums and we usually arrive at the Port about 11-11:15 am. We then are usually able to board at that time without having to wait in a designated area. I say usually because there could be hold ups for whatever reasons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evandbob Posted October 4, 2018 #18 Share Posted October 4, 2018 Tampa seems to have a bottleneck at US Customs & Immigration with only a few officers available for debarking passengers. We had quite a wait with lots of starts and stops leaving the ship and getting to USCBP. A very small room and capacity controlled so there are backups and holds all along the way. I much prefer MIA and FLL even though with larger ships and more passengers, I can go to the dedicated Global Entry line which is usually empty. Regular Customs/Immigration lines will be longer of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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