Boarding the ship later than usual on debarkation day

[dx052]

We like many normally arrive at the cruise port as soon as possible (circa 10am) in the morning, but I might try something different this year allowing us time to do some pre shopping etc. Lets say the ship leaves at 4.30pm am I okay to get there at say 3pm to check in and board etc? We fly in from the UK and go to our pre cruise hotel the night before without really doing or seeing anything whilst in Florida. I am assuming porter and check in staff are all at hand as usual.

[Firsttimecruiser2016]

You have to board 2 hours before the boat is scheduled to leave. So you would have to be on the boat at 230 but I recommend getting to the port 1 hour before that time so there’s no chance of missing the boat.

 

 

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[Lady Arwen]

I would never delay my arrival at the pier after 1:30 for a 4:30 departure, unless it's absolutely necessary.

[Phxazzcruisers]

I agree. I would not be there too late. 2:00 absolute latest for a 4:30 departure. There will be a safety drill that you have to attend. Enjoy your cruise

[wendychloecruiser]

It would be very unfortunate for you to get stuck in traffic and literally miss the boat. Maybe consider flying in a day or two earlier if you want to get some shopping in. Everyone’s comfort zones are different and mine is obviously very different to yours!

[BarbarianPaul]

We like many normally arrive at the cruise port as soon as possible (circa 10am) in the morning, but I might try something different this year allowing us time to do some pre shopping etc. Lets say the ship leaves at 4.30pm am I okay to get there at say 3pm to check in and board etc? We fly in from the UK and go to our pre cruise hotel the night before without really doing or seeing anything whilst in Florida. I am assuming porter and check in staff are all at hand as usual.

 

 

 

Better to fly in a day earlier. We always book two nights pre-cruise.

 

 

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[phoenix_dream]

We always arrive a minimum of one day ahead (and usually longer). Learned that lesson 40+ cruises ago! Definitely don't push your luck with arriving to the ship - shopping is just not worth potentially missing the sailing. It would be very expensive to get a last minute flight to the next port, which may be a couple days in the future. I would never arrive later than 2:00 p.m. at the latest for a 4:30 sailing, and I would err on the side of caution in estimating my time to get there. Traffic in Miami can be absolutely awful sometimes, and is never anything but bad. (if you are in FLL, traffic is not as bad, but the rest of the above still holds true)

[If only]

We did arrive later around 2:30 through no fault of ours & most of the longshoremen were gone & asked us to take our luggage with us. The check in was basically deserted we used choice air & they knew why we were late but basically last one on. I believe they hand in the manifest at 3 pm & if you are not checked in your out of luck.

 

 

 

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[Saab4444]

You have to board 2 hours before the boat is scheduled to leave. So you would have to be on the boat at 230 but I recommend getting to the port 1 hour before that time so there’s no chance of missing the boat.

 

 

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It‘s a ship and not a boat and it is absolutely sufficient if you are in the terminal two hours before departure in the US and one hour in Europe. In worst case they also accept late arrivals until the gangway is removed in non-US ports.

[ECCruise]

It‘s a ship and not a boat and it is absolutely sufficient if you are in the terminal two hours before departure in the US and one hour in Europe. In worst case they also accept late arrivals until the gangway is removed in non-US ports.

 

Read the post directly above yours. Of course you can arrive 2 hours before sailing. Fancy carrying your own luggage on the boat?

[SFCAcruiser]

I support your decision to arrive after the masses have checked-in. We did that on a recent cruise and it made me a convert to arriving later rather than earlier - no lines anywhere :D, either at the port or onboard (buffet).

Of course, the previous posters raise valid issues about timing. You should not venture too far away from the port on day of departure, and your target time should be around 14:00 or earlier.

[bigbenboys]

We used to get to the port early in the past. Now we fly in the day before when possible and board around noon. We live in the greater Seattle area. We got to the pier in Seattle and I had my passport, but no wallet. I dropped 3 people and luggage off and went home. It was great checking in later.

[varoo]

Read the post directly above yours. Of course you can arrive 2 hours before sailing. Fancy carrying your own luggage on the boat?

No "carrying" luggage if you have everything on wheels.

It just rolls right along.

 

Under unusual circumstances, where you may be late through no fault of your own, do let them know in advance so that they will be expecting you.

We needed to do that one time when we were the only ones to board at the last minute, and they had an agent meet us at the entrance to the cruise terminal to hand us our seapass cards and take our passports right there.

If they had not been expecting us, we very well could have been denied boarding.

 

But somehow I don't think that shopping would be considered an acceptable excuse for boarding late.

Edited October 8, 2018 by varoo

[Luvcrusn]

The Celebrity website says you must be on board 90 minutes before sailing. Besides the traffic in Miami, the traffic to get into the port can sometimes take upwards of a half hour. I'd not recommend shopping so long you take a chance of missing a sailing for which you flew across the ocean and booked a hotel. If you're that set on seeing Miami and doing some shopping, perhaps alter your flight and spend an extra night before the cruise or book a hotel at the end of your cruise and change your return flight. The second choice would allow you a leisurely day in Miami, a chance to savor the night life there and a good nights rest before the long flight across the pond.

[keesar]

We like many normally arrive at the cruise port as soon as possible (circa 10am) in the morning, but I might try something different this year allowing us time to do some pre shopping etc. Lets say the ship leaves at 4.30pm am I okay to get there at say 3pm to check in and board etc? We fly in from the UK and go to our pre cruise hotel the night before without really doing or seeing anything whilst in Florida. I am assuming porter and check in staff are all at hand as usual.

 

I would plan to get there around 2 for a 4:30 departure to give you some cushion just in case. We have done that and it is more relaxing. A lot less traffic, no waiting in lines, etc. As mentioned, I would not be traveling a long distance to arrive at the port just in case of an accident on the highways.

[wendychloecruiser]

IDIO’M’..“To miss the boat”....

Fail to take advantage of an opportunity, as in Jean missed the boat on that club membership. This expression, which alludes to not being in time to catch a boat, has been applied more widely since the 1920s. 2. Fail to understand something, as in I'm afraid our legislator missed the boat on that amendment to the bill.

[chemmo]

We like many normally arrive at the cruise port as soon as possible (circa 10am) in the morning, but I might try something different this year allowing us time to do some pre shopping etc. Lets say the ship leaves at 4.30pm am I okay to get there at say 3pm to check in and board etc? We fly in from the UK and go to our pre cruise hotel the night before without really doing or seeing anything whilst in Florida. I am assuming porter and check in staff are all at hand as usual.

 

I do strongly recommend you see more of Florida! We have over the years combined cruises with trips to Orlando, the Keys, Tampa as well as extended stays in or near Miami and Fort Lauderdale....We can now fit in three week plus vacations but in years gone by we would often combine a one week cruise with a one week land visit.

 

A mall visit isn’t much of a way of ‘doing or seeing’ anything whilst in Florida! However, the only trips I think you could conceivably fit in in the time available is a tour of the ‘Deco’ area if cruising from Miami or the short ‘Inland waterways’ tour if you are cruising from Fort Lauderdale....The snag with trying to fit in a mall visit the morning of your cruise is most do not open until 10am.

 

You can do a shopping mall combined with airport drop off end of cruise if you are not flying out until evening....Both Celebrity and RC offer these end of cruise transfers. Only other suggestion I would make is if you really want to visit a mall before boarding book a hotel that is really near to or part of a mall...

 

Totally agree with what others have said about traffic unpredictability in both port areas so don’t shop until you drop!

 

Hope you have a great cruise!