Delayed Boarding Message

[tortoni]

Just got the following email.  Has anyone run into this before? Does this mean we will have a late start and long lines?

 

Dear Guest, We’re excited to welcome you onboard the beautiful Allure of the Seas for your upcoming October 28, 2018, cruise and wanted to share some important information before you set sail. The U.S. Coast Guard will be conducting a mandatory routine inspection onboard before your cruise departs. As a result, check-in for your cruise will now take place between 12:00 PM - 3:30 PM.  As a friendly reminder, if you haven't already done so, please complete your online check-in, as this is the best way to expedite boarding. To check-in online, please go to www.royalcaribbean.com/onlinecheckin and print your SetSail Pass. You can do this up to 72-hours prior to your sailing. As seating in the terminal is very limited, we kindly ask guests to arrive to the cruise terminal after 12:00 PM. We thank you for your time and cooperation. We can’t wait to welcome you onboard to provide an unforgettable experience! Sincerely, Royal Caribbean International

[l12345]

What time was boarding supposed to be? My set sail pass says my boarding time is 12-12:30 so I'm a little confused what the difference is now.

[Clarea]

Check-in usually starts well before 11am.

[Corby114]

Normally boarding starts around 11:30AM when the ships previous passengers clear the vessel around 10:00AM. When a Coast Guard inspection is done the ship has to be free of passengers so that will be the reason for the delay. The ship should still sail on time around 4:00PM.

[Espn]

I got the same delayed boarding email for Allure this coming Sunday. How do they handle check in, do they let you check in at the normal time and just make you wait in the terminal longer than normal?

[Clarea]

45 minutes ago, Espn said:

I got the same delayed boarding email for Allure this coming Sunday. How do they handle check in, do they let you check in at the normal time and just make you wait in the terminal longer than normal?

If you are fortunate, they let you in the terminal.  Otherwise you may have to wait outside.

[tortoni]

So it sounds like it would be best to wait until after 12 to head to the port. 

[Retired LEO]

5 minutes ago, tortoni said:

So it sounds like it would be best to wait until after 12 to head to the port. 

Correct

[GTO-Girl]

Let me preface this by saying this absolutely may not be the case this time but...

 

I have received this same email at least 4-5 times now and not once did it delay what time I went to the terminal nor what time I boarded.  

 

No way could they ever expect to board 6000 people between 12:30-3:30!!  Sometimes I think they use these as crowd control.  

 

But again your case may be completely different.

 

As for me personally.....I have never changed my plans because this memo.  

[l12345]

My cruise confirmation which I printed a few weeks ago says boarding was 12-3:30, so I'm not sure anything has changed. Maybe priority boarding was supposed to be before 12 and that's cancelled?

[Espn]

Thanks for the info. I am leaning towards carrying on as normal and just heading to the terminal when we usually would. If we have to stand outside then at least we will be near the front of the line and can say we have started our vacation, even if we are waiting. 

[jakers]

We received this same email prior to boarding in Honolulu after the ship arrived from Australia. Check in was delayed until 1:00 pm. The first problem was that many people had arranged transportation to the dock and were unable to change their reservation. This resulted in many people arriving early. Nobody was allowed inside the check in terminal prior to 1:00 pm. Everybody had to wait inside a warehouse outside. The second problem was that the place to check in your luggage was inside the warehouse. This resulted in two lines, one to check in your luggage and one to get into the terminal. As the warehouse filled up, nobody knew which line they were in. Eventually, they moved the luggage check in outside as there was no room in the warehouse for people with luggage. Since we were outside the terminal, there wasn't a separate line for those with priority boarding. Around 1:30, a crew member walked through the crowd and told those of us with priority boarding (we had a Gran Suite) to push through the crowd to the front and we would be allowed to enter the terminal first. We told him that there was no way that we were cutting in front of 2,000 angry people and made him escort us to the front with his sign held high. Needless to say, we didn't start that cruise making friends. 

[hannibal54]

We have issues for our 10-29 Majesty cruise. They sent us an e-mail that we wouldn't be leaving Tampa until 8 PM and boarding would start late in the afternoon. Now they are going to board us before noon but we still don't leave until 8, at least we will be on the ship.

[dcgrumpy]

9 hours ago, l12345 said:

My cruise confirmation which I printed a few weeks ago says boarding was 12-3:30, so I'm not sure anything has changed. Maybe priority boarding was supposed to be before 12 and that's cancelled?

I'm on Allure in 2 1/2 weeks my "appointment" time is 11:00-11:30. I don't have priority boarding. 

[tortoni]

Doesn't sound like waiting outside the terminal would be fun.  I think I will do as Royal asks and show up after 12.  Hope it is not crazy busy at that time. Thanks for all the replies.

Edited October 23, 2018 by tortoni
forgot something

[BillOh]

10 hours ago, GTO-Girl said:

Let me preface this by saying this absolutely may not be the case this time but...

 

I have received this same email at least 4-5 times now and not once did it delay what time I went to the terminal nor what time I boarded.  

 

No way could they ever expect to board 6000 people between 12:30-3:30!!  Sometimes I think they use these as crowd control.  

 

But again your case may be completely different.

 

As for me personally.....I have never changed my plans because this memo.  

I would guess from what I have read here, its a big variable and each situation can be different.  I've only had this happen once. That was my last cruise on Enchantment.  We are usually the first on board types, we would have boarded probably by 11 that day, but we got the note that boarding would probably start at noon. However, we knew they could get done early and every inspection could be different.  We knew we would be just as comfortable waiting in the boarding lounge as at the hotel, so  we went at our normal time. They opened the terminal at the normal time.   It helps there was just my wife and I, no kids, so we read, used our devices, walked around getting our steps in.   We could see the CG personnel and see the inspection going on. We did board right at 12. 

[BillOh]

24 minutes ago, tortoni said:

Doesn't sound like waiting outside the terminal would be fun.  I think I will do as Royal asks and show up after 12.  Hope it is not crazy busy at that time. Thanks for all the replies.

 

I'm willing to bet, based on what I have read, that terminal 18 will open at the normal time.  San Juan is a port I might consider arriving at later in this circumstance. 

[Seachange01]

I got the email too saying to arrive after 12. Prior to that, I was due to board at 11:00 - 11:30 and had expedited boarding. I noticed on the new check in time that expedited boarding has been removed.. not happy!!! I wonder if I should call Royal Caribbean and find out why they took my expedited status away.