How early should we arrive at Port Everglades to board Regal?

[starofmay]

Hi all! So sorry if this has been covered somewhere. I searched the forums and couldn't find what I was looking for. 🙂

 

I'm sailing on the Regal next month out of Port Everglades (my first Princess cruise out of Florida). How early should we arrive for check-in? All I've heard is that boarding officially begins at 12:30pm, but I know many arrive much earlier with hopes to get on the ship as early as possible. What do you all suggest?

[neverbeenhere]

You have presented two questions: one is how early should I arrive? And one is what do I suggest?

 

i suggest you arrive at 2pm and walk straight onto the ship. 

[satxdiver]

We like to be among the first to board so we arrive around 11 AM and usually are on board not long after noon.  We do not mind waiting since we want to get our vacation started as soon as possible.  We like to arrive at the port a day before to get ready physically as well as mentally for the fun that is about to come.  

[spyro1952]

Elite will board first from a special area all others will be given a group number.  Boarding usually starts around 11:45 or so with elites that arrived early.

[skynight]

Arrive 10:30 to 11:00 and you will be on board by around 11:30 or noon. Boarding is very quick at pier two where the Regal normally docks.

Anytime after noon and you will pretty much walk right on.

[cherylandtk]

We used to arrive early, say 10:30 or so, and we enjoyed talking to the other cruisers waiting in line and then in the chairs.  We did this from no status, through platinum and then elite.  Within the last couple of years we have found we like arriving after 12:30 to 1 and we essentially just walk right through the boarding process just after the crush of early arrivals. YMMV

[long cruiser]

I would arrive around 11:00 am.

long cruiser

 

[MrSchwump]

We're with the early bird crowd.  My wife has mobility issues and we get to that area around 10:30 and are usually on board by 11:30.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

we usually arrive around 1 pm, due to our flight landing at 12.

[Pink flamingo52]

We are on the Regal in February ...the 17th!  I agree with the early folks if you like to wait.  We always enjoy the anticipation and talking to folks!  If you don’t like to wait, so a little later.  It typically is well organized!

[releck97]

11 hours ago, cherylandtk said:

We used to arrive early, say 10:30 or so, and we enjoyed talking to the other cruisers waiting in line and then in the chairs.  We did this from no status, through platinum and then elite.  Within the last couple of years we have found we like arriving after 12:30 to 1 and we essentially just walk right through the boarding process just after the crush of early arrivals. YMMV

I concur. We walked straight on the Island two weeks ago at 12:45. Dropped our bags off at our room, met our steward and were seated in the MDR shortly after 1:00. Previously, I was always a pre-noon kinda person.

[PoohUnderstands]

we like to come around 10:30am as we like to start our vacation early; but the main reason is we are not rushed in any part of the process to eat lunch in the MDR which is only from 12-1:30pm.  we usually get onboard by 11:45am and are eating a nice quiet served luncg at noon.

 

Pooh

[starofmay]

1 hour ago, Pink flamingo52 said:

We are on the Regal in February ...the 17th!  I agree with the early folks if you like to wait.  We always enjoy the anticipation and talking to folks!  If you don’t like to wait, so a little later.  It typically is well organized!

That’s the cruise we’re on! Should be a great time! 🙂

[Colo Cruiser]

We always arrive around 10:00.

The last several times at PE boarding started around 11:00.

[DennisNV]

I'm in the late crowd. After eight cruises under my belt I now prefer the easy option with little to no wait after 1. Enjoy a nice lunch somewhere in town and skip the mad rush to eat buffet food!

[Nightengale31]

I am sailing on the Crown on 1/26/19 and a few days ago received an e-mail from Princess relaying the following information which it looks like things have recently changed with regards to check-in.

 

PROGRESSIVE CRUISE CHECK-IN INFORMATION

To help facilitate a smooth start to your voyage we have implemented a progressive cruise check-in schedule. Please arrive at the check-in times listed below.  If you have purchased a Princess Cruise Plus Package/Transfer, your check-in time will be provided at your hotel or the airport.  Guests traveling on shared transport arriving as a group will be checked in together. Priority check-in will be available to guests with Priority Boarding within the allocated check-in times.  Boarding will commence shortly after check-in. Please do not arrive prior to the start of cruise check-in as your cabin will not be ready.

 

12:30 PM - Aloha & Lido Decks: Cabins on these decks begin with A & L

1:00 PM: Dolphin & Emerald Decks: Cabins on these decks begin with D & E

1:30 PM - Caribe Deck: Cabins on this deck begin with C

2:00 PM - Plaza & Riviera Decks: Cabins on these decks begin with P & R

2:30 PM - Baja Deck: Cabins on this deck begin with B

 

Thank you for your attention to this notification.

Edited January 12, 2019 by Nightengale31
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[Pink flamingo52]

This is our 13th cruise.  They do allow elites, platinum, etc to board first but then you board in the order you arrive at the terminal.  My husband always gives me a hard time getting there early but we have been in our room as early as 11am and he gets over it .  His Bloody Caesar helps too!  Cool Cruiser we are on for 14 days.  Hope you are as well. Eastern is wonderful but I love the Western side.  The difference between the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea is remarkable.  Happy weekend everyone!!

[Anubi]

We did a cruise with BIL & SIL.  BIL was so impatient that we were at the pier by 9:30am!!  I told him that there was no way we could board that early but waved my protests aside.  He wanted to go, so we all piled into a cab and went.  Then he had the absolute nerve to complain that we had to wait to board.  Somehow it all ended up being my fault.  That was the last cruise with BIL.  LOL 

[wrongwaywatson]

We like to arrive early, around 11 to 11:30.  The last few times we have hardly waited.  Our last cruise we had my 87 year old father with us, who they put in a wheelchair and we zipped right through without stopping hardly at all!

One cruise we were in the piazza before our daughter (who had dropped us off) was out of the terminal area!

[floridalover5623]

I suppose you could follow Princess's suggestions & arrive at their suggested time for easier boarding but what else would you be doing that morning anyway?

I'd rather be waiting at the pier for a little while that sitting in an airport terminal, taking a later shuttle or arriving later by car knowing that I'm waiting to board the ship. 

Why take the chance of being late to board? 😉

[AF-1]

So here is a thought.  Nightengale31 posted suggested boarding times they received from Princess.    a lot of threads talk about people getting onboard early; so they can book the Sanctuary, or make specialty reservations or just to have lunch onboard.  My suggested boarding time for Caribe deck is 1:30.  I may arrive a little after noon;  but really don't think I will wait until 1:30 to show up and board 

[TracieABD]

9 hours ago, Colo Cruiser said:

We always arrive around 10:00.

The last several times at PE boarding started around 11:00.

That has been my experience too...

 

[TracieABD]

1 hour ago, AF-1 said:

So here is a thought.  Nightengale31 posted suggested boarding times they received from Princess.    a lot of threads talk about people getting onboard early; so they can book the Sanctuary, or make specialty reservations or just to have lunch onboard.  My suggested boarding time for Caribe deck is 1:30.  I may arrive a little after noon;  but really don't think I will wait until 1:30 to show up and board 

It seems that the posted boarding times really are a suggestion. I have yet to hear of a single case of someone showing up at noon with a 3 pm boarding time and they were actually detained until that boarding time...

 

Has anyone been held to their boarding time?

[capriccio]

6 hours ago, Nightengale31 said:

I am sailing on the Crown on 1/26/19 and a few days ago received an e-mail from Princess relaying the following information which it looks like things have recently changed with regards to check-in.

 

We were on the Crown Princess Christmas cruise (12/17-12/27) and arrived at the terminal at 10:50, got thru security very quickly, walked right up to the check-in counter (we had priority check-in but the line wasn't very long for regular check-in), went to the elite and platinum lounge, sat down, stood up 5 minutes later, and boarded the ship.  We were on board by 11:10 and the best thing was that the cabins were ready!  On our Ruby Princess cruise this summer the check-in process and timing was similar but the cabins weren't ready until 1 pm.  Enjoy your cruise!

[TracieABD]

Just now, capriccio said:

We were on the Crown Princess Christmas cruise (12/17-12/27) and arrived at the terminal at 10:50, got thru security very quickly, walked right up to the check-in counter (we had priority check-in but the line wasn't very long for regular check-in), went to the elite and platinum lounge, sat down, stood up 5 minutes later, and boarded the ship.  We were on board by 11:10 and the best thing was that the cabins were ready!  On our Ruby Princess cruise this summer the check-in process and timing was similar but the cabins weren't ready until 1 pm.  Enjoy your cruise!

I have only been on one cruise where my cabin was not ready upon boarding. It was an Emerald cruise out of FLL- and it was the cruise the boarded after a Spring Break cruise. My room was pretty messy- but I dropped my bag and headed to the MDR for lunch. It was ready by 1 pm.