Boarding at Different Times

[bookworm72]

Hello all!  We are going on a girls cruise next month! However since we live about 20 minutes from the port my sister has decided to do a half shift at work and just meet us on the boat closer to sail away time.  My question is does everyone in the same room have to check in at the same?  

[pusywillow]

No

[Organized Chaos]

Not at all. She’s free to arrive separately. Since you said she’s waiting till closer to sail away, she needs to make sure she’s on board by the final boarding time printed on the boarding pass, or she can’t board. And let her know that they stop checking bags 2 hours before sailing. At that point, she’d have to carry everything on herself. 

[maryred]

Each passenger will have their own boarding pass. Each can check-in during or anytime after the arrival appointment time they pick. Be warned though some ports discontinue curbside porter baggage handling about 2pm, requiring passengers after that time to carry aboard all their bags. If a piece of luggage is too big for the terminal scanner a hand search might be done.

Almost all ports close their security and check-in desks 60 to 90 minutes prior to sail away, and ships can refuse boarding to any passenger that did not use their travel arrangements if the mandatory safety briefing (muster) is already underway. The muster drill is usually 45 minutes prior to sail away, and is not something anybody want to attend with luggage in hand.  Also there is the risk that the nearest parking lot to a terminal will be full and the overflow lot maybe a bit of a hike to the terminal or the running of a tram/shuttle maybe more spaced out.  

I've known people that do work the am of cruising. But almost all of them have been port employees or work adjacent to the dock. 

[Athankfulheart]

If you check your sister's luggage for her, that might make it easier and quicker for her when she shows up later. She should, of course carry her docs and valuables. I would also suggest a ride to the port rather than messing with parking if she is cutting it close. 

[dlphn501]

I am pretty sure I read somewhere recently that all passengers in the same cabin must board together.

[Squadleader]

Boy, if it's one thing my kid's have taught me, it's that everyone has to make their own mistakes, it's the only way some lessons can be learned. Man, the things I would have done differently!

 

The best way to learn not to miss a cruise, is to miss a cruise. That's a lesson that would really sink in!

 

Look on the bright side, if it all goes south, think of all the extra closet space you'll have on your cruise! She might get the hint if you share that little joke with her! 🙂

[pusywillow]

42 minutes ago, dlphn501 said:

I am pretty sure I read somewhere recently that all passengers in the same cabin must board together.

 

You read wrong!

 

[Squadleader]

Haha, there's a reason at ports of call this old man gets off the ship as soon as possible, and is very happy to be back onboard at 2:30, even if the ship doesn't sail until 4:30. The risk-reward ratio on that equation is crazy steep in favor of not letting Murphy's Law turn you into a pier runner! I think the same thing applies to embarkation.

 

One thing's for sure, pushing things up to their limit, is always the best way to create the conditions necessary for great stories to be born! The heart-stopping kind that you laugh about later, much later! 🙂

Edited May 17, 2019 by Squadleader

[dlphn501]

9 minutes ago, pusywillow said:

 

You read wrong!

 

okay.  no need to be abrupt about it though.

[mapman_2004]

11 hours ago, Organized Chaos said:

Not at all. She’s free to arrive separately. Since you said she’s waiting till closer to sail away, she needs to make sure she’s on board by the final boarding time printed on the boarding pass, or she can’t board. And let her know that they stop checking bags 2 hours before sailing. At that point, she’d have to carry everything on herself. 

 

Glad to hear they stop checking bags at a certain point!  That is when I bring on my 4 bags of vodka and rum

[dlphn501]

21 minutes ago, pusywillow said:

 

You read wrong!

 

... See image below ...

[Shaded Lady]

1 hour ago, dlphn501 said:

I am pretty sure I read somewhere recently that all passengers in the same cabin must board together.

Nope- not true... 

 

Your pasted reference above is pointing out that everyone with that checkin time must check in together- in other words, if you have noon, and someone else in your cabin has 1 PM, you have to be there at your checkin time- they can't check in with you just because they're in the same cabin.

Edited May 17, 2019 by Shaded Lady

[Athankfulheart]

6 minutes ago, dlphn501 said:

... See image below ...

The key words here are "to expedite check-in and minimize waiting". If someone comes late they just need to go to the early/late line. They are warning you that there may be extra waiting involved. Since they went back to individual boarding passes ( when they started putting S&S cards in mailboxes) there isn't even a way to police this. 

[gtouch]

8 minutes ago, dlphn501 said:

... See image below ...

I can certainly see what you mean. As it states "to expedite check-in......." Carnival would like everyone together as it is easier but as other posters have stated you can show up at different times and they will check you in.

[dlphn501]

1 minute ago, gtouch said:

I can certainly see what you mean. As it states "to expedite check-in......." Carnival would like everyone together as it is easier but as other posters have stated you can show up at different times and they will check you in.

Okay.  I thought it meant they make you wait until the rest of your party arrives, which would not be expeditious.  LOL. That's how I read it anyways.

[maryred]

1 hour ago, mapman_2004 said:

 

Glad to hear they stop checking bags at a certain point!  That is when I bring on my 4 bags of vodka and rum

Your misunderstanding what is meant by checking bags. This means the porters stop accepting bags to be loaded on the ship for crew delivery to the cabin. If anything port security may look closer at the bags of those arriving later as the line tends to be shorter, giving them more time to do hand searches of carry-ons.

[mapman_2004]

1 hour ago, maryred said:

Your misunderstanding what is meant by checking bags. This means the porters stop accepting bags to be loaded on the ship for crew delivery to the cabin. If anything port security may look closer at the bags of those arriving later as the line tends to be shorter, giving them more time to do hand searches of carry-ons.

Okay, good to know you're recommending to sneak my alcohol on earlier, as that is when they are busier.  Thanks for the advice!

[gtouch]

12 minutes ago, mapman_2004 said:

Okay, good to know you're recommending to sneak my alcohol on earlier, as that is when they are busier.  Thanks for the advice!

I think he missed your joke........something I have been accused of.

[dlphn501]

2 hours ago, Shaded Lady said:

Nope- not true... 

 

Your pasted reference above is pointing out that everyone with that checkin time must check in together- in other words, if you have noon, and someone else in your cabin has 1 PM, you have to be there at your checkin time- they can't check in with you just because they're in the same cabin.

Everyone in the same cabin will have the same check-in time.  So if OP has a noon check-in time, then her sister will have a noon check-in time.  And if her sister doesn't show up until 2pm, then OP will have to wait until 2pm.

I may still be wrong in how I am reading this, but I didn't want her to think it was 100% that they could check in at different times.  Probably best if she calls Carnival.

[Shaded Lady]

2 minutes ago, dlphn501 said:

Everyone in the same cabin will have the same check-in time.  So if OP has a noon check-in time, then her sister will have a noon check-in time.  And if her sister doesn't show up until 2pm, then OP will have to wait until 2pm.

I may still be wrong in how I am reading this, but I didn't want her to think it was 100% that they could check in at different times.  Probably best if she calls Carnival.

I do know that in the scenario you just mentioned, if we all have a noon check in time, but arrive separately, there is nothing to stop me from checking in at noon and my cabin mate from checking in later when they arrive. For convenience, they say it's preferred, but not required.

 

Otherwise, how could a party from the same cabin check in but leave one person as a 'no show', as is commonly done? If what you said was true, they would have to wait for the 'no show' party to check in with them, which would never happen.

[bookworm72]

3 hours ago, Squadleader said:

Boy, if it's one thing my kid's have taught me, it's that everyone has to make their own mistakes, it's the only way some lessons can be learned. Man, the things I would have done differently!

 

The best way to learn not to miss a cruise, is to miss a cruise. That's a lesson that would really sink in!

 

Look on the bright side, if it all goes south, think of all the extra closet space you'll have on your cruise! She might get the hint if you share that little joke with her! 🙂

Completely agree with you. We had friends that decided to board later since we are so close to the port but they got caught in a traffic jam due to a car accident and missed the boat.  They could see the boat leaving.

[dlphn501]

3 minutes ago, Shaded Lady said:

how could a party from the same cabin check in but leave one person as a 'no show', as is commonly done?

That's a good point actually - I didn't even think about no shows.

[bookworm72]

3 hours ago, dlphn501 said:

... See image below ...

This is what led to my question.  I think we (3 other sisters are going) will just check her bags as someone else suggested and start our vacation.  We will either have a toast to her making it on or a toast to her misfortune if she doesn’t!  LOL

[Shaded Lady]

20 minutes ago, bookworm72 said:

Completely agree with you. We had friends that decided to board later since we are so close to the port but they got caught in a traffic jam due to a car accident and missed the boat.  They could see the boat leaving.

This is my personal nightmare!

 

Our cruise in 4 weeks we're driving down the day before the cruise and bringing our grandson with us. My daughter and her husband plan to drive down after work later that night. I'm terrified they'll change their mind and decide to drive down the next morning... if they do I'll be a nervous wreck til I see them in the checkin line! I already told my daughter that I'm bringing my grandson's passport, because if they miss the ship, the 3 of us will sail without them!

Edited May 17, 2019 by Shaded Lady