Embarkation @Miami before 1p?

[farmerj]

First time cruising with Oceania, embarkation in Miami, Veranda Room.

 

My paperwork states that boarding is at 1p.  We arrive at MIA at 11a.  Can I go straight to the port (~12p) or should I take a tour to kill time?

are they strick on boarding times?  I don't care when my luggage gets to the room.

 

Thanks everyone.  Looking forward to a GREAT trip!

 

[edgee]

16 minutes ago, farmerj said:

 First time cruising with Oceania, embarkation in Miami, Veranda Room.

 

My paperwork states that boarding is at 1p.  We arrive at MIA at 11a.  Can I go straight to the port (~12p) or should I take a tour to kill time?

are they strick on boarding times?  I don't care when my luggage gets to the room.

 

Thanks everyone.  Looking forward to a GREAT trip!

 

If you arrive MIA at 11, you can go directly to the ship. Likely you will not arrive until noon, given needed time to collect any checked luggage and transport to the port. We always arrive in Miami a day ahead of time and show up at the port around 11:45. Once you are on the ship you can have lunch and relax pending availability of your cabin. If you are in a Veranda non Concierge class cabin you may have to wait a couple of hours before your cabin is ready.

[Roccaforte]

First, check your sail away time.  Our next O cruise out of Miami leaves at 5:00 which is earlier than we’ve experienced before.  Once they have boarded PH (11:00) and concierge I don’t think they would stick to a 1:00 boarding for you.  We’ve been able to board as early as noon with a balcony room.  However, you may get a last minute email from O advising about boarding.  As far as a Miami tour, I think I’d skip it so that I could relax at Waves or the Terrace cafe with a nice meal and an adult beverage.  It’s a good time to explore.  Since they now do the life boat drill prior to sailing there might be a time  when you must be aboard.  

Enjoy!

 

[farmerj]

Thanks edgee and Roccaforte for the great quick replies!

Here I was looking for limo tours around Miami to kill time and get us to the port.

 

Glad to hear that they are boarding as soon as 11a (PH), so +- a little, they should be accommodating.

Can't wait to experience Oceania.   Thanks Everyone!

 

-f

[robbie21]

A specific answer - Oceania is not strict on boarding times.  You may have to wait a bit only if there is a rush of "official" early boarders.  This happened to us only once in Miami and I think that was right around 11 AM.  Five other times we checked our baggage and got right in line to board.

[Flatbush Flyer]

26 minutes ago, farmerj said:

Thanks edgee and Roccaforte for the great quick replies!

Here I was looking for limo tours around Miami to kill time and get us to the port.

 

Glad to hear that they are boarding as soon as 11a (PH), so +- a little, they should be accommodating.

Can't wait to experience Oceania.   Thanks Everyone!

 

-f

I agree that, with a flight SCHEDULED to arrive at MIA at 11:00 AM, I'd just head to the port where actual embarkation timing is fairly flexible in practice.

However, I also agree that one should NEVER fly into any embarkation port on the day of departure (for all of the obvious reasons).

[kendon]

23 hours ago, farmerj said:

Thanks edgee and Roccaforte for the great quick replies!

Here I was looking for limo tours around Miami to kill time and get us to the port.

 

Glad to hear that they are boarding as soon as 11a (PH), so +- a little, they should be accommodating.

Can't wait to experience Oceania.   Thanks Everyone!

 

-f

Don't pay for a Miami tour.  Near the port is a hop on/hop off trolley (FREE!) that can take you to several downtown locations....one being Bayside just over the river with restaurants and lots of shopping.  Check in your bags with the Oceania first.  

[LHT28]

you can head to the port  you may want to grab a snack  in case you do not get to board right away

there is usually nothing at the port area

You might get in the building but you may have to sit until top suites & PH guests board

Sometimes they let other board early sometimes not

We usually go after  1 pm but we usually stay the night before in Miami

[farmerj]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions and information about embarkation times.

 

I would like to ask how everyone does their booking then.  As my first Oceania cruise, I was given the option to change flights to the day before but if I did, I could only use the hotels offered by Oceania.  If I didn't use the hotels by Oceania, i would have to pay a $150-$175/pp deviation fee; at which point it wasn't worth it.  

Cruise was booked directly with Oceania and then transferred to my TA.  TA confirmed the deviation fees with no other options.

 

 

[LHT28]

58 minutes ago, farmerj said:

Thanks everyone for the suggestions and information about embarkation times.

 

I would like to ask how everyone does their booking then.  As my first Oceania cruise, I was given the option to change flights to the day before but if I did, I could only use the hotels offered by Oceania.  If I didn't use the hotels by Oceania, i would have to pay a $150-$175/pp deviation fee; at which point it wasn't worth it.  

Cruise was booked directly with Oceania and then transferred to my TA.  TA confirmed the deviation fees with no other options.

 

 

for us  the deviation fee is worth it  to fly in a day early

Yes  we have to book a hotel  which adds to the cost  of the trip  but on the other hand if your flight is delayed  & you miss the ship  it can be more costly

We usually  just do our own air (take the air credit) for  Miami departures  then we can fly in when we want 

We usually do winter  cruises from Miami & you just never know  when the snow will hit here

so far we have been lucky

 

Depends on where your flying from but things can happen weather wise  anywhere

JMO

[AtA]

Similar to the question asked. I'm in a PH but my son is not. If I get to the terminal early and am allowed to board early, will my son be allowed to board with me?

[Paulchili]

32 minutes ago, AtA said:

Similar to the question asked. I'm in a PH but my son is not. If I get to the terminal early and am allowed to board early, will my son be allowed to board with me?

I am pretty sure that they will let him check in as well since he is family and traveling with you.

[AtA]

1 hour ago, Paulchili said:

I am pretty sure that they will let him check in as well since he is family and traveling with you.

Thank you.

[ORV]

On 8/12/2019 at 10:58 AM, robbie21 said:

A specific answer - Oceania is not strict on boarding times.  You may have to wait a bit only if there is a rush of "official" early boarders.  This happened to us only once in Miami and I think that was right around 11 AM.  Five other times we checked our baggage and got right in line to board.

Read this again, it bears repeating. 

 

4 hours ago, farmerj said:

Thanks everyone for the suggestions and information about embarkation times.

 

I would like to ask how everyone does their booking then.  As my first Oceania cruise, I was given the option to change flights to the day before but if I did, I could only use the hotels offered by Oceania.  If I didn't use the hotels by Oceania, i would have to pay a $150-$175/pp deviation fee; at which point it wasn't worth it.  

Cruise was booked directly with Oceania and then transferred to my TA.  TA confirmed the deviation fees with no other options.

 

 

As Lyn mentioned above, take the air credit and do your own air. 

[Mura]

If you pay the deviation fee and have the added cost of a hotel that YOU have booked, virtually always that's still less expensive than paying Oceania's hotel costs (which are per person and not per room).

 

 

[susiesan]

You can get a Miami airport hotel for under $100. or if you have hotel points use those. You can take uber to the port for $16.

 

Do your own air, hotel, and transport. You will save a lot and can fly on your schedule, not O's.