New Checkin Policy

[catl331]

1 hour ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

2-3 hours isn't a lot of time to go any distance for sightseeing.

But if you got up and checked out early you could have 6 or 7 hours.

[Frozenjumbopopcicle]

Thanks everyone for the advice and input.  Here's the info some were asking for;

 

CRUISE DETAILS
Embark Date: Dec 15, 2019
Disembark Date: Dec 22, 2019
Ship: Koningsdam
Voyage: K966
From Port: Fort Lauderdale
To Port: Fort Lauderdale

 

Our plan is to arrive at 10:30 as usual and see what happens.  I agree this time restriction would be incredibly difficult to enforce. I will say we were on a  HAL cruse last year and the year before and never received a notice like this.  Both previous cruises were on the Maasdam.  This is our first cruise on the Koningsdam.  We don't depart for a few more weeks, but I'll be glad to come back and update how things go. 

[catl331]

12 minutes ago, Frozenjumbopopcicle said:

I will say we were on a  HAL cruse last year and the year before and never received a notice like this.  Both previous cruises were on the Maasdam.  This is our first cruise on the Koningsdam.

I believe they started this attempt at staggered boarding on the K'dam (and then the N.S.) because the waiting room at HAL's usual pier 26 is too small for 2,650 passengers.  The Maasdam is less than half that.

[kazu]

9 hours ago, catl331 said:

I believe they started this attempt at staggered boarding on the K'dam (and then the N.S.) because the waiting room at HAL's usual pier 26 is too small for 2,650 passengers.  The Maasdam is less than half that.

 

I think you are correct.

 

My friend was on the K and honoured the boarding time given.  When they got to the terminal, it was packed and there were no seats anywhere to be had.  Obviously a lot of people chose to disreagard the request 😞 

[slidergirl]

On 11/25/2019 at 9:48 AM, DaveOKC said:

Very true, plus what do all the passengers who have to check out of their hotels by 11 am do for 2 plus hours?  Its not easy to "change the program".

 

 

First World problem...

 

You do not have to leave the hotel after you check out.  Give your bags to Bell to hold.  Go have lunch, sit in the sun, sit in the lobby and read.  It's not that long of a time - I spend that much time and more when I have flight connections.  

HAL must have a reason to ask for the staggered check ins.  I'm not so entitled that I would ignore the suggestion and board when I wanted anyway "because everyone else is doing it." 

[SargassoPirate]

On 11/25/2019 at 9:29 AM, catl331 said:

Note that it said suggested ...

 

Yep, suggested, just like the dress code suggestions. Arrive whenever you want and dress for dinner however you want.

[iancal]

Not an issue for us.  It is hardly worth fussing about.

 

We have experience staged boarding twice.  Both times in Oz.  Once on RCI at the International Cruise Terminal and the second time on Princess at White's Bay.   Both times we arrived about 30 minutes prior to our call.  No problem getting a seat.   Worked out well.  Maybe it is down to the customers themselves. 

[boom_boom]

We pay no attention to those "suggestions." At least not while they are still suggestions. We prefer to board late. We will have luggage held at our hotel while we explore what ever port were in until about 2-3 p.m. then head for the ship. Not interested in lunch onboard,  prefer to see the city and have a easy lunch (usually with better food) ashore, although it is an expense.

That said, we always arrive at the departure city at least 1 day in advance so we never need to rush. Never had a problem with boarding at 2 p.m. or after. Our last cruise, out of Vancouver, we go there right at 2 p.m. and the only line we had to stand in was for US Customs and Immigration. Everything else was clear sailing.

[KroozNut]

18 minutes ago, boom_boom said:

Everything else was clear sailing.

 

Pun intended... right? 😄

[Scrapnana]

I have been on five HAL cruises and have arrived earlier than the time on my boarding pass for each.  No problem at all.  On all but one (boarding in San Diego), I was checked in and on the ship within a half hour.

[MisterBill99]

Is this really new? I'm not a HAL expert but I thought I've seen this staggered embarkation previously.

 

I also usually disregard them. We sailed Koningsdam the past two summers out of Europe (Amsterdam last year then Rome this year) and got to the ship early and did not have to wait. I did sail Eurodam out of Port Everglades three years ago and got there around noon and had to wait over an hour. to board. The boarding process seemed to be going very slowly that day. Maybe we'll get there a little later for our upcoming sailing out of PE since we will be staying with friends who live 10 minutes from the port and we can just spend a little more time with them before driving over. Of course I will be interested in hearing how Frozenjumbopopcicle does with their early arrival.

Edited November 27, 2019 by MisterBill99

[catl331]

7 minutes ago, MisterBill99 said:

Is this really new? I'm not a HAL expert but I thought I've seen this staggered embarkation previously.

First time we saw it was on K-dam's first cruise out of FLL in Nov 2016

[MisterBill99]

5 minutes ago, catl331 said:

First time we saw it was on K-dam's first cruise out of FLL in Nov 2016

 

OK so not new as the OP had claimed.

[Frozenjumbopopcicle]

32 minutes ago, MisterBill99 said:

 

OK so not new as the OP had claimed.

 

Actually it was HAL that said it was new in their email and when we called them. 

[MisterBill99]

Just now, Frozenjumbopopcicle said:

 

Actually it was HAL that said it was new in their email and when we called them. 

 

As I saw in a commercial for a repeat showing of a TV show once, "if you haven't seen it, it's new to you".

 

They probably haven't changed the email since they started it. As for the rep, who knows.