Carnival Pride - Delayed boarding due to gangway we have FTTF

[rtw68]

We have cruised with FTTF previously and arrived as early to the port as possible.

Received an email this evening about the boarding appointments being delayed by an hour due to having to enter the ship using a ground level gangway.

Our original appointment (which I was going to ignore due to FTTF) was 12:30 and now they are saying 1:30PM.

 

I believe we can ignore that and go to the port earlier (depending on when Pride is back and ready for passengers) since we have FTTF?

 

Hoping someone can confirm that has been through the same circumstances.

 

Thanks!

[JaxsMama]

1 hour ago, rtw68 said:

We have cruised with FTTF previously and arrived as early to the port as possible.

Received an email this evening about the boarding appointments being delayed by an hour due to having to enter the ship using a ground level gangway.

Our original appointment (which I was going to ignore due to FTTF) was 12:30 and now they are saying 1:30PM.

 

I believe we can ignore that and go to the port earlier (depending on when Pride is back and ready for passengers) since we have FTTF?

 

Hoping someone can confirm that has been through the same circumstances.

 

Thanks!

This happened to me once but for a different reason.  I showed up at my regular early time and waited. Ended up waiting for hours. Bright side was we had seats bc we beat the crowds.  Some people waited outside in the heat for hours after terminal was full. 

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

With FTTF and Baltimore, 10:30 is usually a good time.  But, with an hour delay, I would say getting there at 11:30 would be good.

 

Are you driving to the port?  If so, the lot won’t open until enough cars from the previous cruise leaves.  I’m betting that the extra hour is the time needed to get the previous cruise offloaded, as that will take a lot longer with everyone leaving from Deck 1, instead of the lobby.

[rtw68]

4 hours ago, PrincessArlena'sDad said:

With FTTF and Baltimore, 10:30 is usually a good time.  But, with an hour delay, I would say getting there at 11:30 would be good.

 

Are you driving to the port?  If so, the lot won’t open until enough cars from the previous cruise leaves.  I’m betting that the extra hour is the time needed to get the previous cruise offloaded, as that will take a lot longer with everyone leaving from Deck 1, instead of the lobby.

Yes, we are.  We are staying in the Inner Harbor area and will drive over Sunday morning.  Appreciate the answer, was originally thinking around 11:00am or so, but will plan heading over to the port around 11:30am.  Was reading in other reviews how the parking lot does not permit any parking until the lot is about 2/3's empty from the previous cruise.

 

Was hoping that this port isn't unusually strict for even FTTF cruisers that want to arrive early and board in the proper order when permitted.

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

4 hours ago, rtw68 said:

Yes, we are.  We are staying in the Inner Harbor area and will drive over Sunday morning.  Appreciate the answer, was originally thinking around 11:00am or so, but will plan heading over to the port around 11:30am.  Was reading in other reviews how the parking lot does not permit any parking until the lot is about 2/3's empty from the previous cruise.

 

Was hoping that this port isn't unusually strict for even FTTF cruisers that want to arrive early and board in the proper order when permitted.

The terminal is not strict for FTTF arrivals being dropped off.  But, FTTF does not help getting into the parking lot.

 

If you do get to the parking lot early, they will have you line up outside the gate until they open it.  If you get there at 11, and it’s not open yet, you’ll just sit in the car waiting.

 

You do need to time it just right, in that if you get there too late and the line to get into the lot is too long, they will make you circle around, so they don’t block traffic on the road.  

 

With FTTF, you’ll have a separate security screening line, and a separate check in line, and dedicated seats to wait in at the front of the room. You sit in the order of boarding.  FTTF has it’s own section of seats, and where you are in that section is first come first served in boarding order. It is very organized.

 

Funny story about that.  We were the first car waiting in line #2, so the car to our left was the first car to arrive at the port.  And they were having a grand ol time listening to the radio waiting.  When they opened the gate, they went to start their car, but the battery was dead from listening to the radio for so long!  Created a huge mess as the whole line of cars was stuck behind them.  Being in row 2, we were the first car to enter the parking lot, and got the first spot next to the handicap spots.

[cindysu]

Are you going on the 1/5 cruise (2 weeks)?  That one leaves later (6 vs. 4 pm I think) so all the boarding times are later than the one-week cruises.  I always thought they left later because they were taking down the Christmas decorations.  I think 12 is the very earliest they start boarding for all the platinum, etcs.  I'm on the 1-1:30 time slot.  Last year I signed up later (and the boat was delayed an hour) so we didn't get in line until 2:30 or so.  But we walked right on then and our room was ready.  

[Wheels87]

I've gotten several letters like that over the years and they really didn't mean a whole lot. I would follow your previous plan. The worst thing that will happen is that you have to wait for a bit. 

 

Good Luck! 

 

Brad

[rtw68]

Thanks for the replies, we got off the ship yesterday.  

We ended up leaving the hotel right before 11AM, dropped off our luggage, paid for parking, in the terminal by 11:15, and on the ship by 11:45am!  It was super fast and smooth.  We did enter on Deck A but didn't really see any delays in boarding.

I bet their email was taken to heart by most people since the port was not very busy.

 

[evandbob]

Isn't it nice when folk listen to the guidelines?

[Eli_6]

Seems like it worked out for you, but I would be wary of this practice in general. If you had done this on the Vista or Magic on 12/28, you would have been waiting for hours. 

[rtw68]

5 minutes ago, Eli_6 said:

Seems like it worked out for you, but I would be wary of this practice in general. If you had done this on the Vista or Magic on 12/28, you would have been waiting for hours. 

 

Right.  Of course, it depends on the ship, departure port, and whether any delays are taking place due to weather, Coast Guard inspections, etc.

 

We have had FTTF many times over our 11 cruises, and have always been able to board as early as possible.  

 

[rtw68]

30 minutes ago, evandbob said:

Isn't it nice when folk listen to the guidelines?

 

Ouch!  Well, if we didn't have FTTF we would have reported at our appointment time.  We aren't savages after all.  😛

[Eli_6]

3 minutes ago, rtw68 said:

 

Right.  Of course, it depends on the ship, departure port, and whether any delays are taking place due to weather, Coast Guard inspections, etc.

 

We have had FTTF many times over our 11 cruises, and have always been able to board as early as possible.  

 

We were fogged out with the port shut down.  Did not debark until 6 pm.  I have no idea what carnival told the people embarking, but I had friends getting on the say we left and they posted pics from a bar near the port so they apparently showed up on time and had to wait it out.  Fortunately, the Galveston port is near the Strand so I am sure plenty of people just went and ate and got drunk and shopped.