embarkation

[esimon]

PLEASE - short and sweet answers 

anyone been assigned boarding times?  do you pay attention to that??  pros and cons - 

 

I usually  get to the port about 11 - wait a while but never too long -- Really want to (expect to) eat lunch on ship

 

 

[panoramaofthepast]

I just printed my boarding passes for Zuiderdam. There are no specific boarding times listed on the passes. 

[NapTown Jim]

I've sailed Holland 5 times and I've never heard of assigned boarding times.  I don't think you'll have any problems getting on board at 11 for lunch.

[CruiserBruce]

Discussed here many times...they are suggestions. However, boarding doesn't start until 11:30, at the earliest.

[Crew News]

I received the new staggared boarding times for my last cruise in December.  After talking with other members of my roll call, I learned that not all of them received the "last minute" email change (not on Express Docs), so I chose to arrive at the cruise terminal at my normal 11:00 AM time.  Boarding went smoothly and I boarded at my normal 11:30 AM time.

 

There was no check on those not adhering to the staggared boarding and during my cruise, I learned that only a few had received the staggard notice. 

 

It appears that with the limited distribution of the "staggared boarding time" email, it was successful if it convinced new cruisers to adhere. 

 

The staggared process, up until 3:00 PM, would seriously affect those passengers receiving their luggage and have it unpacked before dinner.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I see that you will be sailing on the Koningsdam.  That is one of the newer where HAL has been assigning boarding times.

 

The majority of the passengers just head to the ship when they are ready and board according to whatever number they are given as they enter the building.  No one has stopped anyone for not following the "suggested" boarding times.

[DaveOKC]

We received one for our Dec cruise on the N.A. out of Fort Lauderdale.  Since we had VIP boarding we went at 10:45 am and checked in without  problem and boarded at 11:30 am.  I did notice that there were considerably fewer people in the terminal  than in the past at the same time frame (it was kind of nice).

 

[3rdGenCunarder]

1 hour ago, panoramaofthepast said:

I just printed my boarding passes for Zuiderdam. There are no specific boarding times listed on the passes. 

 

Are you sure? I just looked at the docs for my cruise, also Zuiderdam, and in the box of "guest details" it says embarkation time of 1:00 PM. I'm 4* and in a NS, so I'm not waiting until 1:00.

[esimon]

Thank you all -  I will be at the doc by 11 am -   see you for lunch LOL

[Krazy Kruizers]

We like to arrive at the pier by 10:30 and be among the first to enter the building.

[DaveOKC]

1 hour ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

Are you sure? I just looked at the docs for my cruise, also Zuiderdam, and in the box of "guest details" it says embarkation time of 1:00 PM. I'm 4* and in a NS, so I'm not waiting until 1:00.

HAL has said 1 PM forever and of course they also instituted a cabins ready by 11:30 am policy, so go figure that out (plus they serve lunch in the main dining room starting at Noon.  Confusing to be sure.

What the OP was referring to I think was that HAL has begun to inform passengers of a new staggered boarding policy, starting at 1 PM, by deck.  However, they still let you onboard at 11:30 am most times.

 

[panoramaofthepast]

19 hours ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

Are you sure? I just looked at the docs for my cruise, also Zuiderdam, and in the box of "guest details" it says embarkation time of 1:00 PM. I'm 4* and in a NS, so I'm not waiting until 1:00.

You are absolutely right - very tiny print! Thanks for the heads up. I am only a 2* but I won't be waiting until 1:00 either! I plan to arrive around 11 and hope for the best.

I have used the staggered boarding time on other lines and it actually flows quite smoothly, but they do give you a choice of boarding time when you are completing your docs; I don't remember seeing that with HAL.