Boarding Time Question

[MichiganMan4]

Pre-covid we'd like to be one of the first ones on a ship and would still like to be for our November cruise.  Our checkin (via the app) opened today and the only boarding time listed was 3pm.  Not going to lie... Not a fan of a 3pm boarding time - Day 1 is practically done by the time you get settled.

 

What are the recent experiences for actual boarding times for those that have cruised since resumption.  Did the boarding times listed in the app change as you got closer to the cruise?  Did it matter when you actually checked in at the pier versus what you selected?

Edited August 13, 2021 by MichiganMan4

[tserface]

I've heard you can just show up at noon and still get on earlier.  They are trying to space people out to make it safer.  The worst that would happen is you'd have to hang around a few hours, but the best that could happen is you'd get on earlier than scheduled.

[Sea Dog]

Curious what November sailing are you on that opened up for check in?

[cruisebrat15]

keep checking back you can edit your time. If you show up early they will not let you board till your assigned time. 

 

[Merion_Mom]

21 minutes ago, tserface said:

I've heard you can just show up at noon and still get on earlier.  They are trying to space people out to make it safer.  The worst that would happen is you'd have to hang around a few hours, but the best that could happen is you'd get on earlier than scheduled.

 

When did you hear this?  For the most part (there are exceptions, of course), since the re-start of cruising, you can only check in at your assigned time.  Otherwise, you are turned away from the terminal to wait outside.

[jalves]

I've heard that they are pretty strict on the boarding times.  

[MichiganMan4]

54 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

Curious what November sailing are you on that opened up for check in?

Mariner

[tserface]

1 hour ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

When did you hear this?  For the most part (there are exceptions, of course), since the re-start of cruising, you can only check in at your assigned time.  Otherwise, you are turned away from the terminal to wait outside.

I just read it on these forums, but I could easily be wrong.  I haven't been on a cruise since the restart.  I appreciate your first hand experience and it supersedes my "I heard" experience 🙂

 

[2VaCruzers]

56 minutes ago, MichiganMan4 said:

Mariner

 

1 hour ago, Sea Dog said:

Curious what November sailing are you on that opened up for check in?

Our November 7th Anthem cruise is also open for check in.  

[boscobeans]

4 minutes ago, 2VaCruzers said:

 

Our November 7th Anthem cruise is also open for check in.  

Yup..  And we have a 3:00-3:30 boarding time. .

[2VaCruzers]

27 minutes ago, boscobeans said:

Yup..  And we have a 3:00-3:30 boarding time. .

Don’t we leave at 3:00?   I’ve not been able to check in as we’re still waiting on my daughter’s passport.  

[Sea Dog]

46 minutes ago, 2VaCruzers said:

 

Our November 7th Anthem cruise is also open for check in.  

My November 7th is out of San Juan. We are the first sailing out of there. I wonder what’s going on?

[GTO-Girl]

In this Covid environment they are going to be very strict with the check in times because they cannot risk people bottling up in line.  
 

If you don’t want to run the risk of standing outside in the hot sun as you wait for your assigned boarding time I would follow the instructions as given.

 

They are doing all they can to keep us safe and keep the CDC happy so we all need to do our part.  

[boscobeans]

12 hours ago, 2VaCruzers said:

Don’t we leave at 3:00?   I’ve not been able to check in as we’re still waiting on my daughter’s passport.  

I imagine that Royal is going to take a lot longer getting passengers  both on and off their ships in Cape Liberty in order to prevent crowding and allow for social distancing.

 

This would necessitate a longer period in port and a later departure time.

 

[molly361]

16 hours ago, MichiganMan4 said:

Pre-covid we'd like to be one of the first ones on a ship and would still like to be for our November cruise.  Our checkin (via the app) opened today and the only boarding time listed was 3pm.  Not going to lie... Not a fan of a 3pm boarding time - Day 1 is practically done by the time you get settled.

 

What are the recent experiences for actual boarding times for those that have cruised since resumption.  Did the boarding times listed in the app change as you got closer to the cruise?  Did it matter when you actually checked in at the pier versus what you selected?

Keep checking.  3pm was the  only boarding time on both of my November Mariner cruises.  It has to be a mistake which hopefully will be fixed or there will be a cluster---- with everyone arriving at the same time

Edited August 14, 2021 by molly361

[Jkaczanowski]

13 hours ago, 2VaCruzers said:

Don’t we leave at 3:00?   I’ve not been able to check in as we’re still waiting on my daughter’s passport.  

if your cruise is closed loop (starting and ending at the same port), you may still be able to check in.  Just choose the birth certificate option and change it to passport once it comes in.

[livingonthebeach]

When I initially checked in for my Sept Freedom cruise, the earliest time available was 1pm so I took it.  I just logged in to my cruise planner and now 12pm is available so I changed it from 1pm to 12pm.  Ship doesn't set sail until 7pm. 

[boscobeans]

9 minutes ago, livingonthebeach said:

When I initially checked in for my Sept Freedom cruise, the earliest time available was 1pm so I took it.  I just logged in to my cruise planner and now 12pm is available so I changed it from 1pm to 12pm.  Ship doesn't set sail until 7pm. 

Where on Cruise Planner is there a boarding time choice ?

 

[livingonthebeach]

31 minutes ago, boscobeans said:

Where on Cruise Planner is there a boarding time choice ?

 

It's with the check-in information.  Once you are allowed to check in there is an option to choose your boarding time from a drop down menu.  You can go back and edit your check in info at any time afterwards and I believe the boarding time info is on the last page where there is an option to change your boarding time.  I clicked on it and saw 12pm was now available so I changed mine to 12pm instead of 1pm. 

Edited August 14, 2021 by livingonthebeach

[boscobeans]

51 minutes ago, livingonthebeach said:

 

It's with the check-in information.  Once you are allowed to check in there is an option to choose your boarding time from a drop down menu.  You can go back and edit your check in info at any time afterwards and I believe the boarding time info is on the last page where there is an option to change your boarding time.  I clicked on it and saw 12pm was now available so I changed mine to 12pm instead of 1pm. 

Thanks.

 

I went back into the planner and when it got to arrival time the only option was 3:00-3:30.

 

I think we may have an hour leeway in either direction with a suite ??? 

 

Would love to board at 2:00 or so.

Time will tell.

 

Thanks again,

 

bosco

[Marie51]

 I chose the 1 PM check-in but the thing is I don’t really know what time will be arriving at the port because the shuttle is picking us up at an Orlando hotel and I have no way to know if they will be stopping at other hotels to pick up more passengers or if we are the last stop before they head to the port. I don’t know if I will be at the pier at noon or 1 PM or 2 PM. 

[boscobeans]

3 minutes ago, Marie51 said:

 I chose the 1 PM check-in but the thing is I don’t really know what time will be arriving at the port because the shuttle is picking us up at an Orlando hotel and I have no way to know if they will be stopping at other hotels to pick up more passengers or if we are the last stop before they head to the port. I don’t know if I will be at the pier at noon or 1 PM or 2 PM. 

They will probably work something out to deal with Buses and shuttles'

[vuz98]

I went into my cruise for Mariner departing Oct 1, edited my check in information, there is an option that would allow me to choose a different time, all were later so I did not change. The following was on the screen where you have this option: 

Note: Arrival outside your time slot will delay your boarding.

It appears they want you to arrive at the check in time assigned or chosen if able to edit.

 

I see I need to edit my signature for cruise history, lol.

Edited August 14, 2021 by vuz98
additional information

[Anton]

Check in opened for my November 12 Indy cruise this morning and the only time available was 3 to 3:30pm.  I thought that can't be right so I sent a note to RCI on social media and this is what they said about only having the one time slot:

 

"it's a placeholder in order to create some availability while we get more complete info. Please feel free to go ahead and choose the available time showing and you can change the time later once more options are loaded."

 

I guess that means they wanted to open check in but they don't know when the ship will depart.  Or something.

[livingonthebeach]

2 hours ago, vuz98 said:

I went into my cruise for Mariner departing Oct 1, edited my check in information, there is an option that would allow me to choose a different time, all were later so I did not change. The following was on the screen where you have this option: 

Note: Arrival outside your time slot will delay your boarding.

It appears they want you to arrive at the check in time assigned or chosen if able to edit.

 

I see I need to edit my signature for cruise history, lol.

 

Keep checking because some have said the previous times might open up at some point -- it did in my case and I was able to change.