Check in time vs. boarding time

[nina_930]

If I was to get the first check in time slot, what is the normal wait time to actually board?  Lets say for example, the check in was 10-10:30, when would we be called to board if we have a suite?  Leaving from Baltimore if that makes a difference.  TIA

[groundloop]

I've never sailed from Baltimore, so my experience might be different.  On the occasions we've had priority boarding (suite or FTTF) it's usually gone very quickly, but not every time.  Normally we'd walk through the priority line which was nearly nonexistent, go to the priority check-in counter which took just a few minutes, and then on the ship.  

 

However, a couple of times everything was backed up and even with priority boarding it took over an hour to get on the ship. 

 

I'm beginning to think the better, less stressful way to start our vacation is to have a late boarding time after the crowds have died down so we can go right to our cabins without delay.

[SNJCruisers]

The first slot should probably be at 1100, which you would be able to check in online and obtain 16 days prior to embarkation at midnight.  Suites, diamonds and platinums get a 2 day head start, while everyone else can check in online 14 days prior.  Leaving from Baltimore will not make a difference, but it will make a difference if the cruise that just came in was delayed for whatever reason.

[firefly333]

Galveston first time slot is 1030 to 1100, A01, so I'm assuming,the A01 is the first waiting area inside. I was up at midnight when mine opened and got the first time.

 

Later on they got 1030 to 1100, A02. 

[BoozinCroozin]

Based on what I have been reading, Arrival Time is meaningless. Tons of people start showing up still at 9:45 or earlier. Even so, people are saying once the ship is open for boarding, it is very quick. 

 

If covid was so important to Carnival, they would not allow people to even get into a line outside the terminal until their Arrival Time. It also doesn't even seem to be that they limit the number of people for an Arrival Time, just the boarding group.

[tallnthensome]

I had the earliest non platinum and Diamond time at 11:00 last week and there were people getting into the terminal with 1:30 times in front of me . It was a zoo and a disaster. Nobody listens to the times, not even carnival . 

[BoozinCroozin]

4 minutes ago, tallnthensome said:

I had the earliest non platinum and Diamond time at 11:00 last week and there were people getting into the terminal with 1:30 times in front of me . It was a zoo and a disaster. Nobody listens to the times, not even carnival . 

This is 100% failure on Carnival's part. They should check the Arrival Time when you get to the terminal doors. If it is not your time, then send you through a separate cattle call that loops you all the way out past the port entrance through a fenced walkway. Then the idiots get to do it all over. It is so stupid not to manage this. 

[V_V]

I dont know why its so hard for people to follow instructions and show up at their designated time slot. 

[Bostwick girl]

Last Monday at Port Canaveral, our check in time was 12-12:30. We arrived  around 11:50. Time we unloaded and got the car parked, went thru the boarding paperwork check, security check, and final check, we were on board the ship and dropping off our carryon, met our room steward, and did our very quick and easy muster check in, we were back in the cabin by 12:30! I’d say that’s pretty fast!

 

[Gran1]

i AM GOING TO JUST SAY:

Your boarding time is 1:30, mine is 1:00..excuse me as I take my place in front of you.  Thank you".

And I will keep going down the line.  As long as I am on time!

[Bevv]

Just for clarification, the time on the boarding pass is check in time, not boarding time.

In Galveston they monitor the check in time closely. If you are not in the check in window, you have to go to the "early or late" line. Once you go through the check in process, you then have to wait in the terminal till your boarding zone is called.  In my case I have D01 and check in time of 12:00-12:30. So if you have A01 and I somehow get in the line before you, you will still get on the ship before I will due to the boarding zone.

<Galveston has been proactive about boarding times for several years>

[BoozinCroozin]

43 minutes ago, Bevv said:

Just for clarification, the time on the boarding pass is check in time, not boarding time.

In Galveston they monitor the check in time closely. If you are not in the check in window, you have to go to the "early or late" line. Once you go through the check in process, you then have to wait in the terminal till your boarding zone is called.  In my case I have D01 and check in time of 12:00-12:30. So if you have A01 and I somehow get in the line before you, you will still get on the ship before I will due to the boarding zone.

<Galveston has been proactive about boarding times for several years>

But that is the problem. Remember, we are trying to control covid and stop packing people in. So instead of just the 10:30AM Arrival Time Check-in, you have the 12:30PM check-in people packing everything in. Why not spread the cattle out, throw out the 12:30PM people and make them stand outside somewhere for 2 hours until their Arrival Time. Now, instead of 2,000 people trying to pack the check-in, you have maybe the 400 10:30AM-11:00AM, take the 30 minutes to process them through check-in and board. Next, the 400 for the 11AM-11:30AM, process them through. Instead, it is cram 2,000 people together, make the 10:30AM people wait for the 12:30PM people to go through, then be crammed into the terminal. 

 

It is so much easier to tell the 12:30PM people to go away until their boarding time. Go stand in the sun, in the parking garage, play in traffic, or whatever your selfish person needs to do. I think it is absolutely stupid having people cram into a terminal that don't belong there. Better yet, put them in a shame line...like you said Early/Late Arrival Line. Have it enclosed by a fence on all sides and top, make them walk about 2 miles through a maze of it, then get to a waiting area with only 1 person and process each party ever 30 minutes. While stuck in this shame line people with your original Arrival Time are boarding the ship for being courteous.

[bsp]

1 hour ago, Bostwick girl said:

Last Monday at Port Canaveral, our check in time was 12-12:30. We arrived  around 11:50. Time we unloaded and got the car parked, went thru the boarding paperwork check, security check, and final check, we were on board the ship and dropping off our carryon, met our room steward, and did our very quick and easy muster check in, we were back in the cabin by 12:30! I’d say that’s pretty fast!

 

Great to know Port Canaveral was that quick. Leaving from there Oct 7 & so looking forward to it!! Happy cruising all.🚢 🏖️

[dbrucern]

4 hours ago, BoozinCroozin said:

This is 100% failure on Carnival's part. They should check the Arrival Time when you get to the terminal doors. If it is not your time, then send you through a separate cattle call that loops you all the way out past the port entrance through a fenced walkway. Then the idiots get to do it all over. It is so stupid not to manage this. 

Agree, no one ever looked at our boarding passes for time. There was 10 in my party, we all stayed up to midnight and got the 10:30 to 11 slot. When we arrived at the dock at 10:15 there was already a huge line and we were A01, The line went fairly quickly but by the time we got through they were already calling group 4.

[Elaine5715]

5 hours ago, BoozinCroozin said:

Based on what I have been reading, Arrival Time is meaningless. Tons of people start showing up still at 9:45 or earlier. Even so, people are saying once the ship is open for boarding, it is very quick. 

 

If covid was so important to Carnival, they would not allow people to even get into a line outside the terminal until their Arrival Time. It also doesn't even seem to be that they limit the number of people for an Arrival Time, just the boarding group.

Which they used to do PreCovid.  

[groundloop]

10 minutes ago, dbrucern said:

Agree, no one ever looked at our boarding passes for time. There was 10 in my party, we all stayed up to midnight and got the 10:30 to 11 slot. When we arrived at the dock at 10:15 there was already a huge line and we were A01, The line went fairly quickly but by the time we got through they were already calling group 4.

 

Which port was this at?

 

Carnival needs to get an earful from a lot of unhappy people about this, especially considering that we're still in the middle of a Covid pandemic.

 

AND all of these horror stories keep adding to my conviction that the latest time slots may be the most desirable..... no lines and no lugging around your carry-ons and a couple of 12 packs of soda until your room is ready.

 

 

 

[Elaine5715]

12 minutes ago, dbrucern said:

Agree, no one ever looked at our boarding passes for time. There was 10 in my party, we all stayed up to midnight and got the 10:30 to 11 slot. When we arrived at the dock at 10:15 there was already a huge line and we were A01, The line went fairly quickly but by the time we got through they were already calling group 4.

Yep, I got the 10:30 am slot (A01) with my 2 day advance selection and my newbies also got a 10:30 am slot (A03) 2 days later at 12 midnight.    Everyone in line ahead of us had arrival times way after us (Seattle).  Line was slow to enter, over an hour, so by the time we got thru, they were boarding.  

[V_V]

I hope people are responding to this on their end of cruise survey. Maybe Carnival will eventually do something about it. 🤷‍♀️

[Homosassa]

Nobody has picked up on the fact that you are leaving from Baltimore which can affect your ability to enter the port.

 

The big question is how you are arriving at the port. 

 

If you are driving and planning to park at the port, there is a problem with an early arrival time.  Parking is limited at the port and the lot needs to clear of passengers' cars from the previous cruise.

 

Someone can not join a line to enter the port lot when it opens. Because the line backs up onto a city street, police will force cars blocking the traffic to leave and not return until the entrance is easily available to incoming passengers' cars.

 

I have read posts that stated passengers arriving by hired transportation can enter the port when they arrive.

Edited September 8, 2021 by Homosassa

[firefly333]

6 minutes ago, V_V said:

I hope people are responding to this on their end of cruise survey. Maybe Carnival will eventually do something about it. 🤷‍♀️

I have never once gotten a survey after my carnival cruise. They seem to have lost my email. I've read surveys are hit and miss. 

[crooooze]

22 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

I have never once gotten a survey after my carnival cruise. They seem to have lost my email. I've read surveys are hit and miss. 

If you don’t get a survey link after you cruise, you can access the survey from their website:

 

https://help.carnival.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1371/~/post-cruise-guest-satisfaction-survey

[Joe817]

On our Vista cruise, my wife was online at 10:50 pm central time, and waited until 11pm to do our check in online. We deliberately chose a 1:00-1:30 pm check in time at the port. It went soooo smooth. We avoided ALL lines and crowds, and breezed right on through. We never even had time to sit down. We were on the ship within 25 minutes from dropping off our bags. We boarded the ship & went straight to muster drill, as we were pretty sure our cabin wouldn't be ready for us. By the time we got to our room after muster drill, our S&S cards were waiting for us, and our cabin was ready. Easy peasy.

 

We will no longer try to get earliest check in time. I've learned my lesson. 

[V_V]

33 minutes ago, Joe817 said:

On our Vista cruise, my wife was online at 10:50 pm central time, and waited until 11pm to do our check in online. We deliberately chose a 1:00-1:30 pm check in time at the port. It went soooo smooth. We avoided ALL lines and crowds, and breezed right on through. We never even had time to sit down. We were on the ship within 25 minutes from dropping off our bags. We boarded the ship & went straight to muster drill, as we were pretty sure our cabin wouldn't be ready for us. By the time we got to our room after muster drill, our S&S cards were waiting for us, and our cabin was ready. Easy peasy.

 

We will no longer try to get earliest check in time. I've learned my lesson. 

I'm thinking we may go this route and elect a later check-in time. 

[Elaine5715]

4 hours ago, V_V said:

I dont know why its so hard for people to follow instructions and show up at their designated time slot. 

Because it works for them.  They show up when they want and get the same boarding access as someone who followed instructions.  

[csm5986142]

13 hours ago, nina_930 said:

when would we be called to board if we have a suite?

 

Passengers in suites are called to board first, then they start calling groups (A01, A02, and so forth).