Cruise Final Boarding

[lubedobedo]

3 hours ago, thepla said:

I can checkin on 4th. I asked Carnival travel consultant and quetioned three times when he said 2 to 4 pm to checkin. I made same comment I said here. "How can they get couple thoussand people on board in two hours?"

 

He said they had to figured out.

Maybe what they ment was  you can check in 2/4 (Feb. 4)  Not 2 -4pm?

[CruisinWithDLS]

6 hours ago, thepla said:

Hi

 

We are schduled for a cruise coming up. My son just got an email about a high school aassesment that could end at 4pm. We are staying at Sheraton, near Long Beach cruise port, and only minutes away.

 

Boarding is from 2pm to 4pm, ship leaves at 5pm.

 

If we get there a few minutes after 4pm will we be able to board?

 

Ship is Radiance out of Long Beach.

Unless you are platinum/diamond, you will be able to check in 14 days before cruise where you will select your arrival time.  Keep in mind it starts 14 days before at midnight EASTERN time.   Adjust that to your time zone and check in literally at that time.  I’m central so set a reminder for check in at 11 pm 15 days before cruise.  This should allow you to get one of the earliest arrival times.   Then on cruise day go b/t his sessions.  You can arrive late but at some ports turn you away if you are early.  Ship WiFi can be sketchy at times. But if you are still in port you should be able to use your phone hot spot for WiFi to complete his assessment.  
 

I think this will work better for you than you think, honestly!  Good luck and happy cruising!

[seaman11]

10 hours ago, thepla said:

I would not expect them to wait. Entire cruise was a little over 300 and I have 300 obc.

 

I understand risk. I see what everyone says. I don't see a play except hope my son finished by 3:45.

 

I'm sure if we are walking to security to check in at 4, will not cause ship to be late.

 

I still don't see how they can get all those people on in two hours with all extra checks 

 

Must be your timings not everyones timings to board. 

[Cruiser_1977]

@thepla This is your roll call. Only one person posted. I asked a question to try to get someone else on your sailing to confirm what you were told. They may have better information.

 

 

[Moviela]

I have a question about timing. Your son's online session could run to 4 pm. Is that in Chicago's Central time? 4 pm in Chicago is 2 pm in Long Beach's Pacific time. You may have nothing to be concerned about. 

 

Have fun on your cruise, that is a fun one.

[thepla]

29 minutes ago, Moviela said:

I have a question about timing. Your son's online session could run to 4 pm. Is that in Chicago's Central time? 4 pm in Chicago is 2 pm in Long Beach's Pacific time. You may have nothing to be concerned about. 

 

Have fun on your cruise, that is a fun one.

Reno NV time. I have to agree that no way carnival would allow only two hours for boarding. Since I asked their consultant, I forgot acronym, several times he was confident of two hours window.

 

It seems I'll know at 11pm tonight.  If I can schedule say 12:30 than we are golden. I guess tethering might be issue but we should be ok.

 

Is their WiFi available when boarding or after leaving port? Someone said there was WiFi at port, would it work on ship 

Edited February 3, 2022 by thepla

[chengkp75]

44 minutes ago, thepla said:

Is their WiFi available when boarding or after leaving port? Someone said there was WiFi at port, would it work on ship 

The ship's WIFI, which only connects you wirelessly to the server on the ship, will work, but it will not connect you to the internet, since this is done via satellite, and  this is switched off for passengers in port.  Yes, any WIFI signal you receive while on the ship, in port, will work just like you sitting in a park and picking up a Starbucks signal.  Or, use your phone as a WIFI hotspot, if you have unlimited data on your phone plan.

[thepla]

1 hour ago, chengkp75 said:

The ship's WIFI, which only connects you wirelessly to the server on the ship, will work, but it will not connect you to the internet, since this is done via satellite, and  this is switched off for passengers in port.  Yes, any WIFI signal you receive while on the ship, in port, will work just like you sitting in a park and picking up a Starbucks signal.  Or, use your phone as a WIFI hotspot, if you have unlimited data on your phone plan.

I meant WiFi package that is offered for while cruising to connect to internet. We get it. We've never been on carnival before and honestly can't remember if WiFi is a active three hours prior to departure.

[travelplus]

What about Mobile Hotspot or see if he could get access to the 2nd day assessment earlier? Another option is you all check in together and then your son goes off to the port for free wifi and reboards after but before last call 

 

What assessment is this?

 

I would postpone the cruise or ask if your Son can take Day 2 on another day before you leave. Maybe they will let him take it before he leaves.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 3, 2022 by travelplus

[travelplus]

One other option is that you stay at LAX or LGB airport and take the last Carnival bus to LGB with your son on mobile hotspot and the arrows pointing on 405!

 

Or go the week before and disembark before the assessment starts ,fly home in time for Day 2 or stay the night and fly out at 7 PM

Edited February 3, 2022 by travelplus

[keels81]

4 hours ago, thepla said:

I meant WiFi package that is offered for while cruising to connect to internet. We get it. We've never been on carnival before and honestly can't remember if WiFi is a active three hours prior to departure.

 

I would tether. The internet package MIGHT be available, but it's already going to be satellite-based and not land-data based like your phone/hot spot. I generally find the internet on most Carnival ships (even the Mardi Gras) unreliable until after dinner on sailaway day ... almost like the hamster needs a while to warm up before it's really running at decent speed. YMMV but that's just been my recent experience.

 

Good luck with check-in tonight! I'm sure everything will go flawlessly.

[thepla]

1 hour ago, travelplus said:

What about Mobile Hotspot or see if he could get access to the 2nd day assessment earlier? Another option is you all check in together and then your son goes off to the port for free wifi and reboards after but before last call 

 

What assessment is this?

 

I would postpone the cruise or ask if your Son can take Day 2 on another day before you leave. Maybe they will let him take it before he leaves.

 

 

 

 

 

It's for high school admission. They offered to move to March. Issue there is major high schools out east give offer early March and this one night be too late to leave as option.

 

Both of us have tethering on our phones. 

 

Timing here works great since he has off Friday to Monday for president day.

[Wanna_Cruize]

3 hours ago, thepla said:

It's for high school admission. They offered to move to March. Issue there is major high schools out east give offer early March and this one night be too late to leave as option.

 

Both of us have tethering on our phones. 

 

Timing here works great since he has off Friday to Monday for president day.

 

I board Radiance tomorrow. When I checked in, the earliest time was around 11:00 am if I recall correctly. I had to choose a later time, so I picked 1:30-2:00 pm. You'll be fine. 

[virginiab]

Different port and different circumstances, but a few years ago we were sailing out of Port Canaveral and totally messed up on the drive from Cape Canaveral to Port Canaveral. We misjudged how long it would take AND we got distracted at the nature preserve and left later than planned. Traffic was moving very slowly and we were in panic mood. I called the Carnival number for those have problems getting to the port and asked the latest time we could arrive and I think they told me 3:30. I called the rental car company and asked about just leaving the car at the port for them to pick up or driving to their locarion (very close to port) and having someone just hop in the car with us to drop us at port. They assured us they could get us to the port. By the time we were approaching the car rental place I had already called Carnival a second time. The car rental guys got us to port around 3:45. The last of the luggage handlers were packing up their gear and they told us to take our luggage into the port building with us. As soon as we got into the building, someone took our luggage from us and pointed to an office in the corner where someone would check us in. There was a family ahead of us checking in and we got to sit while we waited, then sit at a desk while a person checked us in. When we got aboard they directed us to go up the stairs to the dining room for the safety briefing which was about to start. A crew member saw us two gray-haired ladies and grabbed our carry on bags and hustled up the steps with them, We followed up to the briefing. There was no place left to sit but we were SO glad to have gotten aboard that we didn't mind too much. I think we ended up boarding around 4:15. It was bad planning plus bad traffic luck, and they did know we were on the way, bur I will never put us in that situation again!

[thepla]

Crisis avoided. Everyone here was correct.

 

I was able to check-in midnight East Coast, not my time.

I could have picked 10:30 and onward.

I chose 12:00 to 12:30.

 

We did tethering test and I feel we'll be OK. Just as much risk at hotel with Wifi as Tethering.

 I feel confident our room will be ready by 2:00pm for him to start at 2:30pm.

 

Unfortunately Carnival Cruise Consultant caused undue stress, that's OK. He seems like a nice person and maybe he did see 02/04 date and mis-read and told me 2pm to 4pm.

 

Thanks for all help.

[Ferry_Watcher]

Hope the Cruise consultant didn't tell anyone else this misinformation!

[keels81]

12 hours ago, thepla said:

Crisis avoided. Everyone here was correct.

 

I was able to check-in midnight East Coast, not my time.

I could have picked 10:30 and onward.

I chose 12:00 to 12:30.

 

We did tethering test and I feel we'll be OK. Just as much risk at hotel with Wifi as Tethering.

 I feel confident our room will be ready by 2:00pm for him to start at 2:30pm.

 

Unfortunately Carnival Cruise Consultant caused undue stress, that's OK. He seems like a nice person and maybe he did see 02/04 date and mis-read and told me 2pm to 4pm.

 

Thanks for all help.

 

Yay -- I'm so happy! I knew it would all work out!

 

Just to stick up for the guy at Carnival, in fairness he was just going by the documentation they're provided with: 

 

So, this thing DOES say 2-4 p.m., but we all know that they generally begin allowing people to board much earlier than that. The 2-4 p.m. on this document could stand for the time that the ship considers boarding time (aka, everything is ready to go like cabins, luggage delivery starts, begin monitoring those who have/haven't completed muster, etc.).

 

He wasn't wrong, per se, he just wasn't totally right either.

 

Anyway. Good luck to your soon and have a great cruise!

[Knights on the Beach]

13 hours ago, virginiab said:

Different port and different circumstances, but a few years ago we were sailing out of Port Canaveral and totally messed up on the drive from Cape Canaveral to Port Canaveral. We misjudged how long it would take AND we got distracted at the nature preserve and left later than planned. Traffic was moving very slowly and we were in panic mood. I called the Carnival number for those have problems getting to the port and asked the latest time we could arrive and I think they told me 3:30. I called the rental car company and asked about just leaving the car at the port for them to pick up or driving to their locarion (very close to port) and having someone just hop in the car with us to drop us at port. They assured us they could get us to the port. By the time we were approaching the car rental place I had already called Carnival a second time. The car rental guys got us to port around 3:45. The last of the luggage handlers were packing up their gear and they told us to take our luggage into the port building with us. As soon as we got into the building, someone took our luggage from us and pointed to an office in the corner where someone would check us in. There was a family ahead of us checking in and we got to sit while we waited, then sit at a desk while a person checked us in. When we got aboard they directed us to go up the stairs to the dining room for the safety briefing which was about to start. A crew member saw us two gray-haired ladies and grabbed our carry on bags and hustled up the steps with them, We followed up to the briefing. There was no place left to sit but we were SO glad to have gotten aboard that we didn't mind too much. I think we ended up boarding around 4:15. It was bad planning plus bad traffic luck, and they did know we were on the way, bur I will never put us in that situation again!

I can't imagine where you could have been in Cape Canaveral that you couldn't get to the port in a matter of minutes - unless there was a major traffic accident.  Our little city is only about 2.3 square miles and backs right up to the port.  Anyway, I'm glad it worked out for you!!

[thepla]

1 hour ago, keels81 said:

 

Yay -- I'm so happy! I knew it would all work out!

 

Just to stick up for the guy at Carnival, in fairness he was just going by the documentation they're provided with: 

 

So, this thing DOES say 2-4 p.m., but we all know that they generally begin allowing people to board much earlier than that. The 2-4 p.m. on this document could stand for the time that the ship considers boarding time (aka, everything is ready to go like cabins, luggage delivery starts, begin monitoring those who have/haven't completed muster, etc.).

 

He wasn't wrong, per se, he just wasn't totally right either.

 

Anyway. Good luck to your soon and have a great cruise!

I thought it was almost impossible to board 3000 people in two hours. We have only been on 6 cruies between NCL, MSC and Royal, this is first Carnival so I had no history.

 

Now I am back to normal and watched some videos on Raidance this today. Seems like a very cool ship. I will be eating some BBQ from Guy's Pig and Anchor while he sets up and takes assesment:) I'll be a great dad and bring him some fruit!   JK of course.

[ultrafighter]

Just had this thought:  if you have an interior stateroom, you may not be able to tether.  Even in port I rarely get a signal in an interior room.  😬

[thepla]

45 minutes ago, ultrafighter said:

Just had this thought:  if you have an interior stateroom, you may not be able to tether.  Even in port I rarely get a signal in an interior room.  😬

We have an Oceanview.

[ultrafighter]

13 minutes ago, thepla said:

We have an Oceanview.

I haven't sailed in an ocean view yet so I don't know about their cell reception.  Good luck!  Hope your son does well and can relax and enjoy the cruise when it's over.  😄

[sprint180]

Let us know if it all turns out OK!

[katiel53]

2 hours ago, thepla said:

We have an Oceanview.

To me, an oceanview is kind of like an inside with a window.  I think, if it were me, I'd try to find a quiet place on deck. JMO.

[thepla]

37 minutes ago, katiel53 said:

To me, an oceanview is kind of like an inside with a window.  I think, if it were me, I'd try to find a quiet place on deck. JMO.

I'll hopefully have a few to see if there is a spot on deck and test in room. I wonder if their WiFi is active prior to sailing? I've had mixed results on other lines