Boarding in Baltimore

[mskaufman]

On the NCL Board I read about long lines, confusion, and late departures out of NY to Bermuda.  Can someone who sailed recently on Enchantment out of Baltimore report if it was smooth boarding or if there were long lines and lots of people who did not have their Bermuda TA or some other piece of documentation.

[Another_Critic]

We sailed at the end of March (8 day Bahamas).  We arrived around 11:15 for our 11:00 check-in.  No wait to go inside (11:30 check-in line was held outside).  Quickly through security (had a D+ "bypass"  🙂 ).  Separate check-in line for suites and Pinn, but just a single line for lower tiers.  Line moved somewhat slow, but I think we were on the ship shortly after 12 noon.

[BND]

We cruise out of Baltimore regularly and just did a b2b in April.  We were in a JS which shows as a suite on the boarding pass so we use the suite line.  We arrived around 1055 for an 11 check in and were onboard by 1115.  We literally walked right in the door, to the first person checking documents, right through security and walked over to the check in area and waited about 2 min for someone to check us in.  We then walked straight onto the ship. There have been reports of people having to wait outside in line, but the vast majority of those are people who arrived before their appointment time.  Because, yes, they are enforcing check in times in Baltimore.  I know some ports are not.

 

I do know that anyone who didn't have their Bermuda paperwork complete did have delays.  

 

We have cruised out of Baltimore 10 or 11 times and it's always been smooth.  

Edited May 29, 2022 by BND

[DragonOfTheSeas]

We had a JS on March 25.  The check in was a breeze.  However, the pax not in a suite had a long line.  A person in an elevator with me discussed 2 hrs outside in the sun.  

 

I think the additional paperwork that has to be shown several times makes a difference.  

 

I know our cruise was late leaving the port of Baltimore and I was told it was because of check in.  

 

 

[DragonOfTheSeas]

1 minute ago, DragonOfTheSeas said:

We had a JS on March 25.  The check in was a breeze.  However, the pax not in a suite had a long line.  A person in an elevator with me discussed 2 hrs outside in the sun.  

 

I think the additional paperwork that has to be shown several times makes a difference.  

 

I know our cruise was late leaving the port of Baltimore and I was told it was because of check in.  

1 minute ago, DragonOfTheSeas said:

 

sorry--did not mean to quote the above.  I wanted to add.  That an experience before Covid is not valid for now.  We just need to figure out our experience in the "new normal."

Edited May 29, 2022 by DragonOfTheSeas

[Another_Critic]

29 minutes ago, DragonOfTheSeas said:

I know our cruise was late leaving the port of Baltimore and I was told it was because of check in.  

We may have also been delayed waiting for a clear channel to pass the Ever "Grounded".

[BND]

1 hour ago, Another_Critic said:

We may have also been delayed waiting for a clear channel to pass the Ever "Grounded".

Which is now long gone.  It did not affect our departure on 2 or 14 April.  It was moved before our return on 22 April.

[alex_drew]

5 hours ago, Another_Critic said:

We sailed at the end of March (8 day Bahamas).  We arrived around 11:15 for our 11:00 check-in.  No wait to go inside (11:30 check-in line was held outside).  Quickly through security (had a D+ "bypass"  🙂 ).  Separate check-in line for suites and Pinn, but just a single line for lower tiers.  Line moved somewhat slow, but I think we were on the ship shortly after 12 noon.

Another_Critic, just curious.  I know that D or D+ used to bypass the lines and go straight to security, but I didn't think that worked any longer.  I was under the impression that only suites could bypass that LONG line and when we boarded in April the line, I was told by a fellow passenger, was 3 hours for those not in suites. Thankfully we had booked a Guarantee JS (our first) and were ever so grateful for being able to bypass that long line.  We always loved leaving from Baltimore pre-covid!

[sandy toes]

Friends just return and we leave TH out of B-more. 

They said it was "rough for the guests without the TA forms completed", "line was long, outside and bent all around for the TA forms", "some guests didn't even get tested". They said people walked the line and told people to move over there if they were missing anything at all. They all had to get in what one worker called "the naughty guest line". I guess that was why that line was so long, everyone that was missing anything had to wait there. Bermuda has eliminated the upload of the negative Covid test BUT it still needs to be done on Tuesday, and results need to be brought along to the port. 

It amazed me to hear about people not doing the forms for Bermuda, they are listed everywhere and we received several emails about them from Royal and our TA. 

Even more amazing, the people that did not have a Covid test. Where have they been since March 2020?

[BND]

24 minutes ago, alex_drew said:

Another_Critic, just curious.  I know that D or D+ used to bypass the lines and go straight to security, but I didn't think that worked any longer.  I was under the impression that only suites could bypass that LONG line and when we boarded in April the line, I was told by a fellow passenger, was 3 hours for those not in suites. Thankfully we had booked a Guarantee JS (our first) and were ever so grateful for being able to bypass that long line.  We always loved leaving from Baltimore pre-covid!

Sign said suites, key and I think Pinns in April.  It used to be D+ and maybe D prior to Covid, but not currently on the sign.     

Edited May 30, 2022 by BND

[sandy toes]

2 minutes ago, BND said:

Sign said suites, key and I think Pinns in April.  It used to be D+ and maybe D prior to Covid, but not currently on the sign.     

That is correct as of a week ago. Friends just returned and took tons of pics of everything, even in areas that said no cameras. They are now on another cruise, this one from NJ. I sent a text asking if they can send me the pic of the sign. IF they do, I will post it for you to see. 

[DragonOfTheSeas]

13 hours ago, Another_Critic said:

We may have also been delayed waiting for a clear channel to pass the Ever "Grounded".

That may have been.  However, I asked the concierge about the delayed leaving.  We were in the lounge when we finally started to move, and he said we were waiting for all guests to get aboard. 

 

edit:  Also, I have read many times that the ship needs to turn in a final pax list 90 minutes before sailing.  Our sail away time was 4pm.  So, all needed to be checked in by 2:30pm to make that time.  

Edited May 30, 2022 by DragonOfTheSeas

[Another_Critic]

3 hours ago, DragonOfTheSeas said:

That may have been.  However, I asked the concierge about the delayed leaving.  We were in the lounge when we finally started to move, and he said we were waiting for all guests to get aboard.

Were you in the DL or CL?  We were in the CL.

 

[DragonOfTheSeas]

6 minutes ago, Another_Critic said:

Were you in the DL or CL?  We were in the CL.

 

yes, CL.

[BND]

3 hours ago, DragonOfTheSeas said:

That may have been.  However, I asked the concierge about the delayed leaving.  We were in the lounge when we finally started to move, and he said we were waiting for all guests to get aboard. 

 

edit:  Also, I have read many times that the ship needs to turn in a final pax list 90 minutes before sailing.  Our sail away time was 4pm.  So, all needed to be checked in by 2:30pm to make that time.  

That makes more sense.  They normally pull away from the pier as close to schedule as possible as the port employees are being paid to be there.  Then, they would wait in the Bay for traffic to pass as required.  The only time we were delayed leaving Baltimore was in 2019 when they didn't have enough port employees/forklift drivers to get everything on in time.  They were still putting cargo and luggage onboard until after 6 pm.  We had a JS that was overlooking Baltimore and when we were in our cabin around 530, getting ready to go to the lounge, there was still a lot of things sitting on the dock waiting to be put onboard.  We were watching the maybe 2 forklift drivers rushing back and forth.   We finally left around 7 and the Captain announced the delay was due to the delay in cargo being loaded.

[herbanrenewal]

May 5th, 1130 entry, non-suite line indoors maybe 15 minutes to get through...nothing extraordinary, better than many cruises. Really only challenge is entry on deck 5 via winding through  rising ramps from ground level.

[Another_Critic]

12 minutes ago, herbanrenewal said:

Really only challenge is entry on deck 5 via winding through  rising ramps from ground level.

Yeah, that is quite a hike.  

[alex_drew]

Yes, on April 2nd, my sister and bil had an 11 am boarding time and said there were only about 20 people in front of them, but by the time we got there for our 12 pm boarding, the line was around the corner and half-way down the building, plus another separate line that I think was for the 12:30 pm  boarding...it was a mess!  It was the very first time that we were in a JS (usually sail OV) and I was very, very grateful to bypass those lines...  So glad to hear that boarding is much smoother now!