Arrival Time

[ImperialLady]

How and where do you pick your arrival time at the dock?  I see people say they are 'picking' their arrival time. And is there any advantage to getting to the port early or later?  thanks

[Rick&Jeannie]

This is done via the Medallion Class app.

[Sea Hag]

23 minutes ago, ImperialLady said:

How and where do you pick your arrival time at the dock?  I see people say they are 'picking' their arrival time. And is there any advantage to getting to the port early or later?  thanks

As Rick&Jeannie said, you do it through the app. There's no telling when it'll be available, but most folks have said two weeks out, I think. Our first cruise after the restart, arrival times were available before final payment. No idea why.

 

We like to get on board as soon as possible so we get more time on the ship. We definitely like to get on the ship early enough to have a nice lunch in the MDR, rather than fighting the buffet. 

[Waynetor]

Getting on the ship early gives you more time on the ship to do whatever you want with the extra time.  It gives you an advantage in booking some items that are potentially in short supply --eg Special dinning or the Sanctuary.  Getting on early increases the odds of getting your luggage faster.  

Getting on late usually means less crowds in the check-in area.

[dreaminofcruisin]

Many are saying no one is checking them anyway, but ours were available today for our cruise--59 days out.

 

Click Personal Information & Documents

Scroll down to Suggested / Arrival & Departure Groups

 

I had to log out and log back in to get it to work.

[ImperialLady]

13 minutes ago, Sea Hag said:

As Rick&Jeannie said, you do it through the app. There's no telling when it'll be available, but most folks have said two weeks out, I think. Our first cruise after the restart, arrival times were available before final payment. No idea why.

 

We like to get on board as soon as possible so we get more time on the ship. We definitely like to get on the ship early enough to have a nice lunch in the MDR, rather than fighting the buffet. 

thank you....my DIL looked all over the app and couldn't find any place to choose your arrival time.....so we shall wait until approximately 2 weeks out. We have never had lunch in the MDR but would love to try it. Again thank you for your reply.

[ImperialLady]

22 minutes ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

This is done via the Medallion Class app.

Thank you...I will let my DIL know...she looked and looked, but it was too soon!

[ImperialLady]

19 minutes ago, Waynetor said:

Getting on the ship early gives you more time on the ship to do whatever you want with the extra time.  It gives you an advantage in booking some items that are potentially in short supply --eg Special dinning or the Sanctuary.  Getting on early increases the odds of getting your luggage faster.  

Getting on late usually means less crowds in the check-in area.

Thank you....I think less crowds might be our choice. We have booked our tours, made reservations in speciality restaurants and in dining rooms. I might add, my DIL has a new iPhone and we have androids and the app works much better in her iPhone. And she is much more tech savvy than we are.😉

[ImperialLady]

7 minutes ago, dreaminofcruisin said:

Many are saying no one is checking them anyway, but ours were available today for our cruise--59 days out.

 

Click Personal Information & Documents

Scroll down to Suggested / Arrival & Departure Groups

 

I had to log out and log back in to get it to work.

Thank you....I will show this to her...

[Mike45LC]

I often arrive too late for lunch in the MDR.  As long as I board well before the ship sails, I am happy!  Boarding at noon or at 3?  An hour or three more ship time (and an extra lunch) isn't worth getting upset over!

 

If I am spending the night before in a pier-local hotel, the hotel probably has an 11:00 a.m. check-out, so I want to board as soon after 11:00 a.m. as possible, to hang out by the ship's pool instead of in the hotel lobby or cafe.  But the pool on embarkation day is not really great.  I try to be easy-going about it all!  

 

[ImperialLady]

31 minutes ago, Mike45LC said:

I often arrive too late for lunch in the MDR.  As long as I board well before the ship sails, I am happy!  Boarding at noon or at 3?  An hour or three more ship time (and an extra lunch) isn't worth getting upset over!

 

If I am spending the night before in a pier-local hotel, the hotel probably has an 11:00 a.m. check-out, so I want to board as soon after 11:00 a.m. as possible, to hang out by the ship's pool instead of in the hotel lobby or cafe.  But the pool on embarkation day is not really great.  I try to be easy-going about it all!  

 

Thanks. I originally thought we would come later to avoid the crowds. However we are overnighting in Seattle and check out is 11am. So we will have the car service pick us up at 11 and go to the pier.  Departure is 3PM

[Mike45LC]

2 hours ago, ImperialLady said:

Thanks. I originally thought we would come later to avoid the crowds. However we are overnighting in Seattle and check out is 11am. So we will have the car service pick us up at 11 and go to the pier.  Departure is 3PM

Sounds like a great plan.  If things go smoothly, you will be on board by noon and in the main dining room by 12:30.    

 

You'll have some crowds at check-in, but give all your luggage to the porters (except your carry-ons with jewelry, cameras, laptops, medicines and bathing suits) so you are not dragging stuff around.  If you haven't seen it before, you will be amazed at how many people drag their luggage around.  Massive piles of baggage at the buffet and other public areas before the cabins are opened.

 

Enjoy.

 

[ImperialLady]

12 hours ago, Mike45LC said:

Sounds like a great plan.  If things go smoothly, you will be on board by noon and in the main dining room by 12:30.    

 

You'll have some crowds at check-in, but give all your luggage to the porters (except your carry-ons with jewelry, cameras, laptops, medicines and bathing suits) so you are not dragging stuff around.  If you haven't seen it before, you will be amazed at how many people drag their luggage around.  Massive piles of baggage at the buffet and other public areas before the cabins are opened.

 

Enjoy.

 

thanks for all the tips!  Much appreciated.