Boarding time

[rcandkc]

In May boarding Mariner, no one (passengers or terminal personnel) paid any attention to assigned boarding time.  We’ll be boarding Voyager in Southampton later this month.  We will be using Regent transfer from London.  Will they assign us to bus by boarding time or with no system?

[Pcardad]

No system.

[rcandkc]

9 minutes ago, Pcardad said:

No system.

Then what is the point to be assigned boarding time?

[Pcardad]

1 minute ago, rcandkc said:

Then what is the point to be assigned boarding time?

The point, I would assume, is to prevent lines at check-in. However, since no one, and this includes both passengers and the Regent buses, seem to follow it, it doesn't work. 

[rcandkc]

Then it’s silly to assign a time. 

[Pcardad]

We get our time and schedule the car for as late as possible - maybe 3 or 4pm. No sense wasting the day on board when there are things to see and do. Then we get there and there is no line at all.

 

[Wendy The Wanderer]

5 hours ago, Pcardad said:

We get our time and schedule the car for as late as possible - maybe 3 or 4pm. No sense wasting the day on board when there are things to see and do. Then we get there and there is no line at all.

 

That's great if you're somewhere really interesting, but if I'm in Miami I want to board by around 1 p.m. You've also got the difficulty of luggage for the day.

[Pcardad]

12 minutes ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

That's great if you're somewhere really interesting, but if I'm in Miami I want to board by around 1 p.m. You've also got the difficulty of luggage for the day.

Miami has some great clubs - sleeping in is popular!

[rcandkc]

46 minutes ago, Pcardad said:

Miami has some great clubs - sleeping in is popular!

You usually have to check out of hotel by noon or 11.  I just think the pretense of setting boarding time but no one cares is silly and therefore meaningless.  I agree with the reason behind it but if no one follows it or enforces it, it is worthless.  So, stop this pretense or follow through.  Either is fine with me. 

[wristband]

Echoing Pcardad - we will also come from London to S/hampton by private car for Voyager.  No reason to arrive at the "assigned" time b/c its been a mess.  instead, we plan to arrive 3 - 4 for a 5 pm sailing.  The crowd will be onboard, no standing around, easy breezy check-in. 

 

What's the point of rushing only to wait in long lines after noon...then to stand in another line for a seat to eat a meh buffet lunch and wait several hours for your cabin?  Much to see in London.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

23 hours ago, Pcardad said:

Miami has some great clubs - sleeping in is popular!

Thinking about it again, we'd probably drive over to Miami the same day and save ourselves a hotel night (unless we're Concierge perhaps.)

 

BTW, wrong forum, but does anyone actually still park their own cars in Miami while they cruise?

[cwn]

6 hours ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

Thinking about it again, we'd probably drive over to Miami the same day and save ourselves a hotel night (unless we're Concierge perhaps.)

 

BTW, wrong forum, but does anyone actually still park their own cars in Miami while they cruise?

We plan to drive over for our Dec cruises. No desire to mess with trying to fly. But I am having trouble figuring out how to make a parking reservation at the port parking. 

[mj_holiday]

We will leave our hotel at checkout time (11:00) and head to the ship.  We usually get on soon after we get to the waiting area (pre-covid).  When we get onboard we have had no trouble finding a table in the pool grill where we have lunch and a couple of drinks n]and our cabins then become ready.  I would be too anxious to sightsee before getting to the ship.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

9 hours ago, cwn said:

We plan to drive over for our Dec cruises. No desire to mess with trying to fly. But I am having trouble figuring out how to make a parking reservation at the port parking. 

Hi, I'm reading up on this too, for our possible January cruise.  Try the Ports of Call section here on CC, East Coast section, "Florida".  There's lots of information there that says that parking is no problem, but I do not believe there are reservations available.  They do say you should check the maps carefully and determine exactly where the right terminal is (Terminal J I believe?)

[Portolan]

8 minutes ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

They do say you should check the maps carefully and determine exactly where the right terminal is (Terminal J I believe?)

Terminal J unless another small NCL-family ship is also in port.  Like one of the smaller Oceana ships which bumped us one time to the large NCL complex on the north side of the cruise port island.  Hope for Terminal J.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Just now, Portolan said:

Terminal J unless another small NCL-family ship is also in port.  Like one of the smaller Oceana ships which bumped us one time to the large NCL complex on the north side of the cruise port island.  Hope for Terminal J.

I presume this kind of occasion is known in advance, or at least you can find it out when you enter the port?

[Portolan]

2 minutes ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

I presume this kind of occasion is known in advance, or at least you can find it out when you enter the port?

Your final cruise documents should be accurate, but there are also signs showing what ships are where.  Of course if you are getting transferred by Regent either because of using their air or prep cruise night, they should have it straight.  If you taking a cab, most cabbies serving the port will know where the ships are (though ours in March didn't know how to get there...non-intuitive, trust the signs for J).  If driving, you may be able to use one of the ship tracking sites on the web to verify the ship's berth (after it docks earlier in the morning).

[Wendy The Wanderer]

I see this on the port website about parking, I wonder how this works, does this just mean that you pay when you arrive, or that you must reserve in advance? : "Please note that Garage J is pre-paid only. Passengers pay upon arrival to Garage J and are given a decal to post in their vehicle for the duration of their cruise."

Edited July 11, 2022 by Wendy The Wanderer