RC Assigned Check-in Time - Flexable?

[susanf31]

18 minutes ago, cured said:

Actually, they won't be sitting in the air conditioned terminal. They will have to wait outside till their assigned noon time.

 

Nowhere in your original post nor in the title do you even mention "if there is no line."  Your excuses evolved as you received more and more negative feedback.  And you are relying on one single security guard's word. I would be curious to know how many other security guards you queried before you got one that told you what you wanted to hear.

 

This is a common phenomenon on social media platforms. People ask about breaking rules, get feedback they don't want to hear, and then change and evolve their story, hoping to get just one post that will validate their reason to break the rules.
 

You may want to view the many, many videos out there that show enormous lines early on for boarding Harmony. None of them back up your security guard's statement.

 

 

How many times have you sailed on Harmony out of Port Canaveral, Cured?  I actually took your advice and looked up the "enormous lines early for boarding Harmony."  Here is what people who have actually done it recently are saying:

_____________________________________________________

"

That being said, if interested in boarding early and unable to get appropriate time slot, weigh the risk/reward of getting on vs. having to wait for assigned time.  If it's worth the risk, awesome.  (Our boarding time was never checked).

Agreed.

Of all our cruises, assigned boarding times are never checked"

____________________________________________

So if boarding times are not checked, then you can enter the terminal before your boarding time. Which is EXACTLY what the security agent told me last Sunday. He said "the doors open at 10:00 and you can walk right in."  If there's no lines, perhaps they will let them check in. If they can't, then they can take a seat inside the terminal and await their boarding time.  

[Another_Critic]

Future topic ... "I showed up at 10 AM ... there was a huge line, I had to wait outside in the hot sun ... Royal needs to fire the security guard"

[poocher]

But if the line is at the first security check or they are checking arrival times, they WILL be waiting in the parking garage.  Despite that security guard, this IS a possibility.  If you or your parents are prepared for this scenario, then go for it.

Edited July 21, 2022 by poocher

[Another_Critic]

The way it should work:  Anyone that shows up before (> 30 minutes) their assigned time should go to the end of the line (and continue to be pushed to the end as other people show up for their assigned times.

[Another_Critic]

9 minutes ago, susanf31 said:

So if boarding times are not checked, then you can enter the terminal before your boarding time. Which is EXACTLY what the security agent told me last Sunday. He said "the doors open at 10:00 and you can walk right in."  If there's no lines, perhaps they will let them check in. If they can't, then they can take a seat inside the terminal and await their boarding time.  

So people that show up early get an inside seat, but people that show up at their assigned time have to wait in line outside?

[LMaxwell]

3 hours ago, susanf31 said:

How strict is RCL on assigned check-in times?

 

We have a check-in at noon, but would prefer to arrive at 10:00 am. Is that possible?

The Rules are for everyone. The past few years has shown that they are widely adhered to so that the cruise line has better control of the check in and boarding process. No one will kick you out of the port; but you very well may be outside on hot pavement without shade for 2 hours before being allowed in the terminal whatsoever.  I would be checking to see about access to Shade/Water/Restrooms from OUTSIDE the terminal first.  I understand travel arrangements sometimes necessitate showing up earlier than your window.  

[Cruising89143]

I’m amazed at the attitude of the OP but no matter what anyone posts here, they have made up their mind that rules do not apply to them nor does consideration for their fellow guests who do follow the arrival requests. If every person on that sailing had this persons attitude then there would be 5000+ guests standing there at 10:00 AM creating one heck of a mess. SMH…….🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

[hotsauce126]

3 hours ago, susanf31 said:

How strict is RCL on assigned check-in times?

 

We have a check-in at noon, but would prefer to arrive at 10:00 am. Is that possible?

You and everybody else lol

[CruisingHogFan]

22 minutes ago, Another_Critic said:

Future topic ... "I showed up at 10 AM ... there was a huge line, I had to wait outside in the hot sun ... Royal needs to fire the security guard"

You forgot to add “I demand a refund”  😂

[cured]

37 minutes ago, susanf31 said:

How many times have you sailed on Harmony out of Port Canaveral, Cured?  I actually took your advice and looked up the "enormous lines early for boarding Harmony."  Here is what people who have actually done it recently are saying:

_____________________________________________________

"

That being said, if interested in boarding early and unable to get appropriate time slot, weigh the risk/reward of getting on vs. having to wait for assigned time.  If it's worth the risk, awesome.  (Our boarding time was never checked).

Agreed.

Of all our cruises, assigned boarding times are never checked"

____________________________________________

So if boarding times are not checked, then you can enter the terminal before your boarding time. Which is EXACTLY what the security agent told me last Sunday. He said "the doors open at 10:00 and you can walk right in."  If there's no lines, perhaps they will let them check in. If they can't, then they can take a seat inside the terminal and await their boarding time.  

Enough to know that entitlement to cut lines causes headaches for both Royal Caribbean and the people who have the correct boarding times.

 

Again, picking and choosing what you want to hear to justify breaking the rules.

 

Right on the front page here is another thread about boarding Harmony.  One poster said he got there at 10:20 and there was already a zig zag line.  So your security guard was lying to you.  Most have also said that the check-in is efficient and you are through those enormous lines at noon within 20 minutes. Doesn't sound like that much of an inconvenience to justify cheating.

 

Again, if this is really about lines and not about preferring  to get on the ship earlier, why don't you explain why your parents can't board at 3 like so many have suggested. Your security guard said there are no lines then.  And you won't be cutting any lines.

 

Or is it really about trying to justify breaking rules just so you can check in earlier than your assigned time?

Edited July 21, 2022 by cured

[island lady]

3 hours ago, susanf31 said:

Here's the issue. I live in Cape Canaveral. I stopped by Port Canaveral and viewed the line to get in the terminal- Harmony of the Seas, because we have family sailing on her next week.  The line was HUGE - HOURS long in a very hot parking garage.

 

I spoke a security guy. He said the line looks like that from noon to 3:00 p.m.  He said that there is absolutely NO line from about 10:00 am to noon and the doors to the terminal open at 10:00 a.m.  From noon to 3:00 p.m, the line is monsterous. Then after 3:00 p.m. there is no line once again.

 

So if we can get them there at 10:00 a.m. if would actually help shorten the busiest time of noon - 3:00 p.m.  Again, I witnessed this first hand.

 

Just wondering if they got there when the doors open at 10:00 a.m., would they let them check in or at least wait in the air conditioned terminal.

 

Here's a video of the line I'm speaking about.

 

In answer to why they didn't choose an earlier time. Noon was the earliest time available.  

 

IMG_2708 (1).MOV 16.68 MB · 14 downloads

 

 

I also live there locally.  I made sure to adhere to my check time.  Inside that terminal (luckily there was cover from the sun) we witnessed "cattle gate holding pens" that were labeled with your assigned check in times as we dropped our luggage with the porters.   We had 11 am check in time.  We were let in during our time as soon as we walked up, but there were unhappy pax still standing in those pens as we walked right past.  BTW:  Those were obviously the pax that tried to come in before their assigned time.  

 

Do you really want to chance waiting in one of those for 3 hours?  In the heat, with no place to sit down?

 

You live in PC...so do what I do.  Drive to the port a half hour before your check in time.  You can relax at home in the A/C until then.  

 

As previous poster mentioned "Don't be one of those".   

 

And....yes, I have cruised out of PC seven times in the last six months.  I just may have a little first hand experience.  It was always the same situation.  You asked for opinions.   You got them. 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 21, 2022 by island lady

[susanf31]

1 hour ago, Another_Critic said:

The way it should work:  Anyone that shows up before (> 30 minutes) their assigned time should go to the end of the line (and continue to be pushed to the end as other people show up for their assigned times.

This is so absolutely silly.  If your logic holds, then anyone who shows AFTER their assigned time  should ALSO go to the end of the line for the entire day, right? Because if you were supposed to board at 10:00 a.m. and didn't show up until noon, you would essentially be "cutting in line" in front of people with noon boarding times.

 

Personally, I think anyone staying in Cape Canaveral or Cocoa Beach the night before should board as early as possible and get out of the way. Then people with flight delays or if SR528 (The Beachline) has an accident and everyone arrives late and all at once, won't have so much chaos to deal with. 

 

 

[poocher]

It appears you don’t really want opinions that do not align with your own.  You asked, we just about unanimously gave the same answer.  You don’t like that answer.  You’re gonna go what you want anyway so stop trying to justify your position:

[CruisingHogFan]

3 minutes ago, susanf31 said:

This is so absolutely silly.  If your logic holds, then anyone who shows AFTER their assigned time  should ALSO go to the end of the line for the entire day, right? Because if you were supposed to board at 10:00 a.m. and didn't show up until noon, you would essentially be "cutting in line" in front of people with noon boarding times.

 

Personally, I think anyone staying in Cape Canaveral or Cocoa Beach the night before should board as early as possible and get out of the way. Then people with flight delays or if SR528 (The Beachline) has an accident and everyone arrives late and all at once, won't have so much chaos to deal with. 

 

 

It makes perfect logic for anyone with common sense.
 

Many of us have gave our thoughts but you are still trying to justify your actions. You obviously don’t get the rules and think you are above them by even arguing back.

 

Maybe next time check in earlier so you can get a morning time slot….

 

[lb0103]

I will start by saying I don't like the ASSIGNED check in times. I get it but what about the opposite, my plane is late and I have an 11 check in but don't get there till1, where and how long do I have to wait?

 

 

[3yorkies]

I was very glad in Galveston that they did divide people by arrival time.  I had 10:30, arrived at 10:22, and had a line, but got inside the building about 10:40.  There were probably 500 or more people with other arrival times waiting.  If they had been allowed to just go in when they arrived, I would have been standing outside for a long time even though I arrived at my assigned time.   Now if you want to take the chance that you will arrive and there be no line (can't imagine that since they schedule from either 10 or 10:30 at most ports) and you can just walk in, fine.   But if there is a line, then you will be waiting outside for a long time.   Seems to make more sense to show up when you schedule your arrival.   I have a cruise out of Fort Lauderdale in August, got online when the check in opened and got a time of 11 a.m.    I plan to be there about 10:50 for my scheduled time.  Hopefully the times will be enforced as they were in LA and Galveston and Seattle this past year.

[moposh]

Can you change your check-in time?  If it's not available, you can always check back and see if it opens up.  

 

When do the cruisers get off the ship?  I would think disembarking cruisers would still be on board at 10:00 a.m.

 

 

[cured]

1 hour ago, susanf31 said:

This is so absolutely silly.  If your logic holds, then anyone who shows AFTER their assigned time  should ALSO go to the end of the line for the entire day, right? Because if you were supposed to board at 10:00 a.m. and didn't show up until noon, you would essentially be "cutting in line" in front of people with noon boarding times.

 

Personally, I think anyone staying in Cape Canaveral or Cocoa Beach the night before should board as early as possible and get out of the way. Then people with flight delays or if SR528 (The Beachline) has an accident and everyone arrives late and all at once, won't have so much chaos to deal with. 

 

 

Now you are contradicting yourself. You were emphatic that IF there were no lines you should be able to check in. Now you are insisting that if there is a line, those with a later boarding time who are cutting the line should not be asked to go to the end of the line.  Wow! You truly believe that you are more special than those that actually are there at their assigned time and you think that they should wait behind your superior butt.  Just wow. 

 

And no, that logic does not apply. If you are late, the line all moved up one spot, so your spot is still there when you arrive.  Everyone who boards before you arrive has actually boarded one spot ahead of their boarding time. When you get in line after your boarding time, the line is restored back to its original order. 

 

In the other scenario, if you cut in line, everyone is moved back one spot until they get to your 12:00 boarding time.  Now say 100 people have the same entitled attitude. That would mean 100 people would have to move backwards in line. And you truly believe this is fair?

 

Unless you are a Royal Caribbean executive making policy on boarding, your opinion of how it should work means absolutely nothing.  

 

Still waiting to hear why, if this is really about not wanting to stand in line, the reasons why your parents cannot board at 3:00.  Yet you conveniently ignore that. Even though you do not have a 10:30 boarding time, the rules do not apply to you, and you WILL board when you want. Boarding time be damned.

Edited July 21, 2022 by cured

[LMaxwell]

29 minutes ago, cured said:

Now you are contradicting yourself. You were emphatic that IF there were no lines you should be able to check in. Now you are insisting that if there is a line, those with a later boarding time who are cutting the line should not be asked to go to the end of the line.  Wow! You truly believe that you are more special than those that actually are there at their assigned time and you think that they should wait behind your superior butt.  Just wow. 

 

And no, that logic does not apply. If you are late, the line all moved up one spot, so your spot is still there when you arrive.  Everyone who boards before you arrive has actually boarded one spot ahead of their boarding time. When you get in line after your boarding time, the line is restored back to its original order. 

 

In the other scenario, if you cut in line, everyone is moved back one spot until they get to your 12:00 boarding time.  Now say 100 people have the same entitled attitude. That would mean 100 people would have to move backwards in line. And you truly believe this is fair?

 

Unless you are a Royal Caribbean executive making policy on boarding, your opinion of how it should work means absolutely nothing.  

 

Still waiting to hear why, if this is really about not wanting to stand in line, the reasons why your parents cannot board at 3:00.  Yet you conveniently ignore that. Even though you do not have a 10:30 boarding time, the rules do not apply to you, and you WILL board when you want. Boarding time be damned.

 

I think OP has been clear.  I don't see a need to interrogate them with an impossible question; no answer will satisfy you.  you also are not a royal carib executive so same standards apply.  

 

I feel OP has been given factual information enough to know how RCI handles their check in times and has been warned about possibly being outside for a while if RCI adheres to their policies. Dog piling on OP seems unncessary at this point. 

[barbeyg]

5 hours ago, susanf31 said:

Here's the issue. I live in Cape Canaveral. I stopped by Port Canaveral and viewed the line to get in the terminal- Harmony of the Seas, because we have family sailing on her next week.  The line was HUGE - HOURS long in a very hot parking garage.

 

I spoke a security guy. He said the line looks like that from noon to 3:00 p.m.  He said that there is absolutely NO line from about 10:00 am to noon and the doors to the terminal open at 10:00 a.m.  From noon to 3:00 p.m, the line is monsterous. Then after 3:00 p.m. there is no line once again.

 

So if we can get them there at 10:00 a.m. if would actually help shorten the busiest time of noon - 3:00 p.m.  Again, I witnessed this first hand.

 

Just wondering if they got there when the doors open at 10:00 a.m., would they let them check in or at least wait in the air conditioned terminal.

 

Here's a video of the line I'm speaking about.

 

In answer to why they didn't choose an earlier time. Noon was the earliest time available.  

 

IMG_2708 (1).MOV 16.68 MB · 18 downloads

 

Check back in the last couple of weeks before your cruise.  Earlier times opened up for us in the last couple of weeks before both of our cruises.  I was able to snag an earlier time then.  I kept checking the app for earlier times thru the checkin process.

 

Otherwise, since you are local, I suggest getting a later time, after 3 pm, since according to your post, there are no lines.

Edited July 21, 2022 by barbeyg

[jalves]

6 hours ago, susanf31 said:

Here's the issue. I live in Cape Canaveral. I stopped by Port Canaveral and viewed the line to get in the terminal- Harmony of the Seas, because we have family sailing on her next week.  The line was HUGE - HOURS long in a very hot parking garage.

 

I spoke a security guy. He said the line looks like that from noon to 3:00 p.m.  He said that there is absolutely NO line from about 10:00 am to noon and the doors to the terminal open at 10:00 a.m.  From noon to 3:00 p.m, the line is monsterous. Then after 3:00 p.m. there is no line once again.

 

So if we can get them there at 10:00 a.m. if would actually help shorten the busiest time of noon - 3:00 p.m.  Again, I witnessed this first hand.

 

Just wondering if they got there when the doors open at 10:00 a.m., would they let them check in or at least wait in the air conditioned terminal.

 

Here's a video of the line I'm speaking about.

 

In answer to why they didn't choose an earlier time. Noon was the earliest time available.  

 

 

The security guard was wrong.  

 

We sailed on the Harmony in April and the lines were not hours long.  They were in sections according to PAT and you got in that line to wait your turn.  If you arrived at 10 am but your PAT was not until noon, then yes you could wait for hours.  

[Mum2Mercury]

You want people to say, "Yes!  Break the rules and go when you like!  Justify it by quoting what the security guy says 'always happens'!"  

 

I don't think anyone has said that yet. 

[Mum2Mercury]

2 hours ago, susanf31 said:

This is so absolutely silly.  If your logic holds, then anyone who shows AFTER their assigned time  should ALSO go to the end of the line for the entire day, right? Because if you were supposed to board at 10:00 a.m. and didn't show up until noon, you would essentially be "cutting in line" in front of people with noon boarding times.

Well, yeah -- not silly at all.  The website allows X number of people to reserve 10:00 - 10:30.  If that's your time slot and you fail to show up, you don't have the right to overcrowd 12:00-12:30 time slot, which is certainly already full.  

 

An analogy:  If you have a doctor's appointment at 10:00 and you're running behind, you can't go in at noon and expect service, can you?  This is the same thing ... just on a larger scale.  

 

What you could do without breaking any rules:  Check the site daily to see if any additional slots have opened in your preferred time period.  It's possible that some cruisers may realize they can't arrive as early as hoped /may have switched to a later time.

Edited July 21, 2022 by Mum2Mercury

[Another_Critic]

1 hour ago, Mum2Mercury said:

Well, yeah -- not silly at all.  The website allows X number of people to reserve 10:00 - 10:30.  If that's your time slot and you fail to show up, you don't have the right to overcrowd 12:00-12:30 time slot, which is certainly already full.  

 

An analogy:  If you have a doctor's appointment at 10:00 and you're running behind, you can't go in at noon and expect service, can you?  This is the same thing ... just on a larger scale.  

Do you realize that you are AGREEING with whom you quoted?  😄

[sunlover2]

3 hours ago, poocher said:

It appears you don’t really want opinions that do not align with your own.  You asked, we just about unanimously gave the same answer.  You don’t like that answer.  You’re gonna go what you want anyway so stop trying to justify your position:

YES YES YES