Boarding Time - 1:30pm

[cellfree]

We ended up with a late boarding time as I forgot to check in in a timely manner. Any point in us getting to ship about noon? We have always boarded early so am wondering if the crowds ease by noon hour and if we would be able to get on earlier than later. 

[Guest BasicSailor]

What ship and port? There is a difference.

[cellfree]

1 minute ago, BasicSailor said:

What ship and port? There is a difference.

Norfolk - Magic

[DallasGuy75219]

15 minutes ago, cellfree said:

We ended up with a late boarding time as I forgot to check in in a timely manner. Any point in us getting to ship about noon? We have always boarded early so am wondering if the crowds ease by noon hour and if we would be able to get on earlier than later. 

Firstly, these are arrival times for check-in, not boarding times.

 

With that being said, there is no definitive answer, because it depends on multiple factors:

 

1. Some ports are stricter about enforcing arrival times, and for any port it can even vary sailing to sailing.

2. How smoothly and timely was debarkation from the incoming cruise, when did CBP clear the ship for boarding,  and are the shipboard crew ready for boarding?  On any given day those factors can put check-in and boarding ahead of, on, or behind schedule.

3. How closely are the rest of the passengers following their assigned times?  If they're following their assigned times, there are more likely to be lulls when they let pax with later arrival times through early.  But if everyone else is trying to check in early like you, check-in will be chaos and they'll be struggling to keep on schedule and telling people to leave and come back at their assigned time.

 

Bottom line... take a chance on arriving early if you wish, but you only have yourself to blame if you have to wait around until your assigned time.

[Guest BasicSailor]

10 minutes ago, cellfree said:

Norfolk - Magic

Good Luck 🥺

[canes20]

Any particular reason boarding time should not apply to you, other than you forgot.

 

[cellfree]

Yikes!

[bguppies]

1 hour ago, DallasGuy75219 said:

Bottom line... take a chance on arriving early if you wish, but you only have yourself to blame if you have to wait around until your assigned time.

Best answer to the OP's question without too much shade.

[groundloop]

In my experience you might actually like a late check-in time.  You'll likely be able to get into the terminal without waiting in a long line, get on the ship in just a few minutes, and you should be able to have immediate access to your cabin.

[mz-s]

The port arrival time system only works if people actually respect it...(and granted - if the port officials require it to be respected)

[Mic101680]

This really depends on all the things everyone else has already pointed out. I've arrived about 15 minutes early on multiple occasions (ex: 10:45 for an 11:00-11:30 check in window) and it hasn't been an issue for me at this point, but there also haven't been masses of people waiting in line either. I *have* seen people get turned away or asked to at least stand to the side for awhile, usually because they have something like a 2:00pm time on their boarding pass and showed up at 10:30am. So yes, go a little early, but not too early, and it will likely be fine. Just note that not all ports have a good area to sit and wait around if you're asked to wait or come back later.

 

[jsglow]

So I think I've only had one occasion where we arrived prior to our boarding time.  It happened simply because of the timing of our shuttle from Houston to Galveston.  Really there was nothing we could do. We politely waited outside for the 25 or so minutes.  We know that we would not have been allowed in as we watched others.  No problem.

[asalligo]

I would have to try something, 1:30 is crazy. You paid for that day on the ship. Might as well be throwing dollars in the ocean like a fool. 

[mz-s]

13 minutes ago, asalligo said:

I would have to try something, 1:30 is crazy. You paid for that day on the ship. Might as well be throwing dollars in the ocean like a fool. 

 

I get it, and I've boarded early before when it worked out to get to the terminal early (but I also had a coordinating arrival appointment...). But frankly there just isn't much to do on the ship before 1:30 besides eat. Nothing else is really going on. So for me at least, I'd just as soon take my time getting to the pier. Really there are no wrong answers here, whatever works for you.

[ray98]

2 hours ago, asalligo said:

I would have to try something, 1:30 is crazy. You paid for that day on the ship. Might as well be throwing dollars in the ocean like a fool. 

It is within the boarding window....nothing crazy about it.