Board before my assigned time?

[PhillyFan33579]

18 minutes ago, Ret MP said:

Also, the size of the ship.

Good point. I posted earlier that the two longest lines I have seen at PC this year were on Harmony and Mariner. Harmony makes sense, but Mariner is RCI’s smallest ship sailing out of PC. Maybe the majority of passengers on the Mariner cruise showed up early. 

[bucfan2]

1 hour ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

Good point. I posted earlier that the two longest lines I have seen at PC this year were on Harmony and Mariner. Harmony makes sense, but Mariner is RCI’s smallest ship sailing out of PC. Maybe the majority of passengers on the Mariner cruise showed up early. 

Agree.  We were early for the Mariner, and probably weren't the only ones.  Wait wasn't that bad tho...certainly worth it to get onboard a bit earlier.

Edited November 9, 2022 by bucfan2

[Ret MP]

1 hour ago, bucfan2 said:

Agree.  We were early for the Mariner, and probably weren't the only ones.  Wait wasn't that bad tho...certainly worth it to get onboard a bit earlier.

I think it is human nature for the very vast majority of us humans to want to get to something like a cruise ship as soon/early as possible and we will seek ways to do that.  Asking or just getting in line to enter early is just the way it is. I don't think I've ever actually had to wait until my actual boarding time AND I don't think I harmed anybody else in the process of doing so.  

[DaKahuna]

What puzzles me is that it appears, and I have no hard evidence of this, that the same people who want to arrive at the cruise terminal earlier than their assigned times,  are the same people who want to be the first to get off the ship. 

I am more of a get me on early and get me off as late as possible kind of guy -- kinda like boarding a motor whale boat in the Navy -- first on, last off. 

 

 

[Ret MP]

8 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

What puzzles me is that it appears, and I have no hard evidence of this, that the same people who want to arrive at the cruise terminal earlier than their assigned times,  are the same people who want to be the first to get off the ship. 

I am more of a get me on early and get me off as late as possible kind of guy -- kinda like boarding a motor whale boat in the Navy -- first on, last off. 

 

 

I'm kinda the guy that likes to get on as early as possible and get off whenever, I really don't care.  BUT, we do "Self Assist" to get off on shorter cruises (3 or 4 day/night), which is early.  Not because we like to get off early, but because we don't like the hurry up and wait and going to look for our baggage and maneuver around the stuff.  Just move off the ship and directly to our car, at least at Canaveral.  No CBP,  just facial recognition which takes about 10 seconds.  As we get older though, we may have to use the other process as pulling and lifting baggage isn't as easy as it used to be.  But, I think I'm good for a few more years.  

Edited November 9, 2022 by Ret MP

[reallyitsmema]

6 minutes ago, Ret MP said:

I'm kinda the guy that likes to get on as early as possible and get off whenever, I really don't care.  BUT, we do "Self Assist" to get off on shorter cruises (3 or 4 day/night), which is early.  Not because we like to get off early, but because we don't like the hurry up and wait and going to look for our baggage and maneuver around the stuff.  Just move off the ship and directly to our car, at least at Canaveral.  No CBP,  just facial recognition which takes about 10 seconds.  As we get older though, we may have to use the other process as pulling and lifting baggage isn't as easy as it used to be.  But, I think I'm good for a few more years.  

 

Facial recognition is CBP.  If you don't get a green light, you have to go meet with someone.

[Ret MP]

13 minutes ago, reallyitsmema said:

 

Facial recognition is CBP.  If you don't get a green light, you have to go meet with someone.

I would hope that the reasonable people would understand what I meant.  I KNOW what the facial recognition is!!!!!! So, let me explain:  No CBP kiosk, an individual asking many meaningless questions and so on.  Done in just a few seconds. Come on, you had to know what I meant!

 

Edited November 9, 2022 by Ret MP

[Norwich Cruiser]

11 hours ago, island lady said:

 

Nope...wrong.  

 

We are currently on Wonder.  She will make her very first appearance in PC this coming Sunday to replace Harmony on the western/eastern 7 night runs.  

 

Wonder sailed briefly from Port Everglades (Ft. Lauderdale) before doing her Med itinerary this last summer. 

Yes it was Port Everglades and Barcelona apparently they boarding  times weren’t adheard to on embarkation from Civitavecchia also.

[Norwich Cruiser]

11 hours ago, island lady said:

 

Your check in time is printed boldly on your set sail pass.  

That’s correct but no check in agent ever queried the boarding time. 

[Norwich Cruiser]

6 hours ago, reallyitsmema said:

 

You should look back at your records, it has not sailed from Port Canaveral.

That’s right it was Port Everglades.

[Norwich Cruiser]

11 hours ago, island lady said:

 

Did they look at your set sail pass?  

I’m pretty sure they did.

 

But it wasn’t an issue we were always within our embarkation window.

 

You could also see folks with much later boarding times being allowed to board but it honestly didn’t bother us one bit the agents were excellent and the wait time was almost non existent it was superbly organised.

[Robo1098]

7 hours ago, Starry Eyes said:

The only ship on the Port Canaveral schedule for 10/29/2022 is Carnival Freedom.  Was that your sailing?  If so, Carnival’s policies might not be relevant to the OP’s Royal Caribbean sailing.

https://www.portcanaveral.com/getattachment/Cruise/Cruise-Lines-Schedules/CPA-Website-Schedule_Aug22-Dec22.pdf.aspx?lang=en-US

Sorry I goofed. The one on 10/20 was Tampa I got confused as we had one earlier from Port Canaveral and one 11/20 from port canaveral

[Starry Eyes]

51 minutes ago, Robo1098 said:

Sorry I goofed. The one on 10/20 was Tampa I got confused as we had one earlier from Port Canaveral and one 11/20 from port canaveral

Understandable.  So Tampa was enforcing boarding times on 10/20?  

[BirdTravels]

On 11/8/2022 at 7:52 AM, lucyrio said:

Hi...who can help me with this...I just checked in yesterday for our upcoming Nov 27 Wonder of the Seas cruise.  It says our health check in time is 1:30. I don't even know what that is.  Maybe temperature check?  We always get to the pier earlier than that and have never had a problem boarding.  It states if you don't come then, you will be delayed.  Can I try to go earlier or will they tell me to wait until 1:30. Would they really turn me away ?

Thank you

First, you have waited way too long to check in and all of the early times are "sold out". 

 

The port check in is run by the local agent, not RCCL. You may encounter a "boy scout" that wants to show how important they are and enforce the time to arrive at the terminal. The vast majority of time right now, no one checks. Next time, check in early and get the time you want. This time, just show up when you want and you should be o.k. 

[island lady]

20 hours ago, Starry Eyes said:

I did not say it is OK, I am reporting what I observed.  When a poster asks a question, I will tell the truth as I observed it.  
 

When we book last minute, only later arrival times are available when we check in.  DH and I then both repeatedly re check the app and, so far, manage to snag early check in times when they randomly pop up.  We do that because we follow the rules, not because we believe we will have to stand in a cattle gate at PC for hours if we show up before our assigned arrival time.

 

Oh, OK...sorry.  I guess I got confused when you said "it did not really matter".  😉 

 

I am a rule follower as well, and will get annoyed at times by the "self entitled, rules don't apply to me" types.   Seems to be too many of them in the last few years.  Sigh...   😞 

[island lady]

19 hours ago, jessed said:

They weren't checking at Cape Liberty last week, just walked right in. But there wasn't any lines at 10-10:30.

 

They never looked at your set sail pass?  

[island lady]

18 hours ago, Ret MP said:

Not to take sides.  But, it isn't the Customer that isn't following the "Check-in Times", it is Royal that isn't following their own rules and allowing people in the terminal prior to their Terminal Entry time.  We shouldn't blame the Customer, at least not in this situation.  Many people show up early not because of their own choosing.  If I ask a question and the answer is to go ahead and enter, who's fault is it?

 

IMHO...I think the check in time assignments are going to go away soon.  Just like the testing requirements.  Slowly getting back to Pre Covid set up again.  Including very full ships.  

[Ret MP]

1 hour ago, island lady said:

 

IMHO...I think the check in time assignments are going to go away soon.  Just like the testing requirements.  Slowly getting back to Pre Covid set up again.  Including very full ships.  

I sure hope so!

 

 

[island lady]

22 minutes ago, Ret MP said:

I sure hope so!

 

 

 

I am just thrilled not to have the testing requirements any longer.  What a PIA those were!!  Plus the stress of possible "false positives".  Ugh...

[PhillyFan33579]

17 hours ago, DaKahuna said:

What puzzles me is that it appears, and I have no hard evidence of this, that the same people who want to arrive at the cruise terminal earlier than their assigned times,  are the same people who want to be the first to get off the ship. 

I am more of a get me on early and get me off as late as possible kind of guy -- kinda like boarding a motor whale boat in the Navy -- first on, last off. 

 

 

No one wants people off the ship early more than the crew. 🙂

[Starry Eyes]

On 11/8/2022 at 7:52 AM, lucyrio said:

Hi...who can help me with this...I just checked in yesterday for our upcoming Nov 27 Wonder of the Seas cruise.  It says our health check in time is 1:30. I don't even know what that is.  Maybe temperature check?  We always get to the pier earlier than that and have never had a problem boarding.  It states if you don't come then, you will be delayed.  Can I try to go earlier or will they tell me to wait until 1:30. Would they really turn me away ?

Thank you

11:30 check in time is available right Now for your (and my😉) cruise.  Get it before it is gone. It is a two hour improvement over what you have.  Take it even if it turns out there is only one slot at that time (I cannot tell how many are available without taking it). Another may turn up.  (Sorry if the slot is gone when you read this. We have an earlier time but my eagle-eyed hubby noticed this slot)

Edited November 10, 2022 by Starry Eyes

[2chiefs]

One interesting conflict is that some of the shuttles from the local hotels and other places only offer one or two times to go to the ship. The poor schmucks that get there early because they are forced to due to their shuttle times will be required to wait in a queue if it's enforced.

[Tree_skier]

4 hours ago, island lady said:

 

IMHO...I think the check in time assignments are going to go away soon.  Just like the testing requirements.  Slowly getting back to Pre Covid set up again.  Including very full ships.  

I think that that is true.  Pinnacles and suites board first, then Key, then Diamond+, then Diamond, then etc...

 

Anyone showing up after the initial crush can board at their leisure.  I generally always want an early boarding time. Who wouldn't want to start their vacay as quickly as possible?  However my last one was the first time I was able to drive in as it was my first Navigator cruise. It was a 4 1/2 hour drive and I'm not interested in leaving home at 5 am.   We boarded and 12:00. It was really quite nice.  There was no line at all. We just walked through security and walked strait up the check in desk and walked strait onto the ship. I'm planning on doing the same for Navigator in Jan.  

 

For all the others I will continue my old plan of getting there as early  as possible.

[island lady]

3 minutes ago, Tree_skier said:

I think that that is true.  Pinnacles and suites board first, then Key, then Diamond+, then Diamond, then etc...

 

Anyone showing up after the initial crush can board at their leisure.  I generally always want an early boarding time. Who wouldn't want to start their vacay as quickly as possible?  However my last one was the first time I was able to drive in as it was my first Navigator cruise. It was a 4 1/2 hour drive and I'm not interested in leaving home at 5 am.   We boarded and 12:00. It was really quite nice.  There was no line at all. We just walked through security and walked strait up the check in desk and walked strait onto the ship. I'm planning on doing the same for Navigator in Jan.  

 

For all the others I will continue my old plan of getting there as early  as possible.

 

There is a difference between "boarding" time and "check in" time.  

[Tree_skier]

6 minutes ago, island lady said:

 

There is a difference between "boarding" time and "check in" time.  

True, they are not synonymous but are very closely related.