NCL Dawn (or any NCL ship) Check-in Time

[SilentlyPerfect]

In the past,  it did not matter if everyone in the same stateroom had the same check in times; now it does. The new NCL Check-in time rule is even if you are in the same stateroom, if you have different check in times it will not be honored and those with different check-in time will be turned away.

 

Recently, when checking in for our up coming cruise on the NCL Dawn 11/27/22 at the traditional 21-day mark, I discovered a hick-up in the check-in process. Innocently, like everyone else on that checking in I stood up to check in at 12:00a. Nothing came up until 1:00a to check-in and with that had internet issues. Then I discovered NCL was going through a maintenance issue and would be shut down for maintenance until 4:00a. My competitive side got the better of me and stood my ground waiting for the NCL web-site to reopen. When it did, I quickly grabbed the 9:00a-9:30a slot for both my husband and myself. A few days later while printing out our boarding passes I discovered I had the 9:00a-9:30a time slot and my husband had the 11:00a-11:30a slot. I called NCL rep to find out if his could be changed since the statement under the port information basically read that anyone with different check-in times will be turned away. The NCL Rep was of no help except to say this was a new rule. The NCL Rep even consulted with others on this matter and stood firm, thereby stating that no one is getting on the ship any sooner than 12:00 noon. She even suggested I give-up my 9:00a-9:30a slot that I stood-up all night to get. I did not choose 11:00a-11:30a for my husband, why would I? And at that time in the morning had I finished with my check-in the worse case possible I should had ended-up with the next time slot over for him (I started the check-in process with me first). So what happened? This is a new rule by NCL and according to the NCL Rep there is no exception. In my opinion, why not have the website (while checking in) with the first person automatically be the time slot for the second person in the same stateroom? Or all the people in the same stateroom?  Is this to easy of a problem for NCL to fix? 

 

After hanging-up, I decided to checked with the groups that are sailing on our ship.  I created a Google Sheet for anyone to join in the Meet & Greet and other activities across more than one platform for the NCL Dawn 11/27/22 sailing; almost 100 people had sign-up. After contacting these groups, I noted many had the same problem or was not able to get a check-in time due to website issues. I offered them the NCL Rep number and the number for those having technical difficulty.

 

Overall, I foresee on 11/27/22, at the Tampa Port there will be hundreds of angry guest trying to check-in with different check-in times with their loved ones who are sharing the same staterooms. I can imagine, this will be happening at other ports of call if they insist to separate everyone in the family to come back at their check in time, thereby splitting up families or children in the process.

 

Once again, this is a hick-up that can be fixed by NCL and I am wondering how long will it take to do so. Especially if NCL are insisting this is the way to go with their new check-in policy! Really? In my opinion, it will cause a lot more work for those involved or to split up families staying in the same staterooms, plus a lot of upset people arguing their case at check-in.

 

Do you have this issue on your boarding pass?

Edited November 11, 2022 by SilentlyPerfect
Confusion

[davencl]

I can't comment on much but can say the NCL rep. was correct when they said no one is getting on the ship until about 12:00.  It doesn't matter when you check in.  Everyone waits until the ship is ready to board, typically 11:30 to noonish.    I do find it interesting that all in the party must now have the same checkin time.   Seems strange to me.

[ChiefMateJRK]

Has anybody in the past several years reported that somebody at the port actually looked at their assigned port-arrival time?  

Edited November 11, 2022 by ChiefMateJRK

[BirdTravels]

9 hours ago, SilentlyPerfect said:

In the past,  it did not matter if everyone in the same stateroom had the same check in times; now it does. The new NCL Check-in time rule is even if you are in the same stateroom, if you have different check in times it will not be honored and those with different check-in time will be turned away.

 

Recently, when checking in for our up coming cruise on the NCL Dawn 11/27/22 at the traditional 21-day mark, I discovered a hick-up in the check-in process. Innocently, like everyone else on that checking in I stood up to check in at 12:00a. Nothing came up until 1:00a to check-in and with that had internet issues. Then I discovered NCL was going through a maintenance issue and would be shut down for maintenance until 4:00a. My competitive side got the better of me and stood my ground waiting for the NCL web-site to reopen. When it did, I quickly grabbed the 9:00a-9:30a slot for both my husband and myself. A few days later while printing out our boarding passes I discovered I had the 9:00a-9:30a time slot and my husband had the 11:00a-11:30a slot. I called NCL rep to find out if his could be changed since the statement under the port information basically read that anyone with different check-in times will be turned away. The NCL Rep was of no help except to say this was a new rule. The NCL Rep even consulted with others on this matter and stood firm, thereby stating that no one is getting on the ship any sooner than 12:00 noon. She even suggested I give-up my 9:00a-9:30a slot that I stood-up all night to get. I did not choose 11:00a-11:30a for my husband, why would I? And at that time in the morning had I finished with my check-in the worse case possible I should had ended-up with the next time slot over for him (I started the check-in process with me first). So what happened? This is a new rule by NCL and according to the NCL Rep there is no exception. In my opinion, why not have the website (while checking in) with the first person automatically be the time slot for the second person in the same stateroom? Or all the people in the same stateroom?  Is this to easy of a problem for NCL to fix? 

 

After hanging-up, I decided to checked with the groups that are sailing on our ship.  I created a Google Sheet for anyone to join in the Meet & Greet and other activities across more than one platform for the NCL Dawn 11/27/22 sailing; almost 100 people had sign-up. After contacting these groups, I noted many had the same problem or was not able to get a check-in time due to website issues. I offered them the NCL Rep number and the number for those having technical difficulty.

 

Overall, I foresee on 11/27/22, at the Tampa Port there will be hundreds of angry guest trying to check-in with different check-in times with their loved ones who are sharing the same staterooms. I can imagine, this will be happening at other ports of call if they insist to separate everyone in the family to come back at their check in time, thereby splitting up families or children in the process.

 

Once again, this is a hick-up that can be fixed by NCL and I am wondering how long will it take to do so. Especially if NCL are insisting this is the way to go with their new check-in policy! Really? In my opinion, it will cause a lot more work for those involved or to split up families staying in the same staterooms, plus a lot of upset people arguing their case at check-in.

 

Do you have this issue on your boarding pass?

Check-in is run by the local port agent, not NCL. They had been enforcing times right after restart to reduce the crowding in the terminal.

 

In most ports we have sailed out of recently, they have not been checking recently. That's not to say that you don't get some "boy scout" on a power trip that will try and keep you out. But just go with your group. 

[jjjct]

19 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Has anybody in the past several years reported that somebody at the port actually looked at their assigned port-arrival time?  

Never!

[debenson0723]

4 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Has anybody in the past several years reported that somebody at the port actually looked at their assigned port-arrival time?  

That's what I was thinking too. Not sure if OPs 'new rules' were something new from the past 30 days or she is referring to just after the restart many months ago.  I have only been asked to see my check in time once and that was last November in LA.  I had flown in morning of the cruise so got to the port right at my 11am check-in. Have also sailed several times with friends and we all had different check in times but no one even looked at them.  Much ado about nothing.

[DCGuy64]

I got two different times for our upcoming cruise, I think due to the fact that I checked my wife in a little later than for myself. My check-in time is 11:30-12 and hers is 1:00-1:30. We will just deal with it, if we arrive at 11:30 and they say she has to wait, we'll either both come back at 1 or we're split up for an hour. Nothing to worry about.

[julig22]

On 11/11/2022 at 3:52 PM, ChiefMateJRK said:

Has anybody in the past several years reported that somebody at the port actually looked at their assigned port-arrival time?  

They were checking when I boarded the Dawn in Stockholm last July - and asking people to wait until their assigned time.