Assignment of Boarding times

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

Has HAL been assigning boarding times later recently? I am boarding in San Diego in about 2 weeks and still have not received a boarding time. I think when I boarded last February, the initial boarding time was available about 4 -6 weeks ahead (although it did change multiple times).  Recent experiences?

[Banditswife]

We got ours about 12 days ahead, then they changed it at about 9-10 days ahead.

[Florida_gal_50]

I want to say mine was about 2 weeks out.  Amazingly it never changed.  I found when they used to assign it earlier it changed so many times.  If you are and 4 or 5 star Mariner apparently you can show whenever the mood strikes in San Diego.

[Banditswife]

I was surprised to be in group B, since we are only 2 star mariners.  Or maybe I am not understanding what group B means.  We originally got an 11:20- which really surprised me, then it changed to 11:40 which isn't bad either.  

[liketraveling]

Two weeks out.

[DaveOKC]

On 11/23/2022 at 7:53 AM, Florida_gal_50 said:

I want to say mine was about 2 weeks out.  Amazingly it never changed.  I found when they used to assign it earlier it changed so many times.  If you are and 4 or 5 star Mariner apparently you can show whenever the mood strikes in San Diego.

Yes you can and we do!  No sense in waiting in our nearby hotel room.

[CGYCruisingFamily]

I am wondering if they are holding off because there was a bunch of changes to times multiple times often and this alleviates this.

 

I think though they should know who the 4 and 5* Mariners are and also the people in the suits and should assign those earlier.

[RedneckBob]

On 11/23/2022 at 9:03 AM, Banditswife said:

I was surprised to be in group B, since we are only 2 star mariners.  Or maybe I am not understanding what group B means.  We originally got an 11:20- which really surprised me, then it changed to 11:40 which isn't bad either.  

There is no reason how the boarding times are assigned. I have been sailing on HAL +40 years, lots of cruises and just was assigned 1:20 PM boarding time on NS!

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

Got my boarding group/time 2 weeks out.

[coachmouchet]

In Port Everglades last week boarding the NA, we were assigned 12:40.  When we arrived at 11:30 we noticed everyone was assigned boarding cards, so the times did not matter.  When your boarding card number was called, you would board at that time.

[REOVA]

5 hours ago, RedneckBob said:

There is no reason how the boarding times are assigned. I have been sailing on HAL +40 years, lots of cruises and just was assigned 1:20 PM boarding time on NS!

Because they flagged you 🤣 

 

It appears to be automated and random. We are 5* and were in Neptune Suite last month and initially got D boarding and then it changed to A a few days before sailing. Go figure. 🤷‍♂️

[rj59]

They don't enforce boarding times, do they? I've never had one enforced in SD, Vancouver, or Seattle, nor on any other line, except by RC after reopening last September. I went on the Noordam from SD to Vancouver last April, and just walked straight through at noon or so, since most of the pax were in transit from the Panama Canal. In Vancouver they always just sat you in groups and boarded in order, and in SD were given boarding group cards, with the 4-5 Star and suite guests boarding first. None of the Princess, RC, or Princess cruises I've been on have enforced the given boarding times, which is fairly unworkable anyway, since so many people show up on airport transfers and so much depends on flight schedules and traffic. It's also probably not a good idea to tell a lot of passengers who are cranky from travel and stress to go wait in the hot sun with no place to sit until it's their assigned boarding time. I used to show up by 11:30 for the embarkation lunch, which was evidently paused last year, which was as disappointing and Carnivalesque as the single lunch menu for an entire cruise. I'll see if that's changed when I board the Koningsdam this weekend. 

[Sea42]

We don't cruise very often but when we do we generally show up about 2 hours before sail away. We are always in town 2 or more days before a cruise and can always find something fun to do before embarkation. Lunch onboard just isn't a huge deal for us.

[LMaxwell]

Check in times are not enforced, and boarding times are just estimates.  Show up as early as you wish; you may or may not have to spend a lot of time in the terminal, but you will not be stopped from going into the terminal/through security. 

[oaktreerb]

56 minutes ago, LMaxwell said:

Check in times are not enforced, and boarding times are just estimates.  Show up as early as you wish; you may or may not have to spend a lot of time in the terminal, but you will not be stopped from going into the terminal/through security. 

In San Diego you may be stopped (and many have) because there is not room for everybody in the terminal.  Do not show up as early as you wish unless you are 4* or above.  If you do show up before your boarding time you may end up standing outside waiting in a long line for your group to enter the terminal.  The ships are sailing full and the port is making an effort to keep the boarding process orderly.  Please show up at your assigned boarding time!

[oaktreerb]

1 hour ago, rj59 said:

They don't enforce boarding times, do they? I've never had one enforced in SD, Vancouver, or Seattle, nor on any other line, except by RC after reopening last September. I went on the Noordam from SD to Vancouver last April, and just walked straight through at noon or so, since most of the pax were in transit from the Panama Canal. In Vancouver they always just sat you in groups and boarded in order, and in SD were given boarding group cards, with the 4-5 Star and suite guests boarding first. None of the Princess, RC, or Princess cruises I've been on have enforced the given boarding times, which is fairly unworkable anyway, since so many people show up on airport transfers and so much depends on flight schedules and traffic. It's also probably not a good idea to tell a lot of passengers who are cranky from travel and stress to go wait in the hot sun with no place to sit until it's their assigned boarding time. I used to show up by 11:30 for the embarkation lunch, which was evidently paused last year, which was as disappointing and Carnivalesque as the single lunch menu for an entire cruise. I'll see if that's changed when I board the Koningsdam this weekend. 

Yes ,they have been enforcing boarding times in San Diego.  If you are 4* or above you will need to tell the staff your status if you want to board early.

[liketraveling]

On 11/24/2022 at 8:55 AM, DaveOKC said:

Yes you can and we do!  No sense in waiting in our nearby hotel room.

Won’t work if everyone at the port doesn’t want to see your boarding pass. 

[Sunchaser46]

We don’t have our boarding time yet for our Dec 17 cruise out of San Diego... what’s the earliest time that is usually assigned?

[LMaxwell]

2 hours ago, oaktreerb said:

  Please show up at your assigned boarding time!

 

Boarding time is arbitrary and nothing to do with check in time. Good note that some terminals are smaller than others. The boarding time is a random staggering of assignments. If everyone is 4* or above what difference would it make in practicality? 

[DAllenTCY]

The earliest Boarding Time for the Koningsdam is 11:30 am in December.

 

David

 

P.S. Embarkation will go much smoother if you have your Boarding Pass printed.  Yes, you can have it on your phone but it is much more difficult for staff to read.  

 

Also, have your Passport available at the first counter.

 

 

[Sunchaser46]

13 minutes ago, DAllenTCY said:

The earliest Boarding Time for the Koningsdam is 11:30 am in December.

 

David

 

P.S. Embarkation will go much smoother if you have your Boarding Pass printed.  Yes, you can have it on your phone but it is much more difficult for staff to read.  

 

Also, have your Passport available at the first counter.

 

 

Good to know. Thank you!

[oaktreerb]

19 hours ago, LMaxwell said:

 

Boarding time is arbitrary and nothing to do with check in time. Good note that some terminals are smaller than others. The boarding time is a random staggering of assignments. If everyone is 4* or above what difference would it make in practicality? 

If everybody boarding is 4* or above you would likely have 2650  people trying to board before lunch!  

[HALcruiser2001]

What time is first assigned boarding time?

[DAllenTCY]

Group A  11:30 am

 

David

Edited December 4, 2022 by DAllenTCY

[kazu]

9 hours ago, DAllenTCY said:

Group A  11:30 am

 

David

 

thanks David - I got notice of group A but no time yet.  Much appreciated 🙂