Boarding time?

[APFBarb]

Tried to find this in previous posts but no luck.  How/when do you get a boarding time slot?   Last time we traveled on SB you just showed up.

(Many years ago).

 

We will be embarking in Dover, UK in May.

Thank you.

 

[jeffbrig]

We got ours a few days before sailing, when our boarding passes were ready.  Time slots are pretty soft... I've been on two cruises in the last 15 months.  The first, our Seabourn transfer from the airport got us to the port a couple of hours before our "boarding time".  We were immediately checked in and allowed to board.  On the second, we were staying near the port and made it earlier than expected.  No lines, no waiting, checked in and boarded immediately.  

My suspicion is that boarding slots is more a concession to covid protocols and not wanting crowded terminals.  But this is more an issue for huge ships, not Seabourn.  FWIW, the two sailings we've been on since covid had 100, and 220 passengers.  So absolutely no congestion at the port.

[cruiseej]

Unless they've cleaned up their process recently, you'll get an email about 3 weeks before your embarkation. And then another two weeks before, another a week before, and another a few days before -- each one moving your time a bit earlier or later. I have no idea what new information they ingest to require the multiple changes of boarding time; it makes no sense to me!

 

As noted above, you can bend your assigned time a bit and not be questioned or asked to wait. The main reason they do this is to spread out people arriving so there aren't a lot of people congregating and waiting; if everyone disregarded their assigned time and rushed to get to the port at noon, everyone would be waiting in a long queue. 

[APFBarb]

Thank you both for replying.  Didn't know if I had to log in and initiate a time slot.

 

So long since we sailed on Seabourn and so much has changed about sailing protocols.

 

But excited to be back on board a Seabourn ship .

[cruiseej]

2 hours ago, APFBarb said:

So long since we sailed on Seabourn and so much has changed about sailing protocols.

But excited to be back on board a Seabourn ship .

 

Don't worry; it won't be long until you get puzzled, and then annoyed, at the string of emails announcing and then changing your scheduled boarding time! 🤣

[scottam]

We sail on the Encore 2 weeks from today. Our boarding pass is available, as well as our final documents, but our boarding time on both indicates “to be assigned.” Any thoughts on if/when/how we will be notified of our boarding time? I’m not too worried and, due to our hotel checkout time, I suspect we’d arrive around 11:30am or so anyway. From above replies, it sounds like our timing won’t be a problem. 

[CJANDH]

We sail on Encore on April 23. We received our first (and so far only) boarding time notification on April 14. A little more than a week out.

[Covepointcruiser]

We were reminded 3 times to not get to the boarding area early in Papeete.   That is because there was no boarding area.   There was a small tent like you see at any port, no building or place to wait.    So it depends on where you board your ship, so if you are in an area with no facilities it would be wise to board at your boarding pass time.

[cruiseej]

On 4/16/2023 at 10:23 AM, scottam said:

I suspect we’d arrive around 11:30am or so anyway.

 

That's generally too early. It depends on the port, how quickly they got passengers off in the morning, availability of local shore staff, and other factors — but I'd say noon or 12:30 is a better time to aim for for early boarding. And you might have to wait if they're not ready at that time. 

[jjs217]

Just remember, if everybody ignores their boarding time and show up at a 12:00, then there will be lengthy waits, and I imagine some complaints.

[AmateurGO]

We are also on the April 23 Encore sailing and I got a revised 1:20 boarding time yesterday.  Since we're staying at a hotel in Athens, I suspect that our arrival at the dock will largely be determined by the check-out time at the hotel.

[Techno123]

As we arrive in Copenhagen airport at 9:40am there is not really the opportunity to do much else prior to boarding so we will go straight to the port and should be there at 11:30 ish. I will have to try my powers of persuasion but if we have to wait so be it. 😁

[scottam]

Thanks for all your comments! We are embarking at Galataport in Istanbul. I just learned that our hotel checkout is actually 12pm. If we can’t board when we arrive, we hope to be able to hand off our luggage to the porters and head off to explore Istanbul a bit more, until check in time! 

[RJ2002]

We are new to Seabourn.  Generally, what time are the suites available for occupancy?  Is it a tiered approach, similar to Regent?

[Mr Luxury]

3 hours ago, RJ2002 said:

We are new to Seabourn.  Generally, what time are the suites available for occupancy?  Is it a tiered approach, similar to Regent?

No they are generally available from 13.00 these days.

I have even had It as early as noon.

[AmateurGO]

If I read the Seabourn material I have received properly.....   If you arrive to the ship at your assigned check-in time, your cabin will be available.  If you arrive early, you may(!) be able to check in, but your cabin may(!) not be available.  I guess that one purpose of the assigned check-in times is to spread the arrivals and ensure that people will not be hanging around, waiting on their cabin.   

[cruiseej]

@AmateurGO It used to be that anyone could board early-ish (noon-12:30) and go to lunch or wander the ship, but suites weren't available until around 2 pm. Post-COVID, with the changes in both staffing and cleaning procedures, they now aim to have suites available at the time you board. But if everyone shows up at the same early time, not all suites may be ready and there may be a queue for checking in.

[AmateurGO]

Exactly, cruiseej...  The "appointment" approach is really just to try to spread out the arrivals in a reasonable manner.  I'm sure the appointment times reflect, at least to some degree, the time that the cabins are expected to be available.  Other cruise lines I've been on did not use an "appointment" approach, but did attempt to stagger arrivals based on the class of the cabin and/or the "status" (number of cruises, etc) of the customer.  Higher status customers were allowed/encouraged to board earlier.  I don't think anyone was ever turned away for being too early and the lunch venues were certainly the popular places.

[LexStone]

On 4/18/2023 at 9:37 AM, Techno123 said:

As we arrive in Copenhagen airport at 9:40am there is not really the opportunity to do much else prior to boarding so we will go straight to the port and should be there at 11:30 ish. I will have to try my powers of persuasion but if we have to wait so be it. 😁

Well Copenhagen is fabulous and you could definitely fit in a quick bit of brunch & shopping.

[Techno123]

5 minutes ago, LexStone said:

Well Copenhagen is fabulous and you could definitely fit in a quick bit of brunch & shopping.

It is but have already spent a few days there previously and don't want to have to lug suitcases round with us and please don't use the shopping word in my husbands hearing 😂😂😂

Edited April 19, 2023 by Techno123

[LexStone]

Just now, Techno123 said:

It is but have already spent a few days there previously and don't want to have to lug suitcases round with us 😁

Good point, well made! 😂

I forget that not everyone is a shopaholic like me - I’d drag a suitcase up and down a mountain for the chance of a good boutique…

 

[Techno123]

3 minutes ago, LexStone said:

Good point, well made! 😂

I forget that not everyone is a shopaholic like me - I’d drag a suitcase up and down a mountain for the chance of a good boutique…

 

I'm definitely being dragged up and down mountains on this holiday but sadly there won't be any boutiques at the top 😂😂

[caviargal]

We are driving from London to Dover on the 23rd and not taking chances to delay our arrival to meet the pre-assigned boarding time.  We will arrive at noon and wait until they let us board.

[Mr Luxury]

7 hours ago, caviargal said:

We are driving from London to Dover on the 23rd and not taking chances to delay our arrival to meet the pre-assigned boarding time.  We will arrive at noon and wait until they let us board.

You'll get straight on I'm sure

[whystayhome]

During last summer's SAS strike and lunacy in all European airports [but thanks to a daredevil taxi driver who drove 60 MPH through the city streets] we arrived at the dock in Copenhagen at 4:55 with our luggage.  Sailaway was at 5:00. Staff flagged our taxi down, rushed us through check-in, and helped us wheel our luggage to our cabin.  I NEVER want to go through that again.

 

Linda