Port Canaveral Boarding times

[freeon]

On the MSC for Me app it shows our embarkation time at 9:00am. This seems early, can it be correct. I'm fine if it is. Only sailing next year so it can still change but I'm curious. I know normally they have to empty the ship before boarding the new group but for our sailing there's a 10 day sailing 4 days before we embark so obviously not everyone is getting off the ship. Would they start boarding before those that have to get off are off since not everyone is getting off? Or would they wait until everyone that needs to be is off the ship before boarding new passengers.

[kelleherdl]

Everyone will be getting off the ship (zero count) and any back-to-backs will reboard before any new passengers are permitted to board. 9:00 does appear to be very early. I would wait for the inevitable update texts/emails from MSC changing your checkin time. 

[freeon]

So were on  for 11 days but on the 7th day were back at Port Canaveral for the 7 days sailing to disembark and the 4 days to embark. Are you saying that on that day we have to get off the ship? If so I hope we don't have to bring our luggage. To clairify we didn't book the 7 day + the 4 days, we booked an 11 day. Same for the 10 day sailling mentioned above. It's not a thecnicaly a back to back. It's booked as 10 day cruise.  

[Two Wheels Only]

2 minutes ago, freeon said:

Are you saying that on that day we have to get off the ship?

 

Yes but you can leave all of your things in your stateroom since you will still be staying there for the remainder of the cruise. Once everyone is officially off of the ship (card scanned), B2B people will be allowed back on relatively quickly. If you are among the last to leave, your wait will be shorter. 

[freeon]

That's kind of disappointing. What's typically the latest you can stay on the ship? It's likely that we were going to get off at some point anyway but probably closer to lunch time. 

[IsanTom]

56 minutes ago, Two Wheels Only said:

 

Yes but you can leave all of your things in your stateroom since you will still be staying there for the remainder of the cruise. Once everyone is officially off of the ship (card scanned), B2B people will be allowed back on relatively quickly. If you are among the last to leave, your wait will be shorter. 

If your on an 11 day cruise your not considered B2B, so you will not have to leave the ship. 

[Até]

2 hours ago, IsanTom said:

If your on an 11 day cruise your not considered B2B, so you will not have to leave the ship. 

On US sailings everyone must leave the ship on "turnover" and minimally go through a quick immigration process, regardless of how they booked.  This is different than the European sailings and it often causes delays when staff have to search for passengers that think they don't have to go through this process.

[IsanTom]

12 hours ago, Até said:

On US sailings everyone must leave the ship on "turnover" and minimally go through a quick immigration process, regardless of how they booked.  This is different than the European sailings and it often causes delays when staff have to search for passengers that think they don't have to go through this process.

Interesting!  I guess I'll experience this next month.

[kelleherdl]

12 hours ago, Até said:

On US sailings everyone must leave the ship on "turnover" and minimally go through a quick immigration process, regardless of how they booked.  This is different than the European sailings and it often causes delays when staff have to search for passengers that think they don't have to go through this process.

Boarding of the ship has been delayed for up to an hour as the crew tried to find one or two couples who did not follow the turnaround instructions that were left in their stateroom the previous evening. I was one of those turnaround passengers that was waiting to re-board while those passengers were being hunted down. US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) WILL NOT grant general clearance to board the ship until all passengers are cleared immigration. While the cruise company may sell a cabin as an 11-day cruise (1 booking number) or a back-to-back 7+4-day (2 booking numbers), CBP sees 2 sailings. Both ‘sailings’ are cleared individually. That is the process for all US closed-loop sailings.

Edited April 12, 2023 by kelleherdl