Recent Escape From Miami Cruisers - Boarding time and reservations success

[quagmire0]

Our flight gets in around 9am, so I figure the earliest we'd be to the port is probably 10:30ish after getting off the plane, getting our stuff, and catching a cab. My main concern is getting some entertainment and dining reservations when we get on.  Was curious what peoples' recent experience on the Escape was in terms of time you boarded and your ability to get the reservations you wanted. Should I just grab the earliest realistic check-in window, or would not rushing it still give me a shot at decent reservations?

[Seas2mountains]

How many people are in your party for dinner reservations? If it is for 2 people, it will be much easier than for a larger group. 
 

On May 28th, we boarded a few minutes after 11am and were among the first to board from the priority group. After going to our muster station, we went directly to restaurant reservations. We had to adjust some specialty dining reservations and it was more challenging for the ones with a party of 5 people than the ones for a party of 3 people. 
 

There have been times I have booked online for a party of 4 or 6 for the time that I wanted but then let them know once I got onboard that we are a party of 2.  
 

When we were disembarking with 5100 people on June 4th, we didn’t step into the cruise terminal until 10:55am or so.  They were people behind us in line to disembark so I expect the cruise happening now didn’t start boarding until after 11am. 
 

You won’t need reservations for Manhattan if they handle it the way it was on our cruise with one mixed line for those with and without reservations. 

[www3traveler]

37 minutes ago, quagmire0 said:

Our flight gets in around 9am, so I figure the earliest we'd be to the port is probably 10:30ish after getting off the plane, getting our stuff, and catching a cab. My main concern is getting some entertainment and dining reservations when we get on.  Was curious what peoples' recent experience on the Escape was in terms of time you boarded and your ability to get the reservations you wanted. Should I just grab the earliest realistic check-in window, or would not rushing it still give me a shot at decent reservations?

Your "Check-In Time" is what time to begin your check-in process NOT what time you will actually board the ship.  After boarding and checking in at your Muster Station, I would go to the Box Office to get your entertainment reservations and then do your dining.

[quagmire0]

11 hours ago, Seas2mountains said:

How many people are in your party for dinner reservations? If it is for 2 people, it will be much easier than for a larger group. 
 

On May 28th, we boarded a few minutes after 11am and were among the first to board from the priority group. After going to our muster station, we went directly to restaurant reservations. We had to adjust some specialty dining reservations and it was more challenging for the ones with a party of 5 people than the ones for a party of 3 people. 
 

There have been times I have booked online for a party of 4 or 6 for the time that I wanted but then let them know once I got onboard that we are a party of 2.  
 

When we were disembarking with 5100 people on June 4th, we didn’t step into the cruise terminal until 10:55am or so.  They were people behind us in line to disembark so I expect the cruise happening now didn’t start boarding until after 11am. 
 

You won’t need reservations for Manhattan if they handle it the way it was on our cruise with one mixed line for those with and without reservations. 

 

We'll be a party of 6.  Good news is that I wasn't planning on doing that much dining.  We've got one free with the package(Which will probably end up as a Cagney's or Moderno stop and then I was thinking of maybe using OBC and/or going to Food Republic - which has a bunch of lower-priced options. 

[BirdTravels]

12 hours ago, quagmire0 said:

Our flight gets in around 9am, so I figure the earliest we'd be to the port is probably 10:30ish after getting off the plane, getting our stuff, and catching a cab. My main concern is getting some entertainment and dining reservations when we get on.  Was curious what peoples' recent experience on the Escape was in terms of time you boarded and your ability to get the reservations you wanted. Should I just grab the earliest realistic check-in window, or would not rushing it still give me a shot at decent reservations?

We were on the escape last month. The shows with limited capacity are comedy shows and shows/ sinner shows in the Supper Club. 
 

Dining should be booked exactly 120 days prior to departure (125 in club balconies and top tier latitudes, 130 days for suites). 12 midnight eastern time. 
 

Check in opens 21 days before departure. 12 midnight eastern. By the next morning, early checkin times will be sold out. 
 

Choir of Man reservations open 21 days prior to departure. 26 days for top tier latitudes. 
 

We boarded early, so I can’t tell you how long they lasted. 
 

We sailed with 4600 passengers (the Escape’s capacity is 4200) so there were a lot of people. 

Edited June 9, 2023 by BirdTravels

[JandC_Cruising]

6 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

We were on the escape last month. The shows with limited capacity are comedy shows and shows/ sinner shows in the Supper Club. 

"Sinner Shows"?  I bet that one fills up quickly 😆

[quagmire0]

24 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

We were on the escape last month. The shows with limited capacity are comedy shows and shows/ sinner shows in the Supper Club. 
 

Dining should be booked exactly 120 days prior to departure (125 in club balconies and top tier latitudes, 130 days for suites). 12 midnight eastern time. 
 

Check in opens 21 days before departure. 12 midnight eastern. By the next morning, early checkin times will be sold out. 
 

Choir of Man reservations open 21 days prior to departure. 26 days for top tier latitudes. 
 

We boarded early, so I can’t tell you how long they lasted. 
 

We sailed with 4600 passengers (the Escape’s capacity is 4200) so there were a lot of people. 

 

Great info, thanks!  I obviously missed most of the pre-board dining reservations - at least Cagney's anyway. Will need to find a resy when I'm on the ship.  I'm looking now at booking the complimentary dining. Need to recheck the itinerary. Trying to make reservations that wouldn't conflict with potential showtimes. I'll be on the website at the stroke of midnight, no doubt. 😄 (11am CT, so it's not that bad). 

[tonit964]

13 hours ago, www3traveler said:

Your "Check-In Time" is what time to begin your check-in process NOT what time you will actually board the ship.  After boarding and checking in at your Muster Station, I would go to the Box Office to get your entertainment reservations and then do your dining.

Will be boarding the Encore in a few weeks. When we get on the ship, do we have to do muster before anything else or can we make our reservations and then get muster done?

TIA!

[Seas2mountains]

38 minutes ago, tonit964 said:

Will be boarding the Encore in a few weeks. When we get on the ship, do we have to do muster before anything else or can we make our reservations and then get muster done?

TIA!

The staff will direct you to the muster station as soon as you board the ship. It takes less than a minute to scan your key card and you can then go to restaurant reservations. You could go immediately to restaurant reservations and then to the muster station but in some cases the muster station may be on the way anyways.

[www3traveler]

46 minutes ago, tonit964 said:

Will be boarding the Encore in a few weeks. When we get on the ship, do we have to do muster before anything else or can we make our reservations and then get muster done?

TIA!

I do the Muster Check-In first.  It only takes a minute or two to have your room key card(s) scanned, then it is done.  If you forget your Muster Station Check-In, then at some point during your cruise the ship's Safety Officer will take you down.

Edited June 9, 2023 by www3traveler

[Seas2mountains]

2 hours ago, quagmire0 said:

 

We'll be a party of 6.  Good news is that I wasn't planning on doing that much dining.  We've got one free with the package(Which will probably end up as a Cagney's or Moderno stop and then I was thinking of maybe using OBC and/or going to Food Republic - which has a bunch of lower-priced options. 

In Miami, they did not check for our check-in time on our paperwork in May for two different cruises but in New York in March, they would not let people through the line if the check-in time did not match.

I think you should be able to get reservations on the first day for Moderno or Food Republic but Cagney's will fill up much faster. Are you able to get a reservation for Moderno by trying to book online?

[2Cruise4Ever]

You don't even need to go to the restaurant reservation desk.  Make a bee-line to one of the touch-screens near any elevator.  You can make your ressies there.  Then, head to muster.  

[tonit964]

12 minutes ago, Seas2mountains said:

The staff will direct you to the muster station as soon as you board the ship. It takes less than a minute to scan your key card and you can then go to restaurant reservations. You could go immediately to restaurant reservations and then to the muster station but in some cases the muster station may be on the way anyways.

Makes sense. thank you! We are just really wanting to get reservations for Choir of Man, the Karts, and the canvas painting.

[tonit964]

9 minutes ago, www3traveler said:

I do the Muster Check-In first.  It only takes a minute or two to have your room key card(s) scanned, then it is done.  If you forget your Muster Station Check-In, then at some point during your cruise the ship's Safety Officer will take you down.

Thank you! We wouldn't forget to do it, we just want to get our reservations set. I suppose it will depend on where our muster is in relation to where we secure our reservations.

I'm gonna try not to stress about it.

[quagmire0]

10 minutes ago, Seas2mountains said:

In Miami, they did not check for our check-in time on our paperwork in May for two different cruises but in New York in March, they would not let people through the line if the check-in time did not match.

I think you should be able to get reservations on the first day for Moderno or Food Republic but Cagney's will fill up much faster. Are you able to get a reservation for Moderno by trying to book online?

 

Unfortunately, it only shows times for 4 of the days for Moderno.  On two of those days, it's only up to 4 people, on the other two, the only dinner time is 9:30. 😕 

[quagmire0]

6 minutes ago, 2Cruise4Ever said:

You don't even need to go to the restaurant reservation desk.  Make a bee-line to one of the touch-screens near any elevator.  You can make your ressies there.  Then, head to muster.  

 

Thanks! I was wondering this as well.  

[www3traveler]

12 minutes ago, quagmire0 said:

 

Unfortunately, it only shows times for 4 of the days for Moderno.  On two of those days, it's only up to 4 people, on the other two, the only dinner time is 9:30. 😕 

Please remember that only a certain number of dining reservations can be made online prior to your cruise.  At this point I would not stress out about it.

[BirdTravels]

2 hours ago, tonit964 said:

Will be boarding the Encore in a few weeks. When we get on the ship, do we have to do muster before anything else or can we make our reservations and then get muster done?

TIA!

No. Go straight to reservations. Then eat. Then muster. 

[2Cruise4Ever]

1 hour ago, www3traveler said:

Please remember that only a certain number of dining reservations can be made online prior to your cruise.  At this point I would not stress out about it.

 

True!  They only release 20% of the reservations pre-cruise.  So, you can still do what you want... just take care of it right away as soon as you board.

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, www3traveler said:

Please remember that only a certain number of dining reservations can be made online prior to your cruise.  At this point I would not stress out about it.

Not always the best advice. I have been on cruises where popular restaurants like Cagney’s was sold out (all days, all times) by 1 pm on embarkation day. We were on a cruise last October where popular restaurants were mostly sold out during prime time by noon. We had to shuffle restaurant reservations to get into the popular restaurants at a reasonable time.
 

Yes, reservations are available if you want to eat at 9 pm. 

[tonit964]

3 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

No. Go straight to reservations. Then eat. Then muster. 

That's the order in how I was planning on doing it. I just didn't know if they ushered you off to do muster as soon as you step on the ship.

 

Thank you Bird!