How late can I check-in?

[craig01020]

I'm booked on a cruise that is scheduled to depart Brooklyn at 4:00 p.m.  What is the latest time that I can check-in for embarkation?  I couldn't find this info on Princess' website.  Thanks.

[julia]

To my knowledge, it's usually 90 minutes prior to sailing for check in, 30 minutes prior for final boarding.

[skynight]

90 minutes before sailing time, 2:30 in your case. The cruise line is required to provide a manifest of passengers to the authorities 60 minutes prior to sailing. I wouldn't cut it too close.  

[craig01020]

1 minute ago, skynight said:

90 minutes before sailing time, 2:30 in your case. The cruise line is required to provide a manifest of passengers to the authorities 60 minutes prior to sailing. I wouldn't cut it too close.  

I plan on taking Amtrak from Springfield, Mass. on embarkation day. The earliest train arrives in Penn Station at 9:30 am. I wouldn't mind arriving the day before, except NY hotels are so expensive.

[arizonaperson]

@craig01020 do you mean how late can you be to embark i.e. first step foot on the ship? Check in can actually be done on your app a.k.a. ocean ready.

What embarkation port? Are you on a Princess transfer?

 

Looks like others have definitely said 90 minutes. Look at your cruise summary. And agree IF you arrive on time at 9:30 AM to the train station,( NYC Penn ) you should have plenty of time to make it to your ship , but delays happen.

 

Edited August 3 by arizonaperson

[PacnGoNow]

It is 90 minutes before sailing time as a guideline.  If you are not checked in and have any issues with documentation, you could be denied boarding.

You will see this written on your travel summary on the website.  Move down about 3/4 of the way down under “Important Notices.”

 

CHECK-IN REQUIREMENTS FOR DEPARTURES FROM U.S. PORTS

You are required to provide complete and accurate immigration information no later than 24 hours before embarkation. For more information, please visit https://princess.com/oceanready. Guests with incomplete immigration information who have not completed cruise check-in 90 minutes prior to scheduled departure will be denied boarding.

[DCThunder]

1 minute ago, craig01020 said:

I plan on taking Amtrak from Springfield, Mass. on embarkation day. The earliest train arrives in Penn Station at 9:30 am. I wouldn't mind arriving the day before, except NY hotels are so expensive.

Getting from Penn Station to Red Hook could take you several hours.

[PacnGoNow]

2 minutes ago, DCThunder said:

Getting from Penn Station to Red Hook could take you several hours.

Hopefully, it’s New York Penn Station.

That’s only about 1/2 hour or less by taxi or uber.  

 

[craig01020]

20 minutes ago, PacnGoNow said:

Hopefully, it’s New York Penn Station.

That’s only about 1/2 hour or less by taxi or uber.  

 

Yes, it's NY Penn Station.

[skynight]

27 minutes ago, craig01020 said:

I plan on taking Amtrak from Springfield, Mass. on embarkation day. The earliest train arrives in Penn Station at 9:30 am. I wouldn't mind arriving the day before, except NY hotels are so expensive.

You have plenty of time. By cab it's around 30 minute drive to the Red Hook cruise pier, maybe an hour if there is lots of traffic. 

[JF - retired RRT]

If you miss the ship due to a snafu on the train or the trip from the station, a hotel would be cheaper the day before.

[memoak]

Once your boarding pass shows up on the app it will show you boarding hours. 

[Canuker]

We hit the check in last year with less than 3 minutes to the (hurry hurry)  deadline (don't ask).

We were the only passengers in there. They knew exactly who were were, by a process of elimination and greeted us by name as if we were long lost friends. They didn't look at any of our booking papers or passports, nothing. Said stand here, while they took our mugshots and then whisked us off in the direction of the gangway.

Quickest check-in we've ever had!

[555]

14 hours ago, PacnGoNow said:

CHECK-IN REQUIREMENTS FOR DEPARTURES FROM U.S. PORTS

You are required to provide complete and accurate immigration information no later than 24 hours before embarkation. For more information, please visit https://princess.com/oceanready. Guests with incomplete immigration information who have not completed cruise check-in 90 minutes prior to scheduled departure will be denied boarding.

Does anyone know how long ago they began this process?

 

[PacnGoNow]

16 minutes ago, 555 said:

Does anyone know how long ago they began this process?

 

As long as I can remember, it’s been this policy of 90 minutes, due to government requirements.  This is for US departures. They have security measures in effect, just as the airlines do, to produce manifests before sailing.
 

 International departures could vary, also government regulations.
 

If they would state the boarding window on the travel summary, it would help those planning.  The boarding window does show up on the App, after the QR code appears.

 

 

[555]

6 minutes ago, PacnGoNow said:

As long as I can remember, it’s been this policy of 90 minutes, due to government requirements.  This is for US departures. They have security measures in effect, just as the airlines do, to produce manifests before sailing.
 

 International departures could vary, also government regulations.
 

If they would state the boarding window on the travel summary, it would help those planning.  The boarding window does show up on the App, after the QR code appears.

 

 

The reason I ask is that in 2015 we boarded as the ships doors were being shut, although my wife was waiting in the terminal for hours waiting for me to arrive. 

Possibly they had our names on the list in anticipation of us boarding?

[PacnGoNow]

27 minutes ago, 555 said:

The reason I ask is that in 2015 we boarded as the ships doors were being shut, although my wife was waiting in the terminal for hours waiting for me to arrive. 

Possibly they had our names on the list in anticipation of us boarding?

Yes, she did the initial check in.  Manifests are submitted 60 minutes before. So, if no check in had happened, you would have been left behind.  
You were lucky.

[latebloomer56]

15 hours ago, skynight said:

You have plenty of time. By cab it's around 30 minute drive to the Red Hook cruise pier, maybe an hour if there is lots of traffic. 

We sailed from here just once and took the train from Boston to Penn. Was told prior that taxis (expensive meter keeps going in traffic plus fees) do not like taking passengers there from Penn because they loose fares. We had a car service pick us up and it took about an hour. Also they drop you at just outside the lane to the terminal or you can sit 30-40 minutes rolling along. Personally if we must sail from Red Hook again we will either fly in with Princess transfer or go a day early.

[Clampram]

I am retired now but I used Amtrak all up and down the east coast very frequently when I was working. Most of the time, there are few issues with train arrival times, however there can be problems which could cause you some problems. These issues are not common but could involve flooding on the tracks, downed lines, power failures, accidents, and even a pedestrian death. These issues can cause extensive delays/ cancellations. I definitely recommend getting to NYC the day before. If you can't find a less expensive hotel that meets your budget consider staying in Stanford CT the night before. I have done this and it's about 30 minutes into the city from there. Hotels are cheaper there. You can often find less expensive hotels down near the Financial Center especially if it's a weekend

Edited August 4 by Clampram
additions

[JGmf]

The OP is taking the train from Springfield MA and should be fine.

 

Should there be train issues out of Springfield, "Plan B" would be to drive to the pier and pay the $45/day parking fee.  The net increase in cost of that option - versus paying for R/T train and then R/T Uber-taxi - seems marginal.  Plus, you control your own destiny.

[JF - retired RRT]

2 hours ago, 555 said:

Does anyone know how long ago they began this process?

 

Probably since 9/11. The world changed (at least in the US) after that.

[555]

2 hours ago, PacnGoNow said:

Yes, she did the initial check in.  Manifests are submitted 60 minutes before. So, if no check in had happened, you would have been left behind.  
You were lucky.

I was lucky to have drove home & made it back to the ship on time with our passports while my wife waited for me. 

As you said, they must have submitted our names prior to my return to the terminal.