Deep Blue Extras Early Boarding in Miami

[Cloud9 Bob]

Last June I qualified for DBE and was allowed early boarding on Valiant Lady out of Miami. It was nothing like my first two Miami boardings on Scarlet Lady. So, I arrived at port early (around 1 PM) and hung out for awhile. When 1:30 PM rolled around, they had me go inside the terminal. Once in there, I checked in with a VV agent at the podiums and was asked to go back outside to wait in the Priority Boarding line. After about ten or fifteen minutes, the line moved and I go back inside the terminal a second time and eventually up the escalators to the waiting/seating area. Is this how it's done now with the inside/go back outside and then wait in the corrals procedure? I'd love to hear from recent sailors out of Miami. Was your experience similar or was mine the exception?

[CruisingWalter]

We've not experienced that double registration thing. Usually we just say "We're DBE" and they point us to the priority line. Perhaps they are double checking everyone vs. just looking at the app screen now? 

[kaysha2004]

2 hours ago, CruisingWalter said:

We've not experienced that double registration thing. Usually we just say "We're DBE" and they point us to the priority line. Perhaps they are double checking everyone vs. just looking at the app screen now? 

One annoyance about Virgin is there is no consistency in their procedures.  You should not have had to go back outside 

[Drunken Crab]

Where does the DBE show on the app?  We are DBE, but we are cruising on a casino comp.  I'd like to get on a few hours earlier but don't want to get sent back to the parking lot for 3 hours if they kick me out due to being on a comp cruise!

[cantgetin]

21 minutes ago, Drunken Crab said:

Where does the DBE show on the app?  We are DBE, but we are cruising on a casino comp.  I'd like to get on a few hours earlier but don't want to get sent back to the parking lot for 3 hours if they kick me out due to being on a comp cruise!

DBE doesn't show on the app.  It does show up on your on line account.  Our terminal arrival time continued to show the later time even though we were DBE--when we arrived at 1 or a little later, there was a kiosk outside where they looked us up and gave us the bracelet....and from there boarding moved promptly.

Our experience with DBE has been different each time.  I've never had the double outside that someone described.  The bottom line is that however they did it, we were in the first boarding batch and at least twice were in our cabin by 1:45.  Miami has always been our worse port, for embarkation and disembarkation. One might think that being the home port, it would be the smoothest, but that has not been our experience.

[CalaDragonflyLady]

20 hours ago, Cloud9 Bob said:

Last June I qualified for DBE and was allowed early boarding on Valiant Lady out of Miami. It was nothing like my first two Miami boardings on Scarlet Lady. So, I arrived at port early (around 1 PM) and hung out for awhile. When 1:30 PM rolled around, they had me go inside the terminal. Once in there, I checked in with a VV agent at the podiums and was asked to go back outside to wait in the Priority Boarding line. After about ten or fifteen minutes, the line moved and I go back inside the terminal a second time and eventually up the escalators to the waiting/seating area. Is this how it's done now with the inside/go back outside and then wait in the corrals procedure? I'd love to hear from recent sailors out of Miami. Was your experience similar or was mine the exception?

Yes, since they are sailing fuller now, they don't have the indoor capacity to let everyone in at once.  Same thing happened to me, checked in but sent back outside to the DBE/SOR line, only the RS guests were directed to the waiting area inside.

[jon81uk]

17 hours ago, Drunken Crab said:

Where does the DBE show on the app?  We are DBE, but we are cruising on a casino comp.  I'd like to get on a few hours earlier but don't want to get sent back to the parking lot for 3 hours if they kick me out due to being on a comp cruise!

If you have it then it’s under add-ons on the me tab.

[CruisingWalter]

On 9/12/2024 at 10:49 AM, Drunken Crab said:

Where does the DBE show on the app?

 

On the App under "Add-Ons."  If it's not there, then you may not have it.

 

[crusinthrough]

On 9/12/2024 at 11:14 PM, LibratPDX said:

Yes, since they are sailing fuller now, they don't have the indoor capacity to let everyone in at once.  Same thing happened to me, checked in but sent back outside to the DBE/SOR line, only the RS guests were directed to the waiting area inside.

I thought there is a separate waiting area for RS guests that is different from the rest of the guests. 

[CalaDragonflyLady]

59 minutes ago, crusinthrough said:

I thought there is a separate waiting area for RS guests that is different from the rest of the guests. 

There is, but non-RS still had to wait outside at first.

[cantgetin]

59 minutes ago, crusinthrough said:

I thought there is a separate waiting area for RS guests that is different from the rest of the guests. 

There is--separate entrance to the Miami terminal, separate waiting area in Miami and Barcelona.  But they go thru the same check in process.  The difference is that once check in starts, rockstars are directed to the kiosks first, then others with priority boarding, then the rest of the sailors in timed order.

[coevan]

On 9/13/2024 at 11:33 AM, CruisingWalter said:

 

On the App under "Add-Ons."  If it's not there, then you may not have it.

 

Yep, everything is listed, DBE, Sailor loot, and drinks