What's the Best Time to Arrive at the Port on Sunday for the Inaugural??

[bocacruiser]

We are trying to figure out what time to go, would love advice from seasoned cruisers!

[Nanatravel]

I would plan to be there by 11 AM. You don't know how embarkation will go, so plan on being early so you can board as early as possible and get to explore the ship.

 

Bon Voyage

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

We are on the second sailing from Miami, but I have been grappling with this question too. The documents clearly state do not arrive before 2:00PM, but Hubby and I have always made it a practice to arrive very early so we can board as early as allowed and spend the day exploring the ship.

 

This time I am having doubts because what we will be running into is the first complete full ship disembarkation of the maiden full revenue cruise. I can foresee traffic jams, parking lot tie ups, baggage handling mishaps or backups, and long, long lines created by the cross currents among those leaving and those arriving.

 

But that said, I wonder if the traffic jams and lines won't be just as bad all day long. I'm really not sure quite how to play this because I don"t want to miss one minute on that beautiful ship, but as a claustrophobic of the worst kind, I can't bear to be caught in a situation where there are too many people jammed into too small a space as happened to us on a another cruise line.

 

That said, I don't know what the ideal time to arrive will be if there even is an ideal time on this sailing. So like the poster above me, I've about settled on 11:00AM-11:30AM as a safe and sane time to arrive and surely do hope it will not be a madhouse. I'm puting my faith in the experience of Royal Caribbean to manage matters professionally.

[ebrener]

I just returned from a 2 day pre inaugural. We arrived at the port at 11:00 am, where on board before noon, and the staterooms were ready by 1:00.

 

I think she's spending the previous night in port with no passengers, so you should be OK to be there early.

 

Enjoy the ship!

 

Enrique

*****

[zotzer]

I think she's spending the previous night in port with no passengers, so you should be OK to be there early.

 

Unfortunately, she's not. There is a United Way benefit the night before, but the ship will not be full. So, not a huge number of passengers and no customs. I am thinking we will get on pretty early.

 

HeavySurf.... Freedom is only sailing at Voyager-class capacity for the first week or two, and slowly ramping up to full. I don't think you will have too much trouble. One minor issue is that it will be the very first time this ship will have to clear customs. That has potential to cause delays, but I am hoping for status quo. Guess we'll find out soon enough!!

 

Tracy

[McDebbie]

They will tell you not to go to your cabin before 1 so if you don't like carrying your hand luggage with you I would wait until then. We always have lunch someplace on land and then arrive later so we can skip the lunch and start exploring. The first day on the pre-ingaugural was a nightmare in the Windjammer, not worth it to me, you'll have plenty of the Windjammer by the time the week is out.

[CruiseAwayWithMe]

They will tell you not to go to your cabin before 1 so if you don't like carrying your hand luggage with you I would wait until then. We always have lunch someplace on land and then arrive later so we can skip the lunch and start exploring. The first day on the pre-ingaugural was a nightmare in the Windjammer, not worth it to me, you'll have plenty of the Windjammer by the time the week is out.

If you get there early, I'm sure they won't have a problem with you dropping off your luggage in your room. I've been on many cruises before and they always have let us drop off our luggage. Then, you can just go up to eat for a little bit and explore the ship. It really didn't take that long. But, I'm not usually early because I live in Michigan. I fly over to Miami on the day of the cruise. 9:30 AM is the flight on July 9, 2006. We got an even earlier flight because before it was 10:30 AM. I like to get there early too but I fly in the airplane the same day. :p

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

HeavySurf.... Freedom is only sailing at Voyager-class capacity for the first week or two, and slowly ramping up to full. I don't think you will have too much trouble. One minor issue is that it will be the very first time this ship will have to clear customs. That has potential to cause delays, but I am hoping for status quo. Guess we'll find out soon enough!!

 

Tracy

 

Tracy, thanks for that information. I didn't realize that the ship wouldn't be jam packed. That is a real relief. No, actually it is a HUGE relief!! Maybe we'll do our usual thing of arriving around eleven then. Voyager ships board rapidly, at least at Port Canaveral, so I'm hoping for the best.:)