Received call from Carnival about Pride's embarkation

[krazykevy]

Hi everyone! I leave on the Pride THIS Friday!!! I had planned on getting to the Baltimore port between 12:00 and 1:00. I just received a phone call from Carnival...it was a pre-recorded message stating that I will be boarding the Pride between 2:00 and 4:00 and that I should not be there ANY earlier than 2:00. Has anyone gotten thiese calls before? Should I ignore it and arrive at the time I planned to originally? Any help/opinions would be fantastic! Thanks!

 

Kevin

[sixgun8]

interesting, i wonder if they are doing a crew customs inspection?? that would delay things about that amount of time.

[mom2tcdx2]

From all the reviews just about everyone has stated the boarding process didn't begin until close to 2. I wouldn't get there any earlier than 1 being they have to get the previous passengers off and they don't get back in port until 10 am (not the normal 7).

 

We are sailing in Sept. our hotel will offer a shuttle to the port, we figure we have until 12 to check out, will grab breakfast at the hotel and then head over to the port.

[ryanpatricksmom]

I think that they're making a concerted effort to "re-train" passengers who are used to a noon embarkation. There is a very narrow window between the last passenger disembarking (nearly 12:30) and the Pride's sailing, which is very unusual and throws the uninformed passenger for a loop. Pax have been arriving at noon, only to sit and wait until embarkation begins at 2pm. If you don't have VIP boarding it's good advice to wait until 2pm.

[Handsome58]

there at about 1pm........was eating a cheeseburger by 2:15----2:30.................

[disneyclfan]

They just don't want a huge crowd of people showing up early. I was there last Friday and people were complaining to Carnival employees saying "why won't they let us on the ship now!" lol

[Essiesmom]

I believe carnival are doing this with every ship...It was done for all of the carnival Splendor Canada sailings...EM

[wasiii]

.....we'd rather be there early and wait to be one of the first ones on the ship. We just can't wait to get through security and onto the ship!

 

:D

 

wasiii

[CatP27]

Could you tell me which hotel you will stay at in Baltimore before your cruise? Thanks.

[mandyc3383]

This is one where you are stuck between a rock and a hard spot. If you want a cabana on Half Moon Cay then I would get there early if you are not a VIP. The cabanas are given out in a first come first serve basis once you board and make it to the Shore Excursions desk. After you check in you are given a zone section. Depending on how early you get there depends on what zone section you get and therefore how quickly you get on the boat to get the cabana. If you do not wish to book a cabana I would show up at about 1 or 2.

 

Here's a rough time frame for you... We began to board about 2. We were there 4 hrs early because we wanted a cabana... we were seated in zone 3. When we were boarding people were being seated in zone 20. We made it on board and straight to the excursion desk and did get a cabana but there were only 2 cabanas left after us and about 15 more people in line behind us and that was only after zone 3 boarded. Clearly anyone after zone 3 had no chance of getting a cabana... and in order to be in zone 3 you had to be there between about 10 and 11 am. Atleast that was how it worked out this past Friday when we were there.

[JessicaRN]

We got to POB around 10:30... and sat in chairs for FOUR HOURS!! Now, we love being the first ones on the ship, but sitting in chairs, with a million other people, was not fun. We were zone 2.

 

The problem is, if you get there late, you're still going to be waiting while everyone who arrived early (and sat in chairs forever!) are boarded. The 10am arrival time really throws things off.

 

Watch the video of our cruise in my sig, the first few minutes are driving, arrival at POB, and boarding (you can see the masses of humanity sitting in chairs).

[4kids1313]

Hi CatP27

 

We were just on the Pride out of Baltimore in July..and LOVED it! We stayed at the Fairfield Inn in White Marsh. It was great..it is a year old., everyone is very nice there. You get the room, your car stays parked there for the whole week, they take you back and forth to the pier, free breakfast and they have the sweetest older man who takes you by trolly anywhere in the area you want ..shopping, dinner!

I highly receommend it..in fact I just booked my parents crusie for them and they are going to stay there too! Good luck and happy cruising!

[DanJ]

We arrived at the pier at 2 on the 14th, and would say that an earlier time would suffice. When we got there, it took 30 minutes in a lineup to drop our luggage and park the car. Another 30 minutes to get into the terminal and to security. Then another 30 minutes in the check in line. We boarded at 330pm.

 

A lot of people are used to showing up for cruises at 10-11, and I think that is a bit too early for this one. But waiting until 2 like Carnival suggests is too late in my opinion. Plus by the time we boarded, we didn't have a lot of time to eat lunch, explore, and get settled before sailing and dinner, and whatever other nighttime activities we wanted to do.

 

Believe it or not, this past Friday as we were waiting to disembark, there were people already arriving at the port. This was before 10am, and before we even disembarked the first passenger.

[read52]

We went out on July 3. We also received the call to arrive between 2-4. We knew that the Pride was coming in later than other ships (10:00 am). We live about 40 minutes away from the port. We arrived about 12:10 dropped off our luggage (our daughter dropped us off so no parking), checked in and were in a seat (zone 10) by 12:20. We did not start boarding until 1:45 pm. As we were eating at the buffet at 2:00 we noticed the back up in the parking lot.

[cheapseatsjr]

Our group found it painless. We arrived just before noon on aug 14. No lines for parking or bags. We were checked in and waiting in about 20 minutes Zone 11 (we bagged the HMC cabana idea and rented a couple clamshells.) Boarding started around 1:45 for a wedding and then VIPs. We were on board before 2:30. Time went by fast. By the time they started boarding all of the terminal seats were taken and they were not processing any new arrivals. They were holding them at the terminal entrance and as thus creating a large line outside. We had one of our party stuck in that line for 30 minutes before the boarding process cleared enough seats and they began processing again. She had arrived at 1:30. If you follow Carnival's advice and arrive after 2pm you should miss the waiting in the terminal but will be waiting for parking and bags. It is airconditioned inside and hot in the parking lot.

[DanJ]

Yeah, the waiting area inside the terminal was empty when we got inside. It was just all the lining up and then straight onto the ship from the check-in desk.

[palmtre2]

Question about the Fairfield for 4kids1313. I've been looking at that park & cruise package but we would definitely like to spend time at the Inner Harbor, does the trolley take you there????

[hdgmedic]

We got to POB around 10:30... and sat in chairs for FOUR HOURS!! Now, we love being the first ones on the ship, but sitting in chairs, with a million other people, was not fun. We were zone 2.

 

The problem is, if you get there late, you're still going to be waiting while everyone who arrived early (and sat in chairs forever!) are boarded. The 10am arrival time really throws things off.

 

Watch the video of our cruise in my sig, the first few minutes are driving, arrival at POB, and boarding (you can see the masses of humanity sitting in chairs).

Nice job on the video!!! I give it 5*!!! (not joining another site (Vimeo)just to rate it there, sorry. )

[LivingMyLifeLikeItsGolden]

JessicaRN

Cool Cruiser

 

I love your video thanks for sharing