Search the Community

Are there two separate lines during the embarkation process at Fort Lauderdale? For example, one for those passports and one for those using birth certificates? My entire family has received their passports, but my wife has yet to receive hers. It is running behind by a few weeks now. We filed in December, and I was the last to file, but I have received mine already. Hers also showed "In Process" in the online status system before mine. So if hers does not arrive in time for our cruise and she has to use a birth certificate, will she need to go into a different line from the rest of us?

To those of you who have cruised many times and fly to the port city: My flight is scheduled to arrive at 8:30am in Miami the day of embarkation. Would you feel confident with an early flight the day of embarkation or would you still consider arriving a day prior? Your experience is greatly appreciated.

On embarkation day, recently have rooms been ready right away? Or is there a wait?

On completing the online check-in for the Radiance of the Seas transpacific departing Honolulu on 17 September 2018, I noticed that our documentation shows check-in as being between 4.30pm and 8.30pm, I guess due to the 10.00pm sailing. This seems to be the standard check-in time for everyone joining the ship in Honolulu even though RoS arrives at 6.00am. As most most hotels require check-out by noon, does anyone know if the terminal will at least be open before 4.30pm so that we can at least do bag drop. It will also be interesting to see how MDR will operate in-conjunction with this late boarding. I'm just glad that I didn't select the "first night done right' package.

Just wanted to give a shout out to this site!!! I read for days and got a lot of great advice on our cruise. It's the first one for me in many moons, and the first for my wife and one of our daughters. We went for my oldest DD grad cruise, another family of 4 and a set of grand parents for a total of 10 in our party. After the cruise was booked, I had to call RC in person for show resizes and dinner resizes because the website wasn't right. So, we drove down from NC, split the drive around Daytona Beach, which was about 3 hrs from the port. Our board times were 1PM, but we went for an earlier show time, due to the knowledge read on here. Word of advice when driving to the port....stay alert!! Once you get to where the PORT roadsigns are in Ft Lauderdale, there are a lot of bridges, ramps and lane changes...so just stay alert. Also, have Sail papers and passports ready as you enter the port...guards check them. Once we found the pier, baggage drop off was easy...congested but just pay attention to the staff directing traffic and they can have you in/out in a jiffy. We dropped off and parked in the adjacent lot, about 100 or so yards from the entrance building. We got in line, followed lots of signs, followed the directions, and made our way through it all...Those guys go a great job of pushing LOTS of people through what looks like an eye of a needle in a short amount of time. FYI, no one looked at our boarding time to tell us we were about 2 1/2 hrs early!!!!! From the time we got in line outside the port building, to the time we made it through 3 ID checks, and started our way on the gangway, was about 40 min!!!! We were impressed!!! And we all had a small carryon bag... We got on board, and were instantly amazed at the size and scope of the ship!!! Great atmosphere and everyone was so helpful. Our keys were on our doors in about 3 min, and we could use the paper sail card for drinks until we got our plastic sail cards...Luggage was delivered within a few hours to "Zones" on the isle...so we found out luggage and took it to our room to unpack. Easy peasy.....Then the fun began....after a good lunch at the Wingjammer Cafe, it was deck 15 for sail away party, which was beautiful out of the port...We didn't do dinner reservations first night b/c we would be busy with sail away activities.... All our dinners were in the American Icon main dining room at 5:30...we had a wonderful wait staff!!!! The food was great and plentiful. A good wine list for those on the drink package too...most wines were under the $13 price. The 5:30 time worked great for us, and overnight, they asked if we had a show and what time it was..Most shows were at 9:30, so they let us take our time and most suppers were 2-2 1/2 hrs...very relaxed and fun. We saw the Aqua show, Blue Planet, the juggler show, Ice game, and the newly wed game...all were good with the Aqua and jugglers being the best for me. Everyone I needed something from was just as helpful as could be. We never could figure out how to IM each other without the ship internet package though...I asked several tech people and no such luck. But we made it through... As far as excursions go, the best day was Labadee!!!!!! Some snorkeled, some zip lined, and I just floated on the water mat!! That's was the best part and worth every penny. We ended up at Adventure Beach I believe...over by the floating bar...at the last trolly strop on the route...We just sunned, drank and relaxed....I could have spent about 2 days there and forgone San Juan to tell the truth!! Disembarking today was as easy as day one...you get bag tags w/ numbers on them, directions on where and what time to meet on the ship the morning of, and they call your number to leave the ship. You go down the plank to a big warehouse to find your luggage (look for the number placards that are on your baggage tags...grab your luggage, zip through customs (looked at passports, asked us if we had fun, but didn't look custom info on the APP), and down we went to the parking lot...All of 45 min max from the time we showed up to the time we were in our cars!!!! Paid the parking fee and off we were back to the real world... Some things I would like to se RC do better is: update to where you can IM on the ship without the internet package. Incorporate some port info on the APP...like it would have been great to have a map of Labadee before we got off the island..my daughter was on crutches (due to an injury the week prior to sailing) and we didn't know how far it was and all to get her to the snorkeling excursion, and then back to our area on the beach..They have maps once you get off the pier, but that's about 200 or so yards away...Info like that ahead of time would have been helpful..Locations of bars, restrooms and such on the app would have been helpful. But thats a minor thing to a great vacation.. Sorry this is long, but once I started writing it's hard to stop sharing what a great trip we had. And like I said, this site...and Youtube, had a lot of helpful info and I want to contribute something.. If anyone has any specific questions, feel free to ask and I'll try to give as much detail as possible.... Kevin

Is there a process for catching up to a cruise at a later port? We (me, wife, 13 year old, and 10 year old) are booked next April on the Symphony with other families, but this week something came up so that only me and the 13 year old can leave on embarkation day (Saturday). Wife and 10 year old could get to the first port (Monday), but would they be allowed on the ship? Has anyone done something like this intentionally? Yes, I realize this is a horrible idea. I'm trying to figure out if it's possible, before rebooking on a different cruise leaving on Sunday. Thank you!

We are taking Adventure of the Seas from San Juan. We are flying in the day before and are spending the night in San Juan. The boarding information says boarding begins at 12:30 pm. Is it possible to check out of our hotel, and drop our luggage off at the cruise terminal, so we can spend more time looking around San Juan?

I am departing on Harmony of the Seas March 25, 2017. I arrive a day prior per RCCI recommendation. Anybody have a hotel recommendation that is close to the port, reasonably priced (trying to stay at or under $150), and provides transportation to/from FLL and/or Harmony of the Seas embarkation port? Any ideas would be much appreciated!

We are arriving for our cruise on August 15-20 and are cruising on Empress of the Seas. We are flying into Miami Itnl from the mid-west. This is the first cruise we have ever taken and would like any information on Miami Port, the boarding process, what documents are needed at the port, etc. Thanks in advance!

We're sailing on Oasis of the Seas on Saturday. I intended to go to the terminal around 11:30 or 12:00 based on what I've read - arrive early or late to beat the crowds. Today I got an e-mail and a robo call from Royal Caribbean telling me to check in at 1:30 (based on what deck our rooms are on). Is this normal? When I got the first notification from my TA I thought "Uh, oh... sounds like they have to disinfect three decks..." Soooo..... should I show up early, or wait till 1:30? Here's the salient part of the e-mail from RC: ------- Hello, this is Royal Caribbean International. We would like to provide you with important information regarding your sailing on April 11, 2015, onboard Oasis of the Seas. To enhance the check-in and boarding experience, we ask that guests arrive to the terminal based on the following times. Guests on decks 14, 10, & 3 should arrive for check-in at 1:30 P.M. Guests on decks 9 & 7 should arrive for check-in at 2:00 P.M. Guests on decks 12 & 11 should arrive for check-in at 2:30 P.M. Guests on decks 8 & 6 should arrive for check-in at 2:45 P.M. We invite our Suite guests, Pinnacle and Diamond Plus members, and guests with previously arranged transportation to arrive anytime between 12:30 P.M. and 3:30 P.M. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation, and look forward to welcoming you onboard the Oasis of the Seas.

Hello. We are sailing on Oasis on April 5, 2014, and on our SetSail pass, it indicates check in time at 12:30 PM. We thought this seemed a bit late, and we were planning on boarding around 10:30 or so. Is 10:30 too early? Has anyone that has sailed on Oasis had to wait until 12:30 to board? Thanks, Derek.

Any one have tips on how to beat the queues. Its our first time on the independence and as she is so big we want to get on asap and start the good times.

For me I think it has to be Southampton for three reasons. First is and a huge bonus for me is that I can take as much luggage as I want because I don't have to go to an airport. Next is parking , i find it reasonably priced and the car parks are very close to the ships. Finally I love the view as you leave the motorway and approach the docks. You go over two flyovers and as you are high up you can see all the ships lined up it's awesome.