Check in time?

[hey! 7]

I feel like I have seen posts that you can show up before your boarding time. Is this true? My husband and I have a boarding time of 2pm but can we show up earlier and potentially get on the ship sooner? We are sailing on Symphony a week from Saturday!

Thanks!

[WAAAYTOOO 9,454]

That’s true. Show up any time after 10 AM.

[L454S 207]

10 hours ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

That’s true. Show up any time after 10 AM.

Agree, our flight arrival time is what generally determines our arrival time at the dock.

[SPS 403]

Like the previous replies, any time after 10am is fine. Showing up early can also save you a good deal of time not having to wait in long lines at check in. This past January we arrived to the pier in San Juan at about 10:30.

After luggage drop off, security check, check in, & sea pass photo/issuing, we were  on board by 11:00 seeking out our first drink to celebrate the beginning of our vacation!

[Matt 9,520]

Absolutely. I do it all the time. 

[BeatArmy2010 21]

Is this true for Bayonne as well? Our train gets to Newark Penn Station at 9:30.

thanks

[L454S 207]

7 hours ago, BeatArmy2010 said:

Is this true for Bayonne as well? Our train gets to Newark Penn Station at 9:30.

thanks

Yes, have done Bayonne once and got a cab from hotel to port around 9:30. Little waiting around, but not much.

[PatsFanBrian 151]

Every now and then, you may have to wait in the check in area if the previous sailing is slow to disembark.  That happened to us once in FLL waiting to get on Oasis.  The ship didn't start to board until 12.  But we've gotten on as early as 11 on other sailings.

[MO & LO on the go! 295]

2 hours ago, PatsFanBrian said:

Every now and then, you may have to wait in the check in area if the previous sailing is slow to disembark.  That happened to us once in FLL waiting to get on Oasis.  The ship didn't start to board until 12.  But we've gotten on as early as 11 on other sailings.

We had that experience also but we didn't get on until much later.  The boat came back "sick" so they had to sanitize the entire ship (which is another conversation in and of itself!).  We sat in the port a LONG TIME!!!  Pray you don't have this experience!  But yes, generally you can start boarding by 1030-1100.  Just remember your room won't be ready until 1pm.

[FManke 2,229]

First cruise, got to the port about 10:15, honestly, never even paid attention to our "boarding time." They started boarding about 10:45. We lucked out with boarding number 1 and we're on board by 11.

[PatsFanBrian 151]

18 minutes ago, MO & LO on the go! said:

We had that experience also but we didn't get on until much later.  The boat came back "sick" so they had to sanitize the entire ship (which is another conversation in and of itself!).  We sat in the port a LONG TIME!!!  Pray you don't have this experience!  But yes, generally you can start boarding by 1030-1100.  Just remember your room won't be ready until 1pm.

That happened to us as well, my very first cruise experience.  Arrived to get on Freedom in Miami back in '06.  After check in, we were directed to another room, without explanation, and then put on a bus.  I was puzzled why we were getting on a bus because the ship was right there.  Once the bus was full and we were underway, an RCL employee informed us that the ship had to be disinfected due to a Noro outbreak and we were being brought to an animal park to spend the time until it was done.  They provided food and all the shows were free, but it wasn't the most fun time I've had.  We were finally bused back around 5 and the ship was on it's way by 7.

[MO & LO on the go! 295]

12 minutes ago, PatsFanBrian said:

That happened to us as well, my very first cruise experience.  Arrived to get on Freedom in Miami back in '06.  After check in, we were directed to another room, without explanation, and then put on a bus.  I was puzzled why we were getting on a bus because the ship was right there.  Once the bus was full and we were underway, an RCL employee informed us that the ship had to be disinfected due to a Noro outbreak and we were being brought to an animal park to spend the time until it was done.  They provided food and all the shows were free, but it wasn't the most fun time I've had.  We were finally bused back around 5 and the ship was on it's way by 7.

Wow thats way better than our experience.  They just left us in the area you wait to board......for hours...granted it was 2019 so 13 years difference.

[sabarwolf 69]

Yeah, the boarding time listed on your paperwork is just a suggestion.

There are multiple lines for security and check in at the port and they have those lines moving fast, so you will get through quickly.

[teddy 347]

On our first cruise, I was very, very reluctant to arrive earlier than our scheduled time (in Miami).  At my wife's insistence (ie she was going with or without me 😄 ), we showed up at 1000 (with an assigned time of 1 pm).  The waiting area was full, but we once they announced general boarding, I was amazed at how quickly they processed people.  We had food, drinks, and were sitting on deck in no time.

 

[ChrisK2793 234]

On 9/4/2019 at 6:18 PM, hey! said:

I feel like I have seen posts that you can show up before your boarding time. Is this true? My husband and I have a boarding time of 2pm but can we show up earlier and potentially get on the ship sooner? We are sailing on Symphony a week from Saturday!

Thanks!

 

You’ll be getting on as we get off lol ....... we sail on Symphony this Saturday.

[hey! 7]

8 hours ago, ChrisK2793 said:

 

You’ll be getting on as we get off lol ....... we sail on Symphony this Saturday.

Wait. Are you sailing on the 14th?

[ChrisK2793 234]

1 hour ago, hey! said:

Wait. Are you sailing on the 14th?

Yes

[hey! 7]

30 minutes ago, ChrisK2793 said:

Yes

That's when we are sailing too!!