MattABC Posted May 30, 2022 Report Share Posted May 30, 2022 Hi, I was wondering which time slot may be preferable (and for what reason) when selecting a time slot for health check during the online check-in process: the earliest at 11:30am-12:00pm, or more something like 2:00-2:30pm (where the last possible time slot is 4:30-5:00pm)? I read that some people like to choose the earliest possible time, but as a first-time cruiser, I don't really understand what advantages this would have (intuitively, I would rather have picked something around 2pm, as it allows for a later hotel checkout time). I also found some forum discussions revolving around check-in times, but none specifically about which time slots to choose. Any input / insight would be highly appreciated. Thanks, Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PPPJJ-GCVAB Posted May 30, 2022 Report Share Posted May 30, 2022 I will always pick the earliest time slot I can find. The sooner onboard the sooner my actual cruise vacation begins! I want the full experience and time allowed and the only way I am going to get that is by getting myself onboard…early! SemperMom, RCIfan1912, WAYNO and 1 other 2 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pattycruise Posted May 30, 2022 Report Share Posted May 30, 2022 Board early-drag your carry on with you-if using one- until you get access to your room. Book reservations for shows -the current process-(preCovid it was all booked online), have lunch, utilize drink package, explore ship, use pool? Board later, put carry on to cabin, your checked luggage MAY be in the hallway maybe even unpack it, book reservations, later lunch (Impact dinner?) utilize drink package, maybe explore ship, use pool? If the pier people are allowing anyone in whenever they want you might have more crowds earlier. That point is moot if you are suite class (depending on suite and ship) or ,handicapped or The Key, in which case they have a separate line. MattABC and FireFishII 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokeybandit Posted May 30, 2022 Report Share Posted May 30, 2022 The earlier you get on, the earlier your vacation begins. MattABC and PPPJJ-GCVAB 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdventureKenandCar Posted May 30, 2022 Report Share Posted May 30, 2022 It’s all a matter of preference. If you’re boarding in, say, Florida, and you’ve already been there, then it makes sense to get on the boat as early as possible to start cruising right away. If you are taking a European cruise, you may spend a couple of days exploring a city before you get on the ship. Then you may want to board later. ChessE4 and MattABC 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USFFrank Posted May 31, 2022 Report Share Posted May 31, 2022 As others have noted, it's a matter of preference. I used to do a later check in to avoid long lines in the cruise terminal, and basically just walked in. But I now try and get an earlier check in time, maybe not the earliest but perhaps an hour to an hour in a half later. The reason being is we choose the first seating in the main dining room and request a table for 2. I already have that confirmed with my travel agent when I initially book a cruise, but I've learned that while Royal says I have a table for 2 in the computer, come sail away time I may not be at one, or the table for 2 is practically on top of an adjacent table. So first thing I do once I get aboard is find out which table I'm assigned to, then go into the dining room and seek it out. If it's not what I asked for, I politely request to have it changed. The earlier you request a table change, the easier it is for them to accommodate you. PPPJJ-GCVAB and MattABC 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leesam82 Posted May 31, 2022 Report Share Posted May 31, 2022 I would say it depend on your travel plans and how you are getting to the cruise port. The upcoming cruise I have on the Oasis of the Seas in june, I can drive to the cruise port easily. So I decided to go for the earliest time available. But I know for other family members they are not early risers and they decided to get to the port a little later. I personally find it up to personal preference and how you get to the port. I would also mention that if you do get on board earlier, be prepared to not have your room ready for you right away. Usually the wait isn't too long. Also your luggage may not be there for you as soon as you get on board. I know some cruisers would like to board a little later so they can at least have the room fully ready for them. PPPJJ-GCVAB 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattABC Posted May 31, 2022 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2022 Thanks for everyone sharing their experiences / thoughts. Boarding earlier does seem to offer quite a few advantages, even without staterooms being ready. I also think it's a good thing that Royal Caribbean tries to work with time slots in order to distribute the number of waiting passengers a bit more evenly. Now, I was just wondering what would happen if, say, your ride to the airport was delayed and you missed your assigned time slot? Could it be that the cruise line then just assigns you to any time slot where the relative number of passengers is lower, and so you might wait for several hours? Has anyone experienced something like that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChessE4 Posted May 31, 2022 Report Share Posted May 31, 2022 If you are parking at the port, keep in mind it can fill up. If you are parking at an off-port facility, check out their shuttle schedule. For example, hotels might have a fixed schedule you'd want to synchronize with your check-in time. MattABC 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyfsu21 Posted May 31, 2022 Report Share Posted May 31, 2022 I would say the earlier you can be onboard drinking a beverage poolside the better off you will be….. WAAAYTOOO and MattABC 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaryCS62 Posted May 31, 2022 Report Share Posted May 31, 2022 I would love the first available time (1030 or 11 am, I believe). But, I travel with a disabled daughter who has multiple problems, and sometimes it just takes longer to do everything. We'll probably pick 12 or so, to make sure we can get out of the house on time - 1030 would mean leaving 930-945, & that just might not be possible, especially if she had a bad night or morning. MattABC 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Psycho and Barb Posted May 31, 2022 Report Share Posted May 31, 2022 22 hours ago, MattABC said: I read that some people like to choose the earliest possible time, but as a first-time cruiser, I don't really understand what advantages this would have You boarding day is your first day of your cruise…The later you board…The less time you have on your first day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrimsonCruiser Posted May 31, 2022 Report Share Posted May 31, 2022 I generally like around noon. It's around the same time I'm usually checking out of the hotel, not too far ahead of when the rooms generally open, but not so early I'm butt-up against all the other early birds. Later boarding gives you the perk of going straight to your room so if you're carrying on your own luggage or have heavy carry-ons later means you don't have to drag them all over the ship. But, on the flipside, if you were hoping to be first in the pool or to snag a good seat in the sun or at the windjammer, you're a little more out of luck. Really, it depends on what you want to do when you first get onboard. For us, we just like to find someplace chill to sit and take in the atmosphere, grab lunch, and look at the events and what not for the week so we can get a rough plan of our days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonanza88 Posted January 5 Report Share Posted January 5 I usually prefer around noon, which is roughly the time I'm typically checking out of the hotel. It's not too far ahead of when the rooms generally become available, but not so early that I'm right up against all the other early birds. Opting for a later boarding time has the advantage of going straight to your room. This is beneficial if you're carrying your own luggage or have heavy carry-ons,and may you can bring your game as bonanza88, as it means you don't have to drag them all over the ship. However, on the flip side, if you were hoping to be among the first at the pool or secure a good seat in the sun or at the Windjammer, you might be a bit out of luck. Some live tv in your cellphone can company you too. Ultimately, the choice depends on what you want to do when you first get onboard. For us, we simply like to find a relaxed place to sit and soak in the atmosphere, grab lunch, and review the events and schedule for the week to rough out our plans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ditchdoc Posted January 5 Report Share Posted January 5 Early for sure. Depending on your likes, you carry on can have a swimsuit and you can hit the pool deck. If it is a new ship or you are new to cruising, you can spend time wandering around, getting to know your new enviornment. There are things like the cruise app to familiarize yourself with, lunch, making reservations for shows, dinners and so on. Around 1 or 2 the rooms will open and with luck, your bags will be there so you can begin to unpack. Then there is the set sail party and dinner. Point is, there are lots of things to keep you busy when you first board so board early and have fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Last2Know Posted January 5 Report Share Posted January 5 On 5/30/2022 at 6:59 PM, smokeybandit said: The earlier you get on, the earlier your vacation begins. The statement above is true. However, its your vacation and I recommend doing whatever is most convenient for you. My cruising experiences in 2023 showed me that people with the 1130-1230 check-in times all show up at 1100-1115 and stood in line to be onboard for an early start to their vacation. There is no enforcement (i.e., separate lines for time slots) for anyone showing up early. This was implemented during the cruising restart and quickly discarded once COVID protocols were rescinded. We shifted to the 1230-1:00 boarding times and have been able to arrive, drop bags, park, check in, and be onboard in less that 30 min at both Port Canaveral and Port Everglades. I like the less stressful boarding process of coming in a little later and avoiding the lines. PPPJJ-GCVAB, Pattycruise and USFFrank 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maggie M Posted January 5 Report Share Posted January 5 I personally like the earlier time slot. If you have a family and plan on using Adventure Ocean for the kids - it's a good idea to get checked in there and reserve your time slots you think you might use for the week! We also like checking out the spa and making reservations if we didn't do it through the cruise planner in advance. Then there's also lunch in the WindJammer and checking out the rest of the ship before it gets too crowded! Sometimes we also like looking at the art in the gallery and entering any raffles they may have posted. This is also a good time to make your specialty dining reservations if the cruise planner didn't allow you to do that! That's just our preference - we prefer the ship to the small hotel room! Quote Quote Quote Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrimsonCruiser Posted January 5 Report Share Posted January 5 19 hours ago, bonanza88 said: I usually prefer around noon, which is roughly the time I'm typically checking out of the hotel. It's not too far ahead of when the rooms generally become available, but not so early that I'm right up against all the other early birds. Opting for a later boarding time has the advantage of going straight to your room. This is beneficial if you're carrying your own luggage or have heavy carry-ons,and may you can bring your game as bonanza88, as it means you don't have to drag them all over the ship. However, on the flip side, if you were hoping to be among the first at the pool or secure a good seat in the sun or at the Windjammer, you might be a bit out of luck. Some live tv in your cellphone can company you too. Ultimately, the choice depends on what you want to do when you first get onboard. For us, we simply like to find a relaxed place to sit and soak in the atmosphere, grab lunch, and review the events and schedule for the week to rough out our plans. We think so much the same that we even write the same! haha. (my reply from 2022 below): Quote I generally like around noon. It's around the same time I'm usually checking out of the hotel, not too far ahead of when the rooms generally open, but not so early I'm butt-up against all the other early birds. Later boarding gives you the perk of going straight to your room so if you're carrying on your own luggage or have heavy carry-ons later means you don't have to drag them all over the ship. But, on the flipside, if you were hoping to be first in the pool or to snag a good seat in the sun or at the windjammer, you're a little more out of luck. Really, it depends on what you want to do when you first get onboard. For us, we just like to find someplace chill to sit and take in the atmosphere, grab lunch, and look at the events and what not for the week so we can get a rough plan of our days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoppy2BHere Posted January 5 Report Share Posted January 5 3 hours ago, CrimsonCruiser said: We think so much the same that we even write the same! haha. (my reply from 2022 below): Wow. You’ve been chat bot-ed.. That is not a real robot move.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PPPJJ-GCVAB Posted January 6 Report Share Posted January 6 10 hours ago, Last2Know said: The statement above is true. However, its your vacation and I recommend doing whatever is most convenient for you. My cruising experiences in 2023 showed me that people with the 1130-1230 check-in times all show up at 1100-1115 and stood in line to be onboard for an early start to their vacation. There is no enforcement (i.e., separate lines for time slots) for anyone showing up early. This was implemented during the cruising restart and quickly discarded once COVID protocols were rescinded. We shifted to the 1230-1:00 boarding times and have been able to arrive, drop bags, park, check in, and be onboard in less that 30 min at both Port Canaveral and Port Everglades. I like the less stressful boarding process of coming in a little later and avoiding the lines. I feel that whatever time you are able to reserve should be when you show up. I, too, find it pretty rude when I see people in front of me in line and clearly their boarding time is later than mine! But that hasn’t made me change my boarding time to later…yet! . Usually once onboard all my cares are washed away and I find my happy place! WAAAYTOOO and RWDW1204 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrimsonCruiser Posted January 8 Report Share Posted January 8 On 1/5/2024 at 5:19 PM, Hoppy2BHere said: Wow. You’ve been chat bot-ed.. That is not a real robot move.. I had a feeling something was up.....though for as long as I've been on the internet I've never known someone to "chat bot" what even is that and what even is the point..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoppy2BHere Posted January 9 Report Share Posted January 9 They just copy and paste your paragraphs into an “AI” tool and it re-words it for them. Then post it back in as their own. Can be an automated tool that generates it as well. Notice this is a one and done a year later… Not sure why they do it, but interesting they chose yours and this subject.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrimsonCruiser Posted January 9 Report Share Posted January 9 3 hours ago, Hoppy2BHere said: They just copy and paste your paragraphs into an “AI” tool and it re-words it for them. Then post it back in as their own. Can be an automated tool that generates it as well. Notice this is a one and done a year later… Not sure why they do it, but interesting they chose yours and this subject.. Maybe it was a test for something? Crappy AI though that didn't even really reword it...it's 98% my words lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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