How likely can I board if I arrive before my check-in time?

[DunwoodyDad]

I know during COVID this was a big no-no. Still the case?  

I completely missed the 45 day point and now have a 12:30 time in Port Canaveral. Would love to get on earlier to eat lunch. 

[Babsy47]

I had no problem boarding before my assigned time last month at PC. I think, however, that they can enforce if things get too backed up.

[ChessE4]

9 hours ago, DunwoodyDad said:

I know during COVID this was a big no-no. Still the case?  

I completely missed the 45 day point and now have a 12:30 time in Port Canaveral. Would love to get on earlier to eat lunch. 

It varies by port. We found status considered before time, e.g. suite or Diamond status had priority.

[Xaa]

They'll still be serving lunch if you board at 12:30.

I know you prefer something earlier, but please keep to your time and don't make it more crowded for the folks that did not miss the 45 day point.  It's not the end of the world if you do, but it's also not the end of the world to observe your 12:30 slot.

[PPPJJ-GCVAB]

10 hours ago, DunwoodyDad said:

I know during COVID this was a big no-no. Still the case?  

I completely missed the 45 day point and now have a 12:30 time in Port Canaveral. Would love to get on earlier to eat lunch. 

Sorry everyone but my opinion is…it still should be a big No-No especially if you consciously plan to arrive before your actual check in time.  Rules are for a reason and should be followed as such.  

[bobroo]

Your vacation does not start when your first foot hits deck 5, your vacation actually starts long before that.  Chill.

[CruisingNewb]

I do not advocate for trying to board prior to check-in time.  I agree its a no-no.

That doesn't mean don't get to the port earlier than your check-in time though.  If you have a 12:30 check-in time, you should be at the port 15 minutes early, give or take 5 minutes.  I'm not saying 1 hour early.  Not saying 45 minutes early.  When you arrive at  port, the line of people in front of you are potentially and mostly people still waiting to check-in for earlier times.  

On the other hand, the only time I say its totally okay to arrive super early to port is if you have one of the first check-in times.  You aren't cheating the system, you are the earliest boarding time.  

As for food, c'mon...its a cruise...you are not going to starve.  There will be food options when you board.  I have never heard a reasonable person say there were no dining options on a cruise.  

[CruiseGus]

Just an FYI last week at the new Galveston terminal for the first time I remember this year they were not laying anyone that did not have first boarding time of 11 to even enter the serpentine line outside before opening.

I belive that after boarding started a little after 11, once the terminal waiting area cleared and people were walking directly on board the were not as strict.

So seems you're better off arriving close to your checkin time

[steverk]

In my experience your luck will depend on the ship and port.

If you arrive early and there are a lot of people waiting to board, then they'll probably make you wait. If you arrive and there's nobody around, they'll probably be happy to have you board early.  Smaller ships are more likely to have this happy situation.

For example, I've boarded Allure out of Galveston twice.  Each time it was a total zoo and they did everything they could to enforce boarding times.

I've also sailed out of the same terminal at Galveston on Adventure twice and Radiance once.  In all cases there were no lines and the port staff didn't even ask about boarding times.  

[Gillian WV]

We deliberately chose 12:30, to give us time to drive there, but also to get to our room ASAP. (which, hopefully, will be open by 1:00)

The fun starts when you get on board, and at least it's not 2:30.  Don't stress trying to Rope Drop the ship. 

[DunwoodyDad]

Thanks for the input to all. 

Everyone prioritizes different things but to be clear, I’m not the only one looking to get onboard as soon as possible (and yes, I’m a rope dropper at WDW too )….

 

[OCSC Mike]

24 minutes ago, DunwoodyDad said:

Everyone prioritizes different things but to be clear, I’m not the only one looking to get onboard as soon as possible

I don't think anyone was questioning that. There's a reason the earliest check-in times fill up first.

One of my goals on nearly every cruise is to take a scoop of untouched paella from embarkation day WJ lunch.

[lkg276]

Port Canaveral Royal terminals work so smooth I have never had a problem getting on board, never have they asked for my time.

[Ampurp85]

I did Miami last week for a 4/17 cruise, they have lines and wasn't letting anyone in early.  I bypassed a long line if people who didn't have 10:30/11 and they were forced to wait until their time.

[Pooch]

2 hours ago, DunwoodyDad said:

Thanks for the input to all. 

Everyone prioritizes different things but to be clear, I’m not the only one looking to get onboard as soon as possible (and yes, I’m a rope dropper at WDW too )….

 

Yup, that’s why you don’t miss the 45 day check in.  I get it, life happens.  I’m sure you’ll be fine whatever time you get on.

[Cedardale]

I concur with all the repliers who stated everyone SHOULD adhere to their ASSIGNED boarding time. USE THE 45 DAY ON-LINE CHECK-IN APP!!!!!

[tonyfsu21]

Reality = 99.99999% chance you can board early.

What RC/ Others will tell you = “you might get turned away” or “you should have picked your boarding time as soon as it was available”. You might even get the email from RC the night before with the same message “don’t come early”! The email in my experience is bogus and the gate agents are either clueless, confused by the chaos or don’t care. 
 

“you lose 100% of the chances you don’t take”

- Unknown 

 

 

 

[tonyfsu21]

On 4/25/2023 at 7:04 PM, Ampurp85 said:

I did Miami last week for a 4/17 cruise, they have lines and wasn't letting anyone in early.  I bypassed a long line if people who didn't have 10:30/11 and they were forced to wait until their time.

Interesting. Must have been a different shift because I boarded a few days later and was on the pool deck by 10:15 am and the gatekeepers didn’t bother to even glance at my boarding pass which was a 1pm boarding time. 

[Jill]

I checked in recently at 6:30am and the first available was 11:30. Several in our Facebook group checked in after noon and got 10:30. How does that happen? 
 

I wish they’d go back to C&A priority boarding. 
 

Pre Covid we were able to board oasis class ships in about 15-20 minutes without boarding times. 
 

Remember RC’s old slogan, “car to bar in 15 minutes?” They were able to do it pre Covid, why not now? 

[Bowen]

I think it would be fine. I’ve never had anyone look at my boarding time. Last cruise we actually got a notification to wait an additional hour, but I was five minutes from the port and just went ahead and boarded, no problem.

[tonyfsu21]

8 hours ago, Jill said:

I checked in recently at 6:30am and the first available was 11:30. Several in our Facebook group checked in after noon and got 10:30. How does that happen? 
 

I wish they’d go back to C&A priority boarding. 
 

Pre Covid we were able to board oasis class ships in about 15-20 minutes without boarding times. 
 

Remember RC’s old slogan, “car to bar in 15 minutes?” They were able to do it pre Covid, why not now? 

I think they can (and do). Maybe not 15 minutes but no more then 30 in my experience for the last few sailings post pandemic. I agree with you re: priority boarding and no more of this race to the online check in nonsense. 

[tonyfsu21]

7 hours ago, Bowen said:

I think it would be fine. I’ve never had anyone look at my boarding time. Last cruise we actually got a notification to wait an additional hour, but I was five minutes from the port and just went ahead and boarded, no problem.

Haha, you received the infamous note. It must be effective crowd control because they continue to use it. If there’s ever a time to defy the rules or bend them a bit, it’s for the good of a family vacation. Hit “delete” and continue to the destination.

[Ampurp85]

13 hours ago, tonyfsu21 said:

Interesting. Must have been a different shift because I boarded a few days later and was on the pool deck by 10:15 am and the gatekeepers didn’t bother to even glance at my boarding pass which was a 1pm boarding time. 

I wonder if you were staying in a suite or not or if it was just a different set of crew members. Having the Key or staying in a suite will matter as to if you are let in early. You could have been one of the first there and they let you go because there wasn't a lot of people. But once the lines start to form, they do start to enforce the times. 

[tonyfsu21]

1 hour ago, Ampurp85 said:

I wonder if you were staying in a suite or not or if it was just a different set of crew members. Having the Key or staying in a suite will matter as to if you are let in early. You could have been one of the first there and they let you go because there wasn't a lot of people. But once the lines start to form, they do start to enforce the times. 

No suite this time and no key. I’ve never had an issue but maybe the chaos plays in my favor?

[Ampurp85]

4 hours ago, tonyfsu21 said:

No suite this time and no key. I’ve never had an issue but maybe the chaos plays in my favor?

I think your case is an exception and not the rule. I have heard a few, just a few, instances of people showing up at 10am and getting in regardless of boarding time because of the chaos of pax disembarking and embarking. But again, it's rare, with the exception of Galveston and on occasion Port LAX, I had only experienced and heard of them enforcing the times. 

[DublinFC]

On 4/25/2023 at 7:04 PM, Ampurp85 said:

I did Miami last week for a 4/17 cruise, they have lines and wasn't letting anyone in early.  I bypassed a long line if people who didn't have 10:30/11 and they were forced to wait until their time.

Good to know, we have the 10:30-11 time out of Miami this coming May

[tonyfsu21]

3 hours ago, Ampurp85 said:

I think your case is an exception and not the rule. I have heard a few, just a few, instances of people showing up at 10am and getting in regardless of boarding time because of the chaos of pax disembarking and embarking. But again, it's rare, with the exception of Galveston and on occasion Port LAX, I had only experienced and heard of them enforcing the times. 

That’s quite an exception then considering we are well into D+ level and cruise very often. The fact that I have never even so much have been asked about my boarding time and consistently board before 11:00 am means I need to play the lottery or start hammering the slot machines. My luck is clearly on fire!

[Ampurp85]

41 minutes ago, tonyfsu21 said:

That’s quite an exception then considering we are well into D+ level and cruise very often. The fact that I have never even so much have been asked about my boarding time and consistently board before 11:00 am means I need to play the lottery or start hammering the slot machines. My luck is clearly on fire!

Haha, maybe it is your confidence. Or if you cruise out of the same port and the crew recognize you. 

I sailed on 6+ cruises last year out of four ports and I can honestly say only at LAX was nobody asked about boarding times. Every other time there were lines and in no instance did I have a check-in time after 11am. In almost every instance last year I had to wait in the terminal to board. I have sailed three times this year and only once have I walked straight on to the ship. Over half of all the sailings I have received either the push back of boarding or the "please arrive at your scheduled time" emails. 

[Mike n Ky]

Remembered this and wanted to share something. Today our checkin on WOS was 11:30am...our Uber driver arrived early and we made great time so arrived at the port around 10:15. We told them we were early but they sent us in anyway. In fact, we were aboard in less than 15 minutes. Because of the size of this terminal it probably skews the approach, Also, this is the first time we have arrived over an hour early but then again we haven't had to shuttle so far to the port.

[Jakejosa]

On 4/24/2023 at 9:48 PM, DunwoodyDad said:

I know during COVID this was a big no-no. Still the case?  

I completely missed the 45 day point and now have a 12:30 time in Port Canaveral. Would love to get on earlier to eat lunch. 

I have two (hopefully helpful) comments.

1. If you want to arrive early and don't mind standing in line in case they enforce check in time, go for it! Yes, it is annoying to deal with a crowded terminal, but I won't judge you!

2. Even though you missed the 45 day check in, additional check in spots DO open up. I have had luck with this multiple times. I have seen earlier times appear 1 week before departure. Just keep checking the app and you might get lucky.

[CPCruiser4Life]

I would risk it.....worst case scenario, they make you wait...

[tonyfsu21]

1 hour ago, CPCruiser4Life said:

I would risk it.....worst case scenario, they make you wait...

Yep, roll the dice on this one. I personally think the entire enforcement process is bogus and a mirage for the sake of crowd control at the terminal. I cannot imagine these terminal workers holding anyone back, in fact the entire act of holding people back and scrutinizing a boarding pass entry time goes against the line flow and stops forward progress. 

[Ampurp85]

1 hour ago, CPCruiser4Life said:

I would risk it.....worst case scenario, they make you wait...

This is what everyone is saying, OP would have to wait. But in most cases that means waiting in the hot sun for hour(s). 

[tonyfsu21]

2 hours ago, Ampurp85 said:

This is what everyone is saying, OP would have to wait. But in most cases that means waiting in the hot sun for hour(s). 

This is the only hot sun you will be waiting in for hours and it’s much better with a Kraken Pina Colada:

[Ampurp85]

@tonyfsu21  YOU might be, that is not everyone's or even the average person's experience.

[OCSC Mike]

31 minutes ago, Ampurp85 said:

@tonyfsu21  YOU might be, that is not everyone's or even the average person's experience.

He does have good taste in frozen drinks at least.

[ScooterScott22]

Sure, go ahead and arrive early since everyone else will too!  This is just the line for security.

[DunwoodyDad]

Thanks all!  I’m going for it!

[tonyfsu21]

1 hour ago, DunwoodyDad said:

Thanks all!  I’m going for it!

Leave the hotel (or wherever) and arrive at the Canaveral parking garage at 9:45-10:00am. If you are able body, park the car in the garage and wheel the bags downstairs to where the porter is instead of wasting time circling around to drop the bags off. This is going to generate some noise from this crowd but ignore the boarding times listed on the the small signs and just walk down the earliest time entry point like you own the place. You should be on the ship with a cocktail in hand by 10:30 with plenty of time to figure out where you want to eat lunch!