When can we get on the ship? Leaving Los Angeles.

They say embarkation begins after about 1-2 pm and not to arrive before then. We will be in Los Angeles early in the morning. We have taken other cruises, but not princess. Additionally, we don't have a suite or anything special.

Can we arrive at 10ish AM and have any expectation to get on reasonably quickly, or are they strict about the 1-2 time frame?

They say embarkation begins after about 1-2 pm and not to arrive before then. We will be in Los Angeles early in the morning. We have taken other cruises, but not princess. Additionally, we don't have a suite or anything special.

 

Can we arrive at 10ish AM and have any expectation to get on reasonably quickly, or are they strict about the 1-2 time frame?

Normally it is a suggested time. The cruise line likes to spread the passenger flow out in hopes there will not be long lines to get on. You can arrive at 10 but expect to wait. Princess normally starts boarding after 11 am. That can change if there are inspections or they have to do a major cleaning of the ship due to Noro. Once they get started things seem to move along rather fast.

Normally it is a suggested time. The cruise line likes to spread the passenger flow out in hopes there will not be long lines to get on. You can arrive at 10 but expect to wait. Princess normally starts boarding after 11 am. That can change if there are inspections or they have to do a major cleaning of the ship due to Noro. Once they get started things seem to move along rather fast.

Agreed we find the best earliest time to arrive is about 10.30 as the luggage porters are still dealing with those who are disembarking. Have a wonderful cruise:)

You'll go into a room with 100's of people and wait. They start calling by groups at about 11 or 12. We're usually in out room by 12 or 12:30 and never had to wait for our room to be ready.

Boarding usually starts about 11:30am. The time from Princess is a suggestion, not a mandate

On most of our cruises, including the most recent, we try to arrive about 11-11:15. Normally this results in walking right onto the ship after check in. However, if things were not routine on the previous disembarkation or if there is a Coast Guard inspection, boarding will be delayed. If there is an announced inspection, you will be notified prior to the cruise and told not to arrive before 1pm.

In San Pedro, check-in usually starts at about 11am. After checking in, you go through Security and to a waiting area. Boarding can start any time between 11:15 and Noon. When you see the “in transit” passengers board (those doing a back-to-back), boarding will start about 5-10 minutes later. First to board are Captain’s Circle Elite and full suite passengers, then Platinum and then general boarding. You’ll be called in the order in which you checked in by group.

On most of our cruises' date=' including the most recent, we try to arrive about 11-11:15. Normally this results in walking right onto the ship after check in. However, if things were not routine on the previous disembarkation or if there is a Coast Guard inspection, boarding will be delayed. If there is an announced inspection, you will be notified prior to the cruise and told not to arrive before 1pm.

If there are issues that will hold up boarding, you'll usually get a text or email, otherwise anytime after 10.

In San Pedro, check-in usually starts at about 11am. After checking in, you go through Security and to a waiting area. Boarding can start any time between 11:15 and Noon. When you see the “in transit” passengers board (those doing a back-to-back), boarding will start about 5-10 minutes later. First to board are Captain’s Circle Elite and full suite passengers, then Platinum and then general boarding. You’ll be called in the order in which you checked in by group.

You mean they just got off the ship and doing same itinerary again for another week?

You mean they just got off the ship and doing same itinerary again for another week?

For instance, I’ve sailed from Vancouver to Ft. Lauderdale that was two cruises: a 2-day to San Francisco and a 15-day to Ft Lauderdale. I disembarked in San Francisco and went through Immigration before spending the day there and re-boarding. Sometimes people will book a cruise that goes to the Mexican Riviera followed by a California Coastal cruise. Next year, I’m doing that on the Royal: 7-day Mexican Riviera cruise out of LA followed by a cruise from LA to Vancouver. Some people on my cruise have also booked the cruise prior to the Mexican Riviera cruise.

US Immigration requires that when the ship disembarks passengers at a US port, all passengers must go through Immigration even if they are staying onboard for the next cruise. Princess has these people meet in a lounge after all other passengers have disembarked. They are then led off the ship, through Immigration and back onto the ship. The process takes about 15-20 minutes total.

I’ve seen times when there were just a few passengers taking a back-to-back and other times when there were literally hundreds.

The boarding time is just a suggestion. I usually arrive at 11:30 a.m. and in my cabin by 12:30 p.m.

Tony

It doesn't do any good to get there too early--you'll just be waiting for check-in to begin, which is usually about 11:00. You'll be assigned a boarding group according to your check-in order. Wedding parties, travelers needing assistance, suite, Elite, and Platinum passengers go first, in that order. Then everybody else, according to your group. So 11:00 is a good time--you'll have to wait a little but not too long.

You mean they just got off the ship and doing same itinerary again for another week?

When we were on the Royal last week we encountered a woman who had been on the ship since January 2, 14 weeks straight.

The boarding time is just a suggestion. I usually arrive at 11:30 a.m. and in my cabin by 12:30 p.m.

Tony

Exactly this

There are a number of processes that HAVE to be done sequentially. Any little hiccup stops the entire process. Once had to wait 90 minutes because PRIOR cruise pax count was off by 1. Captain stopped embarkation until ship was totally searched.

It doesn't do any good to get there too early--you'll just be waiting for check-in to begin, which is usually about 11:00. You'll be assigned a boarding group according to your check-in order. Wedding parties, travelers needing assistance, suite, Elite, and Platinum passengers go first, in that order. Then everybody else, according to your group. So 11:00 is a good time--you'll have to wait a little but not too long.

Yes and no... There are a few specific circumstances when some people DO need to board as early as possible. One example, for us anyway, is to get a head start in racing upstairs to book the Sanctuary. We're Platinum and even checking in at 10:30 AND WAITING, we still sometimes find the decent Sanctuary loungers already gone by the time we get there.

I have only sailed Princess a few times, most recently the Coastal in 2013 but daughter & I will be on the Emerald next March and have noticed that we wait more with Princess to board then we do RCCL. We arrive by 11 with most of our cruises. I do like the fact our rooms are ready when we board our Princess cruises vs RCCL and waiting until 1 PM to go to our rooms.

You mean they just got off the ship and doing same itinerary again for another week?

For some folks, the ports of call are less important than the days at sea or even onboard in port, so why not?

Also, you'll find that ships out of LA often will alternate 1-week Mexico with 1-week California Coastal.