Boarding, E-docs, X-press pass, Hotel in Miami

[Delbie]

I have a few questions:

 

1. My E-docs say board at 1:30 p.m. for my cruise out of Miami on Eclipse, but everyone on these boards in their reviews seems to board earlier than that. Do you recommend going earlier than the recommended time?

 

2. There are some pages in the E-docs that look like they are meant to be printed and filled in by me, but they seem to duplicate the info in my xpress pass. If you complete and submit an xpress pass, do you have to also print and fill out the E-docs?

 

3. Any recommendations on a good place to stay in Miami? Our only requirements are inexpensive, proximity to pier, and no bedbugs.

 

4. What to do for one day in Miami before cruise?

 

Thank you in advance for your replies!

[cruisestitch]

If you do the on line check in, the pages in the e-docs are redundant, and you do not need to print them out. Just bring the on-line check in papers, your passport and credit card to the terminal for boarding.

 

The ship may be ready earlier than 1:30, but it may not. It will depend on how quickly the previous passengers disembark, which depends somewhat on how fast customs/immigration officials clear the ship and allow passengers off. If you arrive at the terminal and the ship is not ready, you will be sitting in a large room waiting to board. So it's a chancy business. We usually hang around the hotel until their check-out time, which is usually around noon then make our way to the ship. YMMV.

[kitkat9438]

I agree you do not need to print out the contract, just your boarding passes.

 

We just got off the Eclipse and we boarded around noon, only because we had to return the rental car. Normally we board around 11:30, as our friends did this time with no problems. Probably the easiest embarkation ever. They told us the room would not be ready until around 1:00 so we went to lunch and then dropped off our carry on luggage.

 

Go to last minute travel dot come. You can get the Intercontinental which is a five star hotel for cheap. We got it for December 10 for $84. It might be higher whenever you go. Just go to the website and put in five stars and downtown. The hotel is in downtown right on the bay and you will have a view of the cruise ship out your window in the morning. It's also a short walk to Bayside marketplace where there are good places to eat and there's a Walgreens for last minute items. If you want to check out south beach, you can take a cab or rent a car.

[cstrick]

Where do the e-docs come from? I have already done the express checkin and have recieved my luggage tags but I don't have anything that resembles documents.

[Oceangoer2]

Where do the e-docs come from? I have already done the express checkin and have recieved my luggage tags but I don't have anything that resembles documents.

I found my Edocs on the My Celebrity, online check-in, view details page (left hand bottom of the page). They appeared at the same time the "request for luggage tags" did (around 45 days prior to cruise).

[cb at sea]

Only folks who don't know better get to the ship at the time it says on the "docs"...yes..get there around 11:30 or so!

[kidless]

We are booked at Intercontinental Hotel pre-cruise. Actually going to spend New Years Eve there and then sail on January 2nd!!! :D

[mtbmom]

I have a few questions:

 

1. My E-docs say board at 1:30 p.m. for my cruise out of Miami on Eclipse, but everyone on these boards in their reviews seems to board earlier than that. Do you recommend going earlier than the recommended time?

 

2. There are some pages in the E-docs that look like they are meant to be printed and filled in by me, but they seem to duplicate the info in my xpress pass. If you complete and submit an xpress pass, do you have to also print and fill out the E-docs?

 

3. Any recommendations on a good place to stay in Miami? Our only requirements are inexpensive, proximity to pier, and no bedbugs.

 

4. What to do for one day in Miami before cruise?

 

Thank you in advance for your replies!

 

We are going to a Miami Heat game the night before the cruise. :)

[Delbie]

Thanks for your replies!

[nmuller328]

has anyone stayed at the Hilton Downtown- precruise-was looking to use reward points? Any areas one should avoid in Miami?