Splendor Embarkation

[tulman]

We will be staying on the QM the last of July. I've been hearing horrible things about Embarkation and this thread has put me at ease. Guess we'll do the early checking about 930, (with luggage?), get Zoned for 1 and wait for the Plats to board. Head back to QM for breakfast or coffee.

 

Hopefully, this year they security will not have me pull EVERYTHING out of my laptop backpack as they did last year (with it's gazillion pockets). Was it the wine:confused:

[MikeM]

We will be staying on the QM the last of July. I've been hearing horrible things about Embarkation and this thread has put me at ease. Guess we'll do the early checking about 930, (with luggage?), get Zoned for 1 and wait for the Plats to board. Head back to QM for breakfast or coffee.

 

Hopefully, this year they security will not have me pull EVERYTHING out of my laptop backpack as they did last year (with it's gazillion pockets). Was it the wine:confused:

If there are wedding parties you will have an additional wait. Last spring (pre fire) we were at the port at 10:30 am (Platinum) and waited an additional hour for 2-wedding parties to be processed along with their non sailing quests. We were first aboard a bit after 12pm. They were also slow in clearing the ship as we could here the loud speaker looking for guests all morning up till 11:30. We stay up the street at the Maya and did a stroll by early on Sunday and there were 50+ people waiting at 7 ish. Geeeesh.

[RedRover96]

Thanks to all, for your replies!!! From what I have been reading the last week, things have improved!! My wife & I will also be doing the stay over on QM. It sounds like a great way to start a cruise and simplification of check in. Take your checked luggage over early, get checked in & then show up at your pleasure to board at the appropriate time! All the while enjoying the majesty of an old cruise ship!:)

[ccruisequeen]

Do you know why the Paradise's is at the Queen Mary and the Splendor's is in front of the dome?

Longer ship?:rolleyes:

[ccruisequeen]

Thanks so much to those who tried to answer my questions.

 

Even though we were looking at spending the night elsewhere, it looks to me like we might be better off planning on staying on the Queen Mary to more efficiently get our group through the process.

 

I'll definitely be keepingmy eye on any developments at theLB port over the next year.

 

We live in LB, but try to arrive early to get disabled parking (I have a leg brace & use a combo wheelchair/walker)

[ccruisequeen]

Hi Durangler,

 

My wife and I just got off the Splendor on 5-29. We stayed at the Queen Mary for the night before embarkation. At about 9 am I walked over to the dome and saw the Carnival people starting to set up for early check-in and was told they would start about 930 am. I walked back to the Queen Mary got my wife and got back to the early check-in about 935 am. we were all checked in by 945 am, got our sail and sign cards , got zone one card and was told zone one would be called about noon. We arrived back at the dome at 1215 pm, zone one had already been called and was all gone, and the longest wait was the security checkpoint. we were walking onto the ship by about about 1230pm.

 

Hope this helps

I saw you sailing in-- you looked beautiful with all the lights on! spotted the ship on the horizon about 4:30 am & the ship finally docked at 5, after swinging around to back in! I can see you from my condo!

[Shadwick]

Been back for a while now...kind of forgot about this thread. We did exactly what I planned and it worked great.

 

We stayed at the Hotel Maya, and went over about 9:00am and parked. We brought our luggage that we wanted to check in and a porter took it. I was a bit worried when he walked away with it towards the parking garage. Later I figured that is where they stage the luggage. PHEW! Walked to the dome...nothing there, so we walked over to the Aft section of the Queen Mary...(it had been raining that morning, and I had read that in bad weather, they do the early check in over there.)...yep, there was a gentleman to greet us and handed us THIS:

 

 

The line moved along very quickly and within 30 minutes we were done! We headed back to the Hotel, and just sat around...anxiously awaiting time to go. Our shuttle to the pier was at 10:40...I should have set that up sooner and I would have gone over about 11:00 or 11:20 ish, but for a free ride and free parking, I was okay with 10:40.

 

It was about 11:45 when we were finally able to enter the dome and finish the procedure of boarding. We were eating on the Lido deck by 12:30. Of course that was AFTER a stop at the Shore Excursion desk to sign up for the Behind the Fun Tour! (Which was fabulous!)

 

All in all, it was an easy embarkation. When we were sitting there waiting to board, I had my husband look over where they were doing the regular check in, and the lines were LONG. I asked him which he would have rather done. What we did, or go stand in those lines, and still have to wait to board. He was glad we did what we did. :D

 

Good Luck everyone...we had a great time....I know you will too!

 

Diana

[ncovert]

Been back for a while now...kind of forgot about this thread. We did exactly what I planned and it worked great.

 

We stayed at the Hotel Maya, and went over about 9:00am and parked. We brought our luggage that we wanted to check in and a porter took it. I was a bit worried when he walked away with it towards the parking garage. Later I figured that is where they stage the luggage. PHEW! Walked to the dome...nothing there, so we walked over to the Aft section of the Queen Mary...(it had been raining that morning, and I had read that in bad weather, they do the early check in over there.)...yep, there was a gentleman to greet us and handed us THIS:

 

 

The line moved along very quickly and within 30 minutes we were done! We headed back to the Hotel, and just sat around...anxiously awaiting time to go. Our shuttle to the pier was at 10:40...I should have set that up sooner and I would have gone over about 11:00 or 11:20 ish, but for a free ride and free parking, I was okay with 10:40.

 

It was about 11:45 when we were finally able to enter the dome and finish the procedure of boarding. We were eating on the Lido deck by 12:30. Of course that was AFTER a stop at the Shore Excursion desk to sign up for the Behind the Fun Tour! (Which was fabulous!)

 

All in all, it was an easy embarkation. When we were sitting there waiting to board, I had my husband look over where they were doing the regular check in, and the lines were LONG. I asked him which he would have rather done. What we did, or go stand in those lines, and still have to wait to board. He was glad we did what we did. :D

 

Good Luck everyone...we had a great time....I know you will too!

 

Diana

 

I have a similar picture from last weekend (5/22). Got to the pier around 9:20 ... ended up with a dod on the Lido deck right around 12:30.

 

On Sunday (5/29) we were in zone 8 (3rd group to be called) for leaving the ship and were through customs and getting into our cab at 9:30. There were probably about half of the passengers still on board at that time. Not really sure if the Splendor staff and Carnival can really get the passengers on any quicker then what we expereinced. Certainly seemed more smooth then other terminals. IMO

[DANCING GRANDMOMMY]

I will let everyone know. I can't believe it's almost my turn to go. :D. I can hardly wait. I think I will go over about 9-9:30ish to check in, then go back to the hotel for a while, then go back around 11ish. If they have the delays they have had on disembarking...may still have to wait a while, but I'm okay with that. :rolleyes: I'm hoping for a quick easy disembarking for the previous cruise...so I can get on asap!

 

It's funny...I'm going camping this weekend where I am doing all the cooking, then a few weeks later to the cruise, where I HAVE to do NOTHING! Oh...it's going to be nice. :p

 

Diana

So how was your trip?

[DANCING GRANDMOMMY]

We are coming from our Hotel in Anaheim, so we are giving ourselves about 45 minutes to and hour....is that about right?

We are staying at a hotel in Anaheim also when we go out in January. Peacock Suites. How about you.

[Gig103]

Shadwick, I am a bit confused, having never cruised before. We at staying at the Maya as well. Did you have a car, or did their shuttle make two trips for you? If you had a car, how much was short term parking while you did early check in before going back to the hotel? Lastly, for early check in did you and your DH both go, or is one person able to drop off luggage and secure Zone1?

[Shadwick]

Shadwick, I am a bit confused, having never cruised before. We at staying at the Maya as well. Did you have a car, or did their shuttle make two trips for you? If you had a car, how much was short term parking while you did early check in before going back to the hotel? Lastly, for early check in did you and your DH both go, or is one person able to drop off luggage and secure Zone1?

 

Sorry, let me clarify. We stayed at the Hotel Maya for the closeness but most of all for the parking. We drove over with our luggage, and all of us had to go to check in. Parking at the terminal is free for the first 30 minutes, $3.00 for 31+ minutes to a couple of hours...I don't remember for sure. We were just Barely over the 30 minutes when we checked in. It worked out great for us.

 

Diana

[Durangler]

Shadwick... Thank you for remembering to return to this thread and post your embarkation experience!

Glad your plan worked so well, as I have the same basic plan in mind. I'm going to save this thread for reference! :D

 

You mentioned you should have set up your shuttle sooner....

Do you mean, the hotel schedules the shuttle on a first come first serve basis for requested times?

 

I hope our embarkation goes as smoothly as yours. I anticipate it will. :)

 

Thanks.

[junmatno]

Thanks so much to those who tried to answer my questions.

 

Even though we were looking at spending the night elsewhere, it looks to me like we might be better off planning on staying on the Queen Mary to more efficiently get our group through the process.

 

I'll definitely be keepingmy eye on any developments at theLB port over the next year.

 

 

LittleJeanne: We stayed on the QM for our family cruise our of LB on 4/17. We LOVED it. We have 3 kids, 16, 12, and 4. All we had to do, was walk over early to check in. Then we got to go back to the QM and hang out relaxing in our rooms or around that ship, until check in time.

Then we called the Bell Desk, and they send the bell boy to pick up your luggage and THEY WALK WITH YOU AND TAKE YOUR LUGGAGE ON YOUR CART RIGHT TO THE PORTERS!!! It sounds like this would work very well for your group.

Have a wonderful time!!! Oh, and if you need to take a cruise sooner to make the "sacrifice" of checking on embarkation, I AM WITH YOU ON THAT ONE!!! ;)

[LitchfieldParkCruisers]

What's the big deal about waiting in line for awhile..I wait in the doctors office for over an hour on a busy day, and for what? To get checked for a hernia......I certainly don't mind waiting 2-3 hours to get on board a cruise ship for an amazing week long vacation...

 

Not to mention they have to politely get 2500 passengers off the ship, before the first new one can board....

 

Just my opinion....

 

LPC

[Jenbo57]

What's the big deal about waiting in line for awhile..I wait in the doctors office for over an hour on a busy day, and for what? To get checked for a hernia......I certainly don't mind waiting 2-3 hours to get on board a cruise ship for an amazing week long vacation...

 

Not to mention they have to politely get 2500 passengers off the ship, before the first new one can board....

 

Just my opinion....

 

LPC

 

I'm with you on this one!

 

I've cruised twice out of LB, once on the Pride and once on the Splendor, and I honestly can't remember much of anything about the embarkation experience. Which means, probably, that it was fairly hassle-free. Got to the ship, got on the ship, went on a cruise. Maybe the process took 30 minutes, maybe it took a couple of hours. It really didn't matter...I was going someplace warm! :D

[Shadwick]

Shadwick... Thank you for remembering to return to this thread and post your embarkation experience!

Glad your plan worked so well, as I have the same basic plan in mind. I'm going to save this thread for reference! :D

 

You mentioned you should have set up your shuttle sooner....

Do you mean, the hotel schedules the shuttle on a first come first serve basis for requested times?

 

I hope our embarkation goes as smoothly as yours. I anticipate it will. :)

 

Thanks.

 

Yes, they schedule a shuttle about every 20 minutes. No one mentioned that to me when we checked in. I just thought to check the night before, and 10:40am and 1:30pm or later was left, I took the 10:40. But 11:15 ish would be what I would recommend if you get zone 1.

 

I hope it works as well for you too. I wish I were going again. Have fun for me. :D

 

Diana

[Shadwick]

I'm with you on this one!

 

I've cruised twice out of LB, once on the Pride and once on the Splendor, and I honestly can't remember much of anything about the embarkation experience. Which means, probably, that it was fairly hassle-free. Got to the ship, got on the ship, went on a cruise. Maybe the process took 30 minutes, maybe it took a couple of hours. It really didn't matter...I was going someplace warm! :D

 

I totally understand what you are saying, and if I didn't have my 5 year old grandson with me, AND I wasn't trying to get signed up for the behind the fun tour, I wouldn't have worried so much about it. For MY situation and wants, I planed it out and it worked out perfectly for us.

 

Diana

[Shadwick]

Sorry...double post...dang board glitch.

[Durangler]

Thanks Shadwick, for the heads up. I'll be sure to inquire about shuttle times when we check in.

October seems years away! :D

[Cavners5]

We are staying at a hotel in Anaheim also when we go out in January. Peacock Suites. How about you.

 

 

We are actually staying at the Park Vue Inn. We have stayed there before, right at the crosswalk of Harbor and Disney Way. We are going to DL for a few days before we board the ship.:D

[DZNYROX]

The new Star Tours opens this Friday so you will be able to enjoy it while you are there:D