Best Time To Board

[drcpa]

I am sailing on the Rotterdam out of Rotterdam on Monday, Sept 19.

The ship sails at 5pm and I have been told I can board any time between 11:30am and 3:30pm.

As I will already be in the Netherlands I can arrive any time during that 4 hour window.

Appreciating that this is not an exact science, I am wondering if there is a "best time" to board, a time that minimizes the wait time and crowds.

Much thanks.

[catl331]

We've never boarded in Rottterdam, but most of the time we've found that the initial crowds slack off around 12:15-12:30p, and you still have enough time to get to the MDR lunch.

[kazu]

I am sailing on the Rotterdam out of Rotterdam on Monday, Sept 19.

The ship sails at 5pm and I have been told I can board any time between 11:30am and 3:30pm.

As I will already be in the Netherlands I can arrive any time during that 4 hour window.

Appreciating that this is not an exact science, I am wondering if there is a "best time" to board, a time that minimizes the wait time and crowds.

Much thanks.

 

If you board around 1 pm or anytime after that the crowds should have pretty much thinned out (unless there are later planes coming in:eek:). Some people like to get on as soon as possible or have flown in and go directly to the ship so there are usually lineups at 11:30.

 

If you want lunch on the ship then you will probably have to aim for 12:45. If not, anytime after 1 should be good. JMO :)

[Krazy Kruizers]

We are among those that like to arrive around 11 -- check-in -- get through security.

 

Boarding usually begins around 11:30 and goes pretty quickly.

 

Now you are able to go directly to your cabin and drop off your carry-ons and then head out to lunch.

[DaveOKC]

Boarding around 11:30 is the longest waitwise, but we just love to get on the ship early and walk around before it gets crowded. To each his or her own though.

 

DaveOKC

[m steve]

we try to board about noon and then go to the dining room for the Mariner lunch. The earlier the better as the room can fill quickly. Then we have time to check our table for dinner, make Pinnacle reservations and order flowers and tour the ship knowing the luggage will be in the cabin when we return.

[tcook052]

In Vancouver when I boarded the Zuiderdam I delayed my boarding to avoid the "rush" of those trying to board as soon as the doors opened thinking around 1pm would be the slowest. Much to my chargin it wasn't and I had a 90 minute wait to board which admittedly included pre-clearing U.S. Customs at CVanada Place pier. I asked and one HAL staffer cheerfully said I should've come as soon as they allowed boarding as there really wasn't much of a line up. I laughed and thanked her but you just never know.

 

Last time out in on Eurodam in Fort Lauderdale I went very early and was onboard within 20 minutes and I plan to board early when I sail on Ryndham in Tampa in January. My advice therefore is to go early and hopefully get on quickly and enjoy the Mariner's luncheon.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

11:30

[BumperII]

Last time we cruised out of Ft. Lauderdale we arrived at around 1:30 p.m. There was no one in line, and the check in staff was breaking down the equipment.

This time we are 4 Star, and entitled to priority boarding. We are taking a morning excursion, a tour of Seattle that includes getting dropped off at Pier 91 at about 1:30 p.m. I'm worried that there won't be anyone in line for us to get priority boarded ahead of!!!:D

Because HAL ships are smaller, boarding is seldom much of a problem. I can't remember a cruise when it took us more than half an hour from dropoff until we were having lunch.

Enjoy the cruise my friend.

[drcpa]

...for your advice and counsel and thoughtful well wishes and sentiments.

[RuthC]

This time we are 4 Star, and entitled to priority boarding.

Four star Mariners aren't entitled to priority boarding; they're entitled to priority check-in. There's a difference.

When there are crowds checking in, a 4* Mariner will go to a priority line, which will probably be shorter, and therefore get a better boarding number than those in a longer line, but they still get a number, and board when that number is called. They don't go to the head of the line like suite and wheelchair passengers do.

[DaveOKC]

Four star Mariners aren't entitled to priority boarding; they're entitled to priority check-in. There's a difference.

When there are crowds checking in, a 4* Mariner will go to a priority line, which will probably be shorter, and therefore get a better boarding number than those in a longer line, but they still get a number, and board when that number is called. They don't go to the head of the line like suite and wheelchair passengers do.

 

Ruth - I know you have more experience at this that I, but I swear that last year in San Diego when we were in a Deluxe suite that the 4 stars boarded with us (they had us all in a roped off area and I met a couple of 4 stars while we were waiting). Does it vary by port perhaps?

[sea chantey]

DW and I are on the same sailing. See you in Rotterdam!

[Mary Ellen]

On a Med cruise we saw a 4-star throw a MAJOR meltdown because they didn't get priority boarding. Ruth is correct. On the HAL site they do specify priority check-in, no mention is made about boarding.

[RuthC]

Ruth - I know you have more experience at this that I, but I swear that last year in San Diego when we were in a Deluxe suite that the 4 stars boarded with us (they had us all in a roped off area and I met a couple of 4 stars while we were waiting). Does it vary by port perhaps?

It may vary by port. I know that there have been some ports where the 4* Mariners went to the line reserved for suite guests, but were not in the same holding area for boarding.

I board in a wheelchair. In some ports I go to a different line than the suite guests. In other ports the suite and wheelchair passengers were both combined with the 4* passengers in the same check-in line.

My memory is that wheelchair passengers wait in a separate area than suite passengers, and we usually start boarding when they do, or right after. HAL wants to get the "pushers" working, and then back to doing something else.

[Viesczy]

I like to get to the port about 90 minutes after boarding started. All the ones champing @ the bit to get on are there and waiting/just startign to board adn we roll right up with them.

 

We get there w/o a hurried & harried time to the port, get into the cabin about the same time as the folks who nearly camped out.

 

Derek

[Wayfairers]

We have gotten to the port early and late depending upon what we were doing before boarding. The best time to board seems to vary by the sailing - if you have a ship full of people who want to be first, late boarding is better and vice versa. We had no wait about thirty minutes after boarding started the last time we sailed HAL.

[Typhoon1]

The earlier the better. Make your vacation last as long as possible.

[Carol28]

We like to get on as early as possible. Last time we had to wait for a few minutes in the waiting area. We were given a number and chatted with another couple while we did. isn't that the point? Enjoy those around you, even if you have to wait. And, the other couple turned out to be our tablemates!

HAL is particularly well organized and gets everyone on board easily with very little stress. Go early. Be Happy.