boarding procedure questions

[WDWfan13]

What time can you board? How long of a wait can we expect? All my son really remembers about our last cruise was that we had to wait in line for hours to board (Carnival) and that on our tour of Nassau we had people ask when they were going to see the Space Shuttle!!

Norwegian Sun 3/26/2005

[corkscrew]

People expecting to see the space shuttle in the bahamas? Sounds like a little too much sun, sheesh.

Assuming you are referring to the NCL Dawn, from New York... After you place your tagged luggage with the porters and secure your carry on, you go upstairs and go through some doors into a large reception area. There is a zigzagging line that eventually leads to the metal detectors and scanning area.

Once there they bring you to a little room full of drug and bomb sniffing dogs and a huge policeman named butch where you are thoroughly searched and.....just kidding.

The line goes on to the metal detectors and scanners, lasts about 30 mintues and you are on to the embarkation desks where you turn in your immigration cards (if any) and get your photo taken for your shipboard account.

You then walk to the rear of the room, get your photo taken to hang on the wall of fame for later purchase and you walk up the gangway and onto the giant tub.

Forgot to mention, 12 noon is a good time to show up.


have fun.

[WDWfan13]

Thanks for the information. We are actually on the Sun leaving from Miami. The boarding procedures sound a bit more organized that on our Carnival cruise - here's hoping anyway!

Norwegian Sun 3/26/2005

[Stevie17]

We sailed the Sun out of Miami a couple of years ago, and embarkation was very, very fast. Between the time that our cab dropped us off at the pier until the time we were stepping on board the Sun was no more than 30 minutes, tops. I think we got to the pier at 1:30 pm or so, but I believe that you can begin boarding at Noon.

Have a great cruise! The Sun is a wonderful ship.

[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=0000ff&cdt=2005;2;4;19;00;00&timezone=GMT-0500[/img]
until we sail!!!


NCL Spirit - February 2005
Grand Princess - May 2003
NCL Sun - May 2002
NCL Sea - May 2000

[Hobbsey]

WDWfan,

For the least possible wait in lines for boarding I try to show up after 1 pm. By then all of the early arrivals are processed, 2pm seems to be magic for us as each time we've waited till then we have practically walked right on board.

1968 Lurline (Matson)
1969 Mariposa (Matson)
1998 Seabreeze (Premier)
1998 Century (Celebrity)
1999 Seabreeze (Premier)
1999 Norwegian Crown (NCL)
1999 Voyager of the Seas (RCL)
2000 Westerdam (HAL)
2000 Carnival Victory (CCL)
2000 Sensation (CCL)
2001 Mercury (Celebrity)
2001 Norwegian Majesty (NCL)
2001 Vision of the Seas (RCL)
2002 Norwegian Wind (NCL)
2004 Maasdam (HAL)

[ukbound]

Any suggestions for Dover? How are the lines there?

[Hobbsey]

I don't think that they have lines in Dover, just Ques... [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]

1968 Lurline (Matson)
1969 Mariposa (Matson)
1998 Seabreeze (Premier)
1998 Century (Celebrity)
1999 Seabreeze (Premier)
1999 Norwegian Crown (NCL)
1999 Voyager of the Seas (RCL)
2000 Westerdam (HAL)
2000 Carnival Victory (CCL)
2000 Sensation (CCL)
2001 Mercury (Celebrity)
2001 Norwegian Majesty (NCL)
2001 Vision of the Seas (RCL)
2002 Norwegian Wind (NCL)
2004 Maasdam (HAL)

[tommui987]

When my wife and I went on the NCL Crown and the NCL Sky, the boarding was like a Chinese fire-drill - it took at least an hour to get through all the formalities including several inspections of passport and tickets (the Sky out of Seattle). The Crown was out of Miami and was just as disorganized.

On the other hand, we were on the NCL Dream out of Dover and it was quick.

And before someone thinks that "Chinese firedrill" is politically incorrect, I'm of Chinese descent!

[Hobbsey]

tommui, thakns for the clarification, I hate to get all PC on you. [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

1968 Lurline (Matson)
1969 Mariposa (Matson)
1998 Seabreeze (Premier)
1998 Century (Celebrity)
1999 Seabreeze (Premier)
1999 Norwegian Crown (NCL)
1999 Voyager of the Seas (RCL)
2000 Westerdam (HAL)
2000 Carnival Victory (CCL)
2000 Sensation (CCL)
2001 Mercury (Celebrity)
2001 Norwegian Majesty (NCL)
2001 Vision of the Seas (RCL)
2002 Norwegian Wind (NCL)
2004 Maasdam (HAL)

[smeyer418]

I never have seen a chinese firedrill but if you go to China and try to get on or off a plane with locals on it, the Chinese don't know queing very well, but I guess with a billion people you have to have sharp elbows and since I am from NY I can push through a crowd with the best of them [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

[cdkempton]

[img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]I had to LOL at the picture. Many years ago on our first night in Hong Kong we pressed the elevator button to go up to our hotel room and we were the only two people waiting....until the doors opened. All of a sudden there were masses of locals coming from behind us and we were left standing there when the car was full.LOL We learned to sharpen our elbows really quick...hold hands and get really big and shove in. It was pretty trippy but once we got used to it we got pretty good at it. [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]
Sorry....a bit off the subject.
Happy Sails [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]