Question about boarding times

[Bocadude85]

We will be going on Rhapsody of the Seas on February 18th 2013. I have been reading the member reviews and several people have mentioned that the boarding process would be much faster if people would show up to board at the appropriate times that their cabin category is being boarded. I do not see anywhere in my ticket booklet stating a time that my cabin category is to be boarded, all I see is a general boarding time. Am I missing something?

[pltag]

Boarding documents will list a boarding time ...... usually 1:30 - 2:00 p.m.. As far as I know, EVERYONE gets the same boarding time. There is no distinction based on cabin location.

 

As a COURTESY ...... cruise lines will allow early boarding, usually starting around 11:00 a.m.. That's why the general consensus of CC members is to arrive at the pier between 10:00 - 11:00 a.m.. This CC member (me :) ) respectfully disagrees. We like to ask our hotel for a late check-out, grab a lite lunch, start drinking :D, maybe hit the pool at our hotel and get to the ship usually after 1:00.

 

Clearly if all passengers arrived at 2:00 ...... there would be a problem, I get that. But it cracks me up when the "firsters" (those that feel they need to be on the ship FIRST or their brains will explode) claim altruistic reasons for wanting to be first.

 

So ....... if you're feeling brain pressure ...... GO EARLY! If you decide to go a little later, then go a little later!

 

Have a great cruise!! :)

[Clarea]

I thought I read that they have boarding times in Australia that are based on deck number.

[Bocadude85]

I thought I read that they have boarding times in Australia that are based on deck number.

 

 

That could be what the reviews I have been reading are refering to. Though I still do not see anywhere in my ticket booklet that states this. We are on deck 7 and the rest of my group is on deck 3 and according to our ticket booklet we have the same boarding times.

[Clarea]

That could be what the reviews I have been reading are refering to. Though I still do not see anywhere in my ticket booklet that states this. We are on deck 7 and the rest of my group is on deck 3 and according to our ticket booklet we have the same boarding times.

What about the SetSail pass - anything about boarding time there? You may also have to wait for someone local to chime in.

[suncityga]

I thought I read that they have boarding times in Australia that are based on deck number.

 

Suggested check in times at Sydney OPT in a recent Voyager of the Seas cruise review by Iluvcrusing2.

 

 

[mation101]

Ive never seen category boarding times. I dont always see boarding times on my documents, but when I do they always say 2:00pm. We are some of the altruistic people that are at the port by 9 or 10. We like being one of the first on board.

 

We also will go ape-Sh*^ if we sit around the hotel. I dont sleep well the night before and DH gets up around 5am, so by 8 we are both ready to get there already.

 

I would rather sit around the port people watching, both leaving from last week, and arriving for the new week, than sit at a hotel.

 

And we also hate waiting in lines, when you are first in line, even though we have to wait for the doors to open, we are not waiting for others in front of us.

[Clarea]

Suggested check in times at Sydney OPT in a recent Voyager of the Seas cruise review by Iluvcrusing2.

Thanks. So we still don't know if this applies to Rhapsody.

[Very Frequent Flyer]

Here are the staggered check in times according to the RCL website.

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com.au/contentPage.do?pagename=staggered_checkin_times

 

I think you can board the ship straight after check in.

[brillohead]

Suggested check in times at Sydney OPT in a recent Voyager of the Seas cruise review by Iluvcrusing2.

 

How odd to post this at the pier... was it also included with the pre-boarding documentation, I wonder? :confused:

 

Because, if you're already AT the pier, it's kind of too late to find out that you should be there three hours later. Too late at that point to turn around and come back again, since your taxicab already pulled away! :rolleyes:

[robynwally]

We will be going on Rhapsody of the Seas on February 18th 2013. I have been reading the member reviews and several people have mentioned that the boarding process would be much faster if people would show up to board at the appropriate times that their cabin category is being boarded. I do not see anywhere in my ticket booklet stating a time that my cabin category is to be boarded, all I see is a general boarding time. Am I missing something?

 

Hi Bocadude,

 

We are on Rhapsody on the 23rd of March. Our boarding time is 12pm.

You can find your boarding time on your Set Sail Pass.

 

However as platinum C&A and the fact that we have to check out of our hotel by 11am, I plan to board at 11am.

 

Robyn

[Gig103]

Why would they stagger embarkation times by deck number? Doesn't everyone board and go right to the food and Lido decks?

 

(I've never been on an RCCL ship before, just exploring!)

[Very Frequent Flyer]

The stagger times are for checking in, not boarding. But then again, once you have checked in, there is nothing to do but to go straight to the ship (well, in Sydney anyway). Also, the rooms may already be ready by the time you check in.

[chrisb74]

Why would they stagger embarkation times by deck number? Doesn't everyone board and go right to the food and Lido decks?

 

I assume they do it to stop a huge crowd all showing up at the same time in locations where checkin facilities and space are limited

 

Deck number is probably the best way to split people up.

[mr walker]

most RC cruises out of Australian ports have suggested boarding times posted on the website under 'before you board' & then 'staggered check in times' - http://www.royalcaribbean.com.au/contentPage.do?pagename=staggered_checkin_times

 

The times are by decks. Not sure how rigorous they are with these times.

[1cat4jan]

The stagger times are for checking in, not boarding. But then again, once you have checked in, there is nothing to do but to go straight to the ship (well, in Sydney anyway). Also, the rooms may already be ready by the time you check in.

 

Whatever port I have been at, once you check in, there is nowhere to go and nothing to do except board the ship. I have never been allowed to check in but not allowed to board.

 

When we arrive at the port early - usually around 11:30 or so - after hotel checkout time - we have usually been allowed to check in and if the cabins were not ready, we were allowed to go up to the buffet deck.

 

In the distant past, I remember being directed to a waiting area, but that was when there were significant crowds already in the terminal and I think that was more to keep the line size down.

 

Once we were kept in the waiting area for 3 hours because we had arrived early and they were doing a thorough Noro-virus cleanup before allowing new arrivals to board.

 

I like the just-before-noon boarding time and will continue to arrive at that time. It has worked well for us in almost all instances. The time seems to work because we beat the crowds mostly caused by bus arrivals.

 

However, I don't remember ever seeing specified boarding times on the paperwork.

 

And that sign at the terminal about embarkation times??? I agree, that is just plain silly. What do they truly expect you to do? Turn around and come back later?

[pltag]

How odd to post this at the pier... was it also included with the pre-boarding documentation, I wonder? :confused:

 

Would it really matter? Boarding times have been printed in boarding docs for the 25 years I've been cruising ....... doesn't seem to effect the fact that folks are going to show up whenever they want to.

 

And we also hate waiting in lines, when you are first in line, even though we have to wait for the doors to open, we are not waiting for others in front of us.

You hate waiting in lines and yet you show up at the ONLY time that you are GUARANTEED to have to wait!?!?

 

BRILLIANT!! :D :confused: :D

[Gig103]

I assume they do it to stop a huge crowd all showing up at the same time in locations where checkin facilities and space are limited

 

Deck number is probably the best way to split people up.

 

Ah okay so it's just for staggering; I thought maybe rooms were ready upon boarding with RCCL or something, which would be nice.

[Bocadude85]

Thanks everyone for the replies. I am on Deck 7 and my setsail pass says 12pm boarding and the other people we are traveling with are on deck 3 and their setsail pass also says boarding time 12pm. We are just going to show up at 12pm and hope they allow us all to check in at the same time.

[mation101]

Would it really matter? Boarding times have been printed in boarding docs for the 25 years I've been cruising ....... doesn't seem to effect the fact that folks are going to show up whenever they want to.

 

You hate waiting in lines and yet you show up at the ONLY time that you are GUARANTEED to have to wait!?!?

 

BRILLIANT!! :D :confused: :D

 

 

Yes I am waiting, but I am NOT waiting in a long slow moving line. I never said I hate waiting.

[Desert Cruizers]

We have always planned on being at the terminal by 11 and never had a problem boarding, even if our time shows 1 PM.