Three questions from 1st timers.

[woodyren]

1) E-passes, boarding passes, tickets and luggage tags (or whatever they are called.)

 

They are not available until 30 days before the cruise I think. The problem is that we will be on the road in that time and will not have access to a printer. Can we just rock up to the boarding area with our passports and get them printed out by the desk people?

 

2) Can you find decent onshore tours by just talking to people who have been there before once on the ship and then buy them at the port?

 

3) If you have allocated dining do you have to let the MDR know if you plan to eat elsewhere? Can you arrive after the 6pm or whatever time your session was scheduled for?

[FangedRose]

1) E-passes, boarding passes, tickets and luggage tags (or whatever they are called.)

 

They are not available until 30 days before the cruise I think. The problem is that we will be on the road in that time and will not have access to a printer. Can we just rock up to the boarding area with our passports and get them printed out by the desk people?

 

2) Can you find decent onshore tours by just talking to people who have been there before once on the ship and then buy them at the port?

 

3) If you have allocated dining do you have to let the MDR know if you plan to eat elsewhere? Can you arrive after the 6pm or whatever time your session was scheduled for?

 

1) Never tried that, but I would imagine there must be procedures. Perhaps somebody else can help.

 

2) Yes. Many, many people just do that.

 

3) I would let either your waiter or dining companions know so they don't wait for you. Or the maitre' d if last minute arrangements. Turning up late ( 15 mins) will have a knock on effect on service and may impact on second sitting and may not endear you to waiting staff or fellow diners if at large table.

 

If you think you might want to chop and change let waiting staff and fellow diners have a heads up so they know not to wait around for you.

[Krazy Kruizers]

1) E-passes, boarding passes, tickets and luggage tags (or whatever they are called.)

 

They are not available until 30 days before the cruise I think. The problem is that we will be on the road in that time and will not have access to a printer. Can we just rock up to the boarding area with our passports and get them printed out by the desk people? You will need to complete the immigration and boarding passes before you leave. This includes what credit card you will be using. The cruise line needs this information way before you cruise.

As for luggage tags, you should be able to print them any time -- maybe even now. But you can get them at the pier from the porters.

 

2) Can you find decent onshore tours by just talking to people who have been there before once on the ship and then buy them at the port? Your Roll Call for your cruise is a good place to find out about private excursions.

 

3) If you have allocated dining do you have to let the MDR know if you plan to eat elsewhere? Can you arrive after the 6pm or whatever time your session was scheduled for?

 

If you fixed dining, you need to be in the dining room no later than 15 minutes after your scheduled time.

We always let our dining room waiter know when we will be eating some place else.

[KirkNC]

I disagree with a yes to question 2. That's true in the Caribbean but that's about it. You may get luckily and find a decent taxi tour but I would never approach a port that way.

[paul929207]

1. Boarding passes are not needed. Luggage tags are for all checked luggage. The porters will have blanks, so as long as you know your cabin number, you can fill them in and attach them when you arrive at the terminal.

2. As mentioned above, check the Roll Call and Ports of Call sections.

3. It is polite to let your waitstaff or tablemates know that you will not be joining them. That way they are not waiting for you. Doors are usually closed about 15 minutes after dinner time.

[John Bull]

1. We've registered credit cards on arrival, no problem - just takes a little longer. And as a previous poster, as long as you know your cabin number the porters will have blank labels. I don't see a problem, though all cruise lines are not the same. And internet cafes (if they still exist) have printers.

 

2. Depends very much on which ports & what you want to do.

Activities (zip-lining, snorkelling, dolphin trips, etc) are difficult or impossible to fix up on the spot.

In some ports (for instance most Caribbean & SE Asian ports), tours in taxis hired at the port can be waaaay cheaper, more fun & more flexible than a pre-booked tour, and drivers know the sort of places cruisers like to go. Agree a price before you board, pay at the end.

In other ports (eg most ports in Europe) hiring a taxi at the port for a tour can be way more expensive than something pre-booked.

In some, such as Laem Chabang or Istanbul, where a cartel has the taxi rights, the prices sought can be crippling - often with no on-the-spot alternatives.

And some ports, such as Pork Sokhna for Cairo, are secure - no taxis & miles from nowhere.

But then there's ports where you don't need any transport, or you can use local buses or trams or trains or ferries or ho-ho buses or boats.

 

You certainly need to check the score at each of your ports - at least by browsing the Ports of Call forums here on Cruise Critic & on TripAdvisor.

 

3. Fixed dining.

There's a clue in the title ;)

You'll royally screw up the system if you roll up when you like. Unless you're happy with just biscuits & cheese.:D

Everyone on the table is served at the same time. If you're on a shared table you'll be very unpopular if you're late or simply don't show.

I've seen posts on CC suggesting you tell sharers to start without you if you're not there after x minutes. How very ignorant :mad:. The ship sets your dining time, not your table-mates & they've got no right to make you wait on the offchance. It's no problem to tell your waiter & sharers that you're dining elsewhere tomorrow evening. And if you make a last-minute decision not to dine there, even if because one of you is feeling unwell, it's no great hardship for one of you to drop by & make your excuses. Or pick up the phone.

(rant over ;))

Not so important if you're on a two-top, though if the waiter knows you'll not be using the table, someone else may benefit.

 

JB :)

[t_car]

1. Cruiselines require full payment 75 days before sailing. You should be able to print out all your documents then. However, as mentioned, you can do all that at check-in. It will just take longer. Please ensure that your passports and visas (if needed from Australia) are all good, or you will not be allowed to board. Never happened to me, but seen it happen. :(

By the way, you can use on board computers and printer services for documents for upcoming cruises.

 

2. Do join the Roll Call for your upcoming cruises. Lots of ideas and advice about excursions and sharing of taxis, etc.. You also still get onto ship sponsored excursions by buying them on board after you sail, but the popular ones will surely be sold out by then. A tour operator on pier may or may not be reputable. You are on your own there. Depending on the port, can be tricky and risky.

 

3. Informing your wait staff / table mates of plans to eat elsewhere is just to be polite. Personally, we enjoy the main dining rooms on cruise ships, but there are always tables where people do not show up to dine there for the entire voyage.

 

I see by your upcoming cruises that you will be a seasoned cruise addict by Christmas time.

 

Enjoy.

[navybankerteacher]

You should have more than just your passport - at least your booking number and confirmation that you have made final payment. But I'd be surprised if you would not be able to print boarding material more than 30 days in advance. Also, I cannot help wondering what "road" you could be on for thirty days with no access to computer and printer: unless you are hiking in the wilderness.

 

As far as tours, you should get as much info in advance as possible - either from your CC roll call, travel books, or whatever. You don't want to show up in each port with no ideas. But, in most cases, you can do a good walk-about or arrange your own tour if you have some concepts in mind.

 

Generally with fixed seating, you will be denied entry if you are more than 15 minutes late - but, if you do want fixed dining you should try to arrive on time as a courtesy to your table-mates. If flexibility is important to you, you should book "my time" - or whatever it is called.

[Dayenu]

1) E-passes, boarding passes, tickets and luggage tags (or whatever they are called.)

 

They are not available until 30 days before the cruise I think. The problem is that we will be on the road in that time and will not have access to a printer. Can we just rock up to the boarding area with our passports and get them printed out by the desk people?

 

2) Can you find decent onshore tours by just talking to people who have been there before once on the ship and then buy them at the port?

 

3) If you have allocated dining do you have to let the MDR know if you plan to eat elsewhere? Can you arrive after the 6pm or whatever time your session was scheduled for?

 

To enter the terminal you will need boarding pass(es) - they should be available, depending on the cruise line, 75-45 days before the cruise.

 

Instead of being dependent on people on the ship, go to "ports of call" section and see what you can find there, if you don't want to join your roll call.

 

You don't have to inform MDR, but your table-mates will be sitting there waiting, not a nice thing to do to them. If you are very late, you may be denied dinner in the MDR. You can eat in the buffet, order room service, or there may be other places to eat.