What time should I line up to register and board?

[eelia74]

I have read conflicting information about what time we should line up to register and board the Sunshine on Sunday? What would you suggest?

[k2excursion]

10:30 or so. Carnival likes to try to tell people to not show up until after 2:00pm, which is totally ridiculous. They're trying to spread out the crowds, or trying to save money by not feeding people lunch. Even if there is some delay in the boarding process, showing up around 10:30 will at least have you near the front of the line. I'm not sure when the terminal is busiest (with the longest waits), but I hear that it's typically around 11:30-1:00.

[michelle1836]

agree with the above.

[RuthlessBoss]

10:30 or so. Carnival likes to try to tell people to not show up until after 2:00pm, which is totally ridiculous. They're trying to spread out the crowds, or trying to save money by not feeding people lunch. Even if there is some delay in the boarding process, showing up around 10:30 will at least have you near the front of the line. I'm not sure when the terminal is busiest (with the longest waits), but I hear that it's typically around 11:30-1:00.

That's a new spin. To save money by not feeding lunch?:eek:

[kingoftheicedragons]

Definitely agree with the 10-10:30 time frame. I haven't sailed out of New Orleans, so I don't know how that usually goes, but we've arrived in this time frame on our other cruises (except for the first) and never had a problem.

[1313steve]

Show up whenever you feel like it! You're on vacation, so enjoy a leisurely morning and don't worry about getting there by a certain time.

 

I've arrived as early as 10 am and as late as 3pm (for a 5pm sailing). It all depends what we wanted to do that morning. One time we went out for a very nice brunch at a local restaurant, another time we laid out by the pool at the hotel and enjoyed lunch there. Another time we got up, had coffee and headed to the ship.

 

In all these cases we had a great first day, arrived very relaxed and had a great cruise. One of the main reasons I like to vacation is it gets me away from the day to day schedules that we all seem to live by these days. No way I'm going to start my cruise by feeling I've got to be somewhere by a certain time. :D

[kcwingwalker]

Never hurts to arrive early, but it does hurt to find that you arrived too late!:)

[okgirl]

I've sailed out of NOLA several times, it's one of the easiest embarkation ports. The shoreside agents are fun and keep the crowds entertained.

 

I usually arrive around 10:30 and boarding usually begins around 11:30.

 

I like getting there early because I'm not really on vacation until I'm on that ship.