If the ship departs at 4:30, what time should we be on board?

[Bently57]

Normally we would board early, like before noon. However, since we are staying with friends in Ft Lauderdale I think we might be boarding later. What is a safe time to be on board? 3pm? Earlier?

Edited January 15, 2014 by Bently57

[jaybird from SC]

Normally we would board early, like before noon. However, since we are staying with friends in Ft Lauderdale I think we might be boarding later. What is a safe time to be on board? 3pm? Earlier?

Personally I would be on by one o'clock. Enjoy your cruise....

[royalcruz]

I think you have to board 90 minutes before sailing. Don't chance it...plan to be there by 2 to allow for traffic.

[alcpa1]

According to the cruise line you must be onboard by 3. The cruise line, as you know, must submit the final manifest to Homeland Security.

You would also, I imagine, wish to put your carry ons in your cabin and relax for a few minutes before the muster drill.

I would shoot for 2 as well. There is construction around the airport and if they are coming from that direction there are detours and delays. And, what can we say about Florida traffic!!!!!

[Bently57]

Thanks! This helps tremendously. I will shoot for 2 at the latest and 1 the earliest.

[rhblake]

We are sailing on Jan 25, the ship leaves at 4:30 PM and our Express Pass shows:

 

"Check-in Time Range: 12:00 PM - 3:30 PM"

 

It appears you must check-in at least 1 hour before sailing.

[spookwife]

Normally we would board early, like before noon. However, since we are staying with friends in Ft Lauderdale I think we might be boarding later. What is a safe time to be on board? 3pm? Earlier?

 

you MUST be on board 90 minutes prior to scheduled departure. not just checked in but on board. you will be denied boarding after that.

 

so before 3 pm.

[dodger1964]

you MUST be on board 90 minutes prior to scheduled departure. not just checked in but on board. you will be denied boarding after that.

 

so before 3 pm.

 

I don't know if that is actually true. There are times (late arriving flights for one) where I know people board at last minute. I realize those are exceptions, but to say you will be denied boarding, IMHO isn't the case.

[Laurba99]

Tell your friends you want to be there by 12:30...1 at the latest!

[KKB]

We got to the port at 3:30 for our Disney cruise (5PM departure, I believe). It was actually quite lovely as there was NO ONE there--we were on board in minutes.

 

Of course they give a fairly early time...they don't want everyone waiting until the last minute!!

 

Personally I prefer to be one of the first in line/first on the ship--this is my first day & I don't want to waste it at the hotel! (but with friends is different!:D)

 

For this cruise our flight isn't scheduled to arrive until 1:15, so we don't have much choice but to board late! Not ideal, but was the only option this time. (if we miss the ship, we will rent a car & drive to Key West--that option doesn't work so well with islands!)

 

"We are sailing on Jan 25, the ship leaves at 4:30 PM and our Express Pass shows:

 

"Check-in Time Range: 12:00 PM - 3:30 PM"

 

It appears you must check-in at least 1 hour before sailing. "

 

Thinking if their express pass says this, you can be sure it is correct.....

[Laurba99]

KKB isn't it cheaper to come the day before and stay in hotel vs taking the risk the miss the ship? That landing time would make me so stressed until we got there. Just wouldn't be worth it to me to worry. I meant cheaper than having to drive to key west if it's missed.

[Bently57]

Thanks again for all the input. We arrive the day before, spend the night with our friends in FLL, and I will just make sure we are there before 2pm. I get a little nervous about departure times but I don't want to be an obsessive pain about it. It helps to know what you folks think.

[stratixman]

The official Celebrity requirement is 60 minutes checked in and on board before departure. They say that government regulations for some ports require that they submit a final sailing manifest no later than 60 minutes prior to departure. Don't know if those regulations apply to the ports in Florida, but Celebrity has adopted them. If you are thinking to check in late afternoon add ample travel time to get to the port from wherever you are spending the day with friends.

 

Personally I would want to be at the dock, checked in and boarding with ample time to spare before sailing just to avoid chances that something goes wrong: traffic, road closure to the port, etc. What would you rather? Be standing at the railing in the Sunset Bar on board waving goodbye to those who were to late? Or, be standing on the pier waving goodbye to your would be shipmates because you were one of those who didn't make it in time?

[wwcruisers]

Thanks! This helps tremendously. I will shoot for 2 at the latest and 1 the earliest.

 

Good idea. Sadly, the days of racing onboard, dragging your luggage, as they roll the gang-way up behind you, are long gone. But then, we have done that -- and it wasn't all that much fun! ;)

Edited January 15, 2014 by wwcruisers

[KKB]

KKB isn't it cheaper to come the day before and stay in hotel vs taking the risk the miss the ship? That landing time would make me so stressed until we got there. Just wouldn't be worth it to me to worry. I meant cheaper than having to drive to key west if it's missed.

 

Flights the day before were higher & then a hotel...

 

But cost isn't a factor, as I WOULD be coming in the day before if it were an option. Our district has gotten very fussy about people taking off the day before/after schedule breaks (it is spring break for us), so it just isn't an option.

 

I am a gambler...and an optimist, so I expect it will all work out fine. (BUT I am also a realist...so back up plan is in order! Rent a car, drive 4 hrs. to Key West, enjoy the night life there--which we won't get to do on the cruise, so there actually IS a benefit!:p--get a hotel (maybe...some bars are open until 4AM & the ship docks at 7AM:eek:--of course a hotel would likely be cheaper than our bar tab at that point!!!!).

[Lsimon]

Normally we would board early, like before noon. However, since we are staying with friends in Ft Lauderdale I think we might be boarding later. What is a safe time to be on board? 3pm? Earlier?

 

The following is quotes from the edocs from our Eclipse cruise from Ft. Lauderdale one year ago:

Ship Check-In

Government regulations in some ports require us to submit a ship

departure manifest 60 minutes prior to sailing.

 

In order to meet this requirement, all guests must be checked-in no later

than 90 minutes prior to the scheduled sailing time. Guests arriving late

will not be permitted to sail.

 

So, according to the above you must be checked-in no later than 90 minutes prior to the scheduled sailing time. It seems to me that means you need to arrive in time to have completed dropping off your luggage, and getting through the check in process, before that 90 minute mark. Allowing for 1/2 hour for that it means that two hours ahead would be the minimum as far as I'm concerned. I'd double check the documents for your particular cruise to see if this has changed, but if it hasn't this would mean being at the pier by 2:30 for a 4:30 scheduled sailing time.

 

Personally, I like to get on earlier so that we have time to have lunch on the ship and unpack before muster drill, or shortly after, depending on when our luggage arrives.

Edited January 16, 2014 by Lsimon

[iancal]

They will tell you so check the daily program.

 

We are always back a little early just to be sure. Then we grab our ipad and go into a nearby bar to catch up on our emails.

[epixx]

 

I am a gambler...and an optimist, so I expect it will all work out fine. (BUT I am also a realist...so back up plan is in order! Rent a car, drive 4 hrs. to Key West, enjoy the night life there--which we won't get to do on the cruise, so there actually IS a benefit!:p--get a hotel (maybe...some bars are open until 4AM & the ship docks at 7AM:eek:--of course a hotel would likely be cheaper than our bar tab at that point!!!!).

 

It's highly unlikely you would be permitted to board the ship in Key West, as doing so would violate the PVSA. Better have a backup plan to catch up with the ship in Cozumel. Good luck.

[Laurba99]

Good luck KKB. Let us know how it turns out.. Can you call ahead to have a car waiting at baggage claim to wisk you off to the port and help with your luggage so you don't also have to waste time looking for a cab?

[fridaythe13th]

We got to the port at 3:30 for our Disney cruise (5PM departure, I believe). It was actually quite lovely as there was NO ONE there--we were on board in minutes.

 

Of course they give a fairly early time...they don't want everyone waiting until the last minute!!

 

Personally I prefer to be one of the first in line/first on the ship--this is my first day & I don't want to waste it at the hotel! (but with friends is different!:D)

 

For this cruise our flight isn't scheduled to arrive until 1:15, so we don't have much choice but to board late! Not ideal, but was the only option this time. (if we miss the ship, we will rent a car & drive to Key West--that option doesn't work so well with islands!)

 

"We are sailing on Jan 25, the ship leaves at 4:30 PM and our Express Pass shows:

 

"Check-in Time Range: 12:00 PM - 3:30 PM"

 

It appears you must check-in at least 1 hour before sailing. "

 

Thinking if their express pass says this, you can be sure it is correct.....

 

I just want to say good luck and I hope you have a non-stop flight. If not and the first leg is late, making you miss the second leg.... Hopefully it will all go smoothly and you will make it. I'd be too stressed!

[Gonzo70]

For this cruise our flight isn't scheduled to arrive until 1:15, so we don't have much choice but to board late! Not ideal, but was the only option this time. (if we miss the ship, we will rent a car & drive to Key West--that option doesn't work so well with islands!)

 

"We are sailing on Jan 25, the ship leaves at 4:30 PM and our Express Pass shows:

 

 

Wow, you are really cutting it close. FYI your back up plan does not work; it is illegal to board in Key West. If your flight is more than an hour delayed you likely will forfeit the cruise (and travel insurance does not reimburse for not allowing sufficient wiggle room). I really would try to switch to an earlier flight or (preferably) find a way to come in the day before. Just too much risk IMHO. Hopefully it works out.

[Bently57]

I am not KKB, but as the original poster...I have talked with our friends and explained that we need to leave their house in Fort Lauderdale at noon. We should now be onboard before 1PM at the latest, but I am so glad I asked the question.

[GRBlizz]

We had a 4:30 sailing time out of Ft. Lauderdale on our 12/30 Equinox sailing, and the posted "final onboard" time was 3:30pm. I had to leave the ship after embarking in order to pick up some medicine that was coming in by Delta Dash, so I know for a fact that the "gangway up" time was scheduled to be 4:00pm. We made it with 15 minutes to spare, and I don't recommend that ;)

 

OTOH, we didn't sail until about 5:30. Not sure why, but there were fire trucks and police cars on the pier next to the boat. But still, I sure wouldn't want to have missed it.

[shofer]

Wow, you are really cutting it close. FYI your back up plan does not work; it is illegal to board in Key West. If your flight is more than an hour delayed you likely will forfeit the cruise (and travel insurance does not reimburse for not allowing sufficient wiggle room). I really would try to switch to an earlier flight or (preferably) find a way to come in the day before. Just too much risk IMHO. Hopefully it works out.

 

The only bright side is that it is a short drive from the airport to the pier. I agree that coming in a day early is always the best plan but it is often too expensive to change flights on short notice. KKB, I just hope you won't have any weather delays coming from the Plains.

 

I am actually flying to Tampa from Chicago 4 days early to spend extra days with Mom. (I am retired so time is not an issue.) We will come from her home in Clearwater, which is a 4 hour drive to Port Everglades. Our plan is to leave about 8 AM giving us plenty of wiggle room in case of traffic delays.

 

Sue

Edited January 16, 2014 by shofer

[Laurba99]

Bently57 glad for you.. After all the $ and the time to plan and arrange work if you are still working it's not worth the stress. I

Can't help be a little worried for The person landing at 1:10. I would do anything I had to to get there earlier. Just too close I bet the cruise line would agree but I so hope she makes it