Galveston priority embarkation at RCI terminal

[hince57]

This is an RCI specific question so I hope it doesn't get moved. :).

 

For the RCI terminal at Galveston, what status gets you priority boarding? Diamond, platinum, etc.

 

Tia

[Spurschick]

This is an RCI specific question so I hope it doesn't get moved. :).

 

For the RCI terminal at Galveston, what status gets you priority boarding? Diamond, platinum, etc.

 

Tia

 

Pinnacle, D+, Suites GS or higher.

[LeeW]

The priority line may or may not work. On our last trip in the middle of the B2B there were only three scanners open and the priority line fed into one of these with two non-priority lines. Since no one was controlling the lines it was VERY slow. Unless priority is moving quickly get in one of the right two lines. B2B also gets the priority line regardless of type of cabin.

Edited May 14, 2015 by LeeW
B2B

[spookwife]

Pinnacles get called first, then suites. there is/was NO organization or separation whatsoever and you had to ram your way through to the doorway. after that you had a boarding number. but the waiting area was NOT large enough to hold everyone.

 

I am hoping the new terminal fixes this issue

[Spurschick]

Pinnacles get called first, then suites. there is/was NO organization or separation whatsoever and you had to ram your way through to the doorway. after that you had a boarding number. but the waiting area was NOT large enough to hold everyone.

 

I am hoping the new terminal fixes this issue

 

Not sure what time you arrived. We arrived before doors opened, and there was a large line outside. As soon as doors opened they called for Pinnacle and D+ and suites. They pulled them out of the line and sent through first. Once we were in and checked in we were asked to sit to the left of the special assistance check in desk by the wedding party. Once boarding began the wedding party boarded and we were only a couple of minutes behind. We weren't even given numbers, just a priority card.

 

I have heard other comments from other guests about other ports that they could not fast track boarding once numbers were being given out and were given numbers as opposed to being allowed straight on. I guess priority boarding works best if you check in prior to boarding starting.

 

Ps we are always at port early (before boarding) so our experiences have always been good getting on quickly.

Edited May 14, 2015 by Spurschick

[pspercy]

Never had an issue in Galveston. Last December there was a line to the left of the others, against the wall, which was IIRC for Emerald and above. Few people in it, it moved fast and we were at the counter in no time. This was at about 1130am.

Edited May 14, 2015 by pspercy

[cruisevv]

Not sure what time you arrived. We arrived before doors opened, and there was a large line outside. As soon as doors opened they called for Pinnacle and D+ and suites. They pulled them out of the line and sent through first. Once we were in and checked in we were asked to sit to the left of the special assistance check in desk by the wedding party. Once boarding began the wedding party boarded and we were only a couple of minutes behind. We weren't even given numbers, just a priority card.

 

I have heard other comments from other guests about other ports that they could not fast track boarding once numbers were being given out and were given numbers as opposed to being allowed straight on. I guess priority boarding works best if you check in prior to boarding starting.

 

Ps we are always at port early (before boarding) so our experiences have always been good getting on quickly.

 

Quick question...is there any purpose of getting on the ship early w/ priority boarding if you have a carryon with you? I like to drop my luggage off and the last time I was on Indy the cabin doors were all locked until a specific time. Maybe 1pm?

 

If you book a suite (JS,GS,OS, etc) can you enter your rooms early? If you're D+ or higher and go to the lounge is there check-in for small bags and laptops until your room is ready?

 

Thank you!

Edited May 14, 2015 by cruisevv

[Clarea]

Quick question...is there any purpose of getting on the ship early w/ priority boarding if you have a carryon with you? I like to drop my luggage off and the last time I was on Indy the cabin doors were all locked until a specific time. Maybe 1pm?

 

If you book a suite (JS,GS,OS, etc) can you enter your rooms early? If you're D+ or higher and go to the lounge is there check-in for small bags and laptops until your room is ready?

 

Thank you!

The suites open at the same time as other staterooms. There is no ability to check carry-on bags.

[George C]

Never had an issue in Galveston. Last December there was a line to the left of the others, against the wall, which was IIRC for Emerald and above. Few people in it, it moved fast and we were at the counter in no time. This was at about 1130am.

 

We had a good 30 min wait and we were in GS 2 weeks ago last year it took even longer in Galveston, they had so many people in priority line, other lines seem to treat suite people better at check-in

[golfpccc]

The doors open for priority members at 10:00am. At that time you walk right in, straight through security and to counter for check in. You then sit in priority area to the left until embarkation starts. Pinnacle & suites board first followed by D+, then D, etc. In Feb, when the check in lady handed us our room keys, they called D+ to board, so never even sat down - this was at 10:15! This past week we were on the ship at 11:00am.

 

I'd rather be there early and wait in terminal, at least you have a place to sit.

[DebJ14]

We had a good 30 min wait and we were in GS 2 weeks ago last year it took even longer in Galveston, they had so many people in priority line, other lines seem to treat suite people better at check-in

 

The last time we sailed RCCL out of Galveston in August 2014 a really nasty lady was controlling who went in which line. We had a Royal Family Suite AND are Diamond and she would not let us in the Priority Line. She said it made no difference since they all fed into the same scanners.

 

We watched the people in the Priority Line, where we would have been, move very quickly up the outside wall as our regular line moved at a snails pace. Then, when we finally got through security another incompetent employee tried to move us out of the suite line even though the Boarding Pass clearly said SUITE on it. We had to find another person to overide her. It took us about 45 minutes to get through the line and get checked in. By the time we got through, they were calling some fairly high numbers to board.

 

Unfortunately, the whole cruise was kind of like that. MDR service was atrocious so we opted to pay to eat 4 nights and had room service dinner twice. Concierge Lounge was always overcrowded and the wait staff in Chops at breakfast and lunch were the worst we have ever experienced. We were shocked at the differences as we had a series of fantastic cruises every year since 2009 on the Voyager or Mariner.

 

Definitely hoping our experience on the Liberty of the Seas will be better.

Edited May 14, 2015 by DebJ14

[spookwife]

The doors open for priority members at 10:00am. At that time you walk right in, straight through security and to counter for check in. You then sit in priority area to the left until embarkation starts. Pinnacle & suites board first followed by D+, then D, etc. In Feb, when the check in lady handed us our room keys, they called D+ to board, so never even sat down - this was at 10:15! This past week we were on the ship at 11:00am.

 

I'd rather be there early and wait in terminal, at least you have a place to sit.

 

we arrived after that, but before boarding began. discounting the Charlie Foxtrot that was dropping our luggage off( pier side employee issue, NOT a Royal issue) we finally found the correct door to enter, got through security, had to politely tell the lady with the floppy bow choking her we were in a suite, and got through the line to check in almost immediately. it as at that point that it became a madhouse. or more of one. I am used to being told to go to X spot to be escorted to the suite waiting area. there was no spot and the immediate access point was blocked by a table with the mini computers and people signing for who knows what( I assume maybe drinks packages or making reservations? I couldn't tell, as I couldn't get anywhere near it. but this table and all the people crowding it was RIGHT where you end up after checking in, and by the time we were down the (relatively tiny) waiting area was overflowing.

 

struck up a conversation with someone because we literally could NOT move anywhere else inside the waiting area. maybe 10-15 minutes and they announced Pinnacles. HUGE rush..I swear half of the entire complement Fleet wide was in Galveston that day. then they called suites( us) and we had to push our way through people crowding up to the door. at least the most got outta the way when we asked.

 

since we do not need to hit the WJ three seconds after boarding I think In December we will just leave the SiL's a little later( they live in Houston and we drive up to spend the night before) because we use Lighthouse to park and they are so close we could see our cabin while we were unloading the car onto he shuttle. maybe if we get there after boarding begins it won't be so bad.

 

esp since Liberty I think is bigger than Nav

[cruisevv]

The suites open at the same time as other staterooms. There is no ability to check carry-on bags.

 

Thank you Clarea - that helps! I'll stick with boarding close to 12 then. ^.^

[George C]

The last time we sailed RCCL out of Galveston in August 2014 a really nasty lady was controlling who went in which line. We had a Royal Family Suite AND are Diamond and she would not let us in the Priority Line. She said it made no difference since they all fed into the same scanners.

 

We watched the people in the Priority Line, where we would have been, move very quickly up the outside wall as our regular line moved at a snails pace. Then, when we finally got through security another incompetent employee tried to move us out of the suite line even though the Boarding Pass clearly said SUITE on it. We had to find another person to overide her. It took us about 45 minutes to get through the line and get checked in. By the time we got through, they were calling some fairly high numbers to board.

 

Unfortunately, the whole cruise was kind of like that. MDR service was atrocious so we opted to pay to eat 4 nights and had room service dinner twice. Concierge Lounge was always overcrowded and the wait staff in Chops at breakfast and lunch were the worst we have ever experienced. We were shocked at the differences as we had a series of fantastic cruises every year since 2009 on the Voyager or Mariner.

 

Definitely hoping our experience on the Liberty of the Seas will be better.

 

We are also diamond and when we cruised at end of April 2014 in GS concierge lounge was very crowded and could not get a seat several days, this April also on Navigator it never was full and had no problems getting seat. We are also looking forward to Liberty, I also thought suite service in chops was much better this year, Attila who normally waited on us was great

[JimAOk1945]

Question:

 

If you are in a suite and arrive around 1 - 3 pm, can you walk past the long line of those waiting outside the building, go right into the terminal, and get into the appropriate check-in line?

[hince57]

Question:

 

 

 

If you are in a suite and arrive around 1 - 3 pm, can you walk past the long line of those waiting outside the building, go right into the terminal, and get into the appropriate check-in line?

 

 

I don't think there's much of a line around that time Jim.

[hince57]

Thanks for the feedback all. Was considering a JS to get the points to move to diamond after cruise and realize the other benefits of a JS. Doesn't sound worth it for $1,000 though

[Clarea]

Thanks for the feedback all. Was considering a JS to get the points to move to diamond after cruise and realize the other benefits of a JS. Doesn't sound worth it for $1,000 though

If it's $1000 to go from a balcony to a JS, I agree, it's not worth it for a 7 day cruise.

Edited May 15, 2015 by clarea

[JimAOk1945]

Sorry if this seems repetitious, but I don't think I phrased by previous question correctly.

 

If you are in a suite, can you bypass the line outside the terminal, go inside the building and get into the appropriate line inside

 

Or

 

Can you bypass the line outside only when the terminal first opens up in the morning?

 

Thanks again!

[Cindy]

Sorry if this seems repetitious, but I don't think I phrased by previous question correctly.

 

If you are in a suite, can you bypass the line outside the terminal, go inside the building and get into the appropriate line inside

 

Or

 

Can you bypass the line outside only when the terminal first opens up in the morning?

 

Thanks again!

 

My experience has been ONLY when the terminal first opens in the morning.

[Sat1]

was blocked by a table with the mini computers and people signing for who knows what( I assume maybe drinks packages or making reservations? I couldn't tell, as I couldn't get anywhere near it. but this table and all the people crowding it was RIGHT where you end up after checking in

That could have been the table for those in wheelchairs, or use a walker, as I do. Much appreciated.

[spookwife]

That could have been the table for those in wheelchairs, or use a walker, as I do. Much appreciated.

 

 

nope. those people were shunted a different way to the waiting area

[JimAOk1945]

My experience has been ONLY when the terminal first opens in the morning.

 

Thanks for answering my question.

[Linecas]

It has been my understanding that priority boarding starts with the Emerald level. However, since the reconstruction, it now starts at Gold! I just looked and was surprised!

[pscruzinboyz]

Just off yesterday.....Green 2 because we had RCL Transportation to Bush Airport. 8:45 am and we were on the Bus by 8:57 am. Good thing, it was raining pretty good. The highest number to disembark was 27. Do not remember what time they were called. Other then that...Great Ship, Great Food and Good Weather. We were in an inside, Never again....but the room was OK and Staff are Top Notch!