How early can you board

[stobrien]

We have booked the Alaskan Cruise from Seattle in July on the Ruby. How early do they allow you to board?

[rebeccalouiseagain]

I wouldn't bother getting to the port before 11AM. Most cruise lines start the boarding process when everyone is off the ship. If things go smoothly- then they start checking in people around 11.

[PghCruiseGrrrl]

As early as they allow you. It all depends on how quickly they get everyone off the ship so they can have a zero count and if they have extra cleaning to do. I've seen embarkation start as early as 10.30 and I've heard of it being delayed by hours. Please remember most of the delays you may encounter are not in Princess's control. Princess does not control how many customs agents are working to process everyone off the ship. Princess does not control if they get inspected. Princess doesn't even employ the people processing you on to the ship. They are dock employees that put on a different company's shirt depending on what ship they are loading that day. The same person that checked you on your Princess voyage today is checking someone on to Celebrity tomorrow. Just remember you are on vacation and waiting on vacation is still better than being at work.

[beg3yrs]

We have booked the Alaskan Cruise from Seattle in July on the Ruby. How early do they allow you to board?

 

Agree with previous poster about not showing up before 11AM. Personally, we try to show up later (sometime it isn't convenient) and check-in without waiting.

 

That said, in the Calendar/Planning section of your Cruise Personalizer, below the itinerary, you will find Important Notices specific to your sailing. In that section there will typically be a paragraph regarding specific boarding times for your sailing. As of late, many sailings have staggered boarding by deck in an attempt to manage the length of the check-in lines (or queues).

[Pam in CA]

We have booked the Alaskan Cruise from Seattle in July on the Ruby. How early do they allow you to board?

Check in starts at about 10:30-11am. Boarding starts at 11:30-12N. These are generalizations and depend on when the ship is cleared for boarding. If there are disembarkation delays, boarding will be delayed.

 

First to board are those "in transit" doing a back-to-back. Next are Elite, Platinum and full suite. General boarding after that in the order in which you checked in. You are allowed to board in whichever group you are in.

[JF - retired RRT]

If this is your first Princess cruise, you will have a "blue" card.

Once boarding starts (as stated around 11 or so), the first to board are the "in transits" (back 2 back passengers), then weddings, BVE (if there is one at that port), handicapped, Suites, Elite, Platinum, then everyone else.

My list isn't necessarily in the correct order (did it from memory;)), but you would definitely be in the everyone else part of the boarding hierarchy.

"Everyone else" boards in a first come, first serve fashion. If you get there really early, you will be at the front of that line, but still behind all the others in the list above.

Edited April 23, 2016 by JF - retired RRT

[easyboy]

I wouldn't bother getting to the port before 11AM. Most cruise lines start the boarding process when everyone is off the ship. If things go smoothly- then they start checking in people around 11.

I agree, especially if one has no priority when boarding.

[emmak8]

Ditto no earlier than 11 AM.

[Putterdude]

I'd agree with Pam, arrive between 1030 and 1100, there will be long lines, but you will be processed then you will likely wait in a lounge until all cabins are clean and the ship is ready to receive you....boarding will normally begins about 1145 to 1200 with suite, elite and platinum members being boarded first. Unless it is really important for you to have lunch on the ship on embarkation day, I would arrive between 1300 and 1400 and avoid the crowds.

[Pierlesscruisers]

We have booked the Alaskan Cruise from Seattle in July on the Ruby. How early do they allow you to board?

 

The ship must go to zero count before boarding can start, so if somebody has to be searched for and found, that can delay boarding. Normally at Seattle boarding will start around noon although sometimes that moves up a bit. Boarding passengers are normally allowed to start moving upstairs to go through security and start check-in around 11 but if everything has gone well and the starts are all aligned, that may be moved up 15-20 minutes or so. If you want to avoid most lines and are not concerned about being among the first to board, then a good time to arrive at the pier is around 2:30-3:00pm. That will have the shortest arrival-to-boarding time frame under normal circumstances.

 

Tom

[riclop]

We have booked the Alaskan Cruise from Seattle in July on the Ruby. How early do they allow you to board?

 

It changes every cruise.

[Lucky TGO]

I think between 11:30am and 12:00 noon is a good time.

Tony

[4cats4me]

We have booked the Alaskan Cruise from Seattle in July on the Ruby. How early do they allow you to board?

 

 

 

For our sailing it was around 11:30 when the first groups were called, those needing assistance were first, followed by priority boarders and then the rest

[MissP22]

We usually arrive at the pier early & get to be among the first to board but we have paid the price by having a long wait on occasion when the boarding was delayed for some reason. It's rare but it does happen.

[Cruzingal#9]

We usually get to the pier by 10:30. I'd rather sit and people watch and be surrounded by all the excitement than be sitting in my hotel room staring at my watch! That's just me:)

[floridalover5623]

I'ed rather be sitting around the terminal for a while waiting to board then in a traffic jam no knowing when you'll arrive.

[Cruzingal#9]

I'ed rather be sitting around the terminal for a while waiting to board then in a traffic jam no knowing when you'll arrive.

 

I'm glad not everyone feels the same way we do, or else we'd have to start getting there at 9:00 to beat everyone showing up at 10:00!!!!!:p