Best time to board (embarkation)?

[pdxsteeler]

We are on the Millennium, leaving from Vancouver on 8/5. What time do people recommend boarding (how early is too early)? I haven't been able to find anywhere what is the earliest boarding time available.

 

I also have seen on other threads that Luminae (we are in a Sky Suite) is open for lunch on embarkation day. How do we confirm that and the times available?

 

Thanks.

[martincath]

That's because there is no official time that boarding begins. Many dependencies - mostly related to incoming vessels being cleared of ALL pax and their luggage. Times of 11-11:30am for the start of boarding have been reported. Exact times are impossible to give, but in general if you are on the only ship in port things will be pretty quick regardless, with two ships avoid the peak noon-1pm, and with three ships either get there before 11am or after 2pm.

 

I'm a fan of late arrival myself - if you want to spend the least possible time queuing this is the ONLY way to go. Getting a real sitdown lunch onboard was something we always used to aim for - Princess, not Celebrity, so our cutoff was getting to the open dining room by 1:30pm. This meant showing up two hours before to ensure getting onboard on time, and most of that spent sitting around waiting.

 

Now we have a leisurely morning, book a couples massage in our regular downtown spot, drop our bags with the longshoremen late morning, go have a good lunch, and show up as late as possible - 90 to 120mins before departure.

 

It's a breeze getting through security, customs, immigration, and check-in when you come late - sometimes you don't even have time to sit down it's just constant walking! Plus, unless you are a frequent visitor to Vancouver spending every last minute in the city is a good idea - we are an absolutely fantastic tourist destination with more stuff to do than all the typical Alaskan ports combined.

[pdxsteeler]

That's because there is no official time that boarding begins. Many dependencies - mostly related to incoming vessels being cleared of ALL pax and their luggage. Times of 11-11:30am for the start of boarding have been reported. Exact times are impossible to give, but in general if you are on the only ship in port things will be pretty quick regardless, with two ships avoid the peak noon-1pm, and with three ships either get there before 11am or after 2pm.

 

I'm a fan of late arrival myself - if you want to spend the least possible time queuing this is the ONLY way to go. Getting a real sitdown lunch onboard was something we always used to aim for - Princess, not Celebrity, so our cutoff was getting to the open dining room by 1:30pm. This meant showing up two hours before to ensure getting onboard on time, and most of that spent sitting around waiting.

 

Now we have a leisurely morning, book a couples massage in our regular downtown spot, drop our bags with the longshoremen late morning, go have a good lunch, and show up as late as possible - 90 to 120mins before departure.

 

It's a breeze getting through security, customs, immigration, and check-in when you come late - sometimes you don't even have time to sit down it's just constant walking! Plus, unless you are a frequent visitor to Vancouver spending every last minute in the city is a good idea - we are an absolutely fantastic tourist destination with more stuff to do than all the typical Alaskan ports combined.

 

Thanks. This is our first cruise (and with two kids -- almost 1yr and 3.5 yrs) so we were thinking earlier might be better so we could get the lay of the land.

 

Looking at the port schedule, looks like there is our ship + 1 other that day.

[thebutlerdidit]

For your first cruise I'd recommend getting aboard as early as you can. It's great being able to view all of the public spaces before they're all filled with people. We like sipping our champagne as we explore. And I'd want to visit Luminae for embarkation day lunch, too. You paid for it, and it's not going to be open for lunch on port days. There should be a little card placed inside the paper packet that holds your sea pass cards.

 

Have fun on your first cruise! I'm excited for you!

[Mr. Click]

We boarded her about 11:30am a few weeks ago. We like to go early, get rid of the bags, explore the ship a bit, have some lunch and by about 1pm the cabins are usually ready. Some other recent trips we got texts/emails with "suggested" boarding times by deck but this time, nothing.

[chemmo]

There is a suite boarding line so you should get on board quickly.

 

Keep your hand luggage to a minimum and all your real valuables in one small bag. Go to Michael's Club first, say hello, quick drink, leave non valuable hand luggage there and then have a stroll around before arriving at Luminae for lunch. It does usually close at 1.30 so don't leave it too late. We do find the lunchtime menu quite heavy but according to many the signature burger is very special! They will sort something for the little ones so don't worry!

 

Rooms are usually available 1pm to 1.30pm.

 

There are not many youngsters in Luminae and dinner can be quite long....it may be worth chatting with the Michael's Conceirge and sorting baby sitters a couple of evenings so you can really enjoy yourselves. We know from chatting to another couple with young children that the M'D will also try to streamline service for you if the little ones get unsettled (for example) arranging deserts and coffee to be served back in your suite...

 

Have a great cruise!

[pdxsteeler]

There is a suite boarding line so you should get on board quickly.

 

Keep your hand luggage to a minimum and all your real valuables in one small bag. Go to Michael's Club first, say hello, quick drink, leave non valuable hand luggage there and then have a stroll around before arriving at Luminae for lunch. It does usually close at 1.30 so don't leave it too late. We do find the lunchtime menu quite heavy but according to many the signature burger is very special! They will sort something for the little ones so don't worry!

 

Rooms are usually available 1pm to 1.30pm.

 

There are not many youngsters in Luminae and dinner can be quite long....it may be worth chatting with the Michael's Conceirge and sorting baby sitters a couple of evenings so you can really enjoy yourselves. We know from chatting to another couple with young children that the M'D will also try to streamline service for you if the little ones get unsettled (for example) arranging deserts and coffee to be served back in your suite...

 

Have a great cruise!

 

Great info/tips. Thanks!

Will make sure to post how it goes.

[bigbenboys]

I'm a fan of boarding after 1:30. That being said your leaving out of Vancouver. You will have to go through Canadian customs, then onto US customs before even getting to Celebrity check in. It can take quite awhile.

[ChiGal1962]

Best time to board is before the ship sails :)

 

But seriously, it's all about preference. I like to go early myself, and usually get to the port shortly after it opens (varies by port). Very short lines, if any, and I'll be in one of the first waves to board when they start. As others have said, that's usually around 11:00/11:30, but it can be later under a number of circumstances (late arrival, customs issues for the incoming cruise, the need for extra cleaning from the last cruise, etc.).

[RoxiRoo]

I was going to try to board early, but am reconsidering based on this post. Can I drop my bags early, leave them there, and then go out and walk and explore more? If so, I would love to drop them at 10:00 and then head back out into town and return after 2:00. Is this a possibility?

[Zoedokey]

We are sailing from Vancouver in June and I am planning on boarding late. I want to have another half day in Vancouver to try a restaurant for brunch, maybe Granville Island. If we were sailing from a Florida port I would want to board early as we live in Florida.

[shipshape sam]

It depends and some of that depends on what you are wanting.

 

We have boarded late as we wanted to tour Boston another half day, we have arrived early and breezed through and have arrived early to find that the previous disembarkation was still going on! As a FYI, that I hope does not happen often, we got off Adventure of the Seas in San Juan many years ago at 3 pm. We were part of the last 100 people (group) getting off the ship. Think about those who arrived early and even those arriving late to see a line of 2000+ of their fellow cruisers lined up outside the terminal waiting to board the ship.

 

For us, unless there is some appeal to the local area we want to do and board late, i.e. around 2 pm, we go early and takes our chances. I have an iPod, DW has her book, so other than a delayed disembarkation or some other similar event, the lines should move as fast as the buffet line.

[varoo]

I was going to try to board early, but am reconsidering based on this post. Can I drop my bags early, leave them there, and then go out and walk and explore more? If so, I would love to drop them at 10:00 and then head back out into town and return after 2:00. Is this a possibility?

We often do this as we dislike crowds, standing in lines and especially wasting time sitting around at the cruise terminal waiting to board.

 

By the time we get back to the ship later in the afternoon, the lines are very short or sometimes there are no lines at all.

 

Another advantage to checking the bags in earlier in the day is that often when we return to the ship later in the day and go to our cabins, we find our checked bags already there waiting for us.

 

 

[shipshape sam]

We often do this as we dislike crowds, standing in lines and especially wasting time sitting around at the cruise terminal waiting to board.

 

By the time we get back to the ship later in the afternoon, the lines are very short or sometimes there are no lines at all.

 

Another advantage to checking the bags in earlier in the day is that often when we return to the ship later in the day and go to our cabins, we find our checked bags already there waiting for us.

 

 

 

That is an interesting thought to go to terminal and check in your bags. Thanks!

[Music Cruiser]

We always try to check our luggage about 10:30-11:00, park the car and walk straight through registration. Very little wait at that time and we can eat lunch at noon.[emoji41]