? Check in time

[mom24princesses]

Which is the best check in time to choose if we didn't purchase the faster to the fun option??

 

But I'm rethinking that now as I don't want to have to be there by 11:30 only to sit for hours. I figure I could sleep in later instead, LOL

 

Edited: I found the edit.

[shof515]

i select a checkin time of 11:00 . Boarding starts around 11:30, so i only have to wait maybe like 30-45 minutes

[HawkIVette]

What's best for you depends on how soon you get to the port. I mean, if you are not planning on getting to the port before noon, select noon. By that time you should not have a problem getting right through check-in and getting to board the ship. Most people show up to the port anywhere from 9 am to 11:30. They have to sit and wait until the ship is cleared from the previous cruise and that sometimes isn't till after 10:30 or later. Then, the Diamond & Platinum board first, along with FTTF and then they start general boarding about 11:30 or later.

So if you have something else to do, like sleep in and arrive after noon, you won't have too wait to long to board.

You could always drop your bags off at the port and leave, go to a beach, shopping, do an excursion before getting on the ship. Then show up around 1-2 pm and walk right on.

For example, my next cruise out of San Juan, we will get to the ship around 11 am, drop our bags and then walk around Old San Juan, maybe even go to the Baccardi Distillary, and show back up around 4:30 for supper on the ship. The ship doesn't leave until 10 pm, so it's like an extra day of the cruise.

[bUU]

From what I've read in this forum, the only time that matters is the beginning of you check in time... the end of the time period doesn't mean you can no longer check in.

 

This message may have been entered using voice recognition. Please excuse any typos.

[Morning glory]

What's best for you depends on how soon you get to the port. I mean, if you are not planning on getting to the port before noon, select noon. By that time you should not have a problem getting right through check-in and getting to board the ship. Most people show up to the port anywhere from 9 am to 11:30. They have to sit and wait until the ship is cleared from the previous cruise and that sometimes isn't till after 10:30 or later. Then, the Diamond & Platinum board first, along with FTTF and then they start general boarding about 11:30 or later.

So if you have something else to do, like sleep in and arrive after noon, you won't have too wait to long to board.

You could always drop your bags off at the port and leave, go to a beach, shopping, do an excursion before getting on the ship. Then show up around 1-2 pm and walk right on.

For example, my next cruise out of San Juan, we will get to the ship around 11 am, drop our bags and then walk around Old San Juan, maybe even go to the Baccardi Distillary, and show back up around 4:30 for supper on the ship. The ship doesn't leave until 10 pm, so it's like an extra day of the cruise.

 

 

Hi, Does this mean you check in at 11 am, or you just drop off your bags at the terminal at 11 am? I'm sailing this itinerary and checked our "check in time" availability for this cruise and the earliest I see is at 1 pm? Just wondering if I should check in now because it's starting to fill up. TIA

 

 

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[brooklynfc]

From what I understand from the Carnival website is that you won't even be allowed to drop off your luggage before your selected check-in time. So you would not be able to drop your luggage off and then come back to check in. San Juan is a different port than most. They don't set sail out of that port until like 8pm and I'm not sure that San Juan has the new boarding procedure.

 

If you don't want to wait around, the 1pm check in time should be fine. You should be able to check in fairly quickly (unless there is some kind of inspection going on) and then walk straight on the ship, if not straight to your room (they usually open about 1:30pm). If you wanted earlier, if looks like you might be out of luck, those slots must be full, since you only see the 1pm. The only way to board early now would be faster to fun, Platinum or Diamond status, wedding, disability, or if you have a suite.

[Morning glory]

From what I understand from the Carnival website is that you won't even be allowed to drop off your luggage before your selected check-in time. So you would not be able to drop your luggage off and then come back to check in. San Juan is a different port than most. They don't set sail out of that port until like 8pm and I'm not sure that San Juan has the new boarding procedure.

 

 

 

If you don't want to wait around, the 1pm check in time should be fine. You should be able to check in fairly quickly (unless there is some kind of inspection going on) and then walk straight on the ship, if not straight to your room (they usually open about 1:30pm). If you wanted earlier, if looks like you might be out of luck, those slots must be full, since you only see the 1pm. The only way to board early now would be faster to fun, Platinum or Diamond status, wedding, disability, or if you have a suite.

 

 

Thank you! I do have a suite so perhaps that is the earliest time for this itinerary?? 1 is fine, but I should probably just check in now to lock it in.

 

 

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[HawkIVette]

Hi, Does this mean you check in at 11 am, or you just drop off your bags at the terminal at 11 am? I'm sailing this itinerary and checked our "check in time" availability for this cruise and the earliest I see is at 1 pm? Just wondering if I should check in now because it's starting to fill up. TIA

 

 

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At several ports, I have dropped off my bags with the porters, and then left the port to go "explore". You won't be allowed in the treminal till your check-in time, but that doesn't mean you can't drop off your bags outside the terminal with the ports.

Some ports, it is not very conveinent to do that because where the taxi's drop you off, you may have to walk a little ways to get a taxi to take you away from the port, like Miami.

But if you are going out San Juan, drop your bags with the porters right before you go into the terminal. Then you can walk across the street to Senor Frogs for a drink, or take the troll (free) up the hill to the Fort and sightsee.

[HawkIVette]

From what I understand from the Carnival website is that you won't even be allowed to drop off your luggage before your selected check-in time. So you would not be able to drop your luggage off and then come back to check in. San Juan is a different port than most. They don't set sail out of that port until like 8pm and I'm not sure that San Juan has the new boarding procedure.

 

If you don't want to wait around, the 1pm check in time should be fine. You should be able to check in fairly quickly (unless there is some kind of inspection going on) and then walk straight on the ship, if not straight to your room (they usually open about 1:30pm). If you wanted earlier, if looks like you might be out of luck, those slots must be full, since you only see the 1pm. The only way to board early now would be faster to fun, Platinum or Diamond status, wedding, disability, or if you have a suite.

Not necessarily true. We have done this at Seattle (took a taxi to Pikes Place) and also ports like Galveston and New Orleans, that have sightseeing things to do and see with-in walking distance.

[mom24princesses]

Great thanks. I guess I'll leave it as is at 11 - 11:30 then just in case we do end up getting up earlier and if not no big deal then it sounds like.

[RWolver672]

Thank you! I do have a suite so perhaps that is the earliest time for this itinerary?? 1 is fine, but I should probably just check in now to lock it in.

 

 

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If you have a suite, your boarding pass should have "Priority Boarding" on it. You still have to choose a check-in time but with Priority, you can check in any time as soon as they start the check-in process.

[brooklynfc]

Not necessarily true. We have done this at Seattle (took a taxi to Pikes Place) and also ports like Galveston and New Orleans, that have sightseeing things to do and see with-in walking distance.

 

Recently? Because the new check in procedure has changed and only some ports are doing it, while others are not. I swear I read on Carnival's website that you could not check in a bag until your allotted time. But I could be wrong. :(

[Gigi115]

In Honolulu last month we had a 1:00 to 1:30 check-in time. I had read on the website and on our tickets that you would not be allowed in before your check-in time. We got there about 12:45 thinking we would wait about 15 min. before we could go in, but they did not go by check-in times at all. The line to go through security was the longest we have ever been on. A man working there said they were not checking times. We didn't get on the ship until after 3:00.

 

 

 

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[riclop]

Which is the best check in time to choose if we didn't purchase the faster to the fun option??

 

But I'm rethinking that now as I don't want to have to be there by 11:30 only to sit for hours. I figure I could sleep in later instead, LOL

 

Edited: I found the edit.

11-1130 and they start boarding around noon.

[mrsfuzzmo]

From what I've read in this forum, the only time that matters is the beginning of you check in time... the end of the time period doesn't mean you can no longer check in.

 

This message may have been entered using voice recognition. Please excuse any typos.

 

This is correct. You cannot arrive more than 30 minutes prior to your scheduled check-in time. You CAN arrive later without issue.