Mobile, w Faster to Fun

[LucyB.]

I've been reading about arrival at the Port of Mobile. The things I've read say arrival is a bit of a mess. We have both F2F & an 11:30 check in. I know we can arrive any time we choose. I'm choosing to arrive sooner than later. I want to take full advantage of my first day, after a mess at Jax port recently.

Will the porters make sure our checked luggage gets the orange stickers? I had to remind a porter in Jax & he wanted to get huffy w me. He had a stack of stickers in his pocket though. Until I asked for them, he wasn't going to affix them.

We're going to be dropped off, either w a stay & park hotel deal, or local friend. What is the earliest time we can arrive? My goal is to be on the ship by 11:30, barring no delays from the port. Is this reasonable? I know at Jax, they make you wait outside the gate & cars line up long before embarkation.

Also, debarkation. How early can we be off the ship, w self assist? I need to give our ride a time frame for pick up.

Thanks.

(Yes, I searched. Yes, I know Fantasy is older. This is a run away from home girls trip, the price & 6 hour drive sold me on trying Fantasy. It's my 3rd CCL cruise. We sail mid Jan.)

Edited November 2, 2017 by LucyB.

[PSU2LSU]

I am in the same situation for a Dec cruise out of Mobile. I have FTTF and a 11:00am-11:30am check in time. I am wondering if FTTF is even worth it since I have such a early check in time.

[JaxsMama]

I am in the same situation for a Dec cruise out of Mobile. I have FTTF and a 11:00am-11:30am check in time. I am wondering if FTTF is even worth it since I have such a early check in time.

I personally think so. There will prob be a ton of people in line waiting to check in and you will just pass them by in the Fttf line and basically walk right on.

 

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[Anton]

I just finished a cruise on Fantasy, ending last Monday. I have priority boarding so not FTTF, but Mobile was excellent on embarkation day. I've gone out of there many times and have dealt with the massive line of cars and confusion. Not this time. We arrived at 10:50am and there was no line of cars. Pulled right up to the parking garage, unloaded luggage (porters were prompt and attentive) and parked. Went through security and the passport check at the entrance, into the priority lane and they had already started boarding so we went aboard directly. The FTTF line was also moving right along and in fact the FTTF group had already been called to board by the time we received our cruise cards.

 

Luggage delivery was not especially fast though. Our bags didn't show up until 3pm or so, just before the drill. Debarkation was not supposed to start until 8:45am for the first self-carry group (Empress Deck) and our priority debarkation was supposed to be 8:30am. However that all started earlier and the Diamond/Platinum and FTTF groups were called and in line to leave by 8:00 to 8:15. Customs was a breeze. No paper declarations needed in Mobile anymore, so they just looked at IDs and maybe asked some guests questions about their purchases but not us. I was in the car and on the Interstate before 9am.

[LindaKE]

You Jax Port experience sounds more like the typical Mobile Port. Long lines and confusion. Since we're leaving from Mobile in April, I hope Anton's experience is the new norm. The police will sometimes direct the first cars in line to go around if the line gets too long. Why they do that is a good question, but they do. There is a train track right in front of the terminal, so how fast car lines move may be influenced by a train passing. Who knows? Typical would be to expect massive delays getting to the terminal and slow getting out of the terminal. Once you get through the car lines, things hopefully move faster. Shuttles don't have to wait in line, so you may want to consider the park and cruise option you mentioned. We're going to go with a shuttle rather than drive ourselves, deal with the long lines, and pay the high parking fee to maybe get into the locked parking garage or maybe go to the overflow lot which isn't so secure.

[cruisinmems]

Trust me, go with the park and cruise option. So much easier than having to deal with all the mess. And Mobile doesn't care or check your arrival appt time. So do the park and cruise, get shuttled in and go to the FTTF entrance on the left side and bypass the lines. :)

[BeachLoverstoo]

We wish we had done park and cruise in July. We are priority and drove down the day of. Only a fiv-e hour drive with a time change too. Arrived about 10:30 and were told priority didn't matter and to go somewhere for an hour or so, or we could park under the Interstate and wait. We could hear announcements at that point asking for passengers to please disembark! When we saw folks lining up to enter the parking deck we joined the queue. It was chaos as folks cut in the line and it got longer and longer! We finally got to the parking area and many passengers were delayed in unloading because they didn't have luggage tags affixed. Found a great parking space, took the elevator to the terminal and semi-breezed through the process.

At disembarkation there were only two customs agents and the lines were crazy. Instead of priority guests being in the front, anyone that made it off the ship could go ahead. We enjoyed Fantasy, loved Mikey, but probably won't give Mobile a second chance.