NCL Embarkation procedures

[ace2542]

Am I the only one who doesn't like the embarkation procedures for NCL. Having been on both the Gem and the Jade, I have to say the embarkation procedures are not the best. They have the ship locked off for want of a better term until the cabins are ready to access and there are countless people roaming around the hallways with little suitcases until at least 1.30 or 1.45pm. On other cruise lines the cabins seem to be ready to access once pasengers are allowed onboard. We have boarded the queen mary 2 at 12.30pm in the afternoon before now and the cabin has been ready.

[shof515]

I find the embarkation procedures and cabin ready time about the same as other cruise lines. i see no differences

 

 

Deepening on the previous itinerary, if the ship is arriving with no passengers. that can make cabins ready quicker.

[newmexicoNita]

Am I the only one who doesn't like the embarkation procedures for NCL. Having been on both the Gem and the Jade, I have to say the embarkation procedures are not the best. They have the ship locked off for want of a better term until the cabins are ready to access and there are countless people roaming around the hallways with little suitcases until at least 1.30 or 1.45pm. On other cruise lines the cabins seem to be ready to access once pasengers are allowed onboard. We have boarded the queen mary 2 at 12.30pm in the afternoon before now and the cabin has been ready.

We have sailed on all the mass marketed lines and see, little if any difference in the embarkation process. I am not quite sure what you are talking about?

You are referring to one ship where you were able to get into your cabin a little earlier than NCL, one line does not represent all lines and the Queen Mary is a little different as well. Oh, BTW in many cases you can take your carry on luggage to your cabin as long as you do not stay in your cabin until the all set to go announcement it made. We just carry very little on, head to a dining place or bar and enjoy an hour or so before the cabin is ready. I have never seen people wandering around in the hallways.

[dexddd]

Not seeing any difference on mass lines either.

 

Last week Escape people last off 10:18. Rooms ready by 1:30.

[ace2542]

Not seeing any difference on mass lines either.

 

Last week Escape people last off 10:18. Rooms ready by 1:30.

 

The first passenger onboard was 12.30pm on the Jade last month rooms were ready close to 2pm. I have never seen it done that way before having hundreds of passengers onboard before cabins are ready. Then again as people say maybe cunard does it differently.

[ace2542]

We have sailed on all the mass marketed lines and see, little if any difference in the embarkation process. I am not quite sure what you are talking about?

You are referring to one ship where you were able to get into your cabin a little earlier than NCL, one line does not represent all lines and the Queen Mary is a little different as well. Oh, BTW in many cases you can take your carry on luggage to your cabin as long as you do not stay in your cabin until the all set to go announcement it made. We just carry very little on, head to a dining place or bar and enjoy an hour or so before the cabin is ready. I have never seen people wandering around in the hallways.

 

They had the big fire doors pulled over so you could not access the cabins from the lifts and stairs. In the end I just opened the door put our bags inside the cabin the met the steward but I don't think I was really supposed to have done that. There were bags all over the place in O Sheenans and magnums.

[YVRBassElectric]

Our 2010 NCL cruise, passengers were asked to be off by 9am on disembarkation & not be at the pier for embarkation before 11am, we chose noon and the rooms were ready when we got onboard about 1pm.

 

I have been surprised, my last couple of cruises that passengers don’t have to disembark until 10am & passengers are already at the pier at 8:30 am for embarkation. Crew said they have 1 hour without passengers.

 

Personally, we still get to the port about 11am, use the porters at the pier, walk on only with what we are comfortable carrying and our room has been ready when we finish eating lunch

[mjkacmom]

We usually board after 11:30, go to guest services to get extra key cards, go to the MDR and have lunch, right before we are finished eating an announcement is made that cabins are ready, we head to the cabin to drop off carry ones, grab a drink at a bar, and then head to our muster station. Very civilized.

[BirdTravels]

Am I the only one who doesn't like the embarkation procedures for NCL. Having been on both the Gem and the Jade, I have to say the embarkation procedures are not the best. They have the ship locked off for want of a better term until the cabins are ready to access and there are countless people roaming around the hallways with little suitcases until at least 1.30 or 1.45pm. On other cruise lines the cabins seem to be ready to access once pasengers are allowed onboard. We have boarded the queen mary 2 at 12.30pm in the afternoon before now and the cabin has been ready.

Pretty much the same as other cruise lines. 12:30 or 1:00 same difference. The process is the same. Stay clear until invited. I don’t understand why you are arguing over 30 minutes. (You also have to consider that the crew to passenger ratio on the QM2 is nearly double NCL,,,, which you pay for,,, we are Platinum members on Cunard and have cruises on the QM2 and her sisters many times).

 

I hate hate hate those inconsiderate people who don’t follow the request of the cruise line to stay clear until invited at 1 pm. They just get in the way in while the poor stewards and delivery people try to turn a rooms. Especially when they decide to lock their doors to protect the bags they have dropped off. Only a few crew involved in turnaround have master keys and it slows things down for everyone.

[BostonGal35]

all we walk on with is a shared backpack with our valuables. everything else is left with porters. we board by 1130 usually, head right to dinner rezzies if we have any adjustments to make, then we always eat at the MDR when it opens at noon vs the buffet (much more relaxing and less crowded). then we walk around and explore for a bit, then the rooms are usually ready.

[zqvol]

Seems to be the same procedure on all mass market lines. NCL could probably have the cabins ready sooner if they made you vacate them at 7:30 instead of 9:00.

[JamieLogical]

On both my NCL cruises, it is as smooth as it could possibly be expected to be. Passengers are supposed to be out of their rooms by 8:30 then housekeeping has what? Four hours or so to clean 2000+ rooms? Seems like pretty quick turn-around time to me! What I don't understand is people not checking their luggage with porters. I have seen some tables in the cafe with families with all their luggage, including suitcases the size of a person, all stacked up and crowded around their table. Why would you do that? At most, you need a small bag for valuables, electronics, and medications? Last time I didn't even bother with that. I checked my shoulder bag too, because I didn't want to carry it around for 2 hours. I literally just had my wallet and phone with me and I was quite happy with that!

[GA Dave]

I love that they let you on earlier. More time for the money. Eat, drink and be happy!! :D:tropical-drink:

[Mike D.]

I love that they let you on earlier. More time for the money. Eat, drink and be happy!! :D:tropical-drink:

 

I absolutely agree Dave. I'm grateful to embark whenever I get to embark. Generally I quickly go to the buffet or, if in a suite, the "special" lunch area (Cagney's) and begin the nice adventure.

 

What I've noticed is that the embarkation procedures seem to vary by port and by ship. From the port layout (clearly not avoidable by NCL) and the procedures used to register cruisers in the port area--assigning numbers, seating areas, health form signatures, customs forms etc. Every cruise embarkation seems a bit of an adventure even when cruising from the same port. Obviously, that is not a big deal (at least for me) but while I try to be organized with paperwork, it always seems to present a bit of a challenge.

[newmexicoNita]

They had the big fire doors pulled over so you could not access the cabins from the lifts and stairs. In the end I just opened the door put our bags inside the cabin the met the steward but I don't think I was really supposed to have done that. There were bags all over the place in O Sheenans and magnums.

sometimes the doors are closed and no, you are not supposed to enter in that case. As for Cunard doing it differently you are probably right, but your first posting mentioned other cruise lines, we are talking 2 different types of cruise lines. Cunard is very different from mass marketed lines. I might also add, there are times, depending on the situation when you can not get into your cabin until 2ish, other times you can get in by noonish or a little after. We have done Princess and HAL in the past 5 or so years, the same exact method except I do remember HAL did have a place you could store your carry ons. LIke others, we really do not carry on that much: I remember when we first started cruising no one even got on the ship until about 2pm.

Edited June 19, 2018 by newmexicoNita

[sverigecruiser]

Am I the only one who doesn't like the embarkation procedures for NCL. Having been on both the Gem and the Jade, I have to say the embarkation procedures are not the best. They have the ship locked off for want of a better term until the cabins are ready to access and there are countless people roaming around the hallways with little suitcases until at least 1.30 or 1.45pm. On other cruise lines the cabins seem to be ready to access once pasengers are allowed onboard. We have boarded the queen mary 2 at 12.30pm in the afternoon before now and the cabin has been ready.

 

There is a very easy solution to your problem. You can board later when the room is ready.

[BigEasyCC]

The last time I brought more than just a carry on was years ago on the Jewel. There was someone in one of the lounges where she tagged your luggage and you could retrieve it once the cabins were ready. I vowed never to carry on anything bigger than a small suitcase after that. It was just too much of a hassle, but having a place to drop it off while we ate was great.

[sverigecruiser]

I have seen some tables in the cafe with families with all their luggage, including suitcases the size of a person, all stacked up and crowded around their table.

 

How is that possible? I thought that all luggage carried aboard by the passengers had to go through the scanners at security. Do they have a manual search area where they go through bigger bags?

[JamieLogical]

How is that possible? I thought that all luggage carried aboard by the passengers had to go through the scanners at security. Do they have a manual search area where they go through bigger bags?

 

They must, because I definitely saw multiple families with very large bags. I remember seeing one small young woman with a huge bag and thinking "that bag is bigger than she is!".

[zqvol]

How is that possible? I thought that all luggage carried aboard by the passengers had to go through the scanners at security. Do they have a manual search area where they go through bigger bags?

 

The scanners are quiet large.

[sverigecruiser]

The scanners are quiet large.

 

I have not seen that size on scanners but I have no reason not to believe you.

[tokidoki]

Does the Edcape have a room to leave carry ons while dining till rooms r ready? We’ve always dropped them off before! Thx

[fabnfortysomething]

Does the Edcape have a room to leave carry ons while dining till rooms r ready? We’ve always dropped them off before! Thx

 

 

 

I’d be surprised if they didn’t

At least on the bigger ships there is a drop off luggage usually in headliners

 

 

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[JamieLogical]

Does the Edcape have a room to leave carry ons while dining till rooms r ready? We’ve always dropped them off before! Thx

 

 

Is there a reason you wouldn't just check your bags with the porters at embarkation?

[GA Dave]

Is there a reason you wouldn't just check your bags with the porters at embarkation?

 

Medication, jewelry, etc. should never be checked. I always keep it on my person.