Seaside Embarkation in Miami?

[LakeWobegon]

Hello, we are sailing Seaside and MSC for the first time this coming March in a YC Deluxe Suite. I know the ship departs at 7 pm, which is actually sort of nice given I'm not seeing any Friday evening flights we could make given my wife is a teacher and can't get off that day before Spring Break. We live 2 hours outside the airport we fly out of in Minneapolis, so we need about an 8 pm flight or later. We did that last year on NCL to FLL but no options to do that on any of the major carriers this year. Anyway, I am rambling. As I book airfare, I am looking to also see what time you can typically board the ship if in YC. With the Carnival Vista a few weeks back, we boarded at just after 11. Is it the same with Seaside that you could board before Noon? Or is it later given the 7 pm departure? Thanks!

[LakeWobegon]

BTW, we've dubbed this the Honeymoon 2.0 cruise as the ports are all the same as then on the RCCL ship we took except Nassau instead of Labadee.

[johnlcruise]

Hi

A few weeks ago I did the Mid=night special out of Colorado to Miami arriving at 6AM.

I killed time at the Miami airport having breakfast and took a Lyft to the ship at 10. They started checking in around 10:30A.M. And they let us start to board a little after 11:30ish.

Rooms where not ready till about 1:30ish.

 

I really enjoyed sailing the Seaside and looking forward to sailing her again next year.

[Cruisergal1208]

Being in YC they start boarding around 11-11:30, provided ship has been cleared by customs. Even if you have to wait a few minutes after being escorted to the YC lounge inside the terminal, you will be well taken care of. Room may or may not be ready but you can have lunch in the YC restaurant or at the pool grill. Drinks and snacks will be available in the Topsail. Enjoy!!!

[Two Wheels Only]

As I book airfare, I am looking to also see what time you can typically board the ship if in YC. With the Carnival Vista a few weeks back, we boarded at just after 11. Is it the same with Seaside that you could board before Noon? Or is it later given the 7 pm departure? Thanks!

Same 11ish time. The later departure just helps to spread the crowd and gives people flying in more time to get there. My last 3 sailings out of Miami were 7pm (NCL and MSC) but each time, we boarded 11:30am-12ish.

[LakeWobegon]

Thanks all! Looking forward to it. Going to watch for a while to see if we can fly in the night before so we get the most time on the ship that we can but I like to book airfare about six months out or so, so will go with what they have in about a month or less. Delta is wanting close to $1K a ticket for airfare so we may try Southwest for the first time. But those tickets haven't come available yet.

[mizzoufinal4]

We are going March 23 in the YC on Seaside. When are you going? I know that SWA flight schedule for all of March is supposed to come out next Thursday Aug. 30th. Look into taking Southwest if it close to your home and fly into Fort Lauderdale and then Uber down to Miami! That's what we did in June for Seaside!

[shugey]

I think you may be mistaken on the departure time if you mean you are going in March of 2019. They leave now at 5 p.m.

 

 

We asked Capt. Marco Masso, who has been the captain a couple of times previously when the ship was leaving at 7 p.m., and he said that the reason was that there was a high percentage of Europeans on the vessel - well above the 50 percent figure. Therefore, MSC thought that many of them would fly over on the day the cruise departed, meaning that they would not get to Miami until roughly 3 p.m.

 

 

However, they are getting a higher and higher percentage of Americans cruising now, and that is the reason they will be leaving starting this fall at 5.

[NMsunset]

Lake W-

Have you looked at SunCountry Airlines?

Was living in St Paul last year and flew them to warm country like CR...no complaints and low cost...plus they fly out of the old terminal...less traffic and hassle.

Saw they have Saturday March 9th for $278 ow and non stop! Depart MSP 7am and arrive MIA 11:31am...also return flt on next Saturday at noon...for $238, again non stop...check your dates.

 

Best of luck...

 

 

 

Hello, we are sailing Seaside and MSC for the first time this coming March in a YC Deluxe Suite. I know the ship departs at 7 pm, which is actually sort of nice given I'm not seeing any Friday evening flights we could make given my wife is a teacher and can't get off that day before Spring Break. We live 2 hours outside the airport we fly out of in Minneapolis, so we need about an 8 pm flight or later. We did that last year on NCL to FLL but no options to do that on any of the major carriers this year. Anyway, I am rambling. As I book airfare, I am looking to also see what time you can typically board the ship if in YC. With the Carnival Vista a few weeks back, we boarded at just after 11. Is it the same with Seaside that you could board before Noon? Or is it later given the 7 pm departure? Thanks!

[mizzoufinal4]

I think you may be mistaken on the departure time if you mean you are going in March of 2019. They leave now at 5 p.m.

 

 

We asked Capt. Marco Masso, who has been the captain a couple of times previously when the ship was leaving at 7 p.m., and he said that the reason was that there was a high percentage of Europeans on the vessel - well above the 50 percent figure. Therefore, MSC thought that many of them would fly over on the day the cruise departed, meaning that they would not get to Miami until roughly 3 p.m.

 

 

However, they are getting a higher and higher percentage of Americans cruising now, and that is the reason they will be leaving starting this fall at 5.

 

For the March 23.2019 cruise my departure time shows 7 Pm SO I think YOU may be mistaken!

[riclop]

You will board around 11-1130.

[shugey]

Ok, a thousand mea culpas ... I previously looked at the itinerary on a popular website (not MSC). It is much faster. But, I checked MSC, and sure enough, it says the ship leaves at 7.

 

 

Guess Capt. Massa's word doesn't carry much weight around here.

[mizzoufinal4]

Ok, a thousand mea culpas ... I previously looked at the itinerary on a popular website (not MSC). It is much faster. But, I checked MSC, and sure enough, it says the ship leaves at 7.

 

 

Guess Capt. Massa's word doesn't carry much weight around here.

 

It just goes to show that you should take anything you learn on cruise critic with a grain of salt and always make sure you you get the right information you are looking for. Lots of people post on here and are wrong! I use it as a tool to help me but never trust anything.

[Pier290]

We cruise Nov 3rd this year and our time was changed to 5pm from 7pm recently. [emoji41][emoji898][emoji485][emoji354][emoji322][emoji106]

 

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[LakeWobegon]

My booking says 7 still but who knows. Perhaps it will change. I am hoping 7 because the sun will set around 7:30 p.m. Make for a pretty sailaway. NMSunset, yes I have checked Sun Country. I've flown them before with no complaints too but would prefer not to given they've got one, maybe two flights leaving for Miami max each day. And then this past March, they had delays at the very end of the month. When April hit, they told all their passengers stranded in Mexico, sorry, our flights to Mexico ended last month. WTH? They eventually rectified but that airline makes me nervous now. Southwest goes out of Terminal 2 with one way flights to FLL just under $200. Many flights daily. So I think we will go that route. I am getting ready to pounce on tickets once they go on sale for later March. Right now they are only through the first week.

[riclop]

My booking says 7 still but who knows. Perhaps it will change. I am hoping 7 because the sun will set around 7:30 p.m. Make for a pretty sailaway. NMSunset, yes I have checked Sun Country. I've flown them before with no complaints too but would prefer not to given they've got one, maybe two flights leaving for Miami max each day. And then this past March, they had delays at the very end of the month. When April hit, they told all their passengers stranded in Mexico, sorry, our flights to Mexico ended last month. WTH? They eventually rectified but that airline makes me nervous now. Southwest goes out of Terminal 2 with one way flights to FLL just under $200. Many flights daily. So I think we will go that route. I am getting ready to pounce on tickets once they go on sale for later March. Right now they are only through the first week.

Sometimes they leave later waiting for late flights from europe. We left after 9 pm on one of our cruises.

[GOLDENBONNY]

Hello, we are sailing Seaside and MSC for the first time this coming March in a YC Deluxe Suite. I know the ship departs at 7 pm, which is actually sort of nice given I'm not seeing any Friday evening flights we could make given my wife is a teacher and can't get off that day before Spring Break. We live 2 hours outside the airport we fly out of in Minneapolis, so we need about an 8 pm flight or later. We did that last year on NCL to FLL but no options to do that on any of the major carriers this year. Anyway, I am rambling. As I book airfare, I am looking to also see what time you can typically board the ship if in YC. With the Carnival Vista a few weeks back, we boarded at just after 11. Is it the same with Seaside that you could board before Noon? Or is it later given the 7 pm departure? Thanks!

Embarkation starts as on any other cruise line and mainly depend on USA Customs.

[Preziosa]

MSC Cruises always start boarding as soon as possible. Normaly before noon.

So Be there early. You have paid for the first Day

[FireEMT978]

Hey there,

I live in SW Hennepin county. Lived here all my life.

Ironically, I never had flown American Airlines out of MSP.

But, now that I am cruising on RCCL and MSC, I have been getting tickets for about $465.00 round-trip MSP/MIA. And, that is including a carry on and checked bag.

[LakeWobegon]

Embarkation starts as on any other cruise line and mainly depend on USA Customs.

 

Thanks. I had no idea all cruise lines conducted embarkation exactly the same and let you board at the same time. Noted.

[LakeWobegon]

MSC Cruises always start boarding as soon as possible. Normaly before noon.

So Be there early. You have paid for the first Day

 

Great. We will if we can get an evening flight Friday. Right now not really any options. Others have suggested my wife feigning sick so we could leave Friday but she values her job too much to do something so dishonest. But yes, I will try. Even thought about checking multi-leg flights to see if we can do that and make it work. i.e. ones not listed on the airline sites or expedia. Fly to Atlanta and then Miami and so on but so far that looks more expensive.

[LakeWobegon]

Hey there,

I live in SW Hennepin county. Lived here all my life.

Ironically, I never had flown American Airlines out of MSP.

But, now that I am cruising on RCCL and MSC, I have been getting tickets for about $465.00 round-trip MSP/MIA. And, that is including a carry on and checked bag.

 

Thanks! We live out near the Willmar area, so like I said, its a trek to the airport. I did check American too since Miami is a hub and they want $892 for the direct flight at 6 am that Saturday morning. Nothing really leaves in the evening on Friday. I will keep checking. Last year some of the airlines added or bumped a flight back to that 7-8 pm timeframe. I don't even mind getting in at 1 -2 am in the morning so long as we can crash at a hotel for a good 6 hours of sleep before getting ready.

[FireEMT978]

:'):'):')

Thanks. I had no idea all cruise lines conducted embarkation exactly the same and let you board at the same time. Noted.

[DMH15]

Great. We will if we can get an evening flight Friday. Right now not really any options. Others have suggested my wife feigning sick so we could leave Friday but she values her job too much to do something so dishonest. But yes, I will try. Even thought about checking multi-leg flights to see if we can do that and make it work. i.e. ones not listed on the airline sites or expedia. Fly to Atlanta and then Miami and so on but so far that looks more expensive.

 

 

 

This was going to be my suggestion. For my Alaska cruise several years ago we decided to fly Dallas to Salt Lake City, spend the night, and fly on to Vancouver the next morning. It saved us time. It was so we had a full day in Vancouver and spent one night there. But the premise is the same.

 

 

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[JAGR]

You are correct on Eastern cruises, but Western ones still leave at 7:00.

I think you may be mistaken on the departure time if you mean you are going in March of 2019. They leave now at 5 p.m.

 

 

We asked Capt. Marco Masso, who has been the captain a couple of times previously when the ship was leaving at 7 p.m., and he said that the reason was that there was a high percentage of Europeans on the vessel - well above the 50 percent figure. Therefore, MSC thought that many of them would fly over on the day the cruise departed, meaning that they would not get to Miami until roughly 3 p.m.

 

 

However, they are getting a higher and higher percentage of Americans cruising now, and that is the reason they will be leaving starting this fall at 5.