About checking in to 2 different terminals

[lynnber]

So we're leaving TOMORROW(!) on the Bliss out of Miami and got notification about checking on at Terminal B or C depending on your deck... our (mostly grown) kids are on a different deck than us in two other rooms, and I hate the idea of not checking in together. For one thing, my husband's credit card is the one that pays the onboard stuff...for another, pictures. And I just don't want to start our vacation separated from each other, since the whole point is to vacation together. 

What would happen if we all go to the same terminal? Is this common? Do we pick the one least crowded?

Thanks!

[Rani1]

The worse that can happen if you all go thru one terminal is that one of the keycards will be in the other terminal and ncl will have a rep bring the keycard to  the terminal you are at. It should be fine. We are also in the same situation.

[rtkenmore]

25 minutes ago, lynnber said:

So we're leaving TOMORROW(!) on the Bliss out of Miami and got notification about checking on at Terminal B or C depending on your deck... our (mostly grown) kids are on a different deck than us in two other rooms, and I hate the idea of not checking in together. For one thing, my husband's credit card is the one that pays the onboard stuff...for another, pictures. And I just don't want to start our vacation separated from each other, since the whole point is to vacation together. 

What would happen if we all go to the same terminal? Is this common? Do we pick the one least crowded?

Thanks!

 

Can you not add the payment method through My NCL before you check in?  That is a new feature where you can go ahead and confirm your payment method online before you show up to the pier.

 

That might be an option too.

[lynnber]

We can add the payment option for our own cabin, but not for the kids. It only gives us the option of using one of their names. I guess because NCL doesn't really link the reservations, its not an option.

[outtabux]

Even decks in one terminal and odds in the other. I don't think they will let you in the other terminal. They check documents at the door. 

[esm54687]

1 hour ago, rtkenmore said:

 

Can you not add the payment method through My NCL before you check in?  That is a new feature where you can go ahead and confirm your payment method online before you show up to the pier.

 

That might be an option too.

But does not solve the pictures and being together as a family that the OP expressed as their desire.  The payment seems to be secondary. 

[sid_9169]

I believe, that being a family staying on different decks, they may let you check in at the same terminal... But, you will probably have to wait a bit longer than normal, due to them having to retrieve family members cards from next door. (Technically, the same building, but it's pretty big...)

[DZcreature]

2 hours ago, outtabux said:

Even decks in one terminal and odds in the other. I don't think they will let you in the other terminal. They check documents at the door. 

 I thought it was divided up by if your room was forward or aft?

[BirdTravels]

45 minutes ago, DZcreature said:

 I thought it was divided up by if your room was forward or aft?

It is odd and even decks per the post above.

 

This is where a working knowledge of embarkation procedures helps vs "I hate the idea of not checking in together." A question on CC before you book vs. the night before embarkation could have helped avoid the problem. 

 

The rent-a-cops may/may not let you enter the wrong terminal, even if you want to.

 

The check-in agent may/may not let you check in the wrong terminal (because they would have to hike to the next building and back with your keys). 

 

Good luck, and have a great cruise. The Bliss is a beautiful ship (we were on her in August).

 

Note: The Symphony of the Seas will be doing her first 7-night embarkation from Terminal A tomorrow. All of the traffic for the 6300+ passengers on the Symphony will be using the same roads as all of the Bliss passengers. And the road construction to the new Terminal A is not complete, so expect [massive] delays in getting into the port (embarking and disembarking). (We sailed out of Terminal A last week and it was a disaster with only the Sky at Terminal B). 

 

Edited November 17, 2018 by BirdTravels

[Relax@Sea]

If you had the reservation linked when you booked they will probably have you check in at the same terminal. a call to NCL will probably answer your question.

[lynnber]

12 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

This is where a working knowledge of embarkation procedures helps vs "I hate the idea of not checking in together." A question on CC before you book vs. the night before embarkation could have helped avoid the problem. 

I've been on many cruises and have a "working knowledge of embarkation" but have NEVER had this situation, so I find it a little snarky to say I should have checked sooner. They just sent the email about the terminals yesterday! 

We're still not sure what the right answer is, but we will somehow figure it out...

Getting ready to walk out the door for our awesome vacation!

[shakeNbake]

On 11/16/2018 at 3:43 PM, Rani1 said:

The worse that can happen if you all go thru one terminal is that one of the keycards will be in the other terminal and ncl will have a rep bring the keycard to  the terminal you are at. It should be fine. We are also in the same situation.

Bliss also, which terminal is for the even decks?

[Rani1]

NCL usually uses terminal B and C. Not sure which one for even decks. But both terminals are right next to each other.

[Rani1]

32 minutes ago, shakeNbake said:

Bliss also, which terminal is for the even decks?

NCL usually uses terminal B and C. Not sure which one for even decks. But both terminals are right next to each other.

[zqvol]

On 11/16/2018 at 3:58 PM, rtkenmore said:

 

Can you not add the payment method through My NCL before you check in?  That is a new feature where you can go ahead and confirm your payment method online before you show up to the pier.

 

That might be an option too.

Adding the payment method doesn't really add it, they have to physically swipe the card.

[rtkenmore]

1 hour ago, zqvol said:

Adding the payment method doesn't really add it, they have to physically swipe the card.

 

Geuss you should call NCL and tell them they’re doing it wrong.

 

Last time I called with a question about something else, I asked about this new option and they confirmed, whatever you put in on My NCL is preauthorized hence the reason you put the CCV, expiration and billing address...  no need to even bring the CC with you.

 

Guess the NCL reps don’t know what they’re talking about...  

[zqvol]

1 hour ago, rtkenmore said:

 

Geuss you should call NCL and tell them they’re doing it wrong.

 

Last time I called with a question about something else, I asked about this new option and they confirmed, whatever you put in on My NCL is preauthorized hence the reason you put the CCV, expiration and billing address...  no need to even bring the CC with you.

 

Guess the NCL reps don’t know what they’re talking about...  

They don't have any idea. Wait until you get to the terminal and have to produce a card.

[BobaLouFTL]

In the past and traveling from Miami with a group of friends housed on different decks, it is possible to do what the OP seeks to do. The key to it is getting past the security guard; they will attempt to re-direct you, but persistence has worked. If you make to the check in desk, they will gladly accommodate you. They don't even walk next door to retrieve the other cards, they just produce new ones. Good luck.

[johnrich]

Although it is too late for the OP to do anything now, this happened to us several years ago. When I printed out our eDocs I noticed the two different terminals so I contacted NCL. The person I talked to was very nice and even sent an email stating to all board at terminal B. She said if security gives us any problems to show the email. Well, security did give us a hard time. The guard at the door wouldn’t even look at the email from NCL. We asked to speak to a supervisor and she told us she was too busy to call one so we just blocked the line so no one else could get in (sorry fellow passengers) so she finally called a supervisor who took us to the side and then we had to argue with her. She eventually let us through but was really nasty with us and said we’ll be sorry because some of the key cards would be in the other terminal and we’d be causing the check-in agents extra work and spending extra time waiting since we “don’t know how to follow directions” on the eDocs. Well when we got to check-in, low and behold, all of our keys were together, so the customer service rep did what she said she would do and security was wrong. The security is not NCL, but rather POM, but should accept emails from NCL that tell the passengers to go to a different terminal than on the eDocs. 

My point is, be sure to call and ask that all key cards be placed together and ask for a follow up email. 

[alyssazoll]

@lynnber did you try the same terminal? I have a similar situation. 

[marktwothousand]

Hells if I'm going to let this happen to me and my family. We are travelling solo, so there's no way I will let us be split up at check-in. Especially as we are nuclear family and one of us is elderly.

 

Also, once on board, we have typically requested a change to our muster stations so that, heaven forbid an emergency were to happen, we can still muster in the same area. They are able to change this at the time of muster.

Edited December 12, 2018 by marktwothousand

[marktwothousand]

I called NCL rez today and the agent said he would "link" our reservations so that NCL knows we are travelling together. Does anyone know what this actually means?

[RedwingHockeyFan]

Once you are checked in at your terminal you could probably go check the others in at the other terminal.  You don't have to get right on the ship at that time I wouldn't think.  The rooms won't be open when you board anyway so which deck your room is on shouldn't have any bearing on which terminal you board from.

[marktwothousand]

That's what I was thinking. We could do our checkins at the terminal counters separately, but go through security and onto the gangway together. Its just that someone in the thread earlier, said it was the security checkpoint that gave them grief and wouldn't let the people through security together because their boarding information was set to two different terminals.

 

Thanks.

[beerman2]

4 hours ago, marktwothousand said:

That's what I was thinking. We could do our checkins at the terminal counters separately, but go through security and onto the gangway together. Its just that someone in the thread earlier, said it was the security checkpoint that gave them grief and wouldn't let the people through security together because their boarding information was set to two different terminals.

 

Thanks.

You go through security before check-in counter, no security after. Only employees at entrance to gangway from both B and C .