When EXACTLY can you do online check in?

[Mediterranean_Honeymooner]

Really hoping to get early boarding time for next cruise.  I was told that the earlier you complete check in, the more likely you are to be able to get an early time.  I know my check in date is 1/29, but what time on 1/29 can I check in? Midnight? 6 am?  What time zone?  And is it a free for all that all the early spots go in the first few minutes or should I be able to get one anytime that day?

[Tiger0613]

12:00am ET

 

I start refreshing the page starting a minute before midnight ET.  I am not willing to take the chance that the first time slot will be taken early.

[jsglow]

Midnight eastern.

[Mediterranean_Honeymooner]

22 minutes ago, Tiger0613 said:

12:00am ET

 

I start refreshing the page starting a minute before midnight ET.  I am not willing to take the chance that the first time slot will be taken early.

 

6 minutes ago, jsglow said:

Midnight eastern.

 

 

Is it midnight eastern regardless of which time zone the embarkation is in? 

[Tiger0613]

44 minutes ago, Mediterranean_Honeymooner said:

 

 

 

Is it midnight eastern regardless of which time zone the embarkation is in? 

I think so.  Someone will correct me if I am wrong.

Edited January 19, 2019 by Tiger0613

[Elaine5715]

55 minutes ago, Mediterranean_Honeymooner said:

 

 

 

Is it midnight eastern regardless of which time zone the embarkation is in? 

 

11 minutes ago, Tiger0613 said:

I think so.  Someone will correct me if I am wrong.

Yes.  Carnival headquarters are in Eastern time zone

[hillbillycruisers]

So...this might be a dumb question...but do a lot of people actually watch the clock to try and get in to Carnival at midnight to get these early board times?

[summersigh]

13 hours ago, Mediterranean_Honeymooner said:

Really hoping to get early boarding time for next cruise.  I was told that the earlier you complete check in, the more likely you are to be able to get an early time.  I know my check in date is 1/29, but what time on 1/29 can I check in? Midnight? 6 am?  What time zone?  And is it a free for all that all the early spots go in the first few minutes or should I be able to get one anytime that day?

Go onto your Cruise Manager page at 12:01 am ET on 1/29 and pick your time - that's what we did for our cruise and got the first available time slot. I didn't go back and check when those were gone since I already had what I wanted

 

On-line Check-in completion plays no part in being able to choose a check-in time.  I filled in online Check-in a month or so after picking my time slot.

Edited January 19, 2019 by summersigh

[ProgRockCruiser]

1 hour ago, hillbillycruisers said:

So...this might be a dumb question...but do a lot of people actually watch the clock to try and get in to Carnival at midnight to get these early board times?

 

Yep.

 

I generally try to remember to do it sometime that day, preferably in the morning before the rest of the day begins.  But I suppose if I was up late the night before, and not too, um, "infused", I might check-in right after midnight.

[StolidCruiser]

2 hours ago, hillbillycruisers said:

So...this might be a dumb question...but do a lot of people actually watch the clock to try and get in to Carnival at midnight to get these early board times?

 

It is apparently very important and gratifying for some to go through a myriad of machinations to get (at best) a couple extra hours on the ship.

 

People still report showing up as early as 9:30am for the chance to get through security/check-in so they can sit for a couple hours until boarding starts and then sit in the buffet (or around an empty pool) for a couple more.

 

Many enjoy this because it marks the start of their vacation and they paid for that first day. 

 

The thrill eludes me but for others it is a vital part of their cruise experience.

 

[Mediterranean_Honeymooner]

Thank you for all your help!

 

[summersigh]

23 hours ago, hillbillycruisers said:

So...this might be a dumb question...but do a lot of people actually watch the clock to try and get in to Carnival at midnight to get these early board times?

To get the time I want I go to my Cruise Manager page at 12:01 am ET the date they become available.

 

We always stay at a hotel with park and cruise including their shuttle to and from the port.  Because we have a check-out time at the hotel I prefer to do any waiting inside the terminal than in the hotel lobby or worse standing outside the terminal because the shuttle drops us off well before the late check-in time slots.

Edited January 20, 2019 by summersigh

[beachbum53]

Selecting your check-in time at the terminal has been in effect for about two years now. I'm still amazed at the number of people that think it's to choose your boarding time. The boarding rime is determined by the ship. That has never changed. You can NOT choose your boarding time. You can only choose your check-in time at the terminal. This was set up to help prevent over crowding in the terminal prior to boarding. Unless you have some sort of priority status, such as Platinum, Diamond or FTTF, you will not be allowed to enter the terminal before your check-in time. Once you've checked in, you'll be given a zone number (same as always) and can board when your zone number is called. Obviously, the earlier you can check in, the lower your zone number will be.

[hillbillycruisers]

So...if I'm understanding this right....when you check in, the zone number given out should allow people to board in order as they arrive...or close to it. Not a random thing. Right? 

[shof515]

3 minutes ago, hillbillycruisers said:

So...if I'm understanding this right....when you check in, the zone number given out should allow people to board in order as they arrive...or close to it. Not a random thing. Right? 

i only cruise out of NYC and from what i noticed 1)they do not enforce the check in times and 2)the boarding zone number is still randomly assigned.

It seems to be up to the port to enforce these kinda of things. The port people is working on behalf of carnival, they are not carnival workers.

[LizSS]

On my first carnival cruise I wasn’t aware how people treated it like check in our Southwest and logging in exactly when they could, so I checked in a few days before and got the 1-1:30 slot. From the time we were dropped off at the port until the time we were on the ship was like 20 minutes, plus our room was ready when we boarded

 

that worked out so well I chose the same time slot this past summer, we were on the ship in 10 minutes!

 

I’ll let everyone fight over those early slots. To me nothing begs the 1-1:30 slot

 

 

[1019throw]

On 1/19/2019 at 2:04 PM, StolidCruiser said:

 

It is apparently very important and gratifying for some to go through a myriad of machinations to get (at best) a couple extra hours on the ship.

 

People still report showing up as early as 9:30am for the chance to get through security/check-in so they can sit for a couple hours until boarding starts and then sit in the buffet (or around an empty pool) for a couple more.

 

Many enjoy this because it marks the start of their vacation and they paid for that first day. 

 

The thrill eludes me but for others it is a vital part of their cruise experience.

 

 

I think this is some important if people want to "get their monies worth" when on the Cheers package. A few hours to relax and have some drinks.

 

18 hours ago, hillbillycruisers said:

So...if I'm understanding this right....when you check in, the zone number given out should allow people to board in order as they arrive...or close to it. Not a random thing. Right? 

 

I'm still curious what the deal is, or if there is a finite answer.  there seems to be a lot of various answers floating around.

[jsglow]

On 1/19/2019 at 10:36 AM, hillbillycruisers said:

So...this might be a dumb question...but do a lot of people actually watch the clock to try and get in to Carnival at midnight to get these early board times?

 

To answer your question from my perspective, no.  For our upcoming cruise I happened to be in the Pacific timezone with nothing to do and figured 'why not?'.

[summersigh]

 

So...if I'm understanding this right....when you check in, the zone number given out should allow people to board in order as they arrive...or close to it. Not a random thing. Right? 

It's true at Port Canaveral. 

When we checked in at the terminal we were given a zone number. 

Our check-in slot was 11-11:30 and we arrived at the terminal at 11:20. 

Staff was checking check-in times on boarding passes to allow folks into the terminal. 

There was a separate line (very long) for early or late arrivals. 

Our wait between checking in and our zone being called was about 10 minutes.

[serene56]

Ours opened up the day we were able to start online check in.  We were able to pick a time before I did the check in.   THe first time available to me was 12:00    Not 11   Not 11:30

I don't know if that's because of something going on during our cruise--- if its an ongoing think   or maybe just a Miami thing

.

[serene56]

.

[RWolver672]

17 hours ago, serene56 said:

Ours opened up the day we were able to start online check in.  We were able to pick a time before I did the check in.   THe first time available to me was 12:00    Not 11   Not 11:30

I don't know if that's because of something going on during our cruise--- if its an ongoing think   or maybe just a Miami thing

.

 

I had a similar experience.  Horizon next month out of Miami.  I checked in early on the first day I could.  We are Platinum for the first time on this cruise.  There wasn't a choice for us.  It only had 12:30-1:00.  I'm wondering if they automatically assign that time to P/D and FTTF,  knowing that we can show up at any time.

[moeferg]

What is the typical check in time ranges? What is the latest time?

[serene56]

5 hours ago, RWolver672 said:

 

I had a similar experience.  Horizon next month out of Miami.  I checked in early on the first day I could.  We are Platinum for the first time on this cruise.  There wasn't a choice for us.  It only had 12:30-1:00.  I'm wondering if they automatically assign that time to P/D and FTTF,  knowing that we can show up at any time.

what an interesting take on that.    I posted in the roll call to find out if a regular person could get the 11:30 check in time-- but so far only platinums are responding.

 

 

[serene56]

1 hour ago, moeferg said:

What is the typical check in time ranges? What is the latest time?

 

 

it used to be 11:30 was the first check in time.   and 2pm was the last.   You must be onboard by 3pm  or will be denied boarding