Why rush to board?

[mugtech]

To sail out of north Jersey we ride the bus from ABE Airport which usually arrives around 12:30 PM,  a quick check in and then it is just about time to grab lunch and drop off our carryons.  Once we arrived after 1PM and it was the fastest bus to cabin trip, took all of 15 minutes.

[SargassoPirate]

18 hours ago, Host Clarea said:

With regard to waiting too long to board, Royal has required guests to check-in 90 minutes prior to scheduled departure.  If you cut it too close, and there's a traffic problem, you could be in trouble.

 

Some people enjoy being on the ship and want to maximize their time onboard, so they board as early as possible.

I'd be willing to bet those same folks self-disembark and are the ones lined up at 6:30 AM.

[h20skibum]

I'd be willing to bet those same folks self-disembark and are the ones lined up at 6:30 AM.

They need to, to make those 8:00 flights[emoji15]


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[myk249]

17 hours ago, ObstructedView2 said:

 

Many passengers also like to board early so they can make reservations for shows, activities, change dining room assignments, table location, change speciality restaurant reservation days or times, and so on...

 

🌴

^^This for sure^^

[Ocean Boy]

19 hours ago, Milwaukee Eight said:

Not for us. We typically board after the rush around 1230-1300. Crowds have mostly gone to their cabins. I think the Drink Package has a lot to do with the mentality to board early and start getting those drinks. 

I like to be aboard as early as possible and it has nothing to do with drinking or packages.

[37645]

50 minutes ago, SargassoPirate said:

I'd be willing to bet those same folks self-disembark and are the ones lined up at 6:30 AM.

 

I am for sure. Self disembark is the best way in my opinion and I haven’t done the waiting for them to do it all in many years. Self disembark makes it so easy and quicker than waiting around for them to do the luggage and then having to try to find your bags later with all the other bags. Not sure how it is now but the last time I did it it was crazy and took a very long time. But to each their own. 

[Ocean Boy]

1 hour ago, SargassoPirate said:

I'd be willing to bet those same folks self-disembark and are the ones lined up at 6:30 AM.

I do self assist though usually leave between 7:30 to 8:00. If you think the first day on the ship and the last morning equate in any way then we have very different perspectives on that matter.

[Ocean Boy]

16 minutes ago, 37645 said:

 

I am for sure. Self disembark is the best way in my opinion and I haven’t done the waiting for them to do it all in many years. Self disembark makes it so easy and quicker than waiting around for them to do the luggage and then having to try to find your bags later with all the other bags. Not sure how it is now but the last time I did it it was crazy and took a very long time. But to each their own. 

Exactly.

[Ourusualbeach]

26 minutes ago, 37645 said:

 

I am for sure. Self disembark is the best way in my opinion and I haven’t done the waiting for them to do it all in many years. Self disembark makes it so easy and quicker than waiting around for them to do the luggage and then having to try to find your bags later with all the other bags. Not sure how it is now but the last time I did it it was crazy and took a very long time. But to each their own. 

We walked off the Allure at a Christmas out of the new terminal in Miami at 8:45 and never ran into a line, just walked off the ship, walked straight through the luggage and then straight out through customs.  Couldn’t have been any easier.

 

One trick I’ve found to make finding your luggage is to get an early luggage tag and then have a more leisurely breakfast and disembark about 30 to 45 minutes after your tag has been called.  Makes it very easy to find your luggage when most has already been claimed.

[ryano]

 

1 hour ago, Ocean Boy said:

I like to be aboard as early as possible and it has nothing to do with drinking or packages.

 

100% this ^^^^^.   

 

I board early because I can.   Its day one of the cruise.  I paid for it and want the maximum amount of time on board I can get.  Thats really all there is to it.   If people wanna show up at 1:30 pm or later and avoid the "rush" have at it.    I will continue to show up at my regular 10:30 - 10:45 arrival time with hopes of being on the ship by 11:30 at the latest.   Ive yet to be let down.   🙂  

[BecciBoo]

Ditto the "enjoy the WHOLE day" thing but this might sound silly, and it's just a theory...but I think if you drop your luggage at 9:30 or so, its one of the first taken to the holding area on each deck and then distributed earlier.  Since we started arriving then, no problems with our luggage coming late. Its almost always at our door at 1:00 when we go to the cabin.

 

We usually arrive at 9:30, Todd drops me and the checked bags at the first part of the terminal with the porters and he goes to park across the street and walks back over.  I've never waited any longer than 15 minutes for him to rejoin me.  Of course that is Galveston I am referring to.  For Florida, fly in day before, but same principle applies for arriving at terminal.  We go early.

 

The only thing we retain and goes through the scanner with us is Todd's backpack (camera and tablet) and my beach bag (jewelry, wine and meds)...much easier to run around on the ship until 1:00 than dragging a carry-on.  Anyway, we like to be first, just our nature.  We don't mind sitting around in the lounge talking to people until 11:00 or so when they announce the suites and tier levels can board.

 

Of course we have to get up at 5:00 am to make the 4 hr drive by then, but we never sleep the night before anyways.  

Edited February 1, 2019 by BecciBoo

[h20skibum]

3 minutes ago, BecciBoo said:

Ditto the "enjoy the WHOLE day" thing but this might sound silly, and it's just a theory...but I think if you drop your luggage at 9:30 or so, its one of the first taken to the holding area on each deck and then distributed earlier.

 

Not necessarily the case.  Last cruise, I dropped our suitcase off early and gave them a $20 tip to take good care of it.  Not only did it arrive late, but they broke the retractable handle. 

 

There goes that theory. 

[sellwingri]

We’re in the early boarding group.  We’ve got the day down to a science.  We usually leave our hotel via taxi at 10am and getting to the ship by 10:30.  (Time really depends on the port.). Once we’re allowed to board, we go to the Windjammer and enjoy an early lunch.  After lunch, we go to the MDR to find our dinner table.  We then go to the Schooner bar and enjoy a cocktail until the room is ready at 1pm.  

 

We also don’t rush off the ship.  Our flight home is usually not early enough to have to worry if there’s a delay.

 

[katiel53]

We like to board early because we get a specialty dining package and with that package, we can't make restaurant reservations until onboard.  Last week on Harmony, we had the UDP so needed to make reservations for all 7 nights.

 

A couple of the nights our chosen restaurants were really packed and people were turned away.  I like being onboard early enough to get the choice of restaurants and times that work for us.

[island lady]

Looks like the early boarding group is the majority.  And once again...it's all a matter of personal preference...no right or wrong time...as long as you ARE on time enough to make the ship.  😉

 

[kag19]

I don't feel like vacation starts until we are actually on board and can breathe a sigh of relief after all the rush around of flights, lines, security and transfers.

[SchoolNurseMom]

We enjoy our time onboard just walking around exploring the ship and maybe a bite to eat for lunch.

[scotlady]

So - I am usually in the early boarding camp - but we've always cruised out of Galveston, where there really isn't much to do other than hang around the hotel or walk along the ocean.  

 

But - this time we are cruising out of San Juan (30 days!).  We have a beachfront hotel in Condado, so really torn between relaxing on the beach or getting on early to take photos all around the ship, which has been my routine for every cruise I've been on.  

 

I noticed a couple of people on this thread have cruised out of San Juan - is it really crazy (like Galveston) if you show up 10:30-11:00?  

 

And one other thought - the ONE thing I stress about on boarding day is having my luggage lost - had it sort of happen on one cruise - comes 8 pm and no suitcase - I only found it by peaking down all the crew hallways/staircases and grabbing it myself!

But unfortunately, from my experience, I don't think getting on earlier makes much of a difference as to when you get it . . .

[voyager70]

7 minutes ago, scotlady said:

So - I am usually in the early boarding camp - but we've always cruised out of Galveston, where there really isn't much to do other than hang around the hotel or walk along the ocean.  

 

But - this time we are cruising out of San Juan (30 days!).  We have a beachfront hotel in Condado, so really torn between relaxing on the beach or getting on early to take photos all around the ship, which has been my routine for every cruise I've been on.  

 

I noticed a couple of people on this thread have cruised out of San Juan - is it really crazy (like Galveston) if you show up 10:30-11:00?  

 

And one other thought - the ONE thing I stress about on boarding day is having my luggage lost - had it sort of happen on one cruise - comes 8 pm and no suitcase - I only found it by peaking down all the crew hallways/staircases and grabbing it myself!

But unfortunately, from my experience, I don't think getting on earlier makes much of a difference as to when you get it . . .

 

I've cruised out of San Juan several times.  While it's an awesome port of departure & takes you to different islands the embarkation process has always been a little hectic in my experiences.  I would recommend arriving at the port early afternoon if you can, or maybe spend a little time in San Juan before heading to the ship.

 

[island lady]

11 minutes ago, scotlady said:

So - I am usually in the early boarding camp - but we've always cruised out of Galveston, where there really isn't much to do other than hang around the hotel or walk along the ocean.  

 

But - this time we are cruising out of San Juan (30 days!).  We have a beachfront hotel in Condado, so really torn between relaxing on the beach or getting on early to take photos all around the ship, which has been my routine for every cruise I've been on.  

 

I noticed a couple of people on this thread have cruised out of San Juan - is it really crazy (like Galveston) if you show up 10:30-11:00?  

 

And one other thought - the ONE thing I stress about on boarding day is having my luggage lost - had it sort of happen on one cruise - comes 8 pm and no suitcase - I only found it by peaking down all the crew hallways/staircases and grabbing it myself!

But unfortunately, from my experience, I don't think getting on earlier makes much of a difference as to when you get it . . .

 

No problems at all boarding pretty much at any time in PR that we have found.  Have never run into crowds and long lines on boarding.  From what I understand, the reason we have late sail away, is due to so many flights coming in at all hours.  The islands we visit are just not that far away anyway...plenty of time to get there.  

 

Absolutely no rhyme or reason as to when you get your luggage indeed.  We have received ours very early when we boarded late...but also very late when we boarded early...then vice versa.  It's a crap shoot.  We have also dragged our own luggage back to the cabin when we saw it sitting down the hallway.  

Edited February 1, 2019 by island lady

[ShillyShally]

15 hours ago, voyager70 said:

I'm in the early boarding camp.  Stepping on the ship for the first time, breathing in that wonderful cruise ship smell and hearing the first "ding" of the SeaPass card puts me in a happy place.  Can't happen quick enough.

 

 

This!  And I'm so type A and love to plan the travel but I do not relax until I get on board, that's when I know all documents checked out, we made it, etc, that's when I can let me hair down so to speak 🙂  So I aim to do that as soon as I can!

[RobTheGob]

We're rarely in a "rush" - but we do usually board early. Mostly because boarding is the ONLY thing we need to do that day. Once that's done - it's "done" and we can relax and stop watching the clock.

 

We've also found that there is a huge crowd of people that show up in the middle of the boarding time. Being able to explore a new ship that's close to empty is nice. Our last cruise from Port Canaveral had people stuck in the terminal (and outside) for 90-120 min waiting to get on, while we sipped drinks and watched the huge lineups slowly make there way on board...

[KevInPitt]

2 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

I do self assist though usually leave between 7:30 to 8:00. If you think the first day on the ship and the last morning equate in any way then we have very different perspectives on that matter.

 

Would you elaborate on the difference?

 

If the theory is one has paid for the first day and therefore should avail themselves getting onboard as soon as feasible (to get the most out of what they paid for), the same theory should hold true for the last day also paid for so one should leave as late as allowable (to get the most out of what they paid for).

 

In the end, it boils down to "I want to be first on the ship and I want to be first off the ship".    There's nothing wrong with admitting that but those who justify it with "I want my money's worth" only on the front end is shallow.

[Charles4515]

22 hours ago, FrankNBrew said:

We check out of our hotel in Houston the morning of the 10th. Then a 45 minute ride to Texas City to drop off the rental car. And another 15 minute Uber/taxi to the port. Are there any reasons we would want to rush to board at 11:00? If we can't get into the room until 1:00 why would we want to be on board any sooner? We're supposed to be on board by 3:00. Are there any potential issues with waiting until 2:30?  I'm simply looking for opinions to plan our morning. Thanks.

 

I fly in a day early and stay at a hotel. Check out time is usually 11:00. That is when I leave for whatever port, based on hotel check out time. I think since they want you on 90 minutes before I wouuld not do 2:30. 1:30 is the latest I would plan on.

[The Fun Researcher]

We won't be rushing next month, and really it's a pain walking around with your carry on stuff before the cabins are available.

 

We have to take a late flight into Florida the night before, arriving around midnight. Ugh.  So we'll get to our hotel late.  We'll sleep in, grab some water bottle and soda bottles at Publix to bring onboard, and plan to be at port around 1pm I would imagine.  No need to eat lunch in the madhouse Windjammer that day.  We'll grab something quick and easy on land instead.  At least that's my plan.  :)
 

Dan

Edited February 1, 2019 by The Fun Researcher