Port Everglades boarding

[Pisgah]

We are diamond and friends are platinum cruisers.  How early can we board the Magic in Feb.  We are staying about 30 min away and parking at the port.

Also do you drop off luggage first and then park.  We have not cruised out of this Fort Lauderdale in a long time. 

[bouhunter]

25 minutes ago, Pisgah said:

We are diamond and friends are platinum cruisers.  How early can we board the Magic in Feb.  We are staying about 30 min away and parking at the port.

Also do you drop off luggage first and then park.  We have not cruised out of this Fort Lauderdale in a long time. 

Assume that's Carnival Magic?  You'll probably get more responses (and better info) in the Carnival section here.  Or I think there is a Disney Magic?  If so try the Disney section🙂

 

Might depend on which terminal in FLL, but in general it's probably best for the driver to drop off everyone with the luggage and go park the car.

Edited September 1, 2019 by bouhunter

[Pisgah]

No it's the Carnival Magic.

 

[Corby114]

The terminal opens for arriving passengers around 10:30AM as soon as the ship gets down to a zero passenger count for the preceding cruise. It’s usually easier to drop off your luggage with the porters and then park in the parking garage. Boarding normally starts around 11:30AM and the rooms are ready for occupancy around 1:30PM. If everything goes as planned you should be enjoying your first lunch onboard by 12:30PM.

[BNBR]

The Midport parking garage is very close and unless you have mobility issues, there is no reason to drop off first.  You can easily wheel your luggage across the street and that's what we do, even with 10 of us. We sailed Magic in June.

 

Just arrive and park, then ride the elevators down and cross the street. The porters are right there.  

 

Not sure about boarding time as we didn't go early this trip. 

 

Generally speaking, you can enter the terminal and check in as early as 9:30-10am.  They don't wait until there is a zero passenger count before opening up the terminal for arrivals, that's not accurate. Expect boarding around 11-11:30.  I've boarded ships as early as 10:20.  It all depends.  We usually show up around 10 and we are far from the first ones there. 

 

For diamond and platinum, I believe you don't have to worry about arrival appointment times on Carnival. So get there at 10 or so. 

 

Also note that the check-in is lightning fast as they now use tablets. It was impressive. 

Edited September 1, 2019 by BNBR

[CruiserBruce]

The port doesn't determine boarding schedule, the cruise line does. Best to ask on the Carnival board. 

[Lee Cruiser]

We just got back from the Magic.  We arrived about 9:45.  Check in started at 10 am.  We were sitting in the platinum waiting area about 10:10.  Boarding started at 10:40 and we were heading on the ship at 10:45.