Arrival/Boarding

[Ramblinman57]

Hi all. First time NCL cruiser. Quick question. I would like to maximize my time on ship the first day and also avoid any long lines. Thinking of getting to the dock around 9:30 a.m. I already have my NCL app and all my docs are in order as well as a passport. Do not have priority boarding however. Should I get there any earlier than 9:30 or is 9:30 too early....just wondering. Thank you

[tallnthensome]

9:30 is a bit too early. More like 10 or so at the earliest to get into the terminal. Just because you get there early doesn’t mean you’ll actually board right away after check in. There will be several groups called ahead of you even if you are there first. Basically you’re going to wait ..

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Edited October 1, 2019 by tallnthensome

[FLAHAM]

I like to arrive about 11:30 and am nearly always board by 12:30.  Any earlier and we are sitting around waiting for the MDR to open for lunch.

[MeHeartCruising]

33 minutes ago, Ramblinman57 said:

Hi all. First time NCL cruiser. Quick question. I would like to maximize my time on ship the first day and also avoid any long lines. Thinking of getting to the dock around 9:30 a.m. I already have my NCL app and all my docs are in order as well as a passport. Do not have priority boarding however. Should I get there any earlier than 9:30 or is 9:30 too early....just wondering. Thank you

 

Specifics will vary by port, but at 9:30 arrival you might not even be let inside the building yet.  That is right about when they start letting people in, but it does vary.  Remember, they are dealing with a LOT of people getting OFF the ship first.  They aren't always ready to process people ON the ship.  We usually arrive around 10:00.  They porters will take your luggage and point you to the building entrance (where you may or may not be let in yet).  Once they open the doors you will pass through security and start your paperwork processing.  But going in that early, you will then be given a boarding group number (probably a very early one, if you're that early) and then instructed where to sit and wait.  I don't mind that wait.  We find it part of the cruise fun.  People watching.   But we usually have to wait until until 11:00 or 11:30 to board the ship.  They will board special groups first and then start calling boarding group numbers.  The checkin process goes quite quickly that early.  Very little waiting in line.  However, you do then have to wait in your seat in the waiting area.  Sometimes that waiting area gets VERY crowded before they begin the boarding process.  So it's really a matter of do you want to wait in the waiting area quite a while or do you want to arrive a little later and board more directly (after the initial crowds have been boarded already).

 

 

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, Ramblinman57 said:

Hi all. First time NCL cruiser. Quick question. I would like to maximize my time on ship the first day and also avoid any long lines. Thinking of getting to the dock around 9:30 a.m. I already have my NCL app and all my docs are in order as well as a passport. Do not have priority boarding however. Should I get there any earlier than 9:30 or is 9:30 too early....just wondering. Thank you

We arrive between 10:15 and 10:30. Shorter lines at security and check-in. Priority boarding starts around 11:00. General boarding around 11:30. The buffet and 24-hour restaurant (O'Sheehan's or The Local) will be open for lunch at 11:30. Main Dining Room either 11:30 or noon. 

[massfamilyof4]

Our sailing is at 9pm. The latest "Sail away" I have ever had. Do you think the starting boarding time will still be around 11?

[dexddd]

15 minutes ago, massfamilyof4 said:

Our sailing is at 9pm. The latest "Sail away" I have ever had. Do you think the starting boarding time will still be around 11?

What time does the prior sailing get in?

[bkrickles1]

12 hours ago, Ramblinman57 said:

Hi all. First time NCL cruiser. Quick question. I would like to maximize my time on ship the first day and also avoid any long lines. Thinking of getting to the dock around 9:30 a.m. I already have my NCL app and all my docs are in order as well as a passport. Do not have priority boarding however. Should I get there any earlier than 9:30 or is 9:30 too early....just wondering. Thank you

I'm all in on the early arrival to the dock.

We've been getting to the pier for all of our recent cruises by 9:30 also not having any priority boarding.

We always wait a little after getting through security and check-in but, as someone else said, we consider it a part of the trip and the time goes really quick.

My wife complains every time but my daughter loves it. 

It puts us in the first boarding group after the priority boarding people and we're usually on board enjoying ourselves by 11:30, the latest. For our Escape cruise out of NYC in July, 2018, we were on board by 11:05.

We're sailing Encore in January out of Miami and will be flying in a day early so the plan is to get to the pier by around 9:30, as usual. We are disappointed that the new terminal won't be finished as originally planned, but I think we'll survive. Lol.

[KeithJenner]

1 hour ago, massfamilyof4 said:

Our sailing is at 9pm. The latest "Sail away" I have ever had. Do you think the starting boarding time will still be around 11?

Yes, very likely it will be the same.

 

I've had a wide variety of sail away times up to 8pm, and the boarding has started exactly the same regardless.

 

It is basically almost exactly the same procedure regardless of sail away time.

[BNBR]

9:30 is fine and probably the earliest I'd get there.  We tend to show up right about 10AM and we are definitely not the first ones there.  On a Royal sailing, we boarded at 10:20AM or so!  We checked in and walked right on to the ship.  It was awesome, no crowds.  Generally boarding seems to be closer to 11AM.

 

I would shoot for 9:30 - 10AM range.  You will avoid the crowds at check in and have a pleasant experience.  Then just find some seats and hang out for a bit until boarding starts.  We do it every cruise and it's great.

[beerman2]

I think 9:30 is perfect. You're going to have to wait somewhere, might as well be at the dock. Always an exciting time watching the ship get ready for your sailing.

 

Get that lower boarding #, and once they start embarking let the party begin.

[bkrickles1]

1 hour ago, beerman2 said:

I think 9:30 is perfect. You're going to have to wait somewhere, might as well be at the dock. Always an exciting time watching the ship get ready for your sailing.

 

Get that lower boarding #, and once they start embarking let the party begin.

Exactly! You have to wait somewhere.......

Me and my crew are always so excited and we wake up early anyway so heading to the pier gets those juices flowing.

We've gotten some great pics over the years after boarding early too.

As I said previously, our plan in January for Encore is to get to the pier by 9:30, board as early as possible and head straight to the Observation Lounge for drinks and snacks. Our Aunt and Uncle will be joining us a little later so we'll wait there comfortably and then maybe head to the mdr for a solid sit down lunch.