How early should i get to the Dock??

[RabidDolly]

This may seem like a silly question but here goes nothing... lol

 

My BF and I will be driving to the port and I've noticed that our departure time is 4pm. My question is how early can we get there and get on the ship with the least amout of waiting time but enough time so that we are sure we won't be late? We're driving 14 hours on a Friday and getting to the port on Saturday afternoon to depart. This is cutting it very close but if we can get on the ship a couple of hours before everybody else can we do that? What time should we get to the dock?

 

Thanks in advaced guys... and Happy Cruisin'

 

~~Dolly

 

Carnival Jubilee 6/2004

[yst347]

The port of Jacksonville is new. Not having sailed from there I cannot comment specifically but can give you my general experience from other ports. (Miami, New Orleans and Galveston) We have consistently boarded between 12:00 and 1:00 on all our cruises.

 

If for some reason the ship is late arriving or slow to be cleared by customs this may not be possible for you but it is worth a try.

 

Perhaps someone who has sailed from Jacksonville will post their experience.

 

Happy sails to you!

 

Elation 11/2003

Conquest 01/2003

Jubilee 11/2002

Victory 02/2001

Destiny 02/2000

Geotide 11/1992

United States 06/1962

[serene56]

Its not such a silly question -- Im sure it was asked on this board.

 

You can get to the pier anytime after 11:00am. What time the ship people allow the boarding to start depends on when the last people got off. We have been on our last cruises on the ship by noon. Cant go to your cabin til 1 but there is lunch to be eaten during the wait.

 

Going NOWHERE

 

 

Miracle, February 13, 2005

Legend, October 22,2004

Voyager August 31,2003

Victory September 22,2002

Regal Empress,June 2001

Sensation,August 2000

[mrkrpan]

We got to the dock really early for our cruise, and the security sent us away - we came back and were allowed into the parking lot at 10am, and were put into holding - then we were able to drive up to the terminal at 10:30am and we were on the ship eating lunch by 11:30am -

this was in Jacksonville, FL April 3rd. Enjoy!

 

mrkrpan

  until we sail on the Carnival Miracle

 

Carnival Miracle, April 2004

Disney Wonder, March 2002

Grand Princess, December 1991

[loops]

We sailed on the Miracle out of Jacksonville on 4/12. We got there around 11:30 and they started letting people board at 12:15. The Jubilee is a smaller ship so debarking from the cruise coming back may not take as long as the Miracle.

 

 

Miracle 4/12/04

Fascination 5/01/03

Ecstasy 3/15/92

[Bungalow Bill]

We were also on the 4/12 cruise. We arrived at 10:45 and as Loops said, were allowed on board at 12:15. They formed 4 groups in the order you arrived, so the first arrivals were the first on board. I would guess there were 800+ people processed and waiting to board by Noon. BTW, the process was very smooth.

 

We were in our cabins by 1:00. I remember looking at the gangway around 2:30 and seeing a small trickle of new arrivals.