Celebrity Edge.....Long check in lines ???

[smaheu11]

Might be a stupid Question but I am booked in a Concierge class, Early check-in is one of the small perks that you are given. I did manage to get a early check in of 11:30-12:00 which I believe is good? 

I am treaveling with 2 other reservations same "Concierge class" who was only offered 12:30-1:00.

My question is if we arrive together and we are all in the same class. Are they going to be able to check in with me? I see mention to the Suite Class allowed to board early what bout Concierge class? 

[Fouremco]

21 minutes ago, smaheu11 said:

Might be a stupid Question but I am booked in a Concierge class, Early check-in is one of the small perks that you are given. I did manage to get a early check in of 11:30-12:00 which I believe is good? 

I am treaveling with 2 other reservations same "Concierge class" who was only offered 12:30-1:00.

My question is if we arrive together and we are all in the same class. Are they going to be able to check in with me? I see mention to the Suite Class allowed to board early what bout Concierge class? 

I'm not sure that Concierge class passengers get preferred arrival times; that may just have been the luck of the draw for you. You get priority check in once in the terminal, but I don't believe that extends to early check in in the same manner as suite passengers.

[ScubesDad]

3 hours ago, Pickels said:

RE: Also, I guess we all paid for lunch...so lets all get there early so we can have it.

Please!

As the original poster of this comment RE: we all paid for lunch       It was meant to be sarcasm, because we all know there will be a shortage of food on the ship.

[seapad]

4 hours ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

I think that's one gripe, people don't realize until it's too late if you make it a priority to check in when check in opens, you can't get an early time.  If you can't get an early time, you'll probably will miss out on lunch.  MDR, Luminae and any open specialty restaurants stop letting folks in at 130pm, buffet and most shutdown at 230pm.  Leaving only pizza, the mass grill or the very limited room service options (most don't want to wait for their food in their room and would prefer to explore the ship).  Perhaps if X hired more staffing to keep embarkment lunch open longer folks wouldn't need to show up early.

Is MDR open on embarkation day for lunch? I thought the buffet is the only venue for lunch for non-suite guests. Am I wrong? 
Thanks! 

[Fouremco]

6 minutes ago, seapad said:

Is MDR open on embarkation day for lunch? I thought the buffet is the only venue for lunch for non-suite guests. Am I wrong? 
Thanks! 

The was a Concierge class lunch served in the MDR, but that seems to be on hold. On the Silhouette, it was reportedly offered the following day.

[NutsAboutGolf]

21 minutes ago, seapad said:

Is MDR open on embarkation day for lunch? I thought the buffet is the only venue for lunch for non-suite guests. Am I wrong? 
Thanks! 

 

According the Edge dailies, the Cosmo (one of the four MDRs) is open from noon-130.  Buffet is open until 230pm.

[DCPIV]

21 hours ago, smaheu11 said:

My question is if we arrive together and we are all in the same class. Are they going to be able to check in with me? I see mention to the Suite Class allowed to board early what bout Concierge class?

 

I haven't heard anything about Concierge class getting priority boarding, only Retreat.  If you have access to a shoreside Concierge, that would be a good question.

 

If the answer is "yes," then hot dog!  If not, then I wouldn't expect them to be able to check in early with you (unless there happened to be a lull), but the probably would not be too far behind you. 

[Pickels]

On 7/13/2021 at 3:55 PM, ScubesDad said:

As the original poster of this comment RE: we all paid for lunch       It was meant to be sarcasm, because we all know there will be a shortage of food on the ship.

Oh!

[cruisemom42]

I'm having a disconnect. Most people would say that eating onboard ship, lovely as it can be, is usually not as good as a good local land-based restaurant. 

 

If that's the case (and many have said it), then what is the thinking behind this "I paid for my lunch and I want to eat it onboard" mentality? The $$ amount you paid that actually went toward that meal is chicken feed in most cases given the overall cost of the vacation itself (cruise, gas or airfare, hotel, etc.)

 

So what are you really missing out on?  I guess some cannot wait to get onboard. I always figure I have many days ahead of me to enjoy the ship, there is not a need to rush onboard to get a couple more hours -- over a week-long cruise that amounts to about a half of one percent of the total vacation time...

 

[NutsAboutGolf]

26 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

I'm having a disconnect. Most people would say that eating onboard ship, lovely as it can be, is usually not as good as a good local land-based restaurant. 

 

If that's the case (and many have said it), then what is the thinking behind this "I paid for my lunch and I want to eat it onboard" mentality? The $$ amount you paid that actually went toward that meal is chicken feed in most cases given the overall cost of the vacation itself (cruise, gas or airfare, hotel, etc.)

 

So what are you really missing out on?  I guess some cannot wait to get onboard. I always figure I have many days ahead of me to enjoy the ship, there is not a need to rush onboard to get a couple more hours -- over a week-long cruise that amounts to about a half of one percent of the total vacation time...

 

 

1) Anxiety, some simply have it on embarkation day until they're on the ship; simply cannot enjoy anything that day until they're on the ship

2) Drink package, even pre-covid, drinkers bought/received the drink package, three drinks for a couple at a land restaurant with tax and a tip will most likely be well over $50

3) Paying for lunch, somewhat the same with drinks, many don't want to pay for land based lunch knowing their "pre-paid" for food on the ship

4) Food Taste & Service, cruise food taste isn't fine dining but service usually is, mistakes will happen but at least they'll most likely be pleasant and bend over backwards to correct things.  Even in fine dining establishments, this is not always the case.  Some simply feel spoiled by the meal service on board

5) It's most likely a combo of all of the above

5) 

[Reijo]

On 7/13/2021 at 3:08 PM, smaheu11 said:

Might be a stupid Question but I am booked in a Concierge class, Early check-in is one of the small perks that you are given. I did manage to get a early check in of 11:30-12:00 which I believe is good? 

I am treaveling with 2 other reservations same "Concierge class" who was only offered 12:30-1:00.

My question is if we arrive together and we are all in the same class. Are they going to be able to check in with me? I see mention to the Suite Class allowed to board early what bout Concierge class? 

Not a stupid question at all....I understand this as my husband and I (Diamond +) have traveled with our children who were experiencing their first RCCL cruise.  We were told by other people that "Yes" you would be allowed to all board at the same time.  We questioned this when we went to check in and the employee rolled her eyes and frustratingly said "go ahead" and all worked out great.  BUT.....this was all pre-covid.  You certainly will be allowed to board early but not sure about others.  I would ask and you might just get lucky.  If not, you can choose to stay with them until they can board or to go ahead without them and just meet up as they board.  Good luck to you.

[DingoMom]

“Also, I guess we all paid for lunch...so lets all get there early so we can have it”

 

ScubesDad, I knew that was sarcasm immediately! 😂 (I speak sarcasm, too!!) Your post was very thoughtful! 
Pickels, you make me laugh! Thanks for that, and I’m glad you are ‘sweet’ and not ‘sour’!

And whoever the heck thinks X should hire more help for embarkation day — what color is the sky in your world?? Apparently you have not lived through the last 17 months of a world turned upside down. I don’t care much for your solution of more work for those that are keeping us safe because you want lunch.

[NutsAboutGolf]

Another thing to consider, you pay for dis-embarkation breakfast too, many have no problem skipping that.

[DingoMom]

Mea Culpa, Nuts…I really like your posts and didn’t remember that you were the one that commented about X hiring more people so everyone could get lunch. I SPEAK sarcasm, but sometimes I don’t GET sarcasm!!!

[curtsfan]

On 7/12/2021 at 6:07 PM, jg51 said:

.

Hello, "Pickels."

We can think of one valid answer to your questions (and there may be other answers).

 

Suppose someone could not avoid being assigned an embarkation time of 3:00 PM (assigned at booking or online check-in?).  

 

Suppose that this person is able to reach the dock at about Noon -- and therefore gets placed, by security, at the front of an "early-bird queue" -- willing to wait until 3:00, if necessary.

 

Suppose that she is hopeful to board sooner (because of a medical need [diabetes?] to have a good lunch -- or simply because she paid for lunch as part of her fare).

 

Suppose all the guests with 12:30 boarding times are able to enter by 12:50.  Should some of the early-birds be allowed to enter?  According to what we have read on one or two threads, Celebrity will allow our lady to enter, even though it is not yet even 1:00.

 

We think that this is reasonable.  It will help the 3:00 lady (and others like her) who are desiring lunch, or perhaps even in physical need of it.  Getting some early-birds aboard will also help the ("on-time") 3:00 people to board more quickly, later in the afternoon.

.

 

[curtsfan]

We are booked on the Edge 8/21.  I book3 my airfare through Celebrity & will arrive at Fort Lauderdale airport at 10:30.   The earliest check in time I could get was 12:30.   If I had a medical condition, I would have inquired about getting on sooner.  For those with conditions like diabetes, I would suggest they call celebrity prior to their trip.  Maybe they could give the earlier times.  Or if not, perhaps on their arrival at the airport, they stop & have a bite to eat before going to the terminal.   The reason for the checkin times is to control how many people are in the terminal at any given time.