Late checking in - need advice

[jrbeccles]

I have not sailed on HAL for two years ( thanks COVID), but have a cruise booked for this coming December. I just got off the DCL Dream, and on DCL the checkin starts 30 days before sailing date. So that was stuck in my mind until I saw on the HAL boards someone sailing on the same December date was checking in. So I popped onto HAL site and completed the checkin, and found I got a 2.30 boarding time, which stinks. So my question is if I show up at 11.30am will they send me away, or just let me proceed? DCL was quite strict, and if you showed up early they made you drive around until it was your time. Yes I know it was my mistake, but any ideas? Port is Fort Lauderdale.  Thanks! 

[NCTribeFan]

Well, we don't know yet.  No HAL ships are sailing from Port Everglades.  Nieuw Amsterdam arrives there at the end of the month, I believe.  Once sailings start from PE, I imagine we'll have a better idea of whether they're sticking to the boarding times or not.

 

As far as I can tell (which isn't very far), there aren't any boarding times prior to 1 pm.

 

I'll be on Eurodam in a few weeks, but our situation is different.  It's the first sailing once she arrives in Florida and she's sitting there w/o pax for 2 days while they do a "deep clean" to clean out all those germs they must think she's bringing from Europe.  😄 Since there are no disembarking pax, we may be able to board earlier than the stated time.  

 

Again, like so many other things these days, we just don't know at this point.

[Sea42]

I don't think you're assigned by when you check in online. I think they accommodate those with higher cabin categories, higher mariner status and take into consideration flight times when making those assignments.

I checked in on the day it was available and was assigned 7PM for our 11:30 PM sailing! The first group is 1PM. I find it hard to believe it will take over 6 hours to get everyone checked in. I will be calling HAL soon to see if we can be assigned an earlier time.

[dfish]

From the HAL website:

 

Guests will be assigned a boarding time to embark, which will be provided closer to the sailing date. Physical distancing will be managed in the cruise terminal as guests arrive and check in. Please download the Navigator mobile app for access to your digital boarding pass and more.  For the health and safety of all, guests arriving to the terminal more than 20 minutes prior to their assigned check-in time will be asked to return at their designated time in order to maintain proper controls on capacity.

 

Assigned check-in times will be processed initially at approximately 50 days prior to the sailing.  Updates will be processed again at 21, 14, 7 and 3 days prior to sailing.  If the time shows "To Be Assigned" it will be assigned with the next update processed for the sailing based on the above cadence of assignments.

 

Many of us have seen our boarding times change as we get closer to sailing.  Ours started out mid afternoon and ended up being at noon.   Keep in mind that we all want to be on board early and we all have special circumstances that we want considered.  

[Sea42]

12 minutes ago, dfish said:

Updates will be processed again at 21, 14, 7 and 3 days prior to sailing. 

That's helpful to know, thank you! I'll check mine again in a few days and save myself a phone call.

[Evilmuffin]

I just checked in the other day for my 5 Dec cruise.   I was assigned Group A at 1300 hrs.   I am staying at the HAL arranged hotel for the night before.   I’m quite sure that checkout of the hotel will much earlier.   I figure I will just hang out in the lobby of the hotel.    I am also on a B2B on the same ship and have yet to receive any information regarding it.   I am assuming that I will have to disembark and will get another boarding time for the second cruise in about a week.   I will just have to find something to do to fill the gap.   The ship isn’t leaving before 1600 so not in a panic to get on board.

 

 

[RGEDad]

For our September Alaskan cruise our boarding time changed 2 times. The last one they provided was after the last Seattle Shuttle was available (that we had set up) so we just went with our scheduled shuttle service from the Seattle Airport Hilton to the port and got there early. 

Sort of figured we might have to wait outside for our time slot, but when we got there there was only like 10 people in line, and about 10 stations checking peoples papers, they just waved us in and we were duly processed and on the ship in no time. 

But...that was then with somewhat reduced passenger load, and everybody maintaining distance. 

I have been in some cruise check-ins that have been in long, long lines to get processed, and then long waits to get on the ship, others that have long check-in and then direct to the ships, and some that are walk direct to the check-in and then direct to the ship. One never know

[kazu]

1 hour ago, Evilmuffin said:

I am also on a B2B on the same ship and have yet to receive any information regarding it.   I am assuming that I will have to disembark and will get another boarding time for the second cruise in about a week.

 

Assuming things work as they did B.C. (Before Covid), you won’t need a new embarkation time.  HAL knows you are staying on and this will be a turnaround day for you.  You will get instructions on board whether you need to get off or meet in a location on the ship to bring the ship to a 0 count.  Once that is done, you can get off or stay on the ship.  There will be a separate spot for you to board and you will have a card to identify you.  All you do is go through security.

 

Now, this was before covid.  However, it appears the Europe cruises are operating similar to B.C. So hopefully the Fort Lauderdale ones will to.

 

Hope this helps.

[Evilmuffin]

20 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

Assuming things work as they did B.C. (Before Covid), you won’t need a new embarkation time.  HAL knows you are staying on and this will be a turnaround day for you.  You will get instructions on board whether you need to get off or meet in a location on the ship to bring the ship to a 0 count.  Once that is done, you can get off or stay on the ship.  There will be a separate spot for you to board and you will have a card to identify you.  All you do is go through security.

 

Now, this was before covid.  However, it appears the Europe cruises are operating similar to B.C. So hopefully the Fort Lauderdale ones will to.

 

Hope this helps.

Thanks for the info.   

 

I really don’t care one way or another on how it’s done.   Even if they tell me I have to pack up all my stuff and bring it off the ship, not a problem.  I’m just glad I am in the financial and physical health position to be able to go on a cruise (or two).    Something others seem take for granted.  🙂. 

[RGEDad]

25 minutes ago, Evilmuffin said:

I really don’t care one way or another on how it’s done.   Even if they tell me I have to pack up all my stuff and bring it off the ship, not a problem.  I’m just glad I am in the financial and physical health position to be able to go on a cruise (or two).    Something others seem take for granted.

That is a really great attitude toward cruising - and the same way we feel - as we say " It's all good".

See you onboard.

[Horizon chaser 1957]

1 hour ago, kazu said:

 

Assuming things work as they did B.C. (Before Covid), you won’t need a new embarkation time.  HAL knows you are staying on and this will be a turnaround day for you.  You will get instructions on board whether you need to get off or meet in a location on the ship to bring the ship to a 0 count.  Once that is done, you can get off or stay on the ship.  There will be a separate spot for you to board and you will have a card to identify you.  All you do is go through security.

 

Now, this was before covid.  However, it appears the Europe cruises are operating similar to B.C. So hopefully the Fort Lauderdale ones will to.

 

Hope this helps.

Hopefully, COVID based check in protocols may actually work in favour of B2B passengers. With trying to distance the people checking in, the ship and port won’t want to throw even more people into the check in crowd.

[AV8rix]

3 hours ago, Evilmuffin said:

  I am also on a B2B on the same ship and have yet to receive any information regarding it.   I am assuming that I will have to disembark and will get another boarding time for the second cruise in about a week.

 

Disclaimer:  I am going to describe a pre-covid procedure.

 

We folks on a B2B are considered "in-transit" passengers.  This means that, although we must disembark, we re-board IMMEDIATELY upon the completion of the "zeroing-out" procedure.  That's before ANY of the "new" passengers board.

 

Now, having said that, we'll just have to see how we are processed in these post-covid times. 

Edited October 20, 2021 by Av8rix

[Evilmuffin]

1 hour ago, Av8rix said:

Disclaimer:  I am going to describe a pre-covid procedure.

 

We folks on a B2B are considered "in-transit" passengers.  This means that, although we must disembark, we re-board IMMEDIATELY upon the completion of the "zeroing-out" procedure.  That's before ANY of the "new" passengers board.

 

Now, having said that, we'll just have to see how we are processed in these post-covid times. 

It shall be interesting to see how it works now.   But just to add to the excitment, I’m changing cabins as well.   I booked the second cruise months after the first one and the cabin I am in on the first one, was booked for the second one.   I am on a waiting list in case those people cancel but I doubt it.  And I’m going into an aft cabin and never been in one before so I really don’t mind.   Hopefully they will just bring my bags down the hall to the new cabin.   

[kazu]

1 hour ago, Evilmuffin said:

Hopefully they will just bring my bags down the hall to the new cabin.   

 

They will indeed 🙂 You need to pack up what is in drawers, toiletries and they will clear out the closet where the clothes are hanging, put them on the rack and in your new closet.

 

Don’t forget to empty your safety deposit box and keep the contents until you can access your new one.

 

In my case, the steward kindly let me in my new room at 9:30 am (no key yet) just to put the safety deposit box stuff away and we were off to the races to enjoy a bit of time out.  Took no time to put the stuff away again 😉 

[Nymich]

Ready to go just two weeks away b2b same cabin!

[Crew News]

12 hours ago, Evilmuffin said:

Thanks for the info.   

 

I really don’t care one way or another on how it’s done.   Even if they tell me I have to pack up all my stuff and bring it off the ship, not a problem.  I’m just glad I am in the financial and physical health position to be able to go on a cruise (or two).    Something others seem take for granted.  🙂. 

After many B2B cruises, I know that the Room Stewards for both your current and future rooms will coordinate a moving time based on the departure time of the occupants of your future room.  They will know a switch time a few days in advance when disembarking passengers choose their disembarking time.  If the same room category, Room Stewards may exchange the empty drawers from your future room and take your full drawers with you and your belongings to the new room.  The  new stateroom will be closed and you will not have access to the stateroom until you have your new stateroom key.  Get all of the details cleared with your Room Steward the day before the switch.  On one of my B2Bs, the occupants of my future room were one of the first off the ship, so my room switch happened at 8:00 AM into a room that had yet to be prepared.  Had a nice breakfast in the Lido Market that morning.

 

If many passenger are B2B, you will gather in the show room and then be released to return to your room once the rest of passengers have departed.  If not many passengers on B2B, you will report to the Front Desk around 9:30 AM for your new stateroom keys and to be escorted from the ship to a in-transit waiting area.  Once all passengers are scanned off the ship, you will be permitted to reboard the ship.  This should be around 10:30 AM which will give you an amazing opportunity to take photos of the ship without other passengers in the way.  Note that at 10:30AM, your new room will not be completely ready for occupancy so find someplace to hang out while it is being cleaned.  Your new balcony will also be a good spot.  If you are on a Pinnacle-class ship, the Dutch Cafe is also another spot to hangout.

 

I am on a B2B next month and will report my process.

[NCTribeFan]

My December cruise is 12 nights, but it's actually 7 + 5.  Obviously, since I booked it as 12 nights, there's no cabin switch.

 

But I was curious whether those of us who booked the entire 12 nights as 1 cruise will go through the "clearing" process as though we booked 2 separate sailings as a B2B.  I'm guessing we will.  

[sherryf]

On 10/20/2021 at 5:33 AM, Sea42 said:

That's helpful to know, thank you! I'll check mine again in a few days and save myself a phone call.

Where can you find your assigned boarding time on your reservation?  I have completed our check in (I think I did it all!) and don't recall seeing anything about boarding time.

[Crew News]

16 minutes ago, sherryf said:

Where can you find your assigned boarding time on your reservation?  I have completed our check in (I think I did it all!) and don't recall seeing anything about boarding time.

I received my boarding pass 49 days out from my Nov 28 cruise.  Email notified me to look for it and the HAL website posted it 12 hours later.  Note that the Boarding Pass is really a "Check-in" time appointment.

[triiip42]

On 10/20/2021 at 9:08 PM, Crew News said:

If many passenger are B2B, you will gather in the show room and then be released to return to your room once the rest of passengers have departed.  If not many passengers on B2B, you will report to the Front Desk around 9:30 AM for your new stateroom keys and to be escorted from the ship to a in-transit waiting area.  Once all passengers are scanned off the ship, you will be permitted to reboard the ship.  This should be around 10:30 AM which will give you an amazing opportunity to take photos of the ship without other passengers in the way.  Note that at 10:30AM, your new room will not be completely ready for occupancy so find someplace to hang out while it is being cleaned.  Your new balcony will also be a good spot.  If you are on a Pinnacle-class ship, the Dutch Cafe is also another spot to hangout.

 

just wondering: Once you have gone thru the "off the ship" check, instead of coming back onboard around 10:30ish, can you head off into town and come back later in the afternoon?

Are there any issues with doing this?

 

We are looking at B2B for the first time in 2022. The port for this would be Quebec City.

 

Thanks for any input from any experienced B2Ber.

[Crew News]

14 minutes ago, triiip42 said:

 

just wondering: Once you have gone thru the "off the ship" check, instead of coming back onboard around 10:30ish, can you head off into town and come back later in the afternoon?

Are there any issues with doing this?

 

We are looking at B2B for the first time in 2022. The port for this would be Quebec City.

 

Thanks for any input from any experienced B2Ber.

When you are escorted from the ship around 10:00 AM with your new stateroom card and passport, you can leave the terminal.  When you return, you will go through the Security screening at the cruise terminal entrance, bypass all of the check-in process, and go directly to the ship through the "In-Transit" line. 

Edited October 22, 2021 by Crew News

[PigsCanFly]

This is at the bottom of our Boarding pass for our Dec 1 cruise on the Rotterdam.

 

IMPORTANT: Due to COVID-19 Health & Safety protocols, please arrive at the terminal at your exact assigned check-in time to help facilitate capacity control and distancing.

[triiip42]

1 hour ago, Crew News said:

When you are escorted from the ship around 10:00 AM with your new stateroom card and passport, you can leave the terminal.  When you return, you will go through the Security screening at the cruise terminal entrance, bypass all of the check-in process, and go directly to the ship through the "In-Transit" line.

 

Thank you for the info..

[OVgirl]

If you are doing b2b and staying in the same stateroom, you won't likely be getting a new keycard.  You can leave the ship at any time before the ship needs to be zeroed down if you want to go explore the port.  You will have received an 'In Transit' card which you hand in and show your passport on your way back into the ship.I

it's pretty much like a regular port day for you.

Edited October 22, 2021 by OVgirl

[dfish]

5 minutes ago, OVgirl said:

If you are doing b2b and staying in the same stateroom, you won't likely be getting a new keycard.  You can leave the ship at any time before the ship needs to be zeroed down if you want to go explore the port.  You will have received an 'In Transit' card which you hand in and show your passport on your way back into the ship.I

it's pretty much like a regular port day for you.

 

This was the exact procedure for us in Montreal on a b2b.