Embark and Disembark Process

[ALD18]

Wondering what embark and disembark process is for RC sailings.  With the required COVID testing to be done prior to arrival should speed things up.  Does RCL still designate your check in time slot or are you allowed to check in at your leisure?  What about getting off?  Are you allowed to keep your baggage and get off as soon as you dock?  Or are you given a designated get off time similar to check in regardless of what you do with baggage?  Marginally concerned about vaccine tests and requirements on disembark port as well if you plan on staying there for a day or so.  Understand some ports require no testing to get off if you go straight to airport and fly out that day.  But if you plan to stay overnight or any longer you need disembark countries COVID test requirements to enter.  Thanks.

[Biker19]

1 minute ago, ALD18 said:

Wondering what embark and disembark process is for RC sailings. 

Some of the trip reports mention the process -it varies some by port, ship, date and the customer.

[Another_Critic]

You need to provide specific details (ship, date, ports, etc) in order to get meaningful responses.

 

And be aware that things could change today, tomorrow, next week, next month, or next year.  

[BirdTravels]

3 hours ago, ALD18 said:

Wondering what embark and disembark process is for RC sailings.  With the required COVID testing to be done prior to arrival should speed things up.  Does RCL still designate your check in time slot or are you allowed to check in at your leisure?  What about getting off?  Are you allowed to keep your baggage and get off as soon as you dock?  Or are you given a designated get off time similar to check in regardless of what you do with baggage?  Marginally concerned about vaccine tests and requirements on disembark port as well if you plan on staying there for a day or so.  Understand some ports require no testing to get off if you go straight to airport and fly out that day.  But if you plan to stay overnight or any longer you need disembark countries COVID test requirements to enter.  Thanks.

If you are sailing from a US port or Nassau, check-in times are strictly enforced to minimize crowds in the terminal. Your test results, vaccination status are all carefully reviewed multiple times during your arrival and check-in process (our vaccination record was inspected 3 times from the time we entered the terminal to the time we boarded). Other than a few extra pieces of paper, check-in was pretty normal. 

 

Disembarkation is kinda normal. You can keep your bags with you and request a disembarkation time. Unlike before, you are asked to stay in your stateroom until your number is called to avoid crowds. We went to the Windjammer for one last breakfast, returned to our stateroom, collected our bags, and carried them down the gangway.  

 

Royal will provide the appropriate COVID test, should you need it, for travel back to Canada. 

 

 

 

[Biker19]

55 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

If you are sailing from a US port or Nassau, check-in times are strictly enforced to minimize crowds in the terminal.

No RCI ship is home porting in Nassau anymore and check in time enforcement certainly varies.

[pacey50]

Is there anyone with experience checking in at Port Canaveral?  We are going on Independence of the Seas and got a 2:30pm arrival time which to me is very late.  We would be missing almost half a day by the time we get on the ship.  Does anybody know what the earliest check in time actually is these days?

[AustinCruise]

15 minutes ago, pacey50 said:

Is there anyone with experience checking in at Port Canaveral?  We are going on Independence of the Seas and got a 2:30pm arrival time which to me is very late.  We would be missing almost half a day by the time we get on the ship.  Does anybody know what the earliest check in time actually is these days?

12:00noon or 1:00pm seams most common. They are keeping people in rooms to disembark, so it takes longer to clean and get ready. 

[GTO-Girl]

30 minutes ago, pacey50 said:

Is there anyone with experience checking in at Port Canaveral?  We are going on Independence of the Seas and got a 2:30pm arrival time which to me is very late.  We would be missing almost half a day by the time we get on the ship.  Does anybody know what the earliest check in time actually is these days?

Keep checking on your check in time.  
 

On our last cruise we were able to move our check in time up an hour!  They periodically make more time slots available you just have to be ready to grab them asap as they go quickly!!

 

Go to your checkin and select edit check in and then go to the time selection….check is as much as you can!!