Boarding question for Latitude members vs new cruisers

[julie1963]

This will be our second cruise with NCL but my brother and his wife are new cruisers.  I know there is a boarding area for Latitude members, do you know if new cruisers travelling with us can use the Latitude line or we need to go our separate ways for boarding?

Thanks in advance 😀

 

[oteixeira]

For the most part unless you are platinum or in the Haven you can all board together.  I have never gotten special treatment for being bronze, or silver, or.....

Just expect to be with the masses unless you are Haven or Platinum is my guess (and experience).  For the record, I have only sailed from Miami and Orlando ports.  Your nautical mileage may vary.

[lgdesign]

I had friends who boarded the Encore yesteerday and were looking for the special Platinum priority boarding line/area... none to be had in Miami.  A short term victim of these COVID times, perhaps?

Edited January 3, 2022 by lgdesign

[TSUmom]

Unless you are in a suite you will be able to stay together in the check in and boarding process.  We had a first time cruiser with us and we were Platinum with Priority boarding but we did not take advantage of it at the time.  To me having a new cruiser part of the fun is to share their experience of the whole boarding process and watching them walk onto a ship for the first time, taking the embarkation photo and reliving the feeling of our first cruise!

[SeaShark]

15 minutes ago, lgdesign said:

I had friends who boarded the Encore yesteerday and were looking for the special Platinum priority boarding line/area... none to be had in Miami.  A short term victim of these COVID times, perhaps?

 

The Latitudes boarding lines are located way over on the left side of the check in area. The signage in the Miami terminal could be better and it can be easily missed.

 

46 minutes ago, julie1963 said:

This will be our second cruise with NCL but my brother and his wife are new cruisers.  I know there is a boarding area for Latitude members, do you know if new cruisers travelling with us can use the Latitude line or we need to go our separate ways for boarding?

Thanks in advance 😀

 

 

It wouldn't be proper for someone to use a line that they aren't entitled to use simply because they know someone using that line. If the real point of concern is that you remain together through the check-in process, then you can simply join them in the regular check-in line. Besides, the priority lines are really for the upper Latitude tiers, so it is doubtful you could use them anyway given that it will only be your second NCL cruise.

[BermudaBound2014]

For me, the latitude lines have always been longer than the lines for new cruisers :).

[ChiefMateJRK]

51 minutes ago, SeaShark said:

It wouldn't be proper for someone to use a line that they aren't entitled to use simply because they know someone using that line.

Two cruises ago, our daughter was with us as a first time cruiser.  We asked the NCL rep and she told us that our daughter should join us in the lattitudes line.  Apparently it was "proper" at that time.

[Sand and Seas]

Does the new Miami Terminal have a Platinum waiting area?  (The old terminal did)

[gatorchinsky]

38 minutes ago, Sand and Seas said:

Does the new Miami Terminal have a Platinum waiting area?  (The old terminal did)

If it does we did not see it or any signs.  When they were getting ready to board, all the people with Boarding number 1 were standing in front of the doors.  They called for Platinum and higher to board first and you had to weave your way around the people blocking the entrance.

 

They did have a separate line for checking in but if you get there early enough it’s no shorter than the regular line.

Edited January 3, 2022 by gatorchinsky

[phillygwm]

3 hours ago, oteixeira said:

For the most part unless you are platinum or in the Haven you can all board together.  I have never gotten special treatment for being bronze, or silver, or.....
 

In LA there were 2 lines:  Platinum and above (or CAS) and everyone else.  Haven doesn't count as they didn't wait in a line, as such.  They were literally escorted (with the escort carrying a sign identifying them as Haven.)  I assume they'll have people with sedan chairs carrying them aboard post-COVID 🙂

 

In the past, when I've travelled with people who were not Platinum, I checked them in with me, in the Platinum line.  Nobody questioned us but that may have changed.

[roger001]

Either way you wish to go, them with you or you with them, as another said, doesn't really make any difference.  The Latitudes line is frequently longer than the non.  Once boarding begins, it all goes quickly.  

[don't-use-real-name]

In order to speed the check-in registration process - - -

probably best to check in at the designated area.

 

Reason the key cards may already be made up and maybe in a file in the vicinity of

that designated area (this unless NCL is making-up processing the key cards on the spot)

 

If checking in at another location the agent may have to walk over to the area where the

pre-made key cards are in file - just guessing - observation at the ports I have been to.

 

When checking-in after processing form of payment for the on board account the agent

retrieves the key card and takes a file photo related to the guest (does not appear on key card)

gives you your cabin key card and directs you to the boarding holding area.

Old method - maybe with new terminals like Miami things are different.

 

 

[UKstages]

just a data point for comparison:

 

if you hold elite status in an airline loyalty program that entitles you to pre-boarding, and you have friends, family members or colleagues traveling with you, they can board with you, even if not seated with you,  or even if they're not seated in the same cabin as you.

[NikiPinkston]

2 hours ago, phillygwm said:

In LA there were 2 lines:  Platinum and above (or CAS) and everyone else.  Haven doesn't count as they didn't wait in a line, as such.  They were literally escorted (with the escort carrying a sign identifying them as Haven.)  I assume they'll have people with sedan chairs carrying them aboard post-COVID 🙂

This!😄 Not to sound like sour grapes, but we found the Haven sign carrying kinda funky & comical.

[ChiefMateJRK]

6 minutes ago, NikiPinkston said:

This!😄 Not to sound like sour grapes, but we found the Haven sign carrying kinda funky & comical.

It’s marketing. 

[RaftingJeremy]

They have separate lines based on status. For actual boarding , you would have to be in the first group. The call platinum and then gold and then start the groups.   If you aren’t there in the beginning then it doesn’t matter 

[Old & Retired]

We have been preparing to board a ship and the gatekeeper actually broke it down to give Platinum+ first opportunity to board.  I guess they don't know Ambassador status exists.

[KateQ22003]

4 hours ago, Old & Retired said:

We have been preparing to board a ship and the gatekeeper actually broke it down to give Platinum+ first opportunity to board.  I guess they don't know Ambassador status exists.

Or they knew there weren't any Ambassador's on this particular sailing.

[Old & Retired]

13 hours ago, KateQ22003 said:

Or they knew there weren't any Ambassador's on this particular sailing.

That would make sense except we were there and know there was also two other ambassadors on the ship that week.

[david_sobe]

I can only speak of the Miami terminal but Latitudes boarding does not mean much.  Chances are you will board faster without getting in those lines.  Everyone that has cruised with NCL at least once is bronze.   Many years ago when I was silver, I was boarding the Sky. The bronze latitudes line was longer than general boarding.  Sure enough, I left the silver line and moved quicker through general boarding.  I have also boarded in the Haven and seen general boarding check in faster.  

[don't-use-real-name]

4 hours ago, david_sobe said:

I can only speak of the Miami terminal but Latitudes boarding does not mean much.  Chances are you will board faster without getting in those lines.  Everyone that has cruised with NCL at least once is bronze.   Many years ago when I was silver, I was boarding the Sky. The bronze latitudes line was longer than general boarding.  Sure enough, I left the silver line and moved quicker through general boarding.  I have also boarded in the Haven and seen general boarding check in faster.  

I have also boarded in the Haven and seen general boarding check in faster.  

 

 

Ah ha but did you wait in the Haven lounge and have refreshments before boarding and then wait for the

Butler escort all at a leisure pace - - -

Boarding all in good time - ship not sailing until all accounted for guests are boarded.

 

Yes it is irritating the other lines moving faster - only to change to those lines and suddenly

Murphy's Law kicks in and everything comes to a screeching halt !

 

Posted with tongue in cheek !  LOL !

[aubreyc1988]

On 1/3/2022 at 9:33 AM, BermudaBound2014 said:

For me, the latitude lines have always been longer than the lines for new cruisers :).

sort of like the TSA precheck lines lol, but I'll wait in a longer line so I don't have to take off my shoes

[BermudaBound2014]

1 minute ago, aubreyc1988 said:

sort of like the TSA precheck lines lol, but I'll wait in a longer line so I don't have to take off my shoes

 

AMEN to that sister!