Princess boarding

[johnritt]

Hi everyone,

 

This is our first Princess cruise and our first cruise in a several years.  I have a couple of questions that I'm not sure of.  

 

1.   About what time can we get into our cabin on embarkation day?  Do we need to tote around a real carry on when boarding.

2..  We are in boarding group C (booked cruise late).  We re flying Princess air (Southwest actually) and land in Ft Lauderdale at 9:45 AM. With luggage and a cab I'm guessing we will get to the ship about 1/2 hour early, if all goes well.  Is that a big deal?

3.  Does the Ft Lauderdale airport still get overwhelmed on Saturdays?  Our flight home doesn't leave until 7:00 PM and we are hoping to check in or store luggage early and go run around for the day.  Not possible last time.

 

Thanks for any information you may have.

[skynight]

Usually cabin is ready when you board. Go directly there to drop your stuff.

You will most likely be on board by noon or earlier.

Can't answer 3. 

[MustangGT]

Our experience in December at the port in FLL was no one checking for arrival groups.

Show up and you should be fine.  Cabins were not available until 1:00 but that can vary cruise to cruise.

One downside at the airport is that you cannot check in until (I think) 3 hours prior flight time.  It’s a bummer but you will have plenty of company. Lol!!

A couple of options:

Option 1 would be using EZ check if is available.  You would not see your bags after you set them out the night before disembarkation until you arrive at your destination airport.  Fees apply and depends on airline and if the port has started this up again.

Option  2 is a disembarkation excursion.  Your bags would be stored in the bus so you aren’t lugging them.

We have done both in the past and been happy not to be sitting at the airport all day.  Back when renting a car for the day was affordable, we also did that.

 

Happy sailing!🚢⚓️

[WendyVF]

It's been a few years, but the last time we flew from FLL on Southwest, they would not let us check our luggage until 3 hours prior to our flight time.  I have vivid memories of us all sprawled on the floor in the terminal with our luggage!

[Renophi]

You may want to consider a debark excursion as MustangGT suggested. We had a similar timeline as you in December and did an Everglades air boat tour, Alligator experience and Holiday Park excursion that was great! We used EZ Check so we put our bags out the night before as usual and we never saw them again until we got home. Just had our carry-ons and boarding passes for the flights on the bus. 

 

We boarded the bus at about 9:00am and arrived at the airport at about 3:00. You can also bring your luggage on the bus if you don't want to EZ Check (most others did) but it was great to get off the bus and get right into the TSA line at the airport. Well worth the EZ Check cost. The entire day want perfectly and we really enjoyed all of the stops in Florida.

[johnritt]

Thanks everyone.  EZ Check sounds great and I'll check out the Everglades tour too.  Last time we were in the Ft. Lauderdale airport we felt like we were a small part of a huge mob just sitting on our suitcases for hours and standing in line for Starbucks.  A sad end to a nice cruise.

[Thrak]

10 minutes ago, johnritt said:

Thanks everyone.  EZ Check sounds great and I'll check out the Everglades tour too.  Last time we were in the Ft. Lauderdale airport we felt like we were a small part of a huge mob just sitting on our suitcases for hours and standing in line for Starbucks.  A sad end to a nice cruise.

 

I didn't think Southwest worked with EZ Check.  Seems that's what I've read here a number of times. I may be wrong though.

[Mike45LC]

My experience is that the cabins are not available until 1 - 1:30.  I have found about a 50-50 chance that we can access the cabin briefly to drop off the carry-on luggage, but I haven't even tried that recently.  I'll get on board, go to lunch (with the carry-on bags) and during lunch, the ship's public address system will announce that the cabins are available.  I will ignore the announcement until we finish eating, when we go to claim our cabin.

 

Our luggage is usually not delivered until a couple of hours later, so I go rush off to explore while my wife relaxes in the cabin or at Int'l Cafe.  

[MustangGT]

7 hours ago, WendyVF said:

It's been a few years, but the last time we flew from FLL on Southwest, they would not let us check our luggage until 3 hours prior to our flight time.  I have vivid memories of us all sprawled on the floor in the terminal with our luggage!

Yup!!  Been there, done that! 😁

[MustangGT]

3 hours ago, Thrak said:

 

I didn't think Southwest worked with EZ Check.  Seems that's what I've read here a number of times. I may be wrong though.

We did it with Southwest but that was a few years ago.

[ihopfar]

30 minutes ago, MustangGT said:

We did it with Southwest but that was a few years ago.

 

We have done it with Soutwest on other cruise lines.   The great thing is depending on how much luggage you have, you may only have to pay one EZ Check fee when flying Soutwest.

[ColoradoMom!!]

2 hours ago, ihopfar said:

 

We have done it with Soutwest on other cruise lines.   The great thing is depending on how much luggage you have, you may only have to pay one EZ Check fee when flying Soutwest.

Oh yes, great idea!  One passenger on SW can check 2 bags!  Great tip - thanks!!

[capriccio]

If worse comes to worse and you are burdened with your luggage until shortly before the flight, check out Bags to Go (www.bagstogo.net) for storing your luggage for the day.  Then take a taxi, uber or lyft back into town for the day.

 

Another option is a hotel day pass.  Check out the Florida Departure board for recommendations.  https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/386-florida-departures/

[Shelly97060]

Another idea you could consider is booking a day room at a hotel near the airport, booking a day pass at a hotel with a pool ( they store your luggage and you use the facilities)  or if you are flying in a day early you could explain to the hotel you stay at that you are on a cruise and your flight home is late, ask if you could store your luggage with the bellman and use their facilities the day you fly home either for free or for a fee. They may let you use the pool and change in the restrooms as a courtesy  (we have done this and the hotel has let us do so free of charge).  Never hurts to ask!

[caribill]

13 hours ago, Renophi said:

We used EZ Check so we put our bags out the night before as usual and we never saw them again until we got home.

 

Until the home airport, not the actual home.

[johnritt]

I think that bagstogo was at the airport and the lines there last time were impossible to get through.  I remember waiting for 2 hours and not seeing the line move at all.  

 

Worst comes to worst, I can rent a car for about $75.00 but I'm going to keep looking for a day pass that is closer than  Miami or Miami Beach.It's a pain to rent a car for 8 hours, but it's less painful than sitting on an airport floor all day.

[RNRcruisers]

On our cruise in January the staterooms were ready at noon. I agree that can vary a bit though.

 

Boarding group did not matter, we basically walked right on. 

 

I agree with those saying try an excursion for the last day. We have done the Everglades that way and it was a nice end to the cruise. Or hotel or resort day pass would be nice too. Almost anything would beat hanging around the airport all day. EZ check was not offered on our cruise so not sure if that will be available.

 

[JF - retired RRT]

If the rooms aren't ready there may be (read about it here, never used it) a location near a MDR that will store your luggage.

 

BTW: there is usually a MDR open for lunch, much nicer than the buffet...no crowds to fight through. It will be listed in the Patter or just go to deck 6 midship. If it isn't open, check deck 5. I think is usually deck 6. If open, it will be available from 11 to 1 ish.

[Mike45LC]

JF, I have read a few people's posts saying that there will be a carry-on baggage check area on board, but I have never seen one on a Princess ship and I do not think any of the people posting about such a baggage check area actually had personal knowledge of one on a Princess ship.  I have always had to take care of my own carry-ons until I was able to put them in the cabin.

 

[Princess did have a baggage claim area in Anchorage Alaska, but it was in downtown and not on board, for departing passengers traveling from the ship to the airport.]

[capriccio]

32 minutes ago, Mike45LC said:

JF, I have read a few people's posts saying that there will be a carry-on baggage check area on board, but I have never seen one on a Princess ship and I do not think any of the people posting about such a baggage check area actually had personal knowledge of one on a Princess ship.  I have always had to take care of my own carry-ons until I was able to put them in the cabin.

Pre-covid we have seen the carry-on baggage check area in the Crown Grill.  We have chosen not use it because anything that we have in a carry-on is there because we want to keep an eye on it.

[Mike45LC]

4 hours ago, capriccio said:

because anything that we have in a carry-on is there because we want to keep an eye on it.

Exactly.  I don't worry about the bathing suit I bring in my carry-on (just to have it handy until my luggage is delivered) but I will not leave unattended all the medicines, jewelry, electronics, money, etc. that I carry in carry-on.

[johnritt]

I found several day pass hotels in Ft. Lauderdale as well as a Holiday Inn Express day hotel stay too  So now, no matter what, we won't have to sleep on the floor at the Ft. Lauderdale airport.  Thanks everyone.

 

 

[MustangGT]

37 minutes ago, johnritt said:

I found several day pass hotels in Ft. Lauderdale as well as a Holiday Inn Express day hotel stay too  So now, no matter what, we won't have to sleep on the floor at the Ft. Lauderdale airport.  Thanks everyone.

 

 

Sounds like a great solution!!

[Cruisin Kay D]

I thought I read there was an assigned time to board now in post-covid cruising.   Before we always arrived around 11 AM and waited in the Elite lounge till we were allowed on ship.    Is it different now?  We are driving to Port Everglades.

[caribill]

3 hours ago, Cruisin Kay D said:

I thought I read there was an assigned time to board now in post-covid cruising.   Before we always arrived around 11 AM and waited in the Elite lounge till we were allowed on ship.    Is it different now?  We are driving to Port Everglades.

 

Yes, you do sign up for a time to check-in.

 

However, probably due to low passenger loads, people have been able to check in when they arrive without needing to wait until their selected time.

 

This may change as cruises return to full occupancy.