Quantum (Ovation) boarding

[RCCLNYMETS41]

Any recent experiences with showing up earlier than scheduled boarding time for Quantum Alaska sailings? (I assume Ovation in Alaska would be the same)

Never sailed out of Seattle before. Not familiar with boarding process at all, especially since sailings resumed. Do they stick to the boarding times or do they let you board if you show up?

Do they have areas to wait inside for different levels of C&A (diamond in this case)? Or do you end up waiting outside if you are too early?

Any help is appreciated. Thank you. 

[Ferry_Watcher]

The lines for the Ovation have been long, partly due to spotty ArriveCan compliance.  Unless you are being met by a pier side host, you will be in line with everyone else.  There is no waiting area with seating until past the check-in counters, at which time you should be able to board the ship.

[crzndeb]

They have areas cordoned off for arrival times. There are usually 2 up front, and then a longer one for later arrival times. This is how it was in Oct. As Ferry_Watcher noted, it may be one big line this year. There is some seating upstairs if boarding  hasn’t started yet. That’s why arrival times are a bit later now, so once you are checked in, you can board.

[J0Y0US]

You are supposed to show up at the time you are slotted when you checked in otherwise they wouldn't even make it an option to select arrival times. From the sounds of it people arriving early have clogged up the lines at times this spring so far.

[furloughedagain]

Thanks for posting this question. I had many of the same questions. Is there a separate check in area for suite guests? Once the Uber (or whomever) drops you off, how do you know which line to get into? Anecdotally it sounds pretty crazy at the port and just want to make sure we don’t add to the craziness.

[Tinkbelle87]

On my recent Ovation trip, there was a line for Sky (I think) guests and then everybody else in another line together. Nobody checked our reservation times. I had 10:30 so arrived at that time and had to wait but that was mostly because of issues from the prior sailing. Nobody was there initially to take our bags so we stood in line with them. Eventually a porter came around to the line to collect our bags just before they started letting people into the building. As the day went on, the lines got longer and I heard from others who arrived around 1:30 they had to wait several hours in line to get in. They did not check our ArriveCan but did check for vax records and test results. This was my 4th cruise since restart and definitely the most unorganized. All of my other trips stuck to the reservation times.

[SKSMIKE5]

We've sailed twice since the restart and both times had to select an arrival time. We showed up at our time and there were short lines and it moved smooth (wasn't Seattle, but one was Barcelona). Did hear from the staff if people come when they are assigned it goes much smoother and lines are shorter. Problems start when people come early. We are sailing out of Seattle in two weeks, my dad is 93 and can't stand in line for hours on end, so I hope people stick to their arrival times (but I doubt that will happen!) 

[Aquahound]

On May 16, the line was the worst I have ever seen at this terminal.  We showed up at our arrival time (12pm) and the line stretched out the building and all the way down the covered ports for catching busses.  By the time we were approaching the building, I looked back and saw the line wrapped all the way back to the building and then was making its way down again.  It looked like a long line for a roller coaster.  

 

ArriveCan wasn't the problem.  The problem was only 3 people were present to check everyone's paperwork before entering the building.  It takes time to show boarding passes, vaccine cards, ArriveCan, and negative test results for each person while standing there.  Then there was a small line inside for health screening, then upstairs where someone else checks your stuff again and checks you in.  

 

FWIW, no one checked our arrival time.  I guess it was too much of a madhouse for them to care.  The only other time I remember a check-in this long and chaotic was in San Juan.  It took a little over an hour to get aboard.