Suite Embarkation in Seattle

[WxNerd]

Can anyone who has sailed out of Seattle post-shutdown give the the lowdown on suite embarkation? DH and I sailed on Ovation in 2019 in an OVB cabin and the embarkation process was insanely chaotic. 
 

Is there a separate line or area for suite check in? We will be traveling with the tiny humans this time so I’m trying to mentally prepare myself and have a game plan for embarkation if it’s going to be as crazy as last time. 

Suite embarkation on the Adventure out of Nassau last summer did not have a separate line/area/time at the hotel but everything ran so smoothly it didn’t matter, night and day difference from Seattle pre-shutdown. 

 

[luv2sailAgain]

We sailed in a suite on Ovation at the beginning of this month. Hopefully, my description will make sense to you. The port was very crowded. We were picked up at our airport area hotel at 9:00 via Seattle Express. I chose the first shuttle time available and because I was not sure how long it would take to get to the port. We placed our bags with someone at the front of the terminal. I didn't see the usual luggage carts and porters. But there were many suitcases at that spot. There was a port or RC representative standing there and we added ours to the mess. We did arrive much too soon at the port. It was right at 10 am and our boarding time was 11.  However, there were maybe 30 or more people already in a switchback line and it kept steadily building. Around 10:30 signs for suites, The Key, and so forth were brought out.  We didn't notice the new signs at first, other suite guests had already entered the line. We got out of the regular switchback line and moved to the shorter line. The suite line was at the doors of the building closest to the ship. About 10:30, we were let into the building at the same time that the longer line was let inside. There were more switchbacks for the longer line and ours was just linear. A very few people who must have been Star Class were escorted some time after entering the building. We waited about 10-15 minutes. When the embarkation process opened, the two lines alternated letting people up the escalator. From there, there was no separate line/area for suites. We checked in and were on the ship by 11:05. Hopefully, this will help you in some way.

 

BTW now that I am thinking about the situation, there was a second line beside the suite line.  I know it was for Star Class, but it may have included pinnacles as well. I don't remember the exact line for the Key.

[WxNerd]

Thank you!

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, WxNerd said:

Can anyone who has sailed out of Seattle post-shutdown give the the lowdown on suite embarkation? DH and I sailed on Ovation in 2019 in an OVB cabin and the embarkation process was insanely chaotic. 
 

Is there a separate line or area for suite check in? We will be traveling with the tiny humans this time so I’m trying to mentally prepare myself and have a game plan for embarkation if it’s going to be as crazy as last time. 

Suite embarkation on the Adventure out of Nassau last summer did not have a separate line/area/time at the hotel but everything ran so smoothly it didn’t matter, night and day difference from Seattle pre-shutdown. 

 

We were in a 2-story loft suite last month and RCCL's treatment of Suite guests in Seattle was an embarrassment. Really pathetic. There were no marked lines or waiting areas. When we got close to security, we asked, and someone reluctantly moved us to the front of the line. The same was true at check-in. Once in the waiting area, it was a free-for-all once boarding started. A pretty negative experience to start our cruise. 

Edited June 26, 2022 by BirdTravels

[WxNerd]

7 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

We were in a 2-story loft suite last month and RCCL's treatment of Suite guests in Seattle was embarrassing. There were no marked lines or waiting areas. When we got close to security, we asked, and someone reluctantly moved us to the front of the line. The same was true at check-in. Once in the waiting area, it was a free-for-all once boarding started. A pretty negative experience to start our cruise. 

Good to know. Sounds like things aren’t any better post shutdown, probably far fetched to think they will get it together before next May. I will make sure to pack activities/snacks to keep our little one who will be 15 months entertained in line. 

[smokeybandit]

I've been on 3 cruises post-restart

 

Bahamas - No special lines for anyone, but since volume was so low it was no big deal

Galveston - Enforced check-in times (sort of), there was a suite lane to actually check in and a "first in first out" seating area for suites in order to actually board the ship in the order you checked in prior to gen pop boarding

Vancouver - Complete fustercluck. Times not enforced and while there was a suite check-in lane it didn't matter since the seating area was one big pool of people, then a mass swarm to board once the ship opened for boarding.

Edited June 26, 2022 by smokeybandit

[WxNerd]

5 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

I've been on 3 cruises post-restart

 

Bahamas - No special lines for anyone, but since volume was so low it was no big deal

Galveston - Enforced check-in times (sort of), there was a suite line to actually check in and a "first in first out" seating area for suites in order to actually board the ship in the order you checked in

Vancouver - Complete fustercluck. Times not enforced and while there was a suite check-in line it didn't matter since the seating area was one big pool of people, then a mass swarm to board once the ship opened for boarding.

We sailed out of Nassau as well, and I agree it was super smooth even with our boys having to get tested. If only all embarkation experiences were that easy. 

[smokeybandit]

1 minute ago, WxNerd said:

even with our boys having to get tested

 

Same here. Most stressful 20 minute wait I've had in a while, especially when people that got tested after us got their results a couple minutes before us.