Is RCI strict about boarding time?

[Sun Lover]

We will be on Voyager of the Seas in a few weeks out of San Juan and are checked in with a boarding time of 12:30.  On our past several cruises, we didn't have an individual assigned boarding time and just showed up around 10:30-11:00 a.m. and got right on the ship.  Are they strictly adhering to the assigned boarding times now?  We have to be out of our hotel at 11 a.m. and were thinking of going right to the ship then.

[firefly333]

I think it depends on how things are going. My last boarding we had a coast guard inspection and we didnt start until almost 1 pm. My 1030 time was told come a hour later and had a separate line from 11 am time. 

[neverbeenhere]

They are definitely not strict about "boarding times". Different embarkation ports are reporting various levels of strictness related to arrival times. Go to the ship, but be prepared to wait. (most likely you will be allowed in the golden gates)

[bucfan2]

At least a handful of threads on this topic already (unless you’re just fishing for excitement lol). Here’s one:

 

 

[Mum2Mercury]

This may vary from port to port, but they were most definitely serious about it in Miami earlier this month (September 2022).  

 

We had the earliest appointment (10:30).  A whole lot of people were saying things like, "We have a 1:30 appointment, but we're hoping to get on board sooner."  

 

About 9:45 employees came out and put up signs /created three lines -- one for 10:30 appointments, one for 11:00 appointments, and one for everything else.  The "I'm gonna get on early crew" were not best pleased, but what could they do?

 

At 10:00 they let in Suite and Key people -- they entered through another door /were not part of the three lines.  As soon as they were in, they allowed in us 10:30 people -- yes, they checked appointment cards.  

 

After that, it was kinda crazy, but we stepped onboard the ship at 10:28.  

[Tree_skier]

My last two cruises (Seattle and LA) there was no concern for times.

[cruisegal40]

When we boarded SOS 1.5 weeks ago at 10:30, they were turning folks away that did not have the correct boarding times. They were directing them to a room to wait. This was out of Miami. So that may make a difference.

[FPP777]

Check in time = free for all,,,,, but you may have to stand around a few hours. 

[Jasukkie]

My experiences since the restart, enforced in Seattle and Bayonne, not enforced in Los Angeles. I've only done a port stop in San Juan so I don't know the logistics of boarding there but you may be able to drop your bags off and go eat lunch nearby or go sightseeing. 

[crzndeb]

I guess you could just ignore your check in time (it’s not boarding time), and take your chances. Worst case scenario, you will have to wait around for your actual check in time, but it’s hard to say exactly when the ship will start boarding. Any factors could delay that.

[Ashland]

When we boarded Explorer in March out of San Juan they weren't.

[3kidsncats]

I’ve never had anyone confirm what our check in time was, other than Bahamas for the post covid restart cruise, and some rude guy (he really didn’t want any questions and didn’t care if you were just confirming that your time was already allowed in — he assumed people at the back of the 500-750 person line could hear him shouting 🙄) at Cape Liberty back in January. We home port of out San Pedro, and no one there has ever asked, pre or post covid and doesn’t matter which cruise line.  Which really sucks because they make you line up inside a hot tent for the security screening.  I might not have minded that pre-hot flash stage of my life, but hate it now.  We have the 10:30 slot for our upcoming Navigator sailing, and I am hoping to not have to stand in that tent for an hour because they don’t adhere to the time assignments.  I wish people would just come when they are supposed to so the line is spread out over the morning and afternoon, as it is supposed to be.

Edited September 29, 2022 by 3kidsncats

[Tree_skier]

4 minutes ago, 3kidsncats said:

We have the 10:30 slot for our upcoming Navigator sailing, and I am hoping to not have to stand in that tent for an hour because they don’t adhere to the time assignments.  I wish people would just come when they are supposed to so the line is spread out over the morning and afternoon, as it is supposed to be.

We were on Navigator 3 weeks ago and there was still no controls for time evident.  I could have gotten an earlier time but I selected 12:00 since we were driving down from central CA and I didn't want to get up at 4 am.  When we arrived at noon we basically walked strait through security and check in and onto the ship.

 

We were out of the car taking a picture in the parking lot with the ship in the background at 11:46 and my next picture was in the Windjammer at 12:14.  If you don't mind a slightly later onboard time it saves a lot of pain standing in the heat and in the line.  For my next Navigator I'm going to shoot for 11:30 and see how that goes.

[3kidsncats]

4 minutes ago, Tree_skier said:

We were on Navigator 3 weeks ago and there was still no controls for time evident.  I could have gotten an earlier time but I selected 12:00 since we were driving down from central CA and I didn't want to get up at 4 am.  When we arrived at noon we basically walked strait through security and check in and onto the ship.

 

We were out of the car taking a picture in the parking lot with the ship in the background at 11:46 and my next picture was in the Windjammer at 12:14.  If you don't mind a slightly later onboard time it saves a lot of pain standing in the heat and in the line.  For my next Navigator I'm going to shoot for 11:30 and see how that goes.

We are driving that morning from an hour and a half away — we don’t plan on rushing, lol.  Except embarkation morning I get a bit excited and like to move it to get onboard

Edited September 29, 2022 by 3kidsncats

[Tree_skier]

3 minutes ago, 3kidsncats said:

We are driving that morning from an hour and a half away — we don’t plan on rushing, lol.  Except embarkation morning I get a bit excited and like to move it to get onboard

If I lived in SoCal I'd likely do the same in spite my previous post. 🙂

[Jam0610]

Might be hit or miss. Ovation in September asked for us to show boarding time assigned. Making others wait if they were early.

 

[3kidsncats]

Just now, Tree_skier said:

If I lived in SoCal I'd likely do the same in spite my previous post. 🙂

It’s hard.  Usually we book a hotel with a parking package and stay the night down there beforehand but this is just a 3 day, so it’s cheaper to park at the cruise terminal.  I guess we will see how it goes between getting out of the house (hubby tends to be less focused about that than I am), traffics, etc. 

[RJ257]

2 hours ago, 3kidsncats said:

I’ve never had anyone confirm what our check in time was, other than Bahamas for the post covid restart cruise, and some rude guy (he really didn’t want any questions and didn’t care if you were just confirming that your time was already allowed in — he assumed people at the back of the 500-750 person line could hear him shouting 🙄) at Cape Liberty back in January. We home port of out San Pedro, and no one there has ever asked, pre or post covid and doesn’t matter which cruise line.  Which really sucks because they make you line up inside a hot tent for the security screening.  I might not have minded that pre-hot flash stage of my life, but hate it now.  We have the 10:30 slot for our upcoming Navigator sailing, and I am hoping to not have to stand in that tent for an hour because they don’t adhere to the time assignments.  I wish people would just come when they are supposed to so the line is spread out over the morning and afternoon, as it is supposed to be.

I agree. Things would go better if folks showed up at their designated time. I now select the 12:30-1pm slot.