Boarding times and muster drill questions

[chukli]

Hi:

I am needing clarification about the boarding process. I haven’t sailed for many years and it use to be that there was a separate lineup depending on crown and anchor status (Like Emerald, Plantinum), but I think that’s all changed now? I prefer to arrive at the terminal early and use to be onboard by 11.30am. 
also, the muster drill process has changed and I believe you complete it in the App? But don’t you still have to go physically to the muster drill location? I see E4 on App - where is that?

 

sorry for asking questions that may seem silly! 
I want to make vacation as stress free as I can and as my daughter reminds me- I am not tech savvy! 
Thanks.

[pcur]

Check-in using the RCCL app as soon as it's allowed.  This determines your time of arrival at the dock.  Check-in starts 30 days before departure.  Usually, if you check-in early you get a time to arrive before noon.  At the dock there is a priority line for Suite and Pinnacle passengers at most ports of departure.  Because of the staggered times of arrival, the lines are shorter.

 

You will have a health questionnaire to complete in the app, also, with the final questions the day before you sail.

 

Also, if you have uploaded your picture and done the health questionnaire, you may not even have to go to the counter at all.  My last cruise out of Ft. Lauderdale, the staff person monitoring the line finished our check-in.

 

Complete the safety portion of your check-in the day before or the day of boarding, and then you just go to the muster station for them to verify you have completed the short videos in the app.  They then scan you SetSail pass, and you're done.

[tpcwags]

1 hour ago, chukli said:

Hi:

I am needing clarification about the boarding process. I haven’t sailed for many years and it use to be that there was a separate lineup depending on crown and anchor status (Like Emerald, Plantinum), but I think that’s all changed now? I prefer to arrive at the terminal early and use to be onboard by 11.30am. 
also, the muster drill process has changed and I believe you complete it in the App? But don’t you still have to go physically to the muster drill location? I see E4 on App - where is that?

 

sorry for asking questions that may seem silly! 
I want to make vacation as stress free as I can and as my daughter reminds me- I am not tech savvy! 
Thanks.

I was able to fill out documents and select my boarding time 45 days before the cruise. Tip- the window opens at midnight so I stay up so I can get the earliest time possible. I’m in 10:30-11:00 group. As for safety drill, you will watch a video on the Royal App and then go to your muster station anytime prior to their deadline at your convenience. I find it on a better to go as soon as you board.

[Tulsacoker]

2 hours ago, chukli said:

the muster drill process has changed and I believe you complete it in the App? But don’t you still have to go physically to the muster drill location? I see E4 on App - where is that?

 

 

you can watch the video of the muster drill on the app/ in the state room TV or in person at the Muster station. If you do it in the app you can do it before you board. You still have to physically go to the muster station and they will check you as complete.  Once you get on the ships WifI (if memory serves me) you can click on the muster station E5 and it will show you where it is on the ship.  

[moposh]

Everyone has to go their muster station before the ship can sail.  There were a few announcements on board about that so I guess some people thought they could skip it.

[jcc1025]

For all the bad things the pandimic did for cruisers, the new muster drill procedures are an amazing improvement. I don't know if the pandimic had not occured if the change would have happened. It forced us to find ways to reduce crowds and there was no crowd worst than standing on those decks with a couple of hundred of your frinds crowed together for the muster drill. Congratulations to Royal for comeing up with this solution. 

[xray0111]

If we don't use the app or cabin tv can we just go to the muster station and watch the video?  I assume the muster station location will be on the paperwork  after checking in at the pier.

 

For us, the need to get in a hurry or stress about a app is non-existent.  We'll have 8 nights without our cell phones, computers, and bosses.  We're turning off all our devices when we leave the hotel or maybe earlier.  Even the "old" way of doing muster was ok for us.  

 

 

 

 

[BND]

10 minutes ago, xray0111 said:

If we don't use the app or cabin tv can we just go to the muster station and watch the video?  I assume the muster station location will be on the paperwork  after checking in at the pier.

 

For us, the need to get in a hurry or stress about a app is non-existent.  We'll have 8 nights without our cell phones, computers, and bosses.  We're turning off all our devices when we leave the hotel or maybe earlier.  Even the "old" way of doing muster was ok for us.  

 

 

 

 

They don't show the video at muster station.  What they will do is do the life jacket demo for you.  Royal has gone to digital/app for everything, including cruise compass.   But, you could just watch it on the tv in the cabin and then just turn it off.  I mean, the tv is on and on that station when you get into your room anyway.

Edited October 4, 2022 by BND

[xray0111]

8 minutes ago, BND said:

They don't show the video at muster station.  What they will do is do the life jacket demo for you.  Royal has gone to digital/app for everything, including cruise compass.   But, you could just watch it on the tv in the cabin and then just turn it off.  I mean, the tv is on and on that station when you get into your room anyway.

 

Edited October 4, 2022 by xray0111
please delete..wrong button.

[xray0111]

We just were not clear on how that worked.  Thanks for the clarification BND. 

[jcc1025]

23 minutes ago, xray0111 said:

If we don't use the app or cabin tv can we just go to the muster station and watch the video?  I assume the muster station location will be on the paperwork  after checking in at the pier.

 

For us, the need to get in a hurry or stress about a app is non-existent.  We'll have 8 nights without our cell phones, computers, and bosses.  We're turning off all our devices when we leave the hotel or maybe earlier.  Even the "old" way of doing muster was ok for us.  

 

 

 

 

Yes you can go to the muster station and check in and have the agents at the locatation give you the speech and check you in. The app is important because that is were there cruise compus is each day and how you can reserve dinner or shows. 

[DaKahuna]

We were able to watch the safety video on-line the morning of our cruise. When we boarded Quantum in August everyone was being directed to their muster stations as they came aboard.  Was asked if we had watched the video at the muster station, they gave us a short speach about in the event of an emergency that we were to come right there and described the emergency signal (7 short followed by one long). Less than 2 minutes from walking up to the muster station to walking away.  There were two couples in front of us. 

 

You can find deck plans with muster station locations for most of the ships online.  Google is your friend. 

 

 

[molsonschooner]

5 hours ago, BND said:

They don't show the video at muster station.  What they will do is do the life jacket demo for you.  Royal has gone to digital/app for everything, including cruise compass.   But, you could just watch it on the tv in the cabin and then just turn it off.  I mean, the tv is on and on that station when you get into your room anyway.

we never got a life jacket demo a couple weeks ago. Just had our card scanned

[BND]

2 minutes ago, molsonschooner said:

we never got a life jacket demo a couple weeks ago. Just had our card scanned

Did you watch the video?  Did they ask if you did?

[molsonschooner]

1 minute ago, BND said:

Did you watch the video?  Did they ask if you did?

we did watch, they did ask but we did not have to prove that we did

[BND]

2 minutes ago, molsonschooner said:

we did watch, they did ask but we did not have to prove that we did

My post was responding to someone who was talking about not watching the video.  If you did and say you did, you're good to go. If you say you haven't, they will then do a demo.  I did not say they do a demo for everyone.

Edited October 5, 2022 by BND

[Illbcruzn4life]

9 hours ago, pcur said:

Check-in using the RCCL app as soon as it's allowed.  This determines your time of arrival at the dock.  Check-in starts 30 days before departure.  Usually, if you check-in early you get a time to arrive before noon.  At the dock there is a priority line for Suite and Pinnacle passengers at most ports of departure.  Because of the staggered times of arrival, the lines are shorter.

 

You will have a health questionnaire to complete in the app, also, with the final questions the day before you sail.

 

Also, if you have uploaded your picture and done the health questionnaire, you may not even have to go to the counter at all.  My last cruise out of Ft. Lauderdale, the staff person monitoring the line finished our check-in.

 

Complete the safety portion of your check-in the day before or the day of boarding, and then you just go to the muster station for them to verify you have completed the short videos in the app.  They then scan you SetSail pass, and you're done.

We are on the Allure now and there were no final health questions. 
 

i even posted last week asking about them as Royal sent me an email fill them out and I couldn’t find them on the website.

[Illbcruzn4life]

1 hour ago, molsonschooner said:

we never got a life jacket demo a couple weeks ago. Just had our card scanned

We watched the video on the app and after we watched it, it said completed.

[Illbcruzn4life]

6 hours ago, xray0111 said:

We just were not clear on how that worked.  Thanks for the clarification BND. 

You wont be able to finish your muster check in until you get your card from your room at 1pm. You still have until sailaway to complete it though.

[ONECRUISER]

Last few Cruises I was on so early the Muster stations were not set up yet. 3 days ago they didnt start until Noon, I was on at 1030, Even few months ago I was on at 11, Crew didnt show til 1120. Every time except once they scanned my Card, no Life Jacket Demo provided or needed

Edited October 5, 2022 by ONECRUISER

[ONECRUISER]

8 minutes ago, Illbcruzn4life said:

You wont be able to finish your muster check in until you get your card from your room at 1pm. You still have until sailaway to complete it though.

Havent had to wait for my card for Muster check in, paper copy boarding pass has been issued at check in before getting on Ship

[Maria63]

12 hours ago, chukli said:

 
also, the muster drill process has changed and I believe you complete it in the App? But don’t you still have to go physically to the muster drill location? I see E4 on App - where is that?

 

Don't worry about it, the process is quite simple and appears more complicated in the instructions than it really is. On boarding day there will be crew who handle the process stationed around all the public areas. If you are unsure about your own muster location, just show one of them your card and ask where you are supposed to go. The process is new to most of the cruisers now, so you won't be the only one who might feel a bit uncertain about what to do.

 

I completely agree that the new muster process is a great improvement from pre-covid, and I do wish they will stick with it. 

[Coralc]

2 hours ago, Illbcruzn4life said:

You wont be able to finish your muster check in until you get your card from your room at 1pm. You still have until sailaway to complete it though.

That is wrong information. You can check in at your muster station with either a paper or digital copy of your setsail pass, well before you receive your actual seapass cards. It is helpful to everyone to get muster out of the way as soon as you board. 😄

[PhillyFan33579]

6 hours ago, Illbcruzn4life said:

You wont be able to finish your muster check in until you get your card from your room at 1pm. You still have until sailaway to complete it though.

To reiterate what others have said, you don’t need your card to check-in to your muster station. On my last several cruises there were plenty of staff members directing people to go directly to their muster station as soon as you boarded the ship. 

[PhillyFan33579]

14 hours ago, xray0111 said:

If we don't use the app or cabin tv can we just go to the muster station and watch the video?  I assume the muster station location will be on the paperwork  after checking in at the pier.

 

For us, the need to get in a hurry or stress about a app is non-existent.  We'll have 8 nights without our cell phones, computers, and bosses.  We're turning off all our devices when we leave the hotel or maybe earlier.  Even the "old" way of doing muster was ok for us.  

 

 

 

 

One thing to keep in mind, which varies by ship from my experience, is RCI is producing limited to no paper copies of the Cruise Compass. Without using the Royal app on a cell phone, you will  likely have no idea when anything is going on around the ship. Of course if you just plan to relax during your cruise and don’t care about attending shows, trivia, movies, special events, music, when ships/bars/restaurants are open, etc. you can get by without using the app.