Info on Embarkation in Port Canaveral

[Pat]

I've never sailed from Port Canaveral before and I'd like to try and gather info on the terminal there for embarkation.   Asking anyone recently boarded in Port C.   Some port terminals  will ONLY allow entrance to the building at your scheduled boarding time.   Last March in NY, even Haven guests were required to wait until their scheduled time to enter the terminal building and proceed through security.  Does anyone know if this is the case in Port Canaveral now?  What is the waiting area for Haven guests like, is it crowded and chaotic?  Thanks for any info on this embarkation port.

[Karaboudjan]

1 hour ago, Pat said:

I've never sailed from Port Canaveral before and I'd like to try and gather info on the terminal there for embarkation.   Asking anyone recently boarded in Port C.   Some port terminals  will ONLY allow entrance to the building at your scheduled boarding time.   Last March in NY, even Haven guests were required to wait until their scheduled time to enter the terminal building and proceed through security.  Does anyone know if this is the case in Port Canaveral now?  What is the waiting area for Haven guests like, is it crowded and chaotic?  Thanks for any info on this embarkation port.

 

We embarked from PC in January and were in the Haven.  Timing was different then because what you signed up for was really the beginning of your journey through testing, and we were well past that by the time we got into the building.  We did have to wait for around 30 minutes after completing check in.  The Haven waiting area was small and full (not chaotic, though, IMO) but they did have a small breakfast bar.  Although the overall occupancy was low I believe the Haven was pretty much full so our experience was probably typical.

[quillwercruisers]

14 hours ago, Karaboudjan said:

 

We embarked from PC in January and were in the Haven.  Timing was different then because what you signed up for was really the beginning of your journey through testing, and we were well past that by the time we got into the building.  We did have to wait for around 30 minutes after completing check in.  The Haven waiting area was small and full (not chaotic, though, IMO) but they did have a small breakfast bar.  Although the overall occupancy was low I believe the Haven was pretty much full so our experience was probably typical.

We were on the Escape in the Haven in January as well, and this was our experience as well.  There was a separate entrance for the Haven into the terminal.  You could either go up the stairs or there was an elevator to take you up.

[rbxlady]

Granted, this was from pre-COVID, so it doesn't answer the question on arrival times, but it does show the separate Haven check-in area:

I'll be there on 10/22. but our check-in times got wonky. My husband and I got 9AM, our older son got 9:30, and our younger son got 11AM. Those were all the earliest available as I did online check-in. The kids are minors traveling with us to the port (in other words, they're not arriving separately from me and my husband), so suffice it to say that we will just be showing up as close to 9 as possible. We'll also be in the Haven, so I expect that they won't turn us away just because we don't all 4 have 9AM check-in times. I actually created a post where I asked about this and was told not to sweat it.

[Pat]

5 hours ago, rbxlady said:

Granted, this was from pre-COVID, so it doesn't answer the question on arrival times, but it does show the separate Haven check-in area:

I'll be there on 10/22. but our check-in times got wonky. My husband and I got 9AM, our older son got 9:30, and our younger son got 11AM. Those were all the earliest available as I did online check-in. The kids are minors traveling with us to the port (in other words, they're not arriving separately from me and my husband), so suffice it to say that we will just be showing up as close to 9 as possible. We'll also be in the Haven, so I expect that they won't turn us away just because we don't all 4 have 9AM check-in times. I actually created a post where I asked about this and was told not to sweat it.

I know!  Usually Haven guests could show up any time and no one questioned or cared.  Thanks for the info!

[sivRVT]

On 10/12/2022 at 11:18 AM, rbxlady said:

Granted, this was from pre-COVID, so it doesn't answer the question on arrival times, but it does show the separate Haven check-in area:

I'll be there on 10/22. but our check-in times got wonky. My husband and I got 9AM, our older son got 9:30, and our younger son got 11AM. Those were all the earliest available as I did online check-in. The kids are minors traveling with us to the port (in other words, they're not arriving separately from me and my husband), so suffice it to say that we will just be showing up as close to 9 as possible. We'll also be in the Haven, so I expect that they won't turn us away just because we don't all 4 have 9AM check-in times. I actually created a post where I asked about this and was told not to sweat it.

 

We are traveling at the end of the month, wondering if this video portrayed what you experienced this past October?  this is our first cruise, and we are in the Haven, so just want to make sure we know where we are going! Thanks!

[rbxlady]

6 hours ago, sivRVT said:

 

We are traveling at the end of the month, wondering if this video portrayed what you experienced this past October?  this is our first cruise, and we are in the Haven, so just want to make sure we know where we are going! Thanks!

No, it didn't. It was definitely different. I posted about it on the big Haven post. Let me track it down...

Edited December 2, 2022 by rbxlady

[rbxlady]

6 hours ago, sivRVT said:

 

We are traveling at the end of the month, wondering if this video portrayed what you experienced this past October?  this is our first cruise, and we are in the Haven, so just want to make sure we know where we are going! Thanks!

OK, to follow up, we took a shuttle from our hotel to the port. All the buses/shuttles are dropping people in this one area and unloading luggage, and the porters are picking it up and putting it on carts to send on board. I would describe it like a parking bay/bus depot. There's a sidewalk section in the middle with buses/shuttles pulling up on either side. There's a wide staircase (I don't recall if there was an escalator) that goes upwards from the sidewalk, and that's where everyone goes into the port terminal. There was no special Haven entrance like the video I posted shows.

 

Once we got up there, we told the first person we encountered that we were in the Haven, so they directed us to a person who checked our passports and had us go through security. This was no different than everyone else except that we didn't have to stand in line like everyone else since it was just us four and a couple who were also Haven passengers who arrived at that particular moment.

 

After that, you're just sort of let loose into the big room with everyone sitting and a long line of check-in desks along the right side with big windows and the ship behind them. You do not go to those check-in desks. I repeat, do not go to those check-in desks! Haven passengers are not supposed to be checked in there. Go all the way to the back left of the giant room. Someone will inevitably try to stop you, but if you insist that you're in the Haven and show proof if need be, they'll get you to where you need to be. We had some confusion on that, so don't feel like a jerk announcing your status and be vocal about it.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

 

More details in my comment here: 

 

Edited December 2, 2022 by rbxlady

[Wedgie Wedgie]

We just sailed out of Port Canaveral on the Getaway on 11/18. Haven. We live close and arrived around 10:00. Dropped bags and parked right on the ramp leading up into the covered parking. Came back down on foot where there was alot of hustle and bustle.

 

We saw a tent that said HAVEN but there were no crew members around and a few passengers standing around wondering what to do. We just walked right past and went up the exterior elevator to the 2nd level where there were greeters directing traffic to the security pass. Once through security we were pointed to the line for the large bank of check in area.

 

I said, "Haven?" 

Oh, you go this way and pointed behind her. Straight back to a small holding area where you check in and get your card. Snacks, coffee etc.

 

There was a customs delay and while first on board it was around 11:30.

 

[Pat]

9 hours ago, sivRVT said:

 

We are traveling at the end of the month, wondering if this video portrayed what you experienced this past October?  this is our first cruise, and we are in the Haven, so just want to make sure we know where we are going! Thanks!

I don't know why everyone has had such a different experience,  but this video was very close to the experience we had in October, 2022.   The only difference is that there was a little popup canopy at the bottom of the escalator.  We got there fairly early (maybe 9:30), we were let off the Budget car rental shuttle under the long covered area,  left our luggage with a porter there and asked about a Haven checkin,  a very nice disembarking passenger told us she had just passed the sign back up the left side of the building,  we found the popup canopy marked "HAVEN"  waited with about 6 other couples until a NCL checkin person met with us,(maybe 10 minute wait) checked that we were indeed in the Haven, she led us up the escalator and thru security.  Haven had their own line through security and then to a smaller room where there were other NCL staff doing Haven check in.  It was one of the most efficient Haven checkins we've been through and we've done them in Boston, New York, Tampa and Miami.  Funny how everyone's experience is different.

[sivRVT]

On 12/2/2022 at 8:45 PM, Pat said:

I don't know why everyone has had such a different experience,  but this video was very close to the experience we had in October, 2022.   The only difference is that there was a little popup canopy at the bottom of the escalator.  We got there fairly early (maybe 9:30), we were let off the Budget car rental shuttle under the long covered area,  left our luggage with a porter there and asked about a Haven checkin,  a very nice disembarking passenger told us she had just passed the sign back up the left side of the building,  we found the popup canopy marked "HAVEN"  waited with about 6 other couples until a NCL checkin person met with us,(maybe 10 minute wait) checked that we were indeed in the Haven, she led us up the escalator and thru security.  Haven had their own line through security and then to a smaller room where there were other NCL staff doing Haven check in.  It was one of the most efficient Haven checkins we've been through and we've done them in Boston, New York, Tampa and Miami.  Funny how everyone's experience is different.

Thanks for this, hoping for a similar experience at the end of the month!

[sivRVT]

On 12/2/2022 at 5:24 PM, rbxlady said:

OK, to follow up, we took a shuttle from our hotel to the port. All the buses/shuttles are dropping people in this one area and unloading luggage, and the porters are picking it up and putting it on carts to send on board. I would describe it like a parking bay/bus depot. There's a sidewalk section in the middle with buses/shuttles pulling up on either side. There's a wide staircase (I don't recall if there was an escalator) that goes upwards from the sidewalk, and that's where everyone goes into the port terminal. There was no special Haven entrance like the video I posted shows.

 

Once we got up there, we told the first person we encountered that we were in the Haven, so they directed us to a person who checked our passports and had us go through security. This was no different than everyone else except that we didn't have to stand in line like everyone else since it was just us four and a couple who were also Haven passengers who arrived at that particular moment.

 

After that, you're just sort of let loose into the big room with everyone sitting and a long line of check-in desks along the right side with big windows and the ship behind them. You do not go to those check-in desks. I repeat, do not go to those check-in desks! Haven passengers are not supposed to be checked in there. Go all the way to the back left of the giant room. Someone will inevitably try to stop you, but if you insist that you're in the Haven and show proof if need be, they'll get you to where you need to be. We had some confusion on that, so don't feel like a jerk announcing your status and be vocal about it.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

 

More details in my comment here: 

 

Thank you!

[rbxlady]

On 12/2/2022 at 8:45 PM, Pat said:

I don't know why everyone has had such a different experience,  but this video was very close to the experience we had in October, 2022.   The only difference is that there was a little popup canopy at the bottom of the escalator.  We got there fairly early (maybe 9:30), we were let off the Budget car rental shuttle under the long covered area,  left our luggage with a porter there and asked about a Haven checkin,  a very nice disembarking passenger told us she had just passed the sign back up the left side of the building,  we found the popup canopy marked "HAVEN"  waited with about 6 other couples until a NCL checkin person met with us,(maybe 10 minute wait) checked that we were indeed in the Haven, she led us up the escalator and thru security.  Haven had their own line through security and then to a smaller room where there were other NCL staff doing Haven check in.  It was one of the most efficient Haven checkins we've been through and we've done them in Boston, New York, Tampa and Miami.  Funny how everyone's experience is different.

Were you on the Getaway leaving on 10/29?

 

We disembarked the Getaway on 10/29. I know the couple that the four of us were following made the same mistake we did by not being vocal about being in the Haven, so that was 6 Haven passengers whom I know for a fact were misdirected. While waiting in the Haven lounge, a group of four people came in and sat near us. We started chatting, and they said that something similar had happened to them, too. They spent a LOT of time at the concierge desk when they arrived, so I believe them (and I have no reason not to, as why would anyone make that up), but I didn't want to share that all on these boards when I couldn't verify it with 100% certainty.

 

So perhaps with (at least) 10 Haven passengers' being misdirected, forcing the Haven concierge to have to scramble to fix others' mistakes on an already busy day, they tightened things up for the 10/29 embarkation.

 

Whether that's the case or not, I'm glad to hear that it was very obvious where to go for your sailing! Hopefully it won't be a problem for anyone in the future.

[rbxlady]

21 hours ago, sivRVT said:

Thank you!

You're welcome, and now that I think about it, I'm sure there was an escalator up because I would have remembered lugging suitcases up a flight of stairs!