Timing the check in choice

[Lorenky]

Hello. We’re sailing on the Reflection on April 13, and the day we can choose our embarkation time is February 28 at midnight. is this midnight my time-I’m in California? Is it midnight Fort Lauderdale time where they’re sailing from? Also, does this mean at the stroke of midnight between the 27th and the 28th? Or between the 28th and the 29th? Thanks so much. 

[Jim_Iain]

My experience has mostly been time of the ships departue.   I always check in for a FLL departure at 9:01 Pacific.      Yes it is exactly at the stroke of Midnight.      If Feb 28th it will be 12:01 AM Eastern

 

In reality when checking I found that the early spots remain open for a couple days after initial release date.

[Lorenky]

5 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

My experience has mostly been time of the ships departue.   I always check in for a FLL departure at 9:01 Pacific.      Yes it is exactly at the stroke of Midnight.      If Feb 28th it will be 12:01 AM Eastern

 

In reality when checking I found that the early spots remain open for a couple days after initial release date.

Thank you. So if I wanted to be one of the first to choose a time, then 9 PM my time on the 27th would work? Good to know I don’t have to stay up until midnight and if it did open at midnight my time and I did it first thing the following morning, I could still get early timeslots as you said. Thanks so much.

[twincheryl]

59 minutes ago, Lorenky said:

Thank you. So if I wanted to be one of the first to choose a time, then 9 PM my time on the 27th would work? Good to know I don’t have to stay up until midnight and if it did open at midnight my time and I did it first thing the following morning, I could still get early timeslots as you said. Thanks so much.

Yes, 9pm PST... likely could still get early time slot in the morning, but we generally try to set a reminder for 9pm just in case.  You don't have to go thru all the check in with picture, passport, etc... just pick the time slot and go back in whenever.

[D. B.]

1 hour ago, Lorenky said:

Thank you. So if I wanted to be one of the first to choose a time, then 9 PM my time on the 27th would work? Good to know I don’t have to stay up until midnight and if it did open at midnight my time and I did it first thing the following morning, I could still get early timeslots as you said. Thanks so much.

I always do what you are planning But my experience has been these boarding times are not what happens in real time at the terminal.

 I make it a point to be there around 11am if the First boarding time is 12 noon (except for suite quests) because I always arrive for any cruise one day before sailing or on  a red eye flight that arrives at 0 dark thirty on departure day IF the cruise is sailing from a US port.  I have almost always been onboard by 12noon.

  The staggered boarding times are because some terminals are small and a massive group of guests could require standing outside in the Sun, Cold, Rain or on a busy street (Seattle) or just overwhelming the staff. That and during Covid X did not want a mass of guests packed to together in one place.

 

[wrk2cruise]

The current checkin process in the terminal is very fast.  So once they start boarding the ship as long as the crowd is spread out some things usually go very smoothly and if you were to arrive a little early or little late wouldn't make a difference.

 

If you are early before boarding starts 11-11:30 then you can expect to be queued outside the building.

[Mark_K]

3 hours ago, Lorenky said:

Hello. We’re sailing on the Reflection on April 13, and the day we can choose our embarkation time is February 28 at midnight. is this midnight my time-I’m in California? Is it midnight Fort Lauderdale time where they’re sailing from? Also, does this mean at the stroke of midnight between the 27th and the 28th? Or between the 28th and the 29th? Thanks so much. 

You’re actually choosing a check-in time, if you choose an early one, embarkation will probably be somewhat later.