Cruise from Dubai Nov 16 - Embarkation starting at 2pm?

[cashmeremypuppydog]

Hello all,

DH and I will experience our first cruise on SS Spirit embarking in Dubai on Nov 16. After completing all documentations needed by SS, I received an embarkation time for 2pm.

i thought it was quite late so I contacted SS and I was told embarkation time is only from 2-4pm. Is it like this on every SS cruise? We usually embark a cruiseship around 11-12pm… But the rules are the rules! We will just enjoy the pool at our hotel until checkout time (noon) and head to the ship afterward. We don’t mind waiting as we are retired and in vacation!

Chantal

Lover of Africa 🦏🦍🦛🐘🦓🦒🦁🐒

Edited August 13, 2023 by cashmeremypuppydog
Bad typist!😱

[carefreecruise]

This is asked a lot. It depends. Some ports allow guests to enter their boarding area any time and others only open at 2PM. Before COVID it was definitely different. So don't do what we did an show up early, only to find out we needed to wait in the parking lot till they opened at 2PM. I'm sure others will tell you they boarded early and so did we on the last two cruises. Just be aware not all ports allow early boarding...

[dawntrdr]

I haven't boarded from Dubai since pre-covid, but at the time, the terminal building was large and airy with a reasonable amount of shops and seating.  If you had to wait there for a while, it wouldn't be too bad. 

[difranco]

We arrive on the overnight flight and will make our way from the airport to Port Rashid late morning in expectation of boarding for lunch. In the unlikely event we have to wait to board it may as we’ll be there 

than the airport. Again first time on Silversea post covid but had no issue on Azamara and Regents this year so would be surprised if this is the case with Silversea. Port Rashid is a substantial cruise embarkation port.

[Dolcevita Diva]

4 hours ago, cashmeremypuppydog said:

Hello all,

DH and I will experience our first cruise on SS Spirit embarking in Dubai on Nov 16. After completing all documentations needed by SS, I received an embarkation time for 2pm.

i thought it was quite late so I contacted SS and I was told embarkation time is only from 2-4pm. Is it like this on every SS cruise? We usually embark a cruiseship around 11-12pm… But the rules are the rules! We will just enjoy the pool at our hotel until checkout time (noon) and head to the ship afterward. We don’t mind waiting as we are retired and in vacation!

Chantal

Lover of Africa 🦏🦍🦛🐘🦓🦒🦁🐒

Yes, embarkation starts at 2 and the suites are available at 4 pm. 
Most of Silversea’s cruises depart later than other cruise lines, so there’s still plenty of time to get acquainted with the ship before departure. 

Enjoy the pool and a leisurely lunch at your hotel. 

[RachelG]

On our recent Silversea cruise, embarking in Helsinki, everything we received ahead of time said embarkation was at 2.  So we had planned a morning's worth of activities.  Then, when we arrived at the hotel in Helsinki the night prior to embarkaton, we received a letter that said transport to the ship would be at 11:30.  Our bus arrived at the ship before noon, and we boarded immediately and had lunch same as usual.  So the previously published time was incorrect. 

[cashmeremypuppydog]

Thank you everyone for the posts. I know what to expect now.

Chantal

Lover of Africa 🦍🦏🦛🐘🦓🦒🦁🐒