Questions about check in, I'm new to time slots

[newcruzer2]

My check in starts on the 14th ( yes I could just wait to find out, BUT that wouldn't be me LOL ) I am already planning on doing it at 11pm (my time) on the 13th, as per other threads has mentioned.

my questions , what are the usual times available??( like 10-4 or less... like 11-2)

I've downloaded  app so I can grab a time and finish check on the 14th, but app is pretty  bad, I have reserved all my shows thru website and it shows on website but a week later app still shows nothing on my calendar,

so my final question is.... when I go on app at 11pm on the 13th, will the check in/ choose a time,  be apparent and easy for me to understand 

Thanks in advance 

[Coralc]

1 hour ago, newcruzer2 said:

My check in starts on the 14th ( yes I could just wait to find out, BUT that wouldn't be me LOL ) I am already planning on doing it at 11pm (my time) on the 13th, as per other threads has mentioned.

my questions , what are the usual times available??( like 10-4 or less... like 11-2)

I've downloaded  app so I can grab a time and finish check on the 14th, but app is pretty  bad, I have reserved all my shows thru website and it shows on website but a week later app still shows nothing on my calendar,

so my final question is.... when I go on app at 11pm on the 13th, will the check in/ choose a time,  be apparent and easy for me to understand 

Thanks in advance 

It should be easy. They are one-hour blocks of time. Most people choose the earliest. To be perfectly honest, most ports don't pay much attention to check in times anymore. 

[CaribbeanCrushed]

2 hours ago, newcruzer2 said:

My check in starts on the 14th ( yes I could just wait to find out, BUT that wouldn't be me LOL ) I am already planning on doing it at 11pm (my time) on the 13th, as per other threads has mentioned.

my questions , what are the usual times available??( like 10-4 or less... like 11-2)

I've downloaded  app so I can grab a time and finish check on the 14th, but app is pretty  bad, I have reserved all my shows thru website and it shows on website but a week later app still shows nothing on my calendar,

so my final question is.... when I go on app at 11pm on the 13th, will the check in/ choose a time,  be apparent and easy for me to understand 

Thanks in advance 

We are the same, one hour ahead of the east coast. Worked great and was pretty easy (even for a guy who was half asleep). Picked our check-in time that night and finished the process the next day. 

[LeeW]

Typically earliest is 11 or 11:30.  Have had a few in Miami with 10:30.  Latest time offered will be around 2 hours before sailing.

[cruiseguy1016]

Check-in times are rarely enforced anymore. Even if you can't get the earliest time slot, you should be able to show up at the earliest time slot (or sooner) and you will be able to get in line to check in.

[Morecruisesplz]

8 hours ago, cruiseguy1016 said:

Check-in times are rarely enforced anymore. Even if you can't get the earliest time slot, you should be able to show up at the earliest time slot (or sooner) and you will be able to get in line to check in.

So true. Don’t concern yourself with the assigned time. No one asks what your assigned time is. Go when you want to. 

[broadwaybaby123]

It depends on the port and the staff that day how strict they are. Went on Anthem twice, exactly a year apart. First time around they were short-staffed and sent folks to the end of the line if they showed up late and asked early arrivals to wait until their allotted time.

 

A year later, same ship, we had no wait time.

 

Cruised from Boston 2 months ago and arrived on time, but that didn't matter as they weren't properly trained or staffed so we ended up waiting almost an hour to board.

 

Usually the slots are in one-hour increments. 

[temple1]

On Independence last month they had 3 lines and sent you to the appropriate line on arriving at the terminal. Sounds great, all 3 lines moved at the same pace and once at the door, everyone was clumped together. 

[Mum2Mercury]

Random thoughts: 

- Your check in will open at midnight in the time zone from which you'll sail.  If you're a time zone "ahead", then -- yes -- 11:00 is your time.  

- We've always been able to get 10:30 (on a big ship) or 11:00 (on a small ship).  Those have been the earliest times.  

- I thought the time slots were 30-minutes?  Like 10:30 - 11:00?  Someone else said an hour?  

- Yes, the check-in process is very easy to understand /quite apparent.  The time slot question will be the very last item.  First it'll ask for your passport number (or other documentation), your credit card number for your online charges, and it'll give you a chance to upload a photograph -- don't bother; they just re-take it at the port anyway.  Finally at the end you'll choose your time slot.  

- You must complete check-in for every member of your party.  

On 12/11/2023 at 6:48 PM, Coralc said:

It should be easy. They are one-hour blocks of time. Most people choose the earliest. To be perfectly honest, most ports don't pay much attention to check in times anymore. 

Yes, most people want the earliest time slot. 

In my experience, the ports ARE enforcing check in times.  

Do note that if you get the earliest time, you'll still be behind certain special groups -- suites, Key people, I don't know who else.  My husband gets a bit salty about this:  We're in the 10:30 group!  Why are they going ahead of us?  Because they're special, Dear.  

Edited December 13, 2023 by Mum2Mercury

[reallyitsmema]

12 hours ago, broadwaybaby123 said:

It depends on the port and the staff that day how strict they are. Went on Anthem twice, exactly a year apart. First time around they were short-staffed and sent folks to the end of the line if they showed up late and asked early arrivals to wait until their allotted time.

 

A year later, same ship, we had no wait time.

 

Cruised from Boston 2 months ago and arrived on time, but that didn't matter as they weren't properly trained or staffed so we ended up waiting almost an hour to board.

 

Usually the slots are in one-hour increments. 

 

We also sailed from Boston in October.  We arrived early and found no lines to check in.  We walked right up to an agent.  Sat in chairs for all of 5 minutes and boarding started.  We were on the ship prior to our assigned check in time of 11am.  Same thing in Cape Liberty, they weren't checking times.  On our Oasis sailing last year, boarding started before 10am because no passengers were disembarking since the ship had deadheaded from Florida.  We were in our cabin at 10:10am!  This year, weren't on ship until just before 11am, also before our check in time.

[newcruzer2]

57 minutes ago, Mum2Mercury said:

Random thoughts: 

- Your check in will open at midnight in the time zone from which you'll sail.  If you're a time zone "ahead", then -- yes -- 11:00 is your time.  

- We've always been able to get 10:30 (on a big ship) or 11:00 (on a small ship).  Those have been the earliest times.  

- I thought the time slots were 30-minutes?  Like 10:30 - 11:00?  Someone else said an hour?  

- Yes, the check-in process is very easy to understand /quite apparent.  The time slot question will be the very last item.  First it'll ask for your passport number (or other documentation), your credit card number for your online charges, and it'll give you a chance to upload a photograph -- don't bother; they just re-take it at the port anyway.  Finally at the end you'll choose your time slot.  

- You must complete check-in for every member of your party.  

Yes, most people want the earliest time slot. 

In my experience, the ports ARE enforcing check in times.  

Do note that if you get the earliest time, you'll still be behind certain special groups -- suites, Key people, I don't know who else.  My husband gets a bit salty about this:  We're in the 10:30 group!  Why are they going ahead of us?  Because they're special, Dear.  

Thanks for the info, and yes DH is exactly the same lol

[HappyTexan44]

Piggy-backing on this.   I booked through a TA for our Starter cruise in Feb.  My TA entered our passports already.   At least I think she did.   Are the TA's allowed to do the other check-in stuff that isn't getting a time slot or medical questions?   It would be nice to have that stuff done ahead of time in case the app is being flaky during our check-in time.   

 

Edited December 13, 2023 by HappyTexan44

[bgoff60]

We have a NOON check-in time for Adventure of the Seas in January.  

What is the earliest check-in time?  

[reallyitsmema]

3 minutes ago, bgoff60 said:

We have a NOON check-in time for Adventure of the Seas in January.  

What is the earliest check-in time?  

 

I would ask on your rollcall as it can be different sailing to sailing and port to port.  I have had check in as early as 10am in the past but have had 11am the earliest available time on our last cruise.

[Starry Eyes]

1 hour ago, Mum2Mercury said:

Random thoughts: 

- Your check in will open at midnight in the time zone from which you'll sail.  If you're a time zone "ahead", then -- yes -- 11:00 is your time.  

Newbies should be warned that check in might not open promptly at midnight.  Do not be surprised if it opens a few minutes late or more.  Just keep checking until it opens.

 

1 hour ago, Mum2Mercury said:

Yes, the check-in process is very easy to understand /quite apparent.  The time slot question will be the very last item.  First it'll ask for your passport number (or other documentation), your credit card number for your online charges, and it'll give you a chance to upload a photograph -- don't bother; they just re-take it at the port anyway.  Finally at the end you'll choose your time slot.  

Note to OP: this poster likely checks in on the website (picking a time is the last item for website check in).  
Others use the app to select their time, as with the app one can simply select their time and defer the rest of the data entry to a later convenient time.

As we do the check in at a convenient time, we typically do take the photos.  They have only once been retaken at port out of multiple cruises.  So, it is your choice with the photos.

[Mum2Mercury]

2 hours ago, HappyTexan44 said:

Piggy-backing on this.   I booked through a TA for our Starter cruise in Feb.  My TA entered our passports already.   At least I think she did.   Are the TA's allowed to do the other check-in stuff that isn't getting a time slot or medical questions?   It would be nice to have that stuff done ahead of time in case the app is being flaky during our check-in time.   

I don't think TAs can do that ahead of time.  I wonder if she was just verifying that you have the proper identification to get you on board /checking your expiration dates ... you know, avoiding a problem down the road?

2 hours ago, bgoff60 said:

We have a NOON check-in time for Adventure of the Seas in January.  

What is the earliest check-in time?  

We've never sailed Adventure, but we've sailed similar sized ships, and we boarded at 10:30.  

1 hour ago, Starry Eyes said:

Newbies should be warned that check in might not open promptly at midnight.  Do not be surprised if it opens a few minutes late or more.  Just keep checking until it opens.

Good point!  Once -- just once -- my boarding pass didn't open at all.  I didn't freak out only because everyone else on my roll call was saying the same thing, so I knew it wasn't just me.  It opened exactly 24 hours late.  

 

Don't get the idea that you have to swoop in exactly at 12:00 or everything good will be gone-gone-gone.  You could probably still get a prime entrance time mid-morning the next day.  Probably.  I want to know I'm getting that early time, and I'm a night owl anyway, so no problem for me.

 

An offshoot topic:  I check in using the computer.  No reason you can't do it with your phone.  Just preference.