Best Time to Board Ocean Cruise?

[notjaded]

Looking forward to our very first Viking cruise, and wonder about what time we should schedule ourselves to be at the port to get processed to board.

 

We are in a penthouse suite and can board at 11:00 and go right to our suite. If we come at 11:00, would one expect a madhouse and long queues?

 

I'd appreciate hearing from experienced Viking cruisers about when to board so as to make the process less onerous.

 

Many thanks!

[Breckski]

We normally have room access at 11am also.  We always just get to the dock when it's convenient for us.  Viking is very efficient.  As such, we've never waited longer than 10 minutes to get on Board and normally it's no wait whatsoever.  But it may be that we don't get there exactly at 11:00???

 

I'd imagine some will advocate for the 11am sharp arrival.  But those are likely the one's in line for the 6pm opening at the Restaurant or get to the shore excursion line 30 minutes early🙄

[CDR2001]

We’ve boarded 3 different cruises at 3 different times, between 11 and 1pm. We’ve had very short lines and after the safety briefing, head to lunch at the World Cafe. Our cabin ( DV) has been ready early every time. Yes, Viking is very efficient. 

[CDNPolar]

8 hours ago, notjaded said:

Looking forward to our very first Viking cruise, and wonder about what time we should schedule ourselves to be at the port to get processed to board.

 

We are in a penthouse suite and can board at 11:00 and go right to our suite. If we come at 11:00, would one expect a madhouse and long queues?

 

I'd appreciate hearing from experienced Viking cruisers about when to board so as to make the process less onerous.

 

Many thanks!

 

I would also add that 11am embarkation / cabin time is not for everyone.  The lower category cabins are not guaranteed until 2pm or 3pm.  

 

We have never experienced a line with Viking.

Edited January 2 by CDNPolar

[CILCIANRQTS]

You’ll be fine so long as you avoid the eager-beavers who arrive at 9 or 10. 

[Peregrina651]

Viking will start processing early arrivals from the airport as soon as they are set up and will start boarding as soon as the disembarking pax have cleared the ship.  In some ports, they have to wait for the ship to empty completely (usually by 10 am). In some ports, they will start boarding guests when there is a convenient break in the exiting traffic; the gangway is one-way traffic. 

 

The cabin ready time in the brochure is a no later than time and  housekeeping aims to have the job completed by 2pm. Regardless of your cabin class, check your cabin as soon as you board.  Folks in DV and V maybe pleasantly surprised. 

 

As to lines at check-in, they do happen now and then -- lines for security screening and/or check-in.  It depends on the port, the timing of the bus loads from the airport and the pre-cruise extensions and what time you arrive at the port.  

 

 

[Peregrina651]

4 hours ago, CILCIANRQTS said:

You’ll be fine so long as you avoid the eager-beavers who arrive at 9 or 10. 

 

Hey! Let's have some sympathy here! 😉 Been there and done that. That crowd is more likely to be the grumpy, exhausted and jetlagged whose flights arrived at 6am that morning and the only thing they are eager for is a decent meal and a nap. 

[pavementends]

I don't know about lines checking in early. But you can save some time by checking in on line which involves uploading photos.

[millybess]

13 hours ago, notjaded said:

Looking forward to our very first Viking cruise, and wonder about what time we should schedule ourselves to be at the port to get processed to board.

 

We are in a penthouse suite and can board at 11:00 and go right to our suite. If we come at 11:00, would one expect a madhouse and long queues?

 

I'd appreciate hearing from experienced Viking cruisers about when to board so as to make the process less onerous.

 

Many thanks!

In March of last year we boarded in Puerto Rico for a transatlantic cruise.  It was very hot and the line was very long with most people standing in the sun. The agents insisted that nobody was to board until 2:00 pm.  After standing in line for an hour, my husband called the Viking hotline.  The line started to move shortly after that and we were able to board around 12:30.  Once we boarded, the crew told us that they were told we had to wait until the immigration people checked everything out and left the ship.  After we boarded we noticed the immigration officials having lunch at the Pool Grill.  🤣

[CILCIANRQTS]

11 minutes ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

Hey! Let's have some sympathy here! 😉 Been there and done that. That crowd is more likely to be the grumpy, exhausted and jetlagged whose flights arrived at 6am that morning and the only thing they are eager for is a decent meal and a nap. 

I was referring to those who have a choice when to arrive and show up early. That’s what clogs the pipeline.

[Mich3554]

The only line to board we have ever waited in was for the world cruise last year.  This was because there was a delay of US immigration releasing the ship, and all the people who would have trickled in from 11 am on all were allowed to start boarding at 3 pm.  Even then, it went fairly quickly and it only took about 30 min.  
 

Every other cruise we have taken, there is never a line.  Depending on where we are and what we have been doing, we might show up at 11 (when we checked out of our hotel) or we might show up  much later (like when we hired a tour guide to drive us from Santiago to Valparaiso, wine tasting along the way plus a private tour of Valparaiso).  I think it was nearly 6 when we boarded.

[ddeprez]

1 hour ago, Peregrina651 said:

Viking will start processing early arrivals from the airport as soon as they are set up and will start boarding as soon as the disembarking pax have cleared the ship.  In some ports, they have to wait for the ship to empty completely (usually by 10 am). In some ports, they will start boarding guests when there is a convenient break in the exiting traffic; the gangway is one-way traffic. 

 

The cabin ready time in the brochure is a no later than time and  housekeeping aims to have the job completed by 2pm. Regardless of your cabin class, check your cabin as soon as you board.  Folks in DV and V maybe pleasantly surprised. 

 

As to lines at check-in, they do happen now and then -- lines for security screening and/or check-in.  It depends on the port, the timing of the bus loads from the airport and the pre-cruise extensions and what time you arrive at the port.  

 

 

Maybe you can provide some insight, although I understand that circumstances can cause change- We are flying into Venice the morning of the cruise (through Viking air) with provided transfers. Since we’re scheduled to arrive around 9:00 am, will they take us to the ship after passing through border control, or will we be taken somewhere to wait until specified boarding time. We are in a V cabin. Thanks!

[HUNKY]

dd - Viking will take you somewhere to wait if they are not ready to board the ship.  Usually a hotel or maybe a conference center.  This is for those with Viking transfers.  Cabin class does not matter.

 

We waited in the Harpa Concert Hall in Reykjavik for instance.  They set up tables & chairs and provided a breakfast buffet.

Edited January 2 by HUNKY

[ddeprez]

20 minutes ago, HUNKY said:

dd - Viking will take you somewhere to wait if they are not ready to board the ship.  Usually a hotel or maybe a conference center.  This is for those with Viking transfers.  Cabin class does not matter.

 

We waited in the Harpa Concert Hall in Reykjavik for instance.  They set up tables & chairs and provided a breakfast buffet.

Thank you. How long did you have to wait?  And then everyone was taken to the ship at the same time regardless of cabin class?

[HUNKY]

dd - we waited about two hours.  We arrived at the Hall at about 8 AM and left just after 10 AM.

 

Yes, we were all together regardless of class on multiple buses.

[Reaniel]

1 hour ago, ddeprez said:

Maybe you can provide some insight, although I understand that circumstances can cause change- We are flying into Venice the morning of the cruise (through Viking air) with provided transfers. Since we’re scheduled to arrive around 9:00 am, will they take us to the ship after passing through border control, or will we be taken somewhere to wait until specified boarding time. We are in a V cabin. Thanks!

 

Can you tell us which port is listed as the docking port for Venice?  It should be one of these 3:  Fusina, Chioggia, or Ravenna.

 

I wouldn't worry that much.  The travel time from VCE to any of the 3 are... long enough, and 9 is probably not early enough for them to even try to set a separate waiting site, unless something unexpected comes up.

 

However, if there were multiple ships in Venice (and embarking) on the same day, they "might" make you wait at the airport after passport control while they organize the buses (to make sure they don't send the wrong people to the wrong ships).  (This is less likely for Ocean I should add, but very common in River, and we were forced to wait at the airport for about 2 hours before they take us to the ship in Budapest back in 2022).

Edited January 2 by Reaniel

[Peregrina651]

1 hour ago, ddeprez said:

Maybe you can provide some insight, although I understand that circumstances can cause change- We are flying into Venice the morning of the cruise (through Viking air) with provided transfers. Since we’re scheduled to arrive around 9:00 am, will they take us to the ship after passing through border control, or will we be taken somewhere to wait until specified boarding time. We are in a V cabin. Thanks!

 

Each embarkation port is different. The facilities are different.  Some piers have actualThe requirements imposed by immigration officials are different.

 

Since Covid, docking in Venice has moved from the Statzione Marittima in Venice to the commercial docks a bit further out and now finally to Chioggia. I haven't been following the situation closely and have no idea how things are working currently.  There may be helpful conversation in other threads but I wouldn't bother reading anything that is dated before 2023 as it may not reflect the current or most recent information. 

 

1 hour ago, HUNKY said:

We waited in the Harpa Concert Hall in Reykjavik for instance.  They set up tables & chairs and provided a breakfast buffet.

 

Iceland is a somewhat unique situation as there is no departures hall on the dock to hold hundreds of waiting pax. However, I believe I  read somewhere that better dockside accommodations are coming, which will hopefully eliminate the need to use Harpa. 

 

In other words, taking guests to a hotel is a last resort (and Iceland is the only place we have experienced).  If there are facilities (at minimum, bathrooms) at the dock, you will head straight there. 

 

As to boarding, Viking doesn't force anyone to wait to board simply based on cabin category.  The couple sitting next to you waiting to get on the ship could just as easily be in an ES as a V.  Two things control when Viking actual starts to let you board the ship: local immigration regs and the width of the gangway (as in not wide enough for two lanes of traffic -- and disembarking guests have priority).

 

 

[ddeprez]

1 hour ago, Reaniel said:

 

Can you tell us which port is listed as the docking port for Venice?  It should be one of these 3:  Fusina, Chioggia, or Ravenna.

 

I wouldn't worry that much.  The travel time from VCE to any of the 3 are... long enough, and 9 is probably not early enough for them to even try to set a separate waiting site, unless something unexpected comes up.

 

However, if there were multiple ships in Venice (and embarking) on the same day, they "might" make you wait at the airport after passport control while they organize the buses (to make sure they don't send the wrong people to the wrong ships).  (This is less likely for Ocean I should add, but very common in River, and we were forced to wait at the airport for about 2 hours before they take us to the ship in Budapest back in 2022).

Most current communication shows us docking at Fusina. We originally were slated for Chioggia, but received an email with the change.

[LindaS272]

1 hour ago, Peregrina651 said:

In other words, taking guests to a hotel is a last resort (and Iceland is the only place we have experienced). 

For the Hong Kong to Bangkok cruise in 2019, we flew in on embarkation day early and they were taking folks to an adjacent airport hotel to wait in a large room. Tea/coffee/cookies available but no breakfast. 🫠

Edited January 2 by LindaS272

[ropomo]

If I may add to the informative responses so far, the most important "best time to board" recommendation would have to be... before the ship sets sail! 😉