Boarding Princess in Fort Lauderdale

[rebeccac]

One thing to note about the port at Fort Lauderdale is that you will likely be required to show ID at the entrance to the port not just at check in.  We have had this happen whether taking our own car or taking an Uber/Lyft.  

[capriccio]

Just now, doghog said:

Got it. Still has nothing to do with dropping off carryons when the fire doors are closed. You can reserve your lounger with or without them. 

Absolutely! And we have done so.

 

In our first 11 years sailing on Princess cabins were ready upon boarding.  In 2018 we first experienced the closed fire doors.  A certain member of our party (not me!) decided to try the door.  An alarm went off.  Was I surprised?  No.  Was he?  Yes.  Since then we've only had a couple of cruises where the cabin was ready upon boarding.  We take them at the word if warned that they are not ready and just take our carry-ons with us even through they sometimes announce where they can be stored (usually an specialty restaurant).  Taking them to lunch in the MDR is no problem either.

[capriccio]

3 minutes ago, rebeccac said:

One thing to note about the port at Fort Lauderdale is that you will likely be required to show ID at the entrance to the port not just at check in.  We have had this happen whether taking our own car or taking an Uber/Lyft.  

That is dependent upon the terminal and the port entry (there are 3).  If sailing from terminal 2 (the Princess terminal) enter via Eisenhower Blvd and the turnoff to the terminal and the associated parking lot is before the security checkpoint.  See www.porteverglades.net for more info including a port map.

[artvlay]

Never looked at the sanctuary procedures. Can you please give me an education as to the best way to book it. We will be on Island Princess. Also, do they rent full or half days and what do they normally charge.

Thank you 

[RBAlbany]

Sorry to add a little more to this question.  What if you add parking?  What is the cost (2 weeks), and how much of a struggle to get to terminal.  Thanks.  

[capriccio]

4 minutes ago, RBAlbany said:

Sorry to add a little more to this question.  What if you add parking?  What is the cost (2 weeks), and how much of a struggle to get to terminal.  Thanks.  

Check out www.porteverglades.net for parking info.  Show up after the arriving passengers on your ship have disembarked (usually by 10 am) and freed up parking spaces and you won’t have any trouble getting a space.

[lx200gps]

4 hours ago, doghog said:

 

If the fire doors were open and nothing advertised that we can't drop and run then we would do just that. But if the fire doors are closed that would mean stay out without having to be verbally or a signage telling us to stay out. Since our carryons are my medium size back pack and my wifes purse (both with valuables and a few meds only) we would wait somewhere and enjoy our welcome aboard drink. 

Absolutely correct. I was merely commenting on post #12 above where the poster thought nothing of opening those fire doors even if they were closed.

[MissP22]

16 hours ago, lx200gps said:

Our "policy" is that if the fire doors to your floor/cabin are open, as they usually are, then it's OK to QUICKLY drop off your bags and get out of Stewart's way so he/she can finish getting the cabin ready. If they have shut down the fire doors to try and deny access to your corridor, as happens on occasion, then we absolutely would not breach that and simply hang on to the bags until the all-clear announcement is given.

Even if the fire doors are closed, they're easy to open and if anyone says anything just tell them that the door was open when you went past. We've never had a problem.

 

 

 

10 hours ago, RBAlbany said:

Sorry to add a little more to this question.  What if you add parking?  What is the cost (2 weeks), and how much of a struggle to get to terminal.  Thanks.  

Parking off the premises is half the cost of parking near the ship, with a free shuttle included. Of course in involves another step in getting to your car but it's worth saving the money for us. We live in FL & are usually home by 11 AM. 

It beats paying $20 per day. 

 

[CCFC]

When we got on Caribbean Princess for our Christmas cruise there was no priority boarding, it was a free for all. We are Elite and were quite disappointed by the whole embarkation process.

[capriccio]

3 minutes ago, CCFC said:

When we got on Caribbean Princess for our Christmas cruise there was no priority boarding, it was a free for all. We are Elite and were quite disappointed by the whole embarkation process.

In my experience priority boarding now only means if you arrive before boarding begins, elites (and suites) and platinums wait in their respective lounges and are boarded in order before everyone else.  Once boarding starts the lounges aren't used and all passengers just move through check-in directly onto the ship.

[lx200gps]

2 hours ago, capriccio said:

In my experience priority boarding now only means if you arrive before boarding begins, elites (and suites) and platinums wait in their respective lounges and are boarded in order before everyone else.  Once boarding starts the lounges aren't used and all passengers just move through check-in directly onto the ship.

When we boarded the Sky in PE for one of our trips last year there were also no lounges/special waiting areas set up at all. We all just sat in the lower level arrival hall in T2 according to when we arrived for check-in, and boarding started for everyone around 10:30. At the time I just assumed that because they had the ship ready for boarding particularly early, they dispensed with the extra work of setting up the lounges, the catering etc.

[MissP22]

4 hours ago, CCFC said:

When we got on Caribbean Princess for our Christmas cruise there was no priority boarding, it was a free for all. We are Elite and were quite disappointed by the whole embarkation process.

It was the same thing on the Enchanted at Christmas. Lots of confusion. 

[goingsailing]

8 hours ago, capriccio said:

In my experience priority boarding now only means if you arrive before boarding begins, elites (and suites) and platinums wait in their respective lounges and are boarded in order before everyone else.  Once boarding starts the lounges aren't used and all passengers just move through check-in directly onto the ship.

Ques:  does this include the mini-suites? Thanks

[capriccio]

8 minutes ago, goingsailing said:

Ques:  does this include the mini-suites? Thanks

No, only full suites.

[Dreamcruiser185]

4 minutes ago, capriccio said:

No, only full suites.

I thought Reserve Collection Mini suites get priority embarkation and disembarkation? 

[MacMadame]

23 hours ago, capriccio said:

Since then we've only had a couple of cruises where the cabin was ready upon boarding.  We take them at the word if warned that they are not ready and just take our carry-ons with us even through they sometimes announce where they can be stored (usually an specialty restaurant).  Taking them to lunch in the MDR is no problem either.

I'm curious why people don't give their carryons to the porters. Is that risky (i.e., they may get lost or stolen from)?

 

23 hours ago, artvlay said:

Never looked at the sanctuary procedures. Can you please give me an education as to the best way to book it. We will be on Island Princess. Also, do they rent full or half days and what do they normally charge.

Thank you 

Loungers rent for full ($40) and half days ($20). You can reserve for the entire cruise or just some days. The whole cruise is cheaper per day but I can't find a reliable number for how much.  Cabanas cost $80 per half day (so I assume $160 for a full day.)

[Steelers36]

7 hours ago, lx200gps said:

When we boarded the Sky in PE for one of our trips last year there were also no lounges/special waiting areas set up at all. We all just sat in the lower level arrival hall in T2 according to when we arrived for check-in, and boarding started for everyone around 10:30. At the time I just assumed that because they had the ship ready for boarding particularly early, they dispensed with the extra work of setting up the lounges, the catering etc.

Who cares about the setup stuff?  You mean they did not allow anyone (Suites, Elites) upstairs to the gangway level?  Surely they must have had those folks in a section downstairs so they could head on up first.  Seems odd, but I suppose it took less staff that way and less clean-up after?  Maybe they thought they would get complaints if folks went upstairs and found no refreshments. 

[Steelers36]

5 hours ago, MissP22 said:

It was the same thing on the Enchanted at Christmas. Lots of confusion. 

 

1 hour ago, goingsailing said:

Ques:  does this include the mini-suites? Thanks

 

1 hour ago, capriccio said:

No, only full suites.

 

54 minutes ago, Dreamcruiser185 said:

I thought Reserve Collection Mini suites get priority embarkation and disembarkation? 

The Reserve (formerly Club Class) Mini's were getting Platinum level priority as far as I recall.  There is some level of priority boarding for any Reserve cabin, but the Suites would still be first AFAIK (along with Elites in any cabin).

[capriccio]

38 minutes ago, MacMadame said:

I'm curious why people don't give their carryons to the porters. Is that risky (i.e., they may get lost or stolen from)?

 

We always include a change of clothes and anything else we think we might need if the luggage isn’t delivered until sail away.

[57eric]

36 minutes ago, capriccio said:

We always include a change of clothes and anything else we think we might need if the luggage isn’t delivered until sail away.

From what I see, nearly all Ft. Lauderdale departures/sailaways are now 3:00, so I think we're normally looking at a thin window between 1:00 ish (when cabins are normally available) and 3:00 ish.  I'm with MacMadame on this.  Of course, things like medication and documents are critical, but don't require a piece of luggage.

[capriccio]

33 minutes ago, 57eric said:

From what I see, nearly all Ft. Lauderdale departures/sailaways are now 3:00, so I think we're normally looking at a thin window between 1:00 ish (when cabins are normally available) and 3:00 ish.  I'm with MacMadame on this.  Of course, things like medication and documents are critical, but don't require a piece of luggage.

All I did was answer @MacMadame’s question with my reasoning.  Dealing with a carry-on doesn’t bother us and having experienced late arrival of our luggage on more than one cruise it isn’t burdensome to do so.

[reedprincess]

3 hours ago, MacMadame said:

I'm curious why people don't give their carryons to the porters. Is that risky (i.e., they may get lost or stolen from)?

 

 

My carry-on has valuables, meds, change of clothes - that stays with me, whether flights or boarding ship, hotel early check-in, whatever. It's lightweight, easy to carry and I'm not handing over jewelry, meds, etc to porters/bell desk, checked baggage, etc. That stuff stays on me till it goes in appropriate safe or whatever.. YMMV. 

[Host CJSKIDS]

On 2/13/2024 at 4:59 PM, rebeccac said:

One thing to note about the port at Fort Lauderdale is that you will likely be required to show ID at the entrance to the port not just at check in.  We have had this happen whether taking our own car or taking an Uber/Lyft.  

 

Not if you come in via the 17th street entrance and are going to Terminal 2.  The terminal and parking garage are before security. 

[Host CJSKIDS]

4 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

Who cares about the setup stuff?  You mean they did not allow anyone (Suites, Elites) upstairs to the gangway level?  Surely they must have had those folks in a section downstairs so they could head on up first.  Seems odd, but I suppose it took less staff that way and less clean-up after?  Maybe they thought they would get complaints if folks went upstairs and found no refreshments. 

 

The lounges were not set up or used for our 12/9 Sky sailing.  They just let everyone on at once. 

[MacMadame]

6 hours ago, capriccio said:

All I did was answer @MacMadame’s question with my reasoning.  

Which I appreciate. 😄