Earliest time you have boarded VV

[hazeleyes46]

We have booked the new Brilliant Lady so can't really tell by that cruise but wondered the earliest anyone can board the ship. We are used to getting there very early and boarding by 11am but it seems I am reading they board later? The ship leaves at 5pm so wouldn't they need everyone on by 3:30? 

[1025cruise]

On Virgin, the doors don't open until 1:30. And they do let you in based on your scheduled arrival time. However, once you board your cabin is ready. And when you get back, you don't have them pushing the broom to get you off until 10:30.

[jon81uk]

Boarding times are 1.30-4.30pm. Generally those in suites (rockstars) will board at 1.30pm, then those with loyalty status priority. Most people will then board 1.45 onwards. At some point you’ll need to select an arrival time in the app (Brilliant Lady isn’t set up yet). Rooms will be ready immediately after boarding and lunch will be available. Muster point check in is about 4.30-5.30 and normally sailaway party 5.30-6.30 (free sparkling wine 5.45-6.15), ship moves off around 5.30-7.30 depending on when it is ready etc.

 

But this also means like a hotel you don’t need to leave until 10.30am on the last day if you don’t want to. Can even have brunch and then go back to your room to collect bags and brush teeth before going.

[Bill Miller]

Miami, Valiant Lady

What a fabulous cruise line. We had 3:15 boarding on June 2nd.   

We parked in the parking garage about 1:30 just ahead of some tropical rain. I was worried about finding a space but, no problem. When we sailed later at 6, still plenty of spots on top of the garage.

A lovely Longshoreman woman porter took  our bags and afixed tags. Very easy. We watched them trundled off to the security almost immediately and onto ship.

Started boarding groups and by 2:10, our 3:15 group were riding the escalators to the 2nd floor Virgin check in. They had at least 20 agents checking in passengers. People ahead of us were already aboard. So quick, so easy.  Shoreside staff was most excellent.

I've sailed a lot of cruise lines including Celebrity out of the adjacent terminal to Virgin. Nothing compares to Virgins most excellent embark.

Don't sweat the parking, like I did. Park, check  your bags and go up and get the party started.

 

 

 

[cantgetin]

Processing starts at 1:30; VV advises you to not show up more than 30 minutes in advance.  We have always had 1:30 priority boarding.  On 3 of our 4 cruises, we were in our cabin by 2:00.  First cruise, we showed up at 12:30 and were politely sent away with instructions to return at 1.  At 1, we were allowed into the terminal and things followed quickly until we were required to wait for the notice to proceed to the gangway.  This was in Barcelona and things were a little different than in Miami in terms of the order in which they happened. They processed us, then we waited to get on the ship at 1:35.  In Miami, you wait till processing starts about 1:30, then go thru security and board.  Same steps, different order.

If you show up more than 30 minutes early, you MIGHT be kept waiting.  But if you have a late time (anything after 3), I'd show up an hour early.  You will line up by time, and as soon as the people with earlier times are completed, you'll be taken.  Then they just end the time system. It is not unusual for a 4:30 scheduled person to be able to get on at 3.

[hazeleyes46]

18 hours ago, jon81uk said:

Boarding times are 1.30-4.30pm. Generally those in suites (rockstars) will board at 1.30pm, then those with loyalty status priority. Most people will then board 1.45 onwards. At some point you’ll need to select an arrival time in the app (Brilliant Lady isn’t set up yet). Rooms will be ready immediately after boarding and lunch will be available. Muster point check in is about 4.30-5.30 and normally sailaway party 5.30-6.30 (free sparkling wine 5.45-6.15), ship moves off around 5.30-7.30 depending on when it is ready etc.

 

But this also means like a hotel you don’t need to leave until 10.30am on the last day if you don’t want to. Can even have brunch and then go back to your room to collect bags and brush teeth before going.

Our reservations say the ship leaves at 5. I wonder if boarding time will be a little earlier then. 

[hazeleyes46]

17 hours ago, Bill Miller said:

Miami, Valiant Lady

What a fabulous cruise line. We had 3:15 boarding on June 2nd.   

We parked in the parking garage about 1:30 just ahead of some tropical rain. I was worried about finding a space but, no problem. When we sailed later at 6, still plenty of spots on top of the garage.

A lovely Longshoreman woman porter took  our bags and afixed tags. Very easy. We watched them trundled off to the security almost immediately and onto ship.

Started boarding groups and by 2:10, our 3:15 group were riding the escalators to the 2nd floor Virgin check in. They had at least 20 agents checking in passengers. People ahead of us were already aboard. So quick, so easy.  Shoreside staff was most excellent.

I've sailed a lot of cruise lines including Celebrity out of the adjacent terminal to Virgin. Nothing compares to Virgins most excellent embark.

Don't sweat the parking, like I did. Park, check  your bags and go up and get the party started.

 

 

 

We are going out of NYC with NCL and have done that port before so hoping it is not that bad this time too 🙂

[hazeleyes46]

4 hours ago, cantgetin said:

Processing starts at 1:30; VV advises you to not show up more than 30 minutes in advance.  We have always had 1:30 priority boarding.  On 3 of our 4 cruises, we were in our cabin by 2:00.  First cruise, we showed up at 12:30 and were politely sent away with instructions to return at 1.  At 1, we were allowed into the terminal and things followed quickly until we were required to wait for the notice to proceed to the gangway.  This was in Barcelona and things were a little different than in Miami in terms of the order in which they happened. They processed us, then we waited to get on the ship at 1:35.  In Miami, you wait till processing starts about 1:30, then go thru security and board.  Same steps, different order.

If you show up more than 30 minutes early, you MIGHT be kept waiting.  But if you have a late time (anything after 3), I'd show up an hour early.  You will line up by time, and as soon as the people with earlier times are completed, you'll be taken.  Then they just end the time system. It is not unusual for a 4:30 scheduled person to be able to get on at 3.

We will be going out of NYC so not sure how that will be compared to Miami. 

[jon81uk]

2 minutes ago, hazeleyes46 said:

Our reservations say the ship leaves at 5. I wonder if boarding time will be a little earlier then. 

I guess we will find out once Brilliant Lady starts sailing. But so far all the other VV ships in all homeports have been pretty similar, boarding 1.30-4pm and sailing off around 6-7pm.

[hazeleyes46]

6 minutes ago, jon81uk said:

I guess we will find out once Brilliant Lady starts sailing. But so far all the other VV ships in all homeports have been pretty similar, boarding 1.30-4pm and sailing off around 6-7pm.

I wonder if that is just the time they put right now. There is only 1 cruise before ours and they also said we don't dock in Bermuda until 6pm. That seems odd but maybe they don't have the room to allow them in until then. Hoping that time changes and we have more time in Bermuda. 

[cantgetin]

55 minutes ago, hazeleyes46 said:

We will be going out of NYC so not sure how that will be compared to Miami. 

That's fair.....but we have sailed out of Miami and the European ports ad found the setup to be very similar.  There was a little difference based on the layout of the terminal (in Barcelona, security was first, then check in, then boarding.  In Miami, check in was first, then security, then boarding). No real differences, just what worked best in the space they had, I guess.

[1025cruise]

Most ports are configured for security first, then check in, then onto the ship. VV built their own terminal in Miami so did it the other way. My concern with NYC would be the room needed outside for people to line up by time.

[Bill Miller]

With Virgin, most check-in drama happens on the app before you even get to the port. The check-in agent confirms your passport. Issues you a wrist bracelet and moves you along. 

They won't have 20 agents twiddling their thumbs waiting to comply with boarding times. They'll move everyone expeditiously through the process and onto the ship.

The first cruise departing a new port might slow things down a bit until everyone gets up to speed, but Virgin is a very hip passenger centric cruise line. 

Show up, go up, check in and get your party started.  The sail away party is most awesome. Everyone is part of it. Not like some so called luxury lines that offer a bow deck party to members of a particular cabin class or loyalty perk.