How Early Can We Board

[mark46]

We are boarding MIA in May.  Docs say that we depart at 8PM.

 

Flights generally arrive in the morning.  How early can we board?  We have a Royal Suite on the Beyond leaving May 4.

 

m

[DaKahuna]

 They generally start boarding the ship around 1030 - 1100 am.  It depends on a few things.  How quickly they can get all passengers from the previous cruise off the ship and reach a zero count.  Once this is done then they need clearance from Customs and Border Control to being boarding new passengers.  The first to board will be any B2B passengers from the previous cruise.  And then they will start boarding Suite Guest and Zeniths.  

 

 You can generally show up at the cruise terminal and they will start checking passengers in around 1000.  You will be escorted to the holding area for suite guest and then as Royal Suite guest, you will be escorted onto the ship by the Retreat Concierge or your Butler once board commences. 

 

[jelayne]

You can drop your carry on items & valuables in the suite when you board however the suite will not be fully made up and ready until about 1.  Luminae will be open for lunch around noon, so enjoy lunch then enjoy your RS.

[mark46]

So, to understand.

 

I can board at 10:30-11 for a 8PM departure?  In that case, an early morning flight seems to make sense,

 

BTW, we fly into MIA.  Is the best way to get to the ship a taxi, or does Celebrity have transfers?

 

[DingoMom]

@mark46, all of the above responses are correct. However, you are asking about flying in. I dare say the majority of the folks on this board would advise that you fly in No Later Than the day BEFORE the cruise…soooo many variables. We generally stay one night pre-cruise, and then Uber to the port.

[cruisestitch]

Mark46, Where are you coming from?  

[leaveitallbehind]

9 hours ago, mark46 said:

So, to understand.

 

I can board at 10:30-11 for a 8PM departure?  In that case, an early morning flight seems to make sense,

 

BTW, we fly into MIA.  Is the best way to get to the ship a taxi, or does Celebrity have transfers?

 

In our recent Eclipse experience from Cape Liberty they promptly started boarding at 11:00.  This has been similar to our other recent Celebrity cruises from FL ports.  

 

In terms of getting to the POM, Uber / Lyft is our preference based on convenience and price, but cabs also work quite well and the only comparative between the two in our choice is waiting time for either.  Celebrity transfers are vans or buses that wait to be filled before departing and IMO are not as convenient or cost effective compared to Uber/Lyft or cabs.  That would be the same with us returning to MIA as well.

Edited July 9 by leaveitallbehind

[mark46]

We are coming from SAV and will take a round-trip flight.  My wife uses a wheelchair at airports (especially MIA) and we will need help getting to a shuttle or cab.

 

We are now considering spending 2 nights at a hotel.  Will the Hyatt Regency work,  It seems to be near Riverwalk and other attractions, and we should be able to get transportant to an from. 

 

Are there better choices.  Some mention the Hampton Inn - Blue Lagoon.

[mark46]

I mean a non-stop flight

 

[39august]

You are wise to be considering coming in a day or two early, especially with your wife's mobility situation. Also, tho' cabs, Ubers and Lyft work well, your transportation situation would be much simpler if you fly in to FLL. instead of Miami. 

[kenb]

1 hour ago, mark46 said:

We are coming from SAV and will take a round-trip flight.  My wife uses a wheelchair at airports (especially MIA) and we will need help getting to a shuttle or cab.

 

We are now considering spending 2 nights at a hotel.  Will the Hyatt Regency work,  It seems to be near Riverwalk and other attractions, and we should be able to get transportant to an from. 

 

Are there better choices.  Some mention the Hampton Inn - Blue Lagoon.

Hampton Inn Brickell is a great choice.

[-Lew-]

22 minutes ago, 39august said:

...your transportation situation would be much simpler if you fly in to FLL. instead of Miami. 

 

Please enlighten me as to why flying into FLL when sailing out of PortMiami would be much simpler than flying into MIA.

[39august]

Sorry. I thought they were departing from FLL. 

[PTC DAWG]

2 hours ago, 39august said:

Sorry. I thought they were departing from FLL. 

Apparently, next May 4th Beyond is changing to Port of Miami..that’s news to me too.

Edited July 9 by PTC DAWG

[Pennstatedj]

Beyond is in Miami next year. Not happy about that. 

[Saturngrl]

You may want to check the port schedule for times when your ship usually docks.  A later docking/arrival time will lead to later boarding times.  Otherwise, the above posters are correct about suite boarding times and process. 

[DennysDad]

On 7/9/2024 at 12:20 PM, PTC DAWG said:

Apparently, next May 4th Beyond is changing to Port of Miami..that’s news to me too.

Oh yes, Beyond out of Miami May 11th, 2025. 

[jlawrence01]

One comment.

 

We arrived at FLL about two hours before we were scheduled to board our Celebrity Cruise.  In past cruises on RCL and HAL, we were told to wait outside until out appointed time.

 

We found a nice comfortable bench and waited our turn.  Three minutes later, a Celebrity staff member came by and asked us why we were sitting there.  He told us that the line was almost empty and that we could go ahead and board.

 

If you get to the port city very early (8-10 hours), many hotels have a "day rate" which is at a discount to their normal rates.  This will allow you to chill out and catch a nap if needed.

[ScottC4746]

On 7/8/2024 at 7:58 PM, mark46 said:

We are boarding MIA in May.  Docs say that we depart at 8PM.

 

Flights generally arrive in the morning.  How early can we board?  We have a Royal Suite on the Beyond leaving May 4.

 

m

You are braver than me.  We nearly missed a Princess cruise in San Francisco because our flight was an hour and a half late.  Princess had two grand class ships boarding at the same time at the same dock, needless to say it was stressful and confusing.  I always recommend going the day before.

[mark46]

Cruisemapper has Byond docking in FLL at 7AM and departing from MIA at 8PM on May 4th.

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

On 7/8/2024 at 10:58 PM, mark46 said:

We are boarding MIA in May.  Docs say that we depart at 8PM.

 

Flights generally arrive in the morning.  How early can we board?  We have a Royal Suite on the Beyond leaving May 4.

 

m

 

They do until they don't. All it takes is one weather system ANYWHERE in the country to disrupt flights and make equipment not arrive and/or a crew not arrive or not arrive in time to get their mandatory rest and a flight that should arrive in the morning is cancelled or delayed.

[ScottC4746]

2 minutes ago, WrittenOnYourHeart said:

 

They do until they don't. All it takes is one weather system ANYWHERE in the country to disrupt flights and make equipment not arrive and/or a crew not arrive or not arrive in time to get their mandatory rest and a flight that should arrive in the morning is cancelled or delayed.

And since I married into the airline industry we try not to connect in MIA if we can avoid it because it is too easy to misconnect there, especially in the summer.  Even it the flight ends there, anything can happen.

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

4 minutes ago, ScottC4746 said:

And since I married into the airline industry we try not to connect in MIA if we can avoid it because it is too easy to misconnect there, especially in the summer.  Even it the flight ends there, anything can happen.

 

Yup. When I flew into MIA for my fathom cruise to Cuba, we were delayed getting out of NYC so delayed landing, then we got assigned to one of the gates they have to tow you to, and then something happened when hooking up the tow so we had to sit and wait for people to come and check it out to make sure we were safe to be towed in. A lot of people - including a crew - missed connections to the islands and South America. (I was sitting next to one of the crew who was flying deadhead and just as we got the ok to go to the gate she got a message that they had called in the replacement crew and the flight to St. Maarten was departing.)

Edited July 12 by WrittenOnYourHeart

[asctony]

Just got on Beyond in FLL at 11am. 2nd couple onboard. Did not look at boarding times.

Enjoy your cruise.