family different boarding times

[FunCruiser56]

We have 1130 to board and my brother got 1, will we be able to all board together at 1130?  This is at Port Canaveral on the Wonder of the Seas.  We will be driving together.  

thanks!

[Biker19]

13 minutes ago, FunCruiser56 said:

We have 1130AM to check in and my brother got 1PM, will we be able to check in together at 1130AM? 

Yes.

Edited August 2 by Biker19

[neverbeenhere]

Agreed, but next time choose the 1pm like your brother, then you can walk straight to your stateroom after checking in at the muster station.

[leaveitallbehind]

In our experience in the recent couple of years the times are not typically enforced. @neverbeenhere IMO boarding early allows for early muster drill completion as you indicate, as well as confirming any diner reservations at specialty restaurants or at the MDR, exploring the ship if one is new to it, getting an early lunch ahead of most of the crowds, and just relaxing awaiting the staterooms to open.  Again JMO.

Edited August 2 by leaveitallbehind

[sushigirl53]

6 hours ago, FunCruiser56 said:

We have 1130 to board and my brother got 1, will we be able to all board together at 1130?  This is at Port Canaveral on the Wonder of the Seas

Which sailing of Wonder are you on? My DD and I are going to be on the Aug 11th sailing. We haven't cruised since 2018 and all this arrival time lottery is new to us. We have a 2:00 PM arrival time because we didn't know the procedure and just did our check-in online a couple of days ago. i am a diamond C&A member and we are staying in a suite. Both of those categories used to include priority boarding, but that seems to have changed. I called RCCL and talked with a representative and he said that being in the suite means that we can arrive no earlier than 10:30 AM, no matter what our arrival time indicates and we will wait in the suites waiting area before boarding. I have also seen various comments here on Cruise Critic that said that the arrival times are not strictly enforced. I am hoping that is the case.

[cruisegirl1]

9 minutes ago, sushigirl53 said:

Which sailing of Wonder are you on? My DD and I are going to be on the Aug 11th sailing. We haven't cruised since 2018 and all this arrival time lottery is new to us. We have a 2:00 PM arrival time because we didn't know the procedure and just did our check-in online a couple of days ago. i am a diamond C&A member and we are staying in a suite. Both of those categories used to include priority boarding, but that seems to have changed. I called RCCL and talked with a representative and he said that being in the suite means that we can arrive no earlier than 10:30 AM, no matter what our arrival time indicates and we will wait in the suites waiting area before boarding. I have also seen various comments here on Cruise Critic that said that the arrival times are not strictly enforced. I am hoping that is the case.

Your D status has no priority boarding , but the suite accommodations does.    You can likely check in and board earlier.   If you are in a Star Suite, your genie will contact you and will escort you on board at your preferred time.  

 

M

[FunCruiser56]

We are on the Aug 25 sailing, we will plan on checking in at 1130 and see how it goes. Next hurdle is trying to get them on our dining time, late!

[biomedbob]

Small world problems!

 

[leaveitallbehind]

On 8/2/2024 at 4:14 PM, sushigirl53 said:

I called RCCL and talked with a representative and he said that being in the suite means that we can arrive no earlier than 10:30 AM, no matter what our arrival time indicates and we will wait in the suites waiting area before boarding. I have also seen various comments here on Cruise Critic that said that the arrival times are not strictly enforced.

Check in typically begins around 10:30 and boarding begins by 11:00.  The check in times have not been strictly enforced in recent years and as I understand it suites typically are provided early check in and first boarding around 11:00.  

Edited August 3 by leaveitallbehind

[pcur]

FunCruiser 56: Linking your dining reservations can be done pre-cruise. Check with whomever you booked the cruise with.

 

RCCL is very accommodating about keeping travel groups and families together to board together. Just show up at the suite entrance at a time you all agree upon, and go in together. 10:30 is a good time, because when you get on board they will have just opened the muster stations for check-in, and you can go to lunch after that at 11:30.

 

I do this when I travel with my sister, and with my 2 cruise friends on their first cruise this past April. RCCL got a little bit grumpy about it in April, stating overcrowding in the waiting lounge (by 2 people????). I just told them we would be happy to wait until there was room for us, because I was not letting my first-cruise friends go into the main terminal. They would have a very hard time with that. It was fine.

[expectthebest]

Was just on a sailing a few months back out of the same pier as you.

 

here is the skinny:

the time assigned does not matter at all.. what matters is you getting to the pier and getting checked in… once you meet with the desk agent and get all checked in you will be handed a paddle with a number on it.. ours was in the 40’s like 47 or something.. my in-laws were at the desk agent down from us and were handed a paddle with 45 on it..

 

we got to pier around 9:30 and no one was boarding so they usher you to an area to get a seat and wait.. I think it was 10:30 when they anounce boarding numbers 1-5… so I hear this and I walk up to the area with my 47 and there was a agent standing g in middle of aisle guarding the enterance.. he saw my 47 and sent me back.. there were people in haven or different level status and they were allowed through.. but they did enforce the number system. The time it took to get from 1-5 being called to our group which was 45-50 was prob 35 to 40 mins… it wasn’t that bad..

enjoy your trip!!! 

[pcur]

Just a reminder, the OP is in a suite, and will use a different entrance. No numbered paddles involved.

 

However, this is helpful for people to know if not staying in a suite.