Question About Boarding Times

[rienreiter]

Hello to All Experienced Cunard Cruisers:

 

I will be sailing on the QM2 soon and today have received my documents. There is an note indicating that for those cabins on deck 4 boarding/check-in will not commence until 3:00 PM. My flight arrives at JFK at 10:00 AM. Will I have to wait at the pier until 3:00 PM to board/check-in or will I be able to do so upon arriving at the pier or whenever boarding starts?

 

Thanks for your help, Juan

[pb82]

Ignore the boarding times. Cunard assigns them in the hope that they can enforce an orderly arrival of passengers. They can't. The terminal starts accepting passengers between 11AM and noon. I've never heard of anyone being asked to wait because they arrived before their "assigned time".

 

Much better to board as soon as you can, then stroll around Deck 7 and watch the late comers rush and the luggage fall off the pallets being loaded onto the ship. They have nets that prevent the luggage from falling into to water, but they don't seem all that concerned about bags bouncing around on the pier. Not to worry, you'll never spot yours.

[rienreiter]

PB82:

 

Many thanks for your response. First time on Cunard so I was curious.

[2moose]

After 3 Cruises With Cunard We Walked On With No Waiting At 12 Noon Although We Were Told 3:00pm Was Our Time.

[lannp]

I too will be on Deck 4 and was advised of a late boarding time but I'm arriving shortly after 10 am and using the Cunard transfer so I will arrive at the pier on their timetable and presumably will be checking in upon arrival. I'll be rather cranky if I have to sit at the pier for the suggested time.

[rienreiter]

Thanks for everyone for their replies.

[cruiseluvva]

Would you recommend arriving early for a 2 night weekend cruise? We are on Deck 4 so I imagine we'll be told to arrive later, but we want to enjoy every possible minute on board!:)

 

On the other hand, we don't want to have to wait for hours in the terminal. What time would you suggest?

[pb82]

Try noon, Cruiseluvva. You have nothing to lose; either you board early or you wait, and there's not much difference between waiting in the terminal and waiting to go to the terminal, is there?

[cruiseluvva]

Will do - thanks - and I won't hold you responsible if we have to wait :D