What is the LATEST you've ever boarded?

[scubapro48]

We'll be arriving in LA at two'ish and need to get to San Pedro by 4 pm for a 5 pm departure on a Fri pm. Barring major traffic problems, we'll hopefully be OK. I still remember running up to a Disney Red Boat after the check-in station was closed (back in '89) and still getting on board. Wheeewww!!!! What was your closest call?

[PrettyLA]

This should be interesting.

[dc-snoopy]

Last month, for the Carnival Destiny cruise, I was told that anyone arriving by 9:30 PM for our 10:00 sailing would be allowed to board. I got this info due to USAir messing up my brother's travel arrangements. The Carnival check-in staff kept telling me that I should tell him that even if he arrive in SJ airport by 9:30 and called me on the ship that they would wait if they knew he was on his way. But USAir wasn't able to accommodate so eventually flew their group of five to St Thomas where they joined up with us on the morning of the second day of the cruise.

[Merion_Mom]

Here's a great thread to read on this subject:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=281589

[lauren0309]

4:00 for a 5:00 departure. That was our first cruise and we didnt know better not to book our flights and transfers through Royal Caribbean. The flights they gave us were late flights and once we got to the airport we were put on the transfer bus and then one woman lost her daughter at the airport and we all had to sit and wait on the bus until they located her daughter. By the tme we got to the ship we were left eating leftover dried up food in the Windjammer. Now we learned to book our own flights and hop a taxi directly to the ship. We also fly in the day before and board the ship as early as we could the next morning.

[critterchick]

We've boarded as late as 3:30 for a 5:00 flight, but we live 15 minutes from the port of LA and we were working that Friday. We hadn't yet figured out that late boarding only means we're losing a good part of the first day, so now we try to board by 1:00 or so.

[realent]

ALWAYS count on traffic out of LA and on a Friday afternoon?????? Let us know how it goes!

[Merion_Mom]

I found it! Here is the best thread EVER:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=391074

[realent]

Here's a great thread to read on this subject:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=281589

 

OMG, Carol.....that is hysterical:eek:

[Merion_Mom]

OMG, Carol.....that is hysterical:eek:

 

If you liked that one, you'll love the one right above your post. :D

[PrettyLA]

I found it! Here is the best thread EVER:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=391074

 

WOW. I just read that and it was crazy and funny. Thanks for that.

[Mr_Cruise]

I boarded the Diamond Princess in Seattle at 3:54p for a 4:00p sailing once. I don't think I'd like to experience that again at any port. Mind you, it was very quick (no lines) haha.

[molly361]

On our Alaska cruise (years ago) we were coming from the East Coast, plane troubles, etc. and boarded after the muster drill, and if memory serves me correctly we boarded thru a crew entrance. Luckily we were on ship's transfers so the ship waited for us as we were not the only ones. Ship left late due to them waiting for the bus.

[Marley-Bop]

On our recent Navigator cruise, we could see people running up the gangway to board during muster drill. We were due to sail away at 5.00pm and our muster drill was at 4.30pm...talk about cutting it fine :eek:

 

Chubbas XX

[FreewayFortune]

I just wanted to say that the link that was posted was hilarious:) We have always boarded at around 2pm. No super exciting stories about us running for the ship or anything.

[corkpopr]

we do not like lines and are in no hurry so we usually board one hour to 45 minutes before sailing. Once years ago we were on a late train and were the last to board 15 minutes before scheduled sailing. After being reprimanded by the staff the ship sailed 30 minutes late to allow for taking on additional supplies.

[SharkCruiser24]

Well, two years ago I was going on Sovereign with my dad for my birthday. He had to pick me up from school, which meant we didn't leave Orlando until after 2:00, then since he's a diabetic, we had to stop and get something for him to eat. By time we got to Port Canaveral it was 3:30, they stopped boarding at 4:00, they were taking all the signs down.

[referee]

On our 6/2005 cruise to Hawaii, there were 110 of us ready to board a 2:00 p.m flight from LAX to Honolulu.The ship was scheduled to depart Hon.at 8:00 P.m Hawaii time....we were all seated on the plane, when the pilot said everybody off, the plane developed "flap" problems..They would try to fix it or get a new plane Long story short, new plane arrived 5 hours later....The fact that we were all going on the cruise, they held the ship up.Arriving in Hawaii one hour after ship was supposed to leave, They loaded all of us into 2 busses, literally threw our luggage into a truck, and got us to the pier...they rushed us through ship checkin, barely looking at our id's....all the restaurants were closed(NCL), but we managed to get cold pizza....for the next few days our group was known as "those are the people who held up the cruise"

[nlcentralchmps03]

If you liked that one, you'll love the one right above your post. :D

I remember following that one as if it was some kind of high speed chase.

[johnjen]

The latest we've ever boarded was probably noonish....we like to be as early as possible and always on time. This is why we always spend the night before over in the same port where the ship leaves from - just to be on time the following morning and not worry about flat tires, traffic, delayed flights, etc.

 

On a same note - next year, we're going on a cruise with our friends, but the girl is notoriously LATE for everything, so we're going to lie to them and tell them the ship is leaving two hours early, so get your tails onboard!

[scubapro48]

I hate being late, too. Those links Carol posted are great--but hey, that can't happen to US!!!???

 

For our AOS cruise out of SJ we boarded 1.5 hrs before sailing because we wanted to visit Old Town and have a nice lunch, etc. We were the only ones boarding at that time!

[Foffie232]

Our honeymoon on Sovereign. We used the RCI transportation from the airport. While we arrived in Orlando around 11:30, we had to wait until almost 1:30 while they boarded the busses. Then, it took them over an hour to get there. We had time to just get on board, drop our stuff in our room, and then it was time for the muster drill.

 

Will NEVER use the RCI transportation again in Orlando!!

 

Stephie :)

[It'sRC4ME]

Our experience with late boarding came in early October 2001, just after 9/11. We got up at 4:30 AM to get on a flight to Ft. Lauderdale to board Explorer fo the Seas. Our flights and connection were fairly smooth, but haphazard extra security at every stage of our travels meant that we didn't actually board until 4:30 PM for a 5:00 PM sailing. And there were hundreds of people in line behind us to check in at the port. I think we finally sailed at 7:00. I remember that we didn't get our luggage until after dinner, and then we were so exhaused that we all just showered and went to sleep!

[hawt1]

Last ones to get onto Explorer this past March for our cruise. Used RCL Air and trasnoport to get to the cruise and will never do so again due to missed connections and poor service in general.

 

Boarded at about 5:05 for 5:00 sailing. We were late enough that the ID picture taking machie was already unplugged when we got there. Not a great start to the trip.

[reallyitsmema]

On our June Mariner cruise, we were supposed to leave at 4:30pm but were delayed because of some late flights. The Disney ship beside us was supposed to leave at 4 but they were delayed too. At about 4:45 while we were hanging out on our balcony we heard the continual beeping of a horn. There was a Disney bus flying over the bridge, leaning on his horn for everyone to get out of the way. He forced one car into the breakdown lane. I have never seen such an aggressive driver in my life! The people literally came running off the bus and through the terminal. The ship left right away after they boarded.