How late can you safely board?

[Rob1872]

I see a lot of people talking about how early you can board. We have a 4:00 departure from Port Canaveral. We are going to probably get to the area around 10:00; however, I would like to have some time to see a few things in the area with my family before getting on board. I spent a month on the USS Alaska operating out of Port Canaveral back in 2002; I'd like to see a few things with my family before getting on board. I have no problem with eating lunch before boarding (even though I would like to go on one of the ship orientation tours I saw on an old Navigator). Follow-on question: I was planning to just park at the port for convenience, even though I know it is a little more expensive per night. Does the parking ever fill up? Is there value in making an online reservation for the lot? (and does it guarantee you a spot, or is it just more of purchasing a pre-paid voucher?)

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I see a lot of people talking about how early you can board. We have a 4:00 departure from Port Canaveral. We are going to probably get to the area around 10:00; however, I would like to have some time to see a few things in the area with my family before getting on board. I spent a month on the USS Alaska operating out of Port Canaveral back in 2002; I'd like to see a few things with my family before getting on board. I have no problem with eating lunch before boarding (even though I would like to go on one of the ship orientation tours I saw on an old Navigator). Follow-on question: I was planning to just park at the port for convenience, even though I know it is a little more expensive per night. Does the parking ever fill up? Is there value in making an online reservation for the lot? (and does it guarantee you a spot, or is it just more of purchasing a pre-paid voucher?)

How are you "arriving in the area"? Generally the all aboard is 3:45. With the muster drill starting at 4:00. I'd suggest that you'd need to be checked in and onboard by 3:30 at the latest, unless you want to bring your carry on things to the muster drill with you. I'd allow at least 1/2 hour to 45 minutes to park and get through check in in the terminal. That would give you (from 10:00 to 2:30ish) 4 hours to get to wherever it is that you want to see, spend some time there and then the time from there to the parking for DCL.

If you're also allowing time to eat lunch before boarding, then that will cut into that time.

Personally, I'd probably save my "other sightseeing" until after the cruise, when there's no deadline.

 

[Rob1872]

Thanks. Unfortunately I can't do anything afterwards; we are flying out that afternoon. We are going to be driving over from Orlando that morning. I would think that we can easily be on by 2. I just have a few places I want to show my family. It may be silly to want to go onto the military base and see the Trident pier, etc. but I'd still like to do it more than get 3 more hours on the ship.

 

[over50visits]

I see a lot of people talking about how early you can board. We have a 4:00 departure from Port Canaveral. We are going to probably get to the area around 10:00; however, I would like to have some time to see a few things in the area with my family before getting on board. I spent a month on the USS Alaska operating out of Port Canaveral back in 2002; I'd like to see a few things with my family before getting on board. I have no problem with eating lunch before boarding (even though I would like to go on one of the ship orientation tours I saw on an old Navigator). Follow-on question: I was planning to just park at the port for convenience, even though I know it is a little more expensive per night. Does the parking ever fill up? Is there value in making an online reservation for the lot? (and does it guarantee you a spot, or is it just more of purchasing a pre-paid voucher?)

You have time to do some things in the local area, especially arriving there about 10. In all cruises I know about the latest all aboard time is 1545. You can confirm that by checking the itinerary on your DCL confirmation. The aboard time is firm. Hard. Absolute. I'm risk averse, so I would never cut it close, but don't want to advise you on how to do it.

As for parking, I've never heard it to be full. And we park there often, and there have always been a LOT of parking spots available, even on the larger ships.

 

[Weedy]

FYI: On the day you board Cabanas will close at 3:00 and the pool deck restaurants at 3:30 for the lifeboat drill. The restaurants on the pool deck will open back up after the lifeboat drill at 4:15.

 

[texas disney mom]

We boarded a cruise out of miami on the wonder 9 months ago after 4pm. There was no one in the boarding area but the people working there checking us in acted like we were right on time and never said anything to us like hurry, etc. We parked in the terminal lot and had no trouble getting parking. When we approached the terminal and gave a bag to a porter it looked like everyone s baggage for the trip was still out there and not loaded on the ship. When we walked onto the ship there was no one there calling out names but the ship still didnt leave for another hour or so.

 

[Otimon]

You can safely board as long as the gangway is still down and folks are there to help you.

After that, I wouldn't attempt it!