How long To check in?

[mekay1012]

Hi everyone. We leave on our first cruise Friday. We have a pat of 10:30. I'm trying to figure out about what time we will actually board the boat. I need to know how much stuff I should plan to bring to keep my 1 year old entertained while waiting to board.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

With a PAT of 10:30, you will likely get one of the lower boarding numbers. They usually start boarding the boat around 11:15-11:30. I would guess you will be boarding the boat around 11:30-11:45.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Hi everyone. We leave on our first cruise Friday. We have a pat of 10:30. I'm trying to figure out about what time we will actually board the boat. I need to know how much stuff I should plan to bring to keep my 1 year old entertained while waiting to board.

While your Port Arrival Time is 10:30, actual boarding doesn't begin until 11:15-11:30. I'd suggest that you arrive closer to 11:00 (but leave your PAT at 10:30). Your PAT is tied to the boarding number you get at check in, you will receive the same number whether you check in at 10:30 or noon. That way, once you've made your way through the check in line, it's quite likely that your boarding number will have already been called (or will be soon).

Actually, the "sweet spot" for basically no lines at check in or boarding is around 12:00-12:30, but I'm not sure you want to wait that long.

 

[Sir William]

PP is correct, but you won't be able to get to your cabin until about 1.30.

 

[over50visits]

Maggie'sMom and Sir William gave great information. The waiting area in the terminal is reasonably crowded, busy, and not too quiet, enough alone to perhaps keep the attention of a small child watching everything going on. But the estimate of perhaps about an hour wait is reasonable to expect. Once on the ship, there is no end of things to do and see (colors, lights, sounds, plus lunch) to keep a 1yo entertained, until you can get to your cabin after 1:30 and begin the exploration of the childs new home.