Information on Boarding Numbers

[Artmomdawn]

Cruising in 25 days. Not checked in yet, but, my husband is in a wheelchair. Do you think this would make a difference in our boarding number?

 

[Sue (mom of 3 boys!)]

I’m just curious how do other cruise companies handle boarding?

On our last RCCL cruise, we arrived at the port, checked our luggage with the porters and went in the terminal. No frills, but very efficient. We went through security, checked in, and got in line. If I remember correctly, we were given group numbers as we got in that line, and the groups were moved accordingly into a room with chairs, then onto the ship. I don't remember there being a terribly long wait. There was no set arrival time that we had to abide by. The brochure said 1:00 boarding, but we were on board by 12:30. I found their check in better organized than DCL.
On the flip side, disembarking from the Independence of the Seas was a nightmare in Ft. Lauderdale. DCL was so much better for us, no contest.

 

[amysuch]

Were you on the Daylight savings cruise on the 13th? Didn't they have major problems with the boarding that day because of the change in time. I heard they reverted to the old way by just giving people as they checked in.

How did you know you were 18? Did she first give you that and then change her mind?

We were on the Magic on the 12th, so just before DST. She told us that we would have been 18, but said she was giving us 2 so we could all board together.

 

[TitanBrett]

I don't think this is mandatory at all. On our 3/13 Dream cruise, with the computer problem, embarkation was delayed so much that when we were going in, they were basically saying the photo was optional. We don't usually buy photos on board, and by this time, we just wanted to get on the ship, so we just walked right past it and onto the ship.

I was gonna post the same thing, I was on that cruise as well and the pictures were definitely not mandatory. The looks those photogs were getting from some pax when they tried to corral them were enough to make them back off.

 

[Sue (mom of 3 boys!)]

It would be interesting if there was a place to see what time (on average) each boarding group boarded. I'd be interested to know what time #5 boarded as opposed to #18, how many numbers there are, etc.

We were not planning to get to the port until 12 (HappyLimo) to avoid the crazy morning crowd and the busses from WDW, but am now re-thinking that idea. If arriving at 12:30 still means a 2 hour wait, I'll be there earlier. We aren't cruising until January, so I hope the glitches work out by then...

 

[ShellyLynn3630]

We are cruising in 25 days. I have not checking-in yet....My husband is in a wheelchair. Do you think that would make a difference??

Yes, I think the disabled are allowed to board early, or in a special section of some sort.

 

[Mmketeer]

I don't think I really care for that.

Yeah I agree, I don't care for that either. Humm...they just better be gald this is a new ship and I might actually buy that photo or I too might be arguing about not getting the boarding photo too.

 

[sorul82?]

As for the boarding photo....if it's a method for staggering groups entering the ship then I don't mind. It gives the group ahead of us time to get out of my way and keeps the group behind us from running us over.

 

[sorul82?]

I’m just curious how do other cruise companies handle boarding?

For Carnival in Tampa, people with disabilities and high frequency cruisers board first, then everyone else is in order of checking in at the terminal. Oh, forgot about weddings, they go before group 1.